This is our second year of programming for families about the Lenape, the Indigenous people who lived here before European settlers arrived.  Their place names and ways of growing and cooking live with us and often go unrecognized.  During this 4 week program, we will be learning more about the Lenape and honoring their legacy.  Resigter here or at https://forms.gle/5SYXR2cT2q9hGu6k9. For questions please email us!

*Unfortunately, due to weather, the August 3rd Legendary Lenape Banquet session at Camp Linden is canceled.  Stay tuned for more information for a make-up event in October.*

Week One: Canoeing, Clay Pots and Lenape Language; Westtown Lake, July 13, 10-12pm

Session Leader: Tim James, retired Westtown School teacher.  Activities:  Canoeing on the lake; digging clay and making coil pots; learning some basic Lenape words and writing them on flat stones.  Participants are invited to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the lake after the morning’s activities. Rain date: Sunday July 14 1pm-3pm.

Week Two: Streams and Butterflies; Bondsville Mill Park, July 20 10-12pm

Session leaders:  Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Penn  State Extension and Sandy Moser, Bondsville Mill Park. Activities:  All about streams:  water quality and bugs, flooding the water powered mills. And all about butterflies.  Bondsville is a butterfly nursery.  Caterpillars are feed and cared for and emerging butterflies are tagged and noted as they arrived in Mexico. Families are invited to picnic at Bondsville or at nearby Springton Manor Farm after the morning’s activities.  Rain date: July 21 at original time.

Week Three: Culture & Crafts of Woodland Native Americans; Marshallton Methodist Church, July 27, 10-12pm

Session leaders: Amy Johnston and Christiane Applegate. Founded in 1828, this historic church has its home in one of the most perfectly preserved villages in the state.  The carriage shed which is still standing was built in 1850.  Amy Johnston, director of Camp Linden, will welcome us to the church.  Christiane Applegate, from the Museum of Indian Culture in Allentown, will share with us the cultures of Woodland Indians.  She will show facsimiles of clothing, tools, weapons, toys and a cradleboard.  Activities: making journey sticks and other Indian crafts.  No rain date.

Week Four: Campfire & Lenape Banquet; Camp Linden, August 3 5-7pm

Session leaders:  Amy Johnston, Eunice Alexander, and longtime camp leaders, Leonard Weeks and Sharon Wallis.   Activities: Lenape inspired banquet; campfire, storytelling and songs; tour the site including the beginnings of the Brandywine River.  Rain date: August 4 at original time.