Morganton, NC — Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is proud to announce that registration is now open for the fourth year of its free annual summer camp, Our Big Backyard. This year, the five-day camp will be a hybrid of in-person meetups and virtual activities completed through kits given to each camper. Parents and guardians of 
children ages 6-12 may choose between two sessions: July 12-16 or July 26-30.
Throughout the week, campers will participate in self-guided conservation-related STEAM activities that encourage them to explore their natural worlds through exercise and movement, healthy eating and snacking, art, reading and science experiments. Camp kits, which contain all of the materials needed for the week’s activities, will be available for pickup at Foothills Conservancy’s office in Morganton. Parents and guardians of registered campers will be notified when kits are ready to pick up.
Campers will also have the opportunity to participate in optional in-person activities on Foothills Conservancy-protected lands and other regional outdoor spaces.
“We are really fortunate to have the opportunity to host another summer camp this July,” said Sophie Elliott, development coordinator for Foothills Conservancy. “I’m looking forward to having in-person meetups this year to accompany the at-home kit portion of camp.”
The contents of the kits are funded by grants, private gifts and in-kind donations from local businesses. To date, the conservancy has received funding support from TSH Charitable Foundation Inc. and the Duke Energy Foundation K:12 Education grant program.
Our Big Backyard is offered free of cost to campers and their families. To reserve a space for your 6-12-year-old, visit foothillsconservancy.org/obb. Space is very limited and spots are first come, first served. The deadline to register for this year’s summer camp is 5 p.m. Thursday, May 20. For more information, contact Sophie Elliott at [email protected] or 540-312-1800.
