Big Turtle Village Takes City Kids Into Nature For A Week

A heart drawn on a steamy school bus window was the last message that 12-year-old Lizandra Gonzalez gave to her mother, standing outside, before heading off on a week-long camping adventure Monday along with 60 other kids and counselors.

Sponsored by Junta for Progressive Action, a programs, service and advocacy group based in Fair Haven that serves the Latino community, Big Turtle Village (BTV) camp is so named because ​“we knew it was going to be big, but a slow process,” said Junta Executive Director Sandra Trevino. The camp, now in its 17th year, is one of Junta’s many programs, drawing campers, ages 8 – 12, from across the city. The free, five-day camping excursion is for ​“kids that who do not have the economic means to attend summer camp,” according to a website description.

The camp is taking place this week.

Held at at one of the youth group camping areas at the Devil’s Hopyard State Park in East Haddam, BTV ​“gives campers an experience with nature, an opportunity they might not have living in the city,” said Trevino.

Programs and field trips fill the campers’ day; no cell phones or electronic media are allowed. This year’s itinerary includes field trips to Madison’s Hammonasset State Park, and a visit to Mystic Aquarium.

Back at base camp where 20 tents and a canopy-covered dining areas were pitched in anticipation of the campers’ arrival, educational experiences round out daily enrichment activities. This year, campers will receive visits from Yale Peabody Museum’s David Heiser, who will give talks about indigenous wild life species using taxidermy examples from the museum’s collection. Another highlight features professional storyteller Valerie Tutson who draws upon stories from various world cultures.

Hiking, Yoga and Zumba are also incorporated into daily routines designed to encourage healthy habits among campers. Replacing candy, which is not allowed at the camp, are healthy snacks like carrots and apples noted Trevino.

Two-and-three-year BTV camping veterans Zuiryliz and Priscilla Osoria and friend Leslie Calderone saiid they particularly look forward to the food. The camp’s volunteer chef of 14 years, Magda Natal, prepares French toast and eggs in a boat for breakfast, and rice and beans and tacos. Not all campers get regular meals at home.“At least for this week, they are going to have food,” said Trevino.

At the Monday morning camp launch at Junta headquarters, camp organizers loaded luggage and camping supplies, addressed issues of last- minute registrants and missing forms and took extra care in accounting for every camper.

Wearing a bright yellow cap was Rafael Ramos, who founded Big Turtle Village. Though logistics of loading up over 60 campers was an all-consuming task, he found time to time to entertain a few campers and parents with a string of jokes: ​“What do you call someone with no body and no nose?” Answer: Nobody Knows (cue rim shot effect).

Big Turtle Village got its start when Ramos took notice of a Junta-sponsored field trip to Six Flags Amusement Park 17 years ago, which, while fun for young people, was short-lived and very expensive. He approached Junta with an idea for a more expanded, immersive experience that would combine both fun and education. With Ramos as director, Big Turtle Village has been growing every year since, thanks to private contributions, and support from businesses like the Grand Avenue McVac Environmental, which donated 60 backpacks for campers this year.

“From all over the city,” said Trevino, ​“the reality of inner city kids is that a teacher is going to ask the perennial question, ​‘What did you do over the summer?’ Due to a lack of funds, many have nothing to write down, so we want to give them an experience. ”

If a week of educational experiences, recreational fun and healthy life style-building await campers, the week also represents a welcomed break for parents, even if they do their best to contain their mix of concern and excitement as the camp bus pulls away.

Big Turtle Village is approaching two decades of making a difference in the lives of young people, many of whom return to volunteer as counselors years after their own camping experiences. Junta, itself, continues to close in on a half century of service to the Latino community in greater New Haven. On Sept. 7, Junta will hold its 48th anniversary Gala at Amarante’s Sea Cliff, a tradition that helps support its programs and services. Reservations can be made here, or by calling Junta at 203 – 787-0191.