Popular summer camp from Santa Barbara expanding into Goleta with a new adventure program

GOLETA, Calif. – The packed signups for the relatively new summer camp by Lobster Jo in Santa Barbara is going to be modified and available in Goleta during the upcoming school break.

Joseph Evers is a 23 year old UC Santa Barbara graduate who invented the Lobster Jo Beach Camp for the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department three years ago. It has had both on the sand and in the water activities but it is not a surf camp and it is not a lifeguard camp. It's a variety pack of activities.

Now he's invented something new in a collaboration with Goleta which does not have a robust camp schedule right now.

"But Goleta, we don't have too many programs here. The city is 25 years young and needs new programs for their community, especially inexpensive programs," said Evers.

He is committed to giving kids ages five to 13 a chance to enjoy his program and have free time for themselves around the expansive Stow Grow Park area and its surroundings.

"Just give ample exposure to the outdoors, foster some good creativity and just let the kids be in their local environment and learn about their local ecology," he said. "Camp is like the best time away from home because they feel safe. They're having fun and they're with their best friends in the community. And I think it's also a great way in modern times f to connect the community of kids because it's so easy to just stay home, play video games, do nothing."

Evers said the camp will have college aged counselors, and some adventures at the site, most kids don't even know exist. Walking through redwood trees he said, "we're not Big Sur, but it looks like you got a little pocket of redwoods here."

"One of the benefits of having this camp at Stow Grove Park is the proximity to Lake Los Carneros, which is also on the site and full, and one of the activities they're going to be doing during the camp is fishing."

The lake is also a resource for bird watching and learning about nature in and around the water. This camp will also include a railroad excursion.

Evers said, "every Western coastal town was built off the railroad, right? It was each new stop was a new town. And we got the super cool South (Southern) Pacific Railroad Museum here in Goleta."

The camp will have four days all around the park and the lake and one day at Goleta beach with fun like they do at the Santa Barbara camp.

"You want a safe place for the kids. You want the parents to be comfortable with the place and like the provider," said Evers. "And then you also want to, like, foster some good stewardship into these kids and tending for their environment, tending for their community, and building stronger relationships with their community."

For more information go to: Lobster Jo's Adventure Camp.