Wildcat Club

Out camping Season follows the school year, once a month from September through to June, Friday afternoon through Sunday morning. We skip the months of December, July and August. Each campout is separate and optional, though it is all planned as a complete season. We like to encourage participation at least a few times over the season, because it helps bond the girls and dads together, and allows for better group planning. Nobody really wants to miss a campout anyway, but most dads have other obligations, and we all typically make it to as many campouts as practical.

Dads with daughters ages 5-12 who live in the San Diego area are eligible to join Wildcat Nation. Contact Karen Stanley of the Magdelena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas, CA. Karen Stanley Adventure Clubs Coordinator MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA 200 Saxony Road, Encinitas, CA 92024 (P) (760) 942-9622 ext. 12552 | YMCA Call Center: (858) 514-4411 (E) kstanley@ymcasd.org

All seven groups in Wildcat Club are outstanding, and while most group selection is done through referral (a friend, a neighbor or colleague), our Club Leadership is thrilled to guide new participants to those groups that can benefit the most from new members. It's perfectly okay to do a trial campout to experience the culture and compatibility with a group before officially committing. Each group has a slightly different 'personality' that we treasure, a lot like different members of a big fun family. Most girls will also discover they already have friends and classmates in our various groups or already know kids in Adventure Clubs.

All campout registration is done through the Magdelena Ecke YMCA in Encinitas. Official registration links can be found at the Wildcat Club registration page on their website. Initial signup, and registration into the program is a multi-step process. Once you are in the system, individual campout signups are much easier to navigate. Note that the YMCA website registration process is not always self explanatory. Please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance.

For most campouts, a tent, sleeping bag, pillow and change of clothes are necessary. Personal toiletries, sunscreen, water bottles, hats and sunglasses are also important. The most important thing you need to bring aside from that are your senses of community, adventure, fun, respect, and participation.

First and foremost, money should NEVER stop you from participating. The Adventure Clubs is for everyone, and we mean it. If you want to participate, and have financial limitations, we will help. The short answer is that it varies. Most campouts should be in the ballpark of $200 for a dad and daughter to participate, which includes most of your total costs, including all food, camping fees, events, firewood, etc. Each group and each campout will vary by necessity. Some of our more exotic (Catalina, Cabins, etc) campouts do cost more, but again, if money is in fact a concern, we want to make sure you can participate regardless of your financial means.

YES! We encourage it. Several ways you can meet us: * Opening Day in August at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA. * Contact Club Leadership to find out about various groups' informal outside get togethers. (You will get lot of ready responses.) * Ask your daughter if she already knows anyone in Wildcat. (You may be surprised.)

All financial assistance is discreet and anonymous. The YMCA has a dedicated fund to which we contribute, referred to as our "Dreamcatcher Fund". The YMCA Dreamcatcher Fund covers all forms of tuition and financial assistance to participate in various YMCA programs, including Adventure Guides. This is the main resource we utilize to help everyone stay involved. Please contact Club Leadership for details, as we have more than one way to get you involved, up to and including help with equipment and various hard costs.