Rain or Shine, Kampers are so FINE! Thirty-two new third, fourth, and fifth graders attended the 2025 Kids’ Nature Kamp (KNK) in Mill Pond Park June 10-12 hosted by 50+ adults who either helped ahead of time, on site one day, or all three days! The weather and wet, soggy ground conditions kept us out of the Nature Park and Risien Park, but Mill Pond Park provided many opportunities for Nature Fun!
On the first day, kiddos met their Kamp guides, Cissy Williams and Noelle Wood, Jazmin Guitierrez-Davila and Evelyn Davila, Macye McDowell and Libby Mays, Valeria Macias and Haley Price, or Callie Nelms and Cassia Wood, receiving their backpacks donated by Farm Bureau Insurance, and necessities for the day. Paula Wood welcomed everyone present in the historic San Saba Garden Club building and explained the rules and safety suggestions for the day.
Trekking out, Kampers visited the presentations of Pressed Flowers greeting cards by Marci Butler and assisted by Abby Millican; Nature Bingo and pet our Friend by Regina Baker and assisted by Carol Gibson; Recycle Learning Station by Sarah Saldivar and assisted by Lucia Martinez; Wildlife in Our Area by Megan Granger (wildlife biologist for San Saba County) and assisted by Cindy Sloan; and Make Your Own Campfire Treats and Nature Journals by Debbie Shahan and Mona McMahan.
On the second day, parents again dropped off their kids at Mill Pond Park, and all felt familiar with the setting from the previous day! Heading out for activities, Kampers walked to the Rylander Memorial Library where Mikie Bishop, assisted by Loy Nell Behrens, Cindy Sloan, Emma and Ruby McBee, shared the vast opportunities of learning about nature in our local library; Stephanie Falkner, along with Sarah Saldivar and Marcie Butler showed Kampers how to construct a mason jar terrarium which they each made with their own special ladybugs, butterfly, sticks, flowers, and bee ornaments. Other presentations were Grooming the Park and Learn about Plants by Buddy Whitley and assisted by Kathleen Hawkins, Jaden Gossett, and Wayne Yarborough where kiddos planted plants in flower beds all over Mill Pond Park; Fossil Fuels in the Earth and snacks lead by McKinley Armstrong and assisted by Carol Gibson; and History of and the Amazing Pecans Around Us by Kristen Millican, Abby Millican, and assisted by Karen Gill.
Still dodging the rain, we completed the third day with an awesome group photo taken by Djuana Payton, San Saba News & Star Editor, near the waterwheel, then Kampers moved on out to stations. Creek and Pond Explore was led by Sarah Saldivar assisted by Lucia Martinez and Jaden Gossett; The Cotton Industry in San Saba’s past presented by Cindy Sloan assisted by Emma and Ruby McBee, at the San Saba County Museum; Fishing Rules and Regulations and Let’s Go Fish in Mill Pond by Mason Murr, game warden, assisted by wildlife officers and City of San Saba Parks Department employees; Keep San Saba Beautiful Volunteers and What they Do presentation at the gazebo by Debbie Shahan and assisted by Kathleen Hawkins, Cissy Williams, and Marci Butler; and Fishing From Your Boat – make your own snack by Mona McMahan and Abby Millican in the Garden Club building.
Behind the Scenes, but very visible when needed, were City Manager Scott Edmonson keeping everyone safe; Wayne Yarborough, Gale Ivy, and Rhonda Killion delivering tables, necessities, water and snacks to volunteers; Sandra Vaughn, Dianna Furlan, Karen Sloan, Barbara Bell, Marjean Alexander all making preparations for a successful Kids’ Nature Kamp this year.
The Steering Committee for KNK (Paula Wood, Debbie Shahan, Sarah Saldivar, and Cindy Sloan) would like to thank the San Saba Garden Club and City of San Saba for allowing us to use the housing and surroundings that hold so many natural treasures for us to illuminate young minds of these Kampers! We have been blessed by the three-day experience and thank God for the bountiful rains He has sent us! Thank you, parents, for entrusting your children to us! I sense that they had fun!
Until next year, Debbie Shahan
See our website www.sansabanews.com for many more photos of the 2025 Kids’ Nature Kamp!
See more photos here for DAY 2!