East Indian Heritage Camp

For 15 years, families from across the country have gained a fuller appreciation of South Asia's vast and beautiful culture at Indian/Nepalese Heritage camp (INHC). Friendships are created, strengthened and renewed each year - friendships that endure across the miles. Notice our official name change! We have more and more campers who have been adopted from Nepal attending camp each year, and we thought it was about time to be inclusive in our name as well as in our camp programming and activities, so INHC it is!

Indian/Nepalese Heritage Camp is a family camp with programming for each member of the family. Campers from age 3 to 18, plus their parents, grandparents, family friends, etc. participate in classes and workshops taught by adoption professionals, parents, and cultural community members.

Young adult Indian and Nepali adoptees and community members have the opportunity to attend camp as counselors or volunteers (must be 18 years or older) and share in the cultural appreciation. These incredible young adults, together with the many, many members of Colorado's Indian and Nepalese community, help us provide role models and mentors for our children and keep the camp culturally relevant each year.

Indian/Nepalese Heritage Camp will be held July 9-12, 2009 in the beautiful Rocky Mountains near Winter Park, Colorado at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch facility www.ymcarockies.org - a family vacation destination in itself.

What's happening in 2009?

The theme for INHC 2009 is “Kalaa – the Art of India and Nepal!” We will be exploring all the unique and amazing parts of South Asia through the arts of the culture, including visual art, music, dancing, culinary arts, and more. Our Indian and Nepalese community volunteers, who make camp an authentic experience for children and families each year, and our dedicated group of parent volunteers are working together to ensure that each and every aspect of camp will run smoothly.

Activities for our younger campers will again include a life like Indian Nepali Village with hands-on cultural activities for all ages, folk dances, and participating in various art forms that come from the rich and diverse South Asian culture. There is plenty of time for the children to get to know each other and develop friendships with kids who are "just like them."

Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers will, as always, have age appropriate activities and classes built into their weekend curriculum. Activities include a good blend of team building fun, like canoe races and raft trips, plus interactive activities for both middle and high school groups that provide a fun way to learn about Indian Nepalese culture in competitive team activities, similar to the popular reality shows, "Amazing Race" or "Survivor."

But, more importantly, INHC provides the forum and opportunity to share with old friends, new friends, and counselors what it means to be Indian or Nepalese and also what it means to be adopted from across the world. The years have proven that Heritage Camp is the perfect environment for these adolescents and teens to relish in the wonder of their diversity and culture and the unique joys and challenges that come from being part of a multi-cultural adoptive family!

As always, parent workshops on adoption and South Asian culture, cooking, traveling and numerous other areas will be available throughout the weekend. The level of speakers and topics rival many national adoption conferences, and have the added bonus of Indian Nepalese culture!

Always save room for the delicious Indian food at our lunch gatherings on Friday and Saturday. And you can shop all weekend long in the fabulous South Asian Market, a place to buy unique items from India and Nepal for your home and family. The Market will feature a large assortment of books, jewelry, clothing, home decorative items, etc.

Though we are very fortunate to have many participants from the Indian community, more are always welcome. And as we grow the Nepalese cultural experiences at camp we a constantly looking for more volunteers from the Nepalese community. If you are interested in volunteering, please do so by clicking on volunteers on the web site and completing the information we need, or if you'd like to be a counselor, please complete the application on this web site counselors.

Opportunities for alumni parents and graduate campers (those who may not want to be counselors but still want to be part of camp after graduation) will remain in place again this year. There is always plenty of “work” for you to do at camp! Check the website by clicking on the Alumni button, for more details on this, or just contact any of the co-directors.

Thinking about giving camp a try but want to know more?

Click here to read our Frequently Asked Questions and
"Four Days in the Life of Heritage Camp"

For more pictures of Indian/Nepalese Heritage Camp 2008 click here

As a non-profit 501 C(3) organization, Indian Nepalese Heritage Camp is always seeking financial assistance to help keep camp costs reasonable for families, and still provide an outstanding program. If you'd like to help, please go to the Donations section of this web site, and thank you very much in advance.

We are also in need of donations of frequent flier miles to help defray costs of out of state speakers. If you have miles you can donate please email us at info@heritagecamps.org

We hope to see you at camp this summer. For further information, please contact us.