Those Mighty Acorns

Lilly's off to the Mighty Acorns Nature Camp this week. That's what they call it, they being the Dunes Learning Center, and the dunes in question are the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. I drove her and two of her friends to the drop-off point on the North Side of Chicago early this morning. Traffic and rain made it a difficult drive, but I figure it was well worth it.

According to Mighty Acorns:

"During their 5-day/4-night stay, nature campers:
• Explore wetlands, prairies, dunes and woodlands
• Learn about and observe wild animals in their native habitats
• Sing campfire songs and make s’mores
• Participate in local restoration and other stewardship projects

Summer camp is available to Mighty Acorns students at a greatly reduced price from the actual cost of $235 per camper, thanks to generous funding from Chicago Wilderness, Illinois Department of Natural Resources/Conservation 2000, regional foundations, and contributions from businesses and supporters of Mighty Acorns."

Subsidized summer camp, that's what got my attention. Not counting the gas to get to the drop-off, the entire fee was $25. I wouldn't have forced her to go, even at that price, but I didn't even have to persuade her to go. Especially when it was clear that some of her friends were going as well, she was all over the idea.