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Wow! Summer at The Crest Was Unforgettable!

The Crest at Willow-Witt Ranch view from overlook

The Crest Fest!

Crest Fest 2024 Face Painting
Victoria Lawton at Crest 2024
Families at Crest Fest 2024
Fiddlers at Crest Fest 2024
Little Girl at Crest Fest 2024

We are excited to share with you that the 2024 Crest Fest was a great success!

Over 200 people attended and The Crest grossed almost $15,000 from the event. This is by far the most money that this event has ever raised and we couldn’t have done it without the generous support of our community. Many volunteers showed up to help with the event, we couldn’t have done it without their support!

The weather was perfect, the music was diverse and very entertaining, and folks had a great time, especially the kiddos! With free face painting from Naomi and Doug, crafts, goat petting, lawn games and camp kids getting in for free, the family vibes were running high. A huge thank you to our business sponsors and especially to Suzanne Willow of Willow-Witt Ranch who made this epic event possible!


Summer Camp Update!

What a fabulous Summer camp season. Campers loved harvesting peas, beets and radishes and doing tastings of lettuce, kale, chard, tatsoi, parsley, basil, carrots, dill, mint, and more. We enjoyed witnessing the enthusiasm for eating directly from the garden.

Summer Camp Tasting Tray
Ready to Taste Carrots and Radishes
Summer_Camp_Beet_Radish_Harvest

Who knew Harvesting Beets and Carrots could be so much Fun!

Campers were so excited to fill the Produce Bags they Decorated with Produce they Picked!

Summer_Camp_Picking_Peas_2024
Picking Peas!
Summer Camp Peas

Campers Loved Harvesting Peas!

And Tasting Fresh Picked!

The new baby goats Jericho and Jupiter, who were born on June 5, were a joy for the kids to interact with. In the early summer, baby goats were dancing and jumping on rocks and nursing with their Mom Jenna  and campers enjoyed petting their super soft coats. Later in the summer, campers loved watching the goats being fed by bottle and learning about goat digestion.

Education Coordinator, Christine Brautigam and campers with Baby Goat
Camper Holding Baby Goat2
Camper holding Baby Goat

On Wednesdays our hike to the Greensprings with our Partners The Friends of the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, was full of trail discoveries. Campers learned about wildflowers, the local trees, lichen and of course lizards, grasshoppers, butterflies and other creatures on the trail. We appreciate the Rangers that came and offered their trail lessons and activities and passion for preserving biodiversity and wild lands with the campers.

Summer Camper with journal at Siskiyou Monument
Camper contemplating the Monument for personal camp journal
Summer Campers at Siskiyou Monument
Campers at Siskiyou National Monument, Wednesdays campers travel to the Monument.
Summer Camper holding Butterfly
The wonder of a butterfly
Summer Camp Lesson at The Monument
A lesson at the Monument

Each camp week we saw new campers forging relationships, learning to work as a team, exploring the land and enjoying downtime playing games or art in the barn. Campers enjoyed trying out a new stencil project on their take home produce bags and enjoyed making tea and playing new water games such as drip drip drop. (Duck duck goose, but with a small sponge full of water!).

Summer Campers Decorating Produce Bags
Campers designing their Produce Bag
Summer Campers with Produce Bags



Happy Campers showing off their Produce Bags

We are thankful for our camp staff that gave their enthusiasm, kindness, and support to our campers this summer. Our staff helped create memories, build resilience and share nature connection experiences. We are grateful for behind the scenes logistics support from staff as well as working to provide safety and  engage campers in building trust and connection.

Yes, some Chickens like pets
Nature Focused Barn Activities

Thank You to Christine Brautigam, our new Education Coordinator

Christine Brautigam

Christine has been supporting the Crest Education Programs for the last several years as an ally and field instructor. She recently began working as an Educational Coordinator for our Programs, helping with behind the scenes organization, logistics and onsite Program Coordination. We appreciate that Christine comes to us with her Masters in Teaching and a background in both Software Project Management, and Environmental Education. She has helped amplify our program curriculum and onsite daily routines.

Christine has a passion for connecting people with the land and helped our program stay organized and purposeful as we grew in numbers of youth served this summer. She brings her sense of gratitude and helpful service to all aspects of her work with the kids, staff and education planning. 

We want to reciprocate this gratitude and say THANK YOU!  We look forward to having Christine continue to support the education programs as we move into hosting fall field trips.

When Christine is not working with Crest programs, she is often traveling, camping on the coast, hiking new trails, at the theater, on her paddle board, or volunteering with other organizations and being of service. 


The Camps at Crest Village

Wall Tents at The Crest campground
Interior Wall Tent
Interior Wall Tent
Thanks to funding through the Measure 99 Outdoor School Initiative The Crest has built heated, covered ADA-accessible wall tents at the gorgeous Willow-Witt Ranch that can hold up to 60 campers. The rental of the off-grid campground includes the use of a lovely, updated outdoor kitchen, a tent camping area, a bathhouse. Gender neutral bathrooms and a nurse’s station are being built, estimated to be completed by 2025.
 
We would love to share this wonderful resource with other organizations/groups who are looking for a safe, inclusive, wilderness site to host camps and events.
 
Rental costs are based on a sliding scale, please contact us directly for more information.
 

BottleDrop Containers for Change Program participants

The Crest has been selected as a recipient for BottleDrop’s Containers for Change Program!

This is how you can support The Crest through recycling returnable cans and bottles:

  1. Email us asking for blue bags and tags to fill with your recyclable returns. We will get those to you at your convenience.
  2. Take your full blue bag with our tag on it into any local deposit center.

The Crest receives the return funds. Everyone wins!

Email to request your BottleDrop bags and tags to benefit The Crest!

BottleDrop Containers for Change Program

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Get involved...

Suzanne Willow talks to a group of students visiting The Crest

The Crest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

The Crest nonprofit organization relies on donations to support youth programs and give community groups the chance to experience the wonders of nature to learn about and feel a connection to the natural world. Our volunteer opportunities are a great chance to get outside, connect with others and learn more about your local ecosystem. Please consider contributing to this natural legacy by making a tax-deductible donation.