~1,000 Summer Session Campers & 1,800 Retreat Center Guests Displaced Through May 2018
Santa Barbara County, California—On Saturday, July 8, 2017, the Whittier wildfire began in Santa Barbara County and burned through nearby St. Vincent de Paul Circle V (Vee) Ranch Camp & Retreat Center at 2550 Highway 154 across from Cachuma Lake. The facility was founded in 1945 and has been located on 30 acres leased in the Los Padres National Forest since 1990.
David Fields, Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles, operators of Circle V Ranch Camp announced, “We are so very grateful that all 88 campers and 36 staff members present on July 8th were evacuated safely during the wildfire. However, the Craft Lodge and Health Lodge cabins burned to the ground, and our water treatment facility and pipes were seriously damaged requiring months of repairs estimated at more than $200,000. With no water, all remaining summer camp sessions had to be cancelled. The timing could not be worse since the wildfire has deprived almost 1,000 campers ages 7-16 of this positive, uplifting six day/five night experience in nature creating memories for a lifetime.”
Additionally, dozens of groups planning to stay at the Camp’s Retreat Center from September 2017 through May 2018 have been cancelled resulting in the displacement of more than 1,800 guests.
Fields emphasized, “We are cleaning up and rebuilding Circle V Ranch Camp & Retreat Center. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in June 2018. We thank all our guardian angels who have been so supportive throughout this incredibly challenging time. We appreciate all donations to help with this effort at our secure, online site http://svdpla.org/donate/rebuild-camp/
More About St. Vincent de Paul Circle V Ranch Camp
Circle V Ranch Camp & Retreat Center was founded in 1945 by St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles and has been located on its current site on 30 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County since 1990. Each Circle V Ranch Camp summer session is six days and five nights of traditional supervised fun for boys and girls ages 7 to 13 and campers in leadership training from ages 14-17. Campers enjoy activities including archery, arts & crafts, hiking, swimming in the pool, learning about nature, reading skills, painting, photography, playing baseball, basketball, ping pong, foosball, soccer, miniature golf and of course, campfires, skits and singing. There is no TV, radio or internet access to affect the experience. Campers stay in wood cabins or traditional canvas tents. Three nutritious daily meals served family-style in the Dining Lodge are not only for food but also for camaraderie and fellowship.
In summer 2016, the camp hosted more than 1,000 children for this time-honored experience. The Circle V Ranch Camp fee for six days/ five nights including lodging, all meals, activities, recreation and supervised fun is $450 per child. “Camperships” (scholarship funds made by individuals and groups’ donations) are available for qualified campers. During autumn, winter and spring, Circle V is available for rental to other non-profit groups and organizations. For more information, visit www.CircleVRanchCamp.org
Donations to help rebuild the camp and provide “camperships” for future summer sessions can be made online at http://svdpla.org/donate/rebuild-camp/
