Wonders of Outdoor World comes to St. Louis

A unique three-day camp that lets kids and their families learn a wide variety of outdoor skills is coming to St. Louis in May. If you're interested, you'll need to apply in March.

The Wonders of the Outdoor World (W.O.W.) is an annual event in Missouri. But, usually it has been held in the Springfield, Mo., area.

However, because of strong interest from St. Louis area families, sponsors set this year's event at Babler State Park in west St. Louis County. Dates are Friday-Sunday, May 3-5.

Young Saint Louis.com is running this story well in advance because the deadline for registration is March 29. There are only 200 spots open for the event, including 140 for the general public, for a $50 per person tuition.

Sixty additional spots are reserved for inner-city families who can get scholarships covering tuition. (For information on applying for scholarships, see sidebar below.)

The $50 fee is very economical because it covers meals and sleeping accommodations.

Because of the limited number of registrations, all applications need to be in writing. To have a registration packet mailed to you, please call (636) 441-4554 or e-mail wow@mail.conservation.state.mo.us.

Your registration will be confirmed after it is received, with a tuition check attached.

A total of 35 different classes and activities will be taught by 50 instructors. That means there will be one instructor for each four persons.

Subject areas include archery, boating, camping, fishing, hunting, natural history, nature arts and crafts, outdoor adventure, outdoor photography, primitive skills and shooting.

Holly Berthold is a media specialist for the Department of Conservation in the St. Louis region. She said, "A feature of W.O.W. is that families can design their own course of study and activities."

For instance, if a family were interested primarily in fishing, they have a choice of four different classes. They range from Basic Fishing for those just starting out to Fishing Large Rivers, a medium skill activity.

Some activities run for only one or two hours while some others may last for half a day.

Many classes involve learning regular outdoor skills such as fishing, hunting, shooting and boating.

However, many activities are in areas such as nature arts and crafts. These include etching and sketching, cordage making and woodworking. (Cordage is ropes made from natural plants and materials.) Outdoor adventures classes include backpacking basics, orienteering, caving and climbing a special 54-foot alpine tower.

The W.O.W. weekend begins Friday evening, May 3. Everyone will take part in the same activities that evening. They include a dinner, a skit by actors in Lewis and Clark costumes and a night hike with star gazing.

The sleeping arrangements include space for putting up a family's own tent or you can use a tent provided at the site. Also, families can be housed in one of eight 14-person cabins at Babler Park.

Berthold emphasized that the sleeping arrangements are "primitive." She said, "These aren't private cabins, although they have privacy screening to separate families."

All meals are included in the $50 tuition price, she said.

During Saturday and Sunday, families can sign up for classes that start very early. For instance, the Breakfast with the Birds activity will start at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. It includes a continental breakfast along with bird-watching activities. Binoculars are provided.

Many activities will be at Babler State Park. Other conservation areas will be used for special classes. Those include the Busch Wildlife Area and the Rockwood Reservation.

For canoeing, a stretch of the nearby Meramec River will be used.

Transportation between various locations will be provided. However, families can use their own vehicles if they want, Berthold said.

The W.O.W. classes and activities are open to kids 9 and older along with the adults.

However, for families with younger kids (4 to 8 years of age), there are special activities sponsored by 4-H clubs. These include arts and crafts, hikes and other outdoor activities especially designed for younger kids.

The younger kids will join other members of the families for meals and sleeping.

How to apply for W.O.W. scholarships Sixty scholarships to the Wonders of the Outdoor World weekend are available for inner-city families. The scholarships cover the entire $50 fee for the May 3-5 weekend. Scholarship applications must be in writing. The one-page application should include a statement that you want to attend. Also, include the ages of family members, a contact phone number, if you need transportation and if you want tent or cabin accommodations. Letters of application must be postmarked on or before March 15. They should be sent to Dennis Cooke, Missouri Department of Conservation, Soulard Office, 1926 S. Twelfth St., St. Louis, MO, 63104. For information, you can call the Soulard Office at (314) 231-3803. Scholarships are sponsored by the Missouri Parks Association.