Circle V Ranch Camp Back in Business

By Laura Kath, for Circle V Ranch Camp

Spaces and camperships (scholarships) are only available for the Circle V Ranch Camp summer 2019 session, Saturday, Aug. 3-Thursday, Aug. 8., Ray Lopez, camp director, has announced. Theme for the week is Talent Show Week and the deadline to submit an application to attend is July 18.

The camp is located across from Cachuma Lake in the Santa Ynez Valley. Circle V Ranch Camp has reopened this summer for the first time since the July 8, 2017, Whittier Wildfire forced the closure due to damage to the health lodge, craft cabin and water treatment facility, which have since been repaired.

Each Circle V Ranch Camp session is six days and five nights of traditional supervised summer activities for boys and girls ages 7-13. Campers enjoy archery, arts and crafts, hiking, swimming in the pool, learning about nature, reading skills, painting, photography, 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 in cabins, and three daily meals served family-style in the dining lodge are not only for food but also for camaraderie and fellowship.

Circle V Ranch Camp was founded by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles in 1945 and has been located on 30 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County since 1990. In summer 2016, the camp hosted more than 1,000 children.

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 (scholarship funds made by individuals and group donations) are available for qualified campers and reduce fees to as low as $100 per child.

For complete information, visit http://www.circlevranchcamp.org/datesthemesfees.html.

Parents/guardians can 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 apply online at www.circlevranchcamp.org.