IN TENTS FUN ANNUAL FAMILY CAMP KICKS OFF TODAY.Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Bags packed and trailers hitched, dozens of Santa Clarita families will hit the road this weekend on an annual getaway to spend a few days boating, hiking hiking Walking, often among hills or mountains, as recreational sport. It represents an activity in its own right and also figures in backpacking, camping, hunting, mountaineering, and orienteering. and relaxing - with their neighbors from home. The city's ninth annual Lake Cachuma Lake Cachuma is a lake located in central Santa Barbara County, California on the Santa Ynez River. It is formed by Bradbury Dam, a 201 foot (61 m) earth-fill dam built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1953. Family Camp will be in full swing, as more than 150 Santa Claritans leave the valley behind to re-create a little slice of home a few hours' drive away. The camp agenda is filled with games, crafts and campfire songs - starting with the Friday night family flag-making project and ending Sunday Sunday: see Sabbath; week. with T-shirt painting. ``The first time, it was just really a lot of fun. It just turned into our annual family trip,'' said Cecill Holguin, who, with her husband, Kevin, and four children are making their eighth trip to Family Camp. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if we meant to meet people in our community - that was a fringe benefit fringe benefit Any nonwage payment or benefit granted to employees by employers. Examples include pension plans, profit-sharing programs, vacation pay, and company-paid life, health, and unemployment insurance. .'' The camp started nearly a decade ago as a way for the city to offer family-oriented summer recreation activities and bring families together. But it has grown as a popular summer getaway, where $100 buys a family of six a weekend spot at the group campsite, and access to the menu of planned camp activities. ``We always max out,'' said recreation supervisor Patrick Downing, who said there's always a waiting list beyond the 30 families that can enroll for the campsite. ``The city is very family-oriented,'' said Downing, who's been running the camp for the past few years, and whose own family will be there. ``We like to do activities to bring families together.'' The camp offers a mix of planned activities - arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. , campfires, a wine-and-cheese social upon arrival Friday and a potluck Saturday - as well as a chance for families to break away to hike, boat or venture to the nearby town of Solvang, Downing said. Downing said the city pretty much breaks even on Family Camp after it rents the campsite, makes payroll for a few staff members and pays for crafts supplies. Canyon Country residents Lisa and Tom Andrews Tom Andrews (born January 11, 1962 in Parma, Ohio) is a former professional American football player who played guard for three seasons for the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks. were on the waiting list the first year they went, after she spotted the trip in the city's recreation magazine. ``Now as soon as they send out the magazine, and the first day you can send in for it, I'm there,'' said Lisa Andrews, a mother of four - Kaitlyn, 13, Heather, 11, and 7-year-old twins Kyle <noinclude></noinclude> ''This article or section is being rewritten at One derivation of the surname is from the Scottish Highland word caol, 'channel', or 'strait'. There are other possible derivations (see below). and Hayley. The family takes other vacations during the year, but she said they don't compare to the mix of activities offered at Family Camp. ``When you go regular camping it's not quite the same. When you go camping at this particular one, you have a variety of things to do,'' she said. ``One hundred dollars for up to six people to get in - that's pretty good.'' And she likes the new neighbors she meets. ``When you're there, you're coming together,'' said Lisa Andrews, who brings her trademark enchiladas for the Saturday night potluck. ``It's like one big family.'' The Holguins - who had just a tent tent, portable shelter of canvas, skins, felt, matting, or other material usually supported by poles and used chiefly by nomads, hunters, and campers. Tents have been used by pastoral peoples since ancient times and are mentioned in the Old Testament and in Homer. and a toddler when they first went to Family Camp nearly a decade ago - are among the veterans. ``We have it all. You know, the stove stove, device used for heating or for cooking food. The stove was long regarded as a cooking device supplementary to the fireplace, near which it stood; its stovepipe led into the fireplace chimney. It was not until about the middle of the 19th cent. , three tents now, this little camp sink ... folding tables. Now we have bins with our supplies in it - just take it off the table and into the car. Two bikes,'' she said, all bundled up in the family minivan. The Holguins post a line of flags in front of their campsite from Family Camps of years past and wear camp T-shirts that have been handed down among their now four children. ``I just think it's really a nice way to get to know other people in your town. We've made friends through Family Camp,'' Holguin said. ``I just think that it gives a family an opportunity to not have the television on, sit and communicate with each other,'' she said. ``It's like our annual tradition thing. The kids really sense this is a tradition a family does.'' Lisa Mascaro, (818) 713-3761 lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Lisa Andrews, rear, and her three daughters make last-minute preparations Friday before heading off to Family Camp. (2) Tom Andrews hitches up the camper to take his family on a Santa Clarita-sponsored weekend at Lake Cachuma. Michael Owen
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