Community Corner
Record Number of Families Attend Campout
The Great Farmington Hills Campout draws 90 families to camp in Heritage Park.
More families than ever took part in the 5th annual Great Farmington Hills Campout, held Saturday at in Farmington Hills.
The event brings Farmington residents together to camp inside the park for the night. Some families took part in activities during the day, then left to camp out in their own backyards.
Farmington Hills Recreation Superintendent Bryan Farmer said that over 90 tent spots were reserved, which is the largest turnout in the events five year history. He also estimated that 500 people would show up to enjoy the festivities. The outdoor event is part of the “No Child Left Inside” initiative, which is designed to encourage children to play outdoors.
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The Campout launched in 2007, in an attempt to connect more children with outdoor activities. Farmer said that kids today get distracted by electronics and the Great Campout is a way to get them back outside.
People who could not make it to Heritage Park for the festivities were encouraged to camp in their own backyards, he said.
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Participants enjoyed activities including a nature hike, a rock climbing wall, and a high-tech scavenger hunt call Go! Cache.
The non-traditional take on scavenger hunts is sponsored by Oakland County Parks. Envelopes filled with playing cards were hidden throughout the park. Children used small GPS devices that showed the general location of the hidden parcels. When all the envelopes were collected, those with the best cards won.
Farmington-Farmington Hills Optimist Club members involved in Project FISH (Friends Involved in Sportfishing Heritage) taught children how to cast a fishing line. Kids would attempt to cast small plastic fish into a hoop or onto a large toy fish.
A local Girl Scout troop led campfire songs around a bonfire and turned trash into art projects. The scouts were learning to cook lasagna in a Dutch oven and pineapple upside down cake on a small coal oven. These cooking techniques were all performed with on an open campfire.
“You get camaraderie, there is great food, and you get to meet new people.” Carol Varcie, a Farmington Hills resident, said.
Varcie said that last year, Heritage Park was so hot that kids and adults alike cooled off inside the park's splash pad attraction.
donated hotdogs, s'mores and pop for campers to enjoy. Farmer said that the donations from local businesses and the help of local volunteers make the Great Campout possible.
