Camp Augusta, Piedmont’s Home Away from Home

Although Camp Augusta's 80 forested acres are nowhere near Piedmont, the camp and the community have a special connection.

Every summer, different Piedmont school groups, community organizations and families go there to be outdoors, have fun and work on team building. Millennium High School students, for example, just spent three days there bonding over piggyback rides and games of capture the flag. 

“It’s a truly unique place and it’s a unique experience,” said John Faust, president of Camp Augusta’s board of directors. “Kids from Piedmont get to go with their friends and parents can be assured that the same values that are part of the community and schools can be valued at Camp Augusta.”

An independent non-profit, Camp Augusta is not funded, operated or managed by the city. Originally, in 1931, Frieda Ehman, a Piedmont resident, donated the land for a summer camp for girls from Piedmont. Over the years, it expanded to a multi-program facility for boys, girls, youth clubs and even business groups.

Although people from any town or state can go to Camp Augusta, it still maintains its long tradition of serving Piedmont residents, said Faust. Over 50 percent of the campers are from Piedmont, 14 of the 15 board members are Piedmont residents and every fourth grade class in Piedmont spends a few days there as part of school curriculum.

“There’s a huge connection,” Faust says. “You have three generations of campers—you have kids whose grandma went to Camp Augusta.”

Campers can get involved in typical activities such as swimming, horseback riding and archery. But Faust points to Camp Augusta's more creative offerings as what make it unique. There’s aerial silk acrobatics like what’s seen in Cirque du Soleil, fire spinning, tie-dying, zip lining, bread making, tight-rope walking and learning how to make lip balm from beeswax.

“There’s over 70 things a day a kid can pick to do,” said Debbie Kelley; another Camp Augusta board member. “Randy [the camp director] sets the culture and the tone and he has made this place so magical. Kids want to come back over and over again.”

The emphasis at Camp Augusta is teaching kids how to work with each another in a non-competitive environment.

“You’re not being pushed by the counselor, you’re not being pushed by your peers,” Faust said.

The camp, he said, is ruled by a philosophy of respect for all, no bullying and random acts of kindness.

Camp Augusta operates entirely from campers’ tuition, but the fees are not enough to cover capital improvements. So on Sept. 24 the camp is holding a “FUNraiser” in Piedmont to raise money for projects such as dredging the lake and renovating the kitchen and bathhouses.

Check out the event listing for more information: http://patch.com/E-gK9s

Post a comment below with your memories from Camp Augusta.