Outdoor Learning & Experiences
for Urban Children
USING THE GREAT OUTDOORS
TO FOSTER ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SUCCESS
A Message From John Annoni
 It has been
a long time since I've had a chance to
reflect on what Camp Compass has accomplished.
I sometimes find myself too busy to stop
and look at what has come from my inspired
dreams. As many of you know this organization
was started out of the back of a 2 door
Ford Explorer in 1994. We now have a tutoring
Academy, students from all over the city
of Allentown ( and calls an emails from
all over the country), certified educators
volunteering their time to check on our
students' academic and social progress
and an adult hunting/fishing mentor team
that is unmatched in their dedication
to saving young lives through outdoor
rewards. As the first part of our hunting
season winds down, I find myself staring
at the hundreds of pictures that tell
stories of success and determination.
If you know someone that enjoys the outdoor
sports forward our newsletter on to them.
Who knows they might even become members
and help us continue this vision I now
share with a faculty and supporters that
is unsurpassed. Academy is going strong
and we will be bringing in our new recruits.
It's an exciting and tiring for all of
us. We all have been tremendously blessed
to have built what we know is the most
comprehensive outdoor program for urban
youth in the United States. Even more
important is knowing that our students
are prepared to carry on good citizenship,
respect for nature and fellow man.
Thanks for believing in Camp Compass and
we hope you'll continue to support our
efforts in the months and years to come. |
Back to top
|
Salmon Trip
 
While the boys were away deer hunting the girls
were in Oswego New York fishing for
Coho Salmon. They were the guest of
Ray Heiser's Salmon Camp. Joined by
two other Hunt Mentor Staff Members
Steve Marzen and Ben Warren the girls
were in for a long cold but rewarding
day. Overall, it may have been one of
the nicest trips as far as emotions
we've been on. Everyone ended the trip
with hugs handshakes and the anticipation
of new students arriving next year.
Many of the fishermen on the river that
day were impressed with how well our
girls did. Needless to say the girls
never caught fish as big as the ones
they caught in New York and set a standard
for all fishermen to meet. WAY TO GO
GIRLS! Special thanks to AUTOLEX Car dealerships
for loaning us a suburban to travel with since
the boys needed the camp's only vehicle
for the deer hunt. |
Back to top
|
HUNTING WITH FULL FAN LODGE
OVERVIEW
The month of October was EXTREMELY busy. We were
away every weekend and the following
Articles will give you an idea as to
what our students were up to. Go to
the Camp Compass Website to read the students'
field reports about their trips. FULL FAN LODGE has quickly become our
October home. It seems every year we
find ourselves almost living there .
Brian Post and his staff have proven
their tremendous commitment to our children
with their hunt, lodging and meal donations.
Three weeks straight, we spent our weekends
chasing Pennsylvania's wiliest critters,
sleeping, eating and talking with others
from across the east coast at this premier
hunting lodge. |
Back to top |
Weekend One-- Predator
Hunitng
The moon was covered and the weather just right
for pursuing the Gray Fox. Three of
our boys were in for the hunt of a lifetime.
Needless to say with some good shooting
and good calling we were able to bag
three gray foxes during the night's
hunt. The red lights used reminded the
boys of siren lights, even though we
were miles away from the city. It's
not often you find yourself sitting
in the middle of pitch black woods waiting
nervously for a critter to show up.
All in all, it was an exciting hunt
and the boys matched the girls performance
from the previous year. I bet they were
relieved, the girls can do quite a bit
of teasing at the Academy when they
do better then the boys do.
|
Back to top
|
Weekend Two--Deer Hunting
Elvis and Joe were two lucky boys that drew Pennsylvania
Doe tags for the special youth season.
They spent their time trying to lock
up with Susquehanna county does. The
weather turned extremely cold but our
boys stuck it out and both scored and
performed as taught. Thanks to Senior
Management Director Chad Groover and
Team Hunt Mentor member Joel Maltesky
for giving up their weekend to help
improve theses students' lives. The
boys worked very hard to earn this hunt
and we are very proud of both their
academic and social growth. We all know
it's easy to stay in bed on cold Saturday
mornings but we bet the boys are glad
they didn't. |
Back to top
|
Weekend Three--Turkey hunting
 
Halloween had us arriving into camp late and up
early to try to bag a Pennsylvania wild
turkey. A new twist was added to this
hunt, the gun Jarrett Noss would be
shooting was the one he won last year
at a wild game he attended with Camp
Compass. Needless to say the nine month
wait to use his new gun was well worth
it. Brian Post owner of Full Fan Lodge
did an outstanding job locating a large
flock of birds. Jarrett performed flawlessly
beaded a bird and ended the hunt with
good bird early Saturday morning. It
was Jarrett's first turkey and the Camp's
first fall bird. The ride home was quite
rewarding and Jarrett is growing into
a fine young man. He now has a part
time job and is enrolled in a Technical
Education and his grades have climbed.
He's come a very long way from the hyperactive
third grader we started with. This is
another student success we are proud
to played a part in. |
Back to top
|
Camp Compass Squirrel Dog
Joins Our Team
 
Pictured is Pacey a Mountain Curr owned by Academy
Senior Management Director Chad Groover
and Katy Groover our Internet Supervisor.
Pacey has been trained to hunt squirrels.
So far this year and a half old canine
has performed unbelievably for the children
of the Academy. He gives our students
not only plenty of opportunities to
see him work but plenty of kisses as
well. We're looking forward to more
children from Camp Compass teaming up
with Pacey in the woodlots of Pennsylvania.
Our students learn very quickly that
"country" squirrels act much differently
than there inner - city cousins and
that they don't hang around waiting
to be fed. This makes using Pacey an
interesting twist to finding those bushytails
in the forest canopy. |
Back to top
|
Holiday
Wish List
As
the holiday season quickly arrives we
have included a Holiday wish list for
you to consider.
We have been extremely busy with the children
and are in need of the following:
- 1
Enclosed Travel Trailer 5x8 or 6x10
- 1
portable DVD player with 6 inch screen
or 1 laptop with DVD capabilities
- 4
Leupold, 3x9 scopes with rings
- 6
soft gun cases and rifle slings
- 1
late model suburban
- lots
of thermal underware & socks for
those cold nights away form the city
:)
- 1
fire resistant 20-24 gun safe
The third and fourth wishes are a result
of a 4 hunting rifle donation by Scott
Schultz and Todd Mayer. We had a tremendous
need to unify our hunting rifles and they
were gracious enough to donate funding
for us to get 4 new Remington 7mm-08's.
Needless to say they will get used a lot
in the upcoming months. |
Back to top
|
Are YOU a member?
Here's your opportunity to stand up for giving
children the right to pursue interests
outside of the concrete jungle. For a
modest $20.00 you can prove you care about
providing quality education and new opportunities
for urban children. This small contribution
will allow students to receive much needed
academic tutoring, socialization lessons
and provide traveling expenses to the
many wonderful places we get invited to.
There is nothing wrong with helping, so
JOIN TODAY! |
Back to top
|
WE Respect Your Privacy
 
We here at the Camp Compass Academy respect your
privacy. Each month we are excited to
share with you events and successes that
come from our extensive work. Thanks to
All Pro Plumbing, we are able to do this through this newsletter.
If you wish to be removed from the mailing
list please reply to the newsletter and
type remove in the subject line. |
Back to top
|
To Contact the News Editor with
news for our site contact news@campcompass.org
|
