PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) – The Oregon 4-H Foundation has agreed to sell a campground property in Salem to a new owner – provided the potential buyers can raise the money in time.
Oregon State University has operated the camps for more than 10 years (including 56 years that the site was open) and announced last year that it no longer wanted to run 4-H programs on the site. The Oregon 4-H Foundation then decided to seek a buyer to keep the facility open or failing that, close it.
Chuck Packard founded Wildlife Stewards Summer Camp in 2001 and his camp has always been housed at the Oregon 4-H Center in Salem. He also runs the Zack Packard Memorial Foundation in memory of his late son, who signed up as his first camper.
When Packard learned of the situation, he knew he had to act.
“They were looking for a like-minded organization that could step in, pay fair market value for the property and continue to run it the way it has been run for 56 years, and the ‘Zack’ Foundation was chosen as that group,” Packard said.
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His camp is a second home for him and many others. More than 75 of his employees have been there for ten years or more.
“Getting kids out into nature is vital to our society and our culture. And even in Oregon, there aren’t many places like this where you’d think they’d be a dime a dozen. But they’re not,” Packard said.
The 365-acre property offers some classic camping activities – a swimming pool, a giant swing, archery, horses, canoeing and, of course, a campfire amphitheater for skits and socializing.
Although other groups use the space for their own camps and events, Packard’s staff focuses on outdoor education. Campers who spoke with FOX 12 said there’s a little something extra that makes the camps special.
“There is always a good atmosphere there, it is never depressing, it is always happy,” says Eliana Painger, who has been here at the camp for five years.
Owen Still, who has been attending the camp for four years and is the son of one of the leaders, said he feels “pretty much completely happy” when he is at camp.
“There is a lot to do, the people are so nice and everything just seems to fit,” he said.
“It’s definitely a part of me,” says Riley Krigbaum, an 11-year-old who attended the camp for three summers. “I learned so much about the forest, but I also learned to be loving, kind and generous.”
The Packard Foundation would operate the site as the Oregon Outdoor Education Center and would continue to host 4-H camps in the summer and provide year-round camp and outdoor education opportunities through other organizations such as the Northwest Outdoor Science School and the YMCA.
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The foundation has now managed to raise half of the $600,000 down payment (of the total cost of $6 million) required to finalize the property, but the balance must be received by September 10, according to the agreement with the Oregon 4-H Foundation.
The initial funding will enable them to take over the site and run their outdoor school program in September.
The first $300,000 was raised through generous donors and community members, but if they cannot raise the remaining funds, the camp will close.
“I’m very confident because I have to be,” Packard said. “I mean, at this point we’re literally getting ready to run the business… the confidence is there, but so is the nervousness.”
If you would like to help the Zack Packard Memorial Foundation keep the cabins open, you can visit the donation link on their website here.
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