Camp Powerment: Summer camp for women

MALIBU, Calif. – Jumping from ropes, sleeping in bunks, and singing around the campfire: It's Camp Powerment, a camp for adult women. Tammi Leader-Fuller started it as a way to relive the life-changing experiences she had as a child at sleep-away camp.

"Those two months in the summer made me who I am today," said Leader-Fuller. "Without our parents telling us who we should be, we became who we want to be."

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She spent 34 years as an Emmy-winning TV producer, but decided to leave her career for camp.

"For so many years, I had a career that looked really great on paper, and it was prestigious and all that, but it didn't fill me up," she said.

At Camp Powerment, the campers do all the traditional activities. They sing songs, play games, roast marshmallows, sleep in cabins, and have pie eating contests.

"I'm channeling my inner child while I'm here," said camper Ivey Lasky.

"They're lots of great friends, new friends," explained Molly Miles, another camper.

They also attend workshops on health, fitness, business, parenting, and more. Life coach Dawn Andrews hosts a class on work-life balance, or getting rid of the notion of work-life balance.

"I encourage people to start their own businesses and pursue their happiness instead of this conversation around balance," explained Andrews.

Also at Camp Powerment, doctors talk to the women about health issues.

"My landmark of the conversation is: get to know your body, know your normality," said breast health expert Vilma, Biaggi, MD.

It's three and a half days of fun, self-reflection, and pushing your limits.

"I vowed to myself by jumping off the pole that I was not going to hold back anymore," said camper Kris Wittenberg. "I was going to go for it."

"It's all about me this time, instead about everyone else that I take care of," added camper Caron Cole.

"I can tell you 100 percent of the women go home changed," Leader-Fuller said.

The cost for three and a half days ranges from $850 to $1,000. For more information go to www.campowerment.com.

Additional Information:

Health benefits are a big part of what motivates many people to spend time outside.  For others, it's spending quality time with friends and family. Camping can be a great time to spend intimate time with a partner. It can also be a large group trip, which takes a little more planning but can be fun, especially at car camping sites where the environment is more suitable for late night parties.

Many health benefits come with a good camping trip. Simple things like getting some water, which you might not normally consider exercise, can become a demanding task.  

Hiking works many parts of the body, both muscular and cardiovascular. Spending time in the outdoors can give you new perspectives on your lifestyle. Many people use the wilderness to practice yoga or quiet meditation. If you're the sports type, a long, steep climb could be gratifying.

Constant TV, Facebook, and texting can take a lot of attention.  Camping can help with face to face interaction, and builds focus.  

You can learn skills and responsibilities while camping that you might not be able to in the city or at home. Survival skills are popular to learn, especially because they take time and are fun to develop over the years.

Camping is a great way to see the country and the world, and a very good way to meet new people. Campers and hikers are usually friendly people who often help each other out.

Vacations can be stressful.  Sometimes when you come back from a vacation, you need another vacation from your vacation.  However, camping can be a great way to relive stress and breathe fresh air from the wilderness. You'll return home feeling stress-free, recharged, and energized.
(Source: http://www.bluepage.org/camping/why-go-camping.html)