Staff Report
Community volunteers are being sought for a “Work Party” to help staff prepare for reopening the Circle V Ranch Camp in July 2019. The Circle V Volunteer Work Party will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the Camp located at 2550 Highway 154 across from Cachuma Lake.
Volunteers will be assisting in a variety of projects from cleaning cabins, painting, weeding and gardening and are asked to bring along any tools such as work gloves, paint brushes and wheelbarrows. Volunteer workers may be any age yet any volunteer under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult/chaperone over the age of 18. A hearty lunch will be provided for all. Volunteers are asked to please RSVP by May 16, 2019 by calling the Camp office at 805-686-2696.
“We are so excited to be reopening Circle V for the first time since the Whittier Fire forced our closure on July 8, 2017. Our staff and many others have been working hard since then and we just need more hands to help with some projects right now,” said Ray Lopez, camp director.
Circle V Ranch Camp will reopen on July 12, 2019 for the first of four summer sessions offering six days and five nights of traditional supervised fun for boys and girls ages 7-13 and leadership training for ages 14-17. Campers enjoy activities including archery, arts & crafts, hiking, swimming in the pool, learning about nature, painting, photography, playing baseball, basketball, ping pong, foosball, soccer, miniature golf and of course, campfires, skits and singing. There is no TV, radio or internet access to affect the experience. Campers stay overnight in wood cabins and three nutritious daily meals are served family style in the Dining Lodge featuring plenty of food, camaraderie and fellowship.
Circle V Ranch Camp & Retreat Center was founded in 1945 by St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles and has been located on 30 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County since 1990. 2019 Summer Session Dates and Themes are:
Session One: Friday, July 12 to Wednesday, July 17 ~ Space Week
Session Two: Saturday, July 20 to Thursday, July 25 ~ Adventure Week
Session Three: Friday, July 26 to Wednesday, July 31 ~ Carnival Week
Session Four: Saturday, August 3 to Thursday, August 8 ~ Talent Show Week
The Circle V Ranch Camp fee for six days/ five nights including lodging, all meals, activities, recreation and supervised fun is $600 per child. “Camperships” (scholarships made by donations) are available for qualified campers. Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Circle V Ranch Camp main registration office at 323-224-6213 to receive the Camp application or download forms at www.CircleVRanchCamp.org/datesthemesfees.html
Donations to help reopen camp and fund “camperships” (scholarships) are always welcome at https://svdpla.org/donate/rebuild-camp and for general information visit www.CircleVRanchCamp.org
