On Monday, June 22, the WOW campers enjoyed a day of discovery on the beautiful Appomattox River with the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR). The adventure began with hands-on activities at Hopewell Riverside Park where they explored the river’s ecosystem and learned how scientists work to safeguard the quality of the water we all use on a daily basis. Campers gained an understanding of how they can be a “friend” of the river including what they can do to help protect and conserve the natural areas for the plants and animals that live there. After a picnic lunch at the park, they capped the day off at the Hopewell Marina with a river cruise on the Spirit of the James (a 40 foot pontoon boat) hosted by the James River Association. They not only enjoyed a ride on the river, but learned several new ways of fishing from a boat without a rod and reel.
The second day of camp, Tuesday, June 23, was spent at the Petersburg Museums.The campers learned what everyday life was like for the citizens of Petersburg before, during, and after the American Civil War. Would their experiences be similar to modern times or very different? Through fun and interactive programming, campers explored and discovered what city life was like long ago in Petersburg. At Centre Hill Museum, campers learned about the daily lives of well-to-do families and how children would have spent their recreational time. Blandford Church and Cemetery offered an art and history lesson, a cemetery “Symbols and Sentiment” treasure hunt and a “make and take” craft project. At the Siege Museum, they learned about the ten month siege on Petersburg, the longest siege ever to occur on American Soil.
The third day, Wednesday, June 24, the campers spent the day at Fort Lee exploring many aspects of Army life from the past to the present. The day began at the US Army Women’s Museum with a history program called "So You Want to Build an Exhibit?". Campers learned to analyze artifacts and primary sources and then they used their new knowledge to create a museum exhibit. Later, they went to the US Army Quartermaster Museum for an interactive gallery exploration. With Army history under their belts, campers spent the afternoon seeing the Army at work! Several of the campers experienced what it was like to parachute by participating in a parachuting simulation demonstration. They also learned how the army used robotics to protect the soldiers when put in dangerous situations.