An outdoor haven for health and happiness
Camp Beausite Northwest received funding through Washington’s outdoor equity fund, No Child Left Inside.
Mason Cummings
Camp Beausite Northwest is situated on a well-manicured hillside, surrounded by pristine forestland and a connected trail system. In the canopy above, a bald eagle watches over camp activities—a game of basketball, a dance party, rock painting and shelter building. Throughout the camp, laughter fills the air.
Located in Washington’s beloved Olympic Peninsula, Camp Beausite Northwest offers an inclusive and accessible camp experience for people with disabilities while providing respite for their caregivers. It serves 350 campers and 1,000 caregivers annually through weeklong summer camps and year-round weekend programming.
Camp Beausite Northwest received funding through Washington’s outdoor equity fund, No Child Left Inside, in 2019 and 2022. This flexible funding has allowed them to meet a full spectrum of camper needs—including around-the-clock staff care—while providing campers with the outdoor recreational opportunities that many go without.
Aerial view of Camp Beausite Northwest in Washington.
Mason Cummings
“Often, our campers don't have the same opportunities to get outside due to accessibility,” said Megan Schmidtzinsky, who is back for her third season as a summer camp counselor. "Camp Beausite gives them the opportunities they don't normally have at home."
The space itself is a springboard for adventure—one that people of all abilities can enjoy. Campers experience various outdoor enrichments, from shelter building and archery to sports, yard games, hiking and even cooking over a fire. Such activities nurture campers' physical, emotional and social health while creating lasting memories they can carry for a lifetime.
Raina Baker, Camp Beausite Northwest executive director, continues to be amazed by the abundance of joy at camp. “Joy is something that you see at every corner,” said Raina. “The joy comes in these little moments and through the relationships that are created. Our campers and staff are incredible. Together, they make Camp Beausite a remarkable place.”
Archery is one of the many things youth can do at Camp Beausite.
Mason Cummings
She views the No Child Left Inside grant program as a catalyst for the health and happiness of Washington youth with special needs.
“Anything that is getting people outside and into nature—any age, any group, any background, any culture—is so important so that we continue to foster what we're doing for our planet and the necessary piece of realizing how important it is for our youth and beyond to get outside,” she said.
People with disabilities continue to be underserved and underrepresented in the outdoors. Increased funding for No Child Left Inside and support for organizations like Camp Beausite Northwest will ensure people of all abilities can experience nature and its many benefits.
Camp Beausite Northwest
For more information about Camp Beausite Northwest and their transformational programming, visit www.campbeausitenw.org.
No Child Left Inside
The No Child Left Inside (NCLI) grant program is Washington state’s outdoor equity fund, which provides quality opportunities for underserved, underrepresented and historically excluded youth to learn, play and experience the outdoors. NCLI provides grants for outdoor educational and recreational activities including environmental education, leadership development, outdoor recreation and adventure, stewardship activities and camp programs. In the 2023 legislative session, Washington committed a historic funding level and investment of $7 million for NCLI. This increase funded more than 100 grant proposals in the current grant cycle, providing 50,000+ youth with 1.7 million hours of transformational outdoor experiences. Yet demand continues to exceed available funding.
