OSWEGO – Matthew Wood, the newly-hired coordinator of recreation and youth development for the Oswego County Parks and Recreation Department, was born and grew up in Oswego County.
“I am a Fulton native and I still think it can be and is the ‘City with a Future.’ I still dream of waking to the smell of chocolate and knowing that means it’s going to rain,” he said. “I believe that there are many areas in the county that are underutilized. We have such a wealth of natural areas and resources to explore and many people don’t even know they exist.”
He started his summer camp experience as a staff member when he was 17.
“I had never attended a traditional summer camp, although I did attend several sports camps while in high school,” he said.
After that first summer as a camp counselor, he wanted to do more and go back the next summer.
“It was no longer a good learning opportunity or resume builder,” he told Oswego County Today. “It was a way to grow and stretch myself while helping find safe and comfortable ways for others to do that, too.”
In 2005 (and 2006), he became a camp director at Camp Hollis when he was 21 and “hasn’t looked back.”
When he was 22, as an assistant director with the Youth Advocate Program, he started an outdoor exploration program.
“I was not a licensed therapist, so I could not call it Wilderness Therapy, but it definitely was a therapeutic experience for the youth of Oswego County in an alternative environment,” he explained. “I would run it as a six-week program; five were spent learning everything the participants needed to know to live successfully out of a backpack for up to a week and then the sixth week we would go do just that.”
One of his main focuses was staying in Oswego County.
He still guides backpacking experiences from time to time.
Since his start with summer camps, he has led groups, trained staff and built elements on ropes courses.
“A lot of that work I’ve spent on the Camp Hollis ropes course,” he said. “I am an alumni of the Leadership Oswego County program and I have received the 40 under 40 award – that was good number of years ago and I’m still under 40!”
Wood says he is proud to be working with the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau and is excited about the possibilities.
“We are talking about the possibility of winterizing the main lodge at Camp Hollis so we can offer year-round programs and rentals, there are new programs starting at Camp Zerbe in Williamstown. I am learning the viability of working on the Oswego County Recreation Trail to make it more hiking and overnight backpacking friendly,” he said. “And, we are looking at what else we can do with the Independence Trail in Scriba.”
Not only do all of these things open opportunities for the youth of Oswego County, but for the adults as well, he pointed out.
“My vision is to keep gaining perspective and insight into what we can do to enhance the recreational activities in our county while maintaining the wilderness and natural appeal and integrity of our county’s natural resources,” said. “If you can’t tell, I actually love my job. I always tell people that I am retired because I am doing what I want. (I always have!)”
As far as camper options, at Camp Hollis they have rotated all of the summer program campers through 5 program areas for many years.
“I would love to start offering more options for campers as far as programs, age integration, guest presenters, etc.,” he said. “I’d like to enhance the camp experience by offering more available options.”
Youth Bureau Offers One-Night, Day-Camp, Weekly Camp Sessions
Camp Hollis, the Oswego County Youth Bureau’s camp on the shore of Lake Ontario, is accepting applications for a variety of summer camping programs.
Swimming, nature hikes, games, campfires, arts and crafts and many more activities are offered for all age groups.
Camp Hollis offers week-long summer residential camp experiences for 9- to 14-year-olds, an overnight experience for 8-year-olds, and a day camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, for campers ages 6 to 12.
Weekly overnight camp sessions begin on Sunday afternoons and end Friday evenings, June 25 through Aug. 11.
Sessions are broken into three age groups.
In addition, several two-day, one-night sessions will introduce 8-year-olds to an overnight summer camp experience.
Overnights for 8-year-olds will be offered June 25 and 26, July 9 and 10, and July 23 and 24.
The Youth Bureau will host a free open house June 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for parents and youths who are thinking about attending camp but who aren’t sure about staying for a week.
The open house will include camp tours, a variety of activities, and information to help families decide if Camp Hollis is the right fit for their summer camp.
“If you’re not available for the June 4 open house, the camp staff will be happy to set up a time to give you a tour, talk to your prospective camper and answer any questions you or your camper may have,” said Wood.
For more information on camp dates, programming, or to request an application, email Jennifer Losurdo at [email protected] or Wood at [email protected], or call the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau at 315-349-3451.
Applications are also available online at http://www.oswegocounty.com/youth/hollis/index.html
Camp Hollis registration fees are based on a sliding scale.
Families who may need financial assistance may contact the Youth Bureau for options beyond the sliding scale.
Scholarships are made available by the Friends of Camp Hollis.
Anyone wishing to support camper scholarships may send a check made out to “Friends of Camp Hollis” to Friends of Camp Hollis, P.O. Box 291, Oswego, NY 13126.
Camp Hollis is owned by Oswego County and operated by the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau.
Located at 40 Health Camp Road, off Lakeshore Road in the town of Oswego, the facility is also available May through October for use by families, clubs, school groups and other organizations.
For more information, call the youth bureau or visit http://www.oswegocounty.com/youth/hollis/index.html.
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