Gov. Carney joins campers for a night out at Trap Pond
Gov. John Carney took a break from the hectic conclusion of the 2017 legislative session July 1 and spent the night instead in a tent at Trap Pond State Park near Laurel.
He cooked around a campfire with many first-time campers, eating gooey, sticky and sweet s'mores, watching darkness fill the spaces between towering loblolly pines, and stretching his ears to hear the hooting of owls that would put them all to sleep as the day neared its end and the campground grew quiet.
It was Great American Campout Day, and Carney along with Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn Garvin, took advantage of the occasion to be outdoors and encourage dozens of young Delawareans and their families to do the same.
Speaking to those gathered for the special day at Trap Pond, Carney recalled one of the great experiences of his childhood.
"My father was a teacher and there were nine of us children. That's right, nine. One summer he decided it was time for him to take all of us on a camping trip across the country and back to see the great parks in this nation. It was fantastic. He borrowed against his life insurance policy, bought a pop-up camper to pull behind our car and we headed out. My brother and I, we were the oldest, usually slept outside on the ground. There wasn't room in the camper for all of us, so we slept under the stars. We went to California and back. I'll never forget that experience."
Carney talked about Delaware's 16 state parks and the many opportunities for children and their families to get outdoors. It's been shown that children who spend more time outdoors, instead of in front of television and computer screens, do better in school, and are happier and healthier.
Among the participants were young people and their families from the MERIT (Minority Engineering Regional Incentive Training) program, and Caesar Rodney and Laurel school districts. Sussex County legislators and town officials also attended.
John Hollis, who has shepherded the MERIT program in Sussex County since 1974 when the program started in Seaford and was funded by the DuPont Company's nylon plant, said the program encourages minority students to seek higher education, with emphasis in science and technology.
"The program is now represented in every Sussex County school district," said Hollis. "In July, Coach Bill Collick will be running a special MERIT program at Cape."
Hollis said through the years, 361 MERIT participants have gone on to get bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.
"Our goal this weekend is to encourage young people to connect with the outdoors," said Secretary Garvin. "These outdoor adventures will start a lifetime journey of discovery for young people and their families of all that is available inside and outside our state parks."
The goal of Delaware's third annual Governor's Campout was to safely introduce children and their families to camping, the outdoors and outdoor recreational opportunities, particularly families who have not spent much time in Delaware State Parks. The event was part of Great Outdoors Month, during which participants from across the nation camp out overnight.
