Life is all about the choices we make—the good and the bad. It may be a long time before we know the outcome of those choices, but sometimes we know right away what the results will be.
We are faced with a choice today concerning the future of Camp Woodson, a therapeutic alternative-treatment program for delinquent youth in North Carolina. Since 1976, Camp Woodson—part of the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention—has provided an opportunity for juvenile offenders to learn more productive skills in planning, decision making and problem solving. Through the wilderness-adventure program, youthful offenders have had a chance to learn how to make better choices in their lives [with] immediate, long-term and lasting benefits.
These benefits have been confirmed by Camp Woodson’s record of successfully transitioning youthful offenders from the juvenile-justice system to their home communities with a recidivism rate of only 22 percent. The national average for adolescents in detention centers is 50 percent.
Now, the DJJDP is on the verge of eliminating Camp Woodson. At this time, the upcoming budget considerations do not include Camp Woodson.
Today, the choice is up to us whether or not to support the youth of North Carolina through the successful program of Camp Woodson. Please make a choice for these children, who so desperately need our help, [by supporting] a program that may make a monumental difference in their lives. Please choose to let your senator, representative and governor know that Camp Woodson should be kept in the upcoming budget.
We will know right away the result of the budget choice our government representatives make: If Woodson is eliminated from the budget, the youthful offenders from all over the state will have lost possibly the best opportunity they could have ever had to turn their lives around. However, if Woodson is kept in the budget, these children will know that without a doubt, someone is fighting for them to have the opportunity of a better life.
Thank you for any support you can provide for the youth of North Carolina.
— Alicia Burgess
Winnabow
Editor’s note: Camp Woodson is based in Swannanoa and operates activities in and around Western North Carolina.
Hello my name is Tony Pruitt I am a proud former student of Camp Woodson and I’m a proud Father of 2 14yr son and 10yr daughter her Birthday is today but I remember being in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a total of 32 days and I graduated and I’ve used some of the skills that I was taught during my time at Camp Woodson so many times throughout my adult life so I would gladly be a sponsor to make sure that other kids can be given the opportunity to change their lives before it’s too late and Prison life is the only life they will ever see also I’d like to give thanks to all the therapists who were there during my visit in 1995to 1997 I really enjoyed and appreciate everything God Bless
Hello my name is Desmond Miller Sr I to was once a member of Camp Woodson I’m now 44yrs old I’m a tanker truck driver have kids an grandkids this place taught me to trust an also taught me survival in the wilderness I drunk creek water after a hour with 13 drops of iodine in it to kill the bacteria I road a horse name Ubet an did the zip line as well learned also to work in a group to walk thru the woods when it was time for solo that scared me the most cause we were separated from the group by yourself to reflect on what you have been thru since starting but over all it taught me alot that I use today so thank you for everything God bless.
I was there in 93 and in 96 I learned alot from the experience and it was a great place
I want to know why no one is talking about Eric Kelsey that died from hypothermia back in like 1978/1979. That should have never happened. I attended camp Woodson right before that happened and I’m determined not to let him be forgotten. It was cool some of the places we went but it didn’t work for me, I ended up a drug addict on the streets for the following 20 years. I’m good today but I still grieve for Eric