First-time camping families can get aid with Great American Backyard Camp Out

MURRELLS INLET – Huntington Beach State Park announced Monday a $2,500 partnership with Time Warner Cable to launch its Great American Backyard Camp Out for first-time camping families. The partnership is part of Time Warner Cable’s philanthropic initiative Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), a five-year initiative designed to engage and encourage young people to pursue education and career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The Great American Backyard Camp Out is designed for first-time campers and is an adventure-filled weekend for the entire family. Families will stay overnight with a park ranger who will be available to help participants learn the mechanics of tent set-up, the science needed to start a campfire and teach cooking and camping secrets. Families will learn the dynamics of rigging a crabbing line, the kinetic motion used to throw a cast net, pull a seine net and the mechanics of learning to paddle a kayak. Time Warner Cable will also be providing experienced campers as volunteers to stay alongside the participants throughout the weekend.

 “We are extremely proud to partner with Huntington Beach State Park on this exciting new program,” said Charlene Keys, Area Vice President of Operations, Time Warner Cable, South Carolina. “We have such a valuable resource of natural science learning opportunities along our coastal communities and believe programs like these will inspire young people to become the problem solvers of tomorrow.”

“A partnership with Time Warner cable on this program just makes sense,” said Phil Gaines, director of the South Carolina State Park Service.  “We hope to bring new, enriching experiences to families who have never camped, and to forge a connection to the great outdoors.  The Connect a Million Minds program is a natural fit for us. We are very excited!”

Families that have never camped before can register by calling the park at (843) 235-8755, by emailing the park at huntingtonbeacheducation@scprt.com  or by visiting the park’s Education Center during operating hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (the center is closed on Mondays.)  Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and the limit for this year’s campout is 25 families.  The fee of $25 per family covers all expenses for the overnight event, except the kayaking excursion, which might require an additional $15 per person fee.

For more information about the campout and Huntington Beach State Park, call the park at (843) 235-8755.

About Huntington Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park is a 2,500-acre oceanfront park in Murrells Inlet, widely renowned for its natural beauty and environmental interpretation. The park is considered one of the best birding sites on the East Coast, and protects some of the best examples of coastal habitat in South Carolina, including a freshwater pond, saltwater marsh, sand dunes and a maritime forest.  The park is also known for the historic home Atalaya, a Moorish-inspired structure built in the early 20^th century by wealthy philanthropist Archer Huntington for his wife, Anna Hyatt Huntington.

About Connect a Million Minds

Time Warner Cable’s (TWC) Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) is a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to address America’s declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which puts our children at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. Using its media assets, TWC creates awareness of the issue and inspires students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Program highlights include: original PSAs that challenge public perceptions of STEM; a unique website, www.connectamillionminds.com, where parents and community members can pledge to connect young people with the wonders of science; “The Connectory”, a one-of-a-kind online resource that makes it simple and easy for parents and students to find informal science and technology learning opportunities in their communities; grants to support non-profit organizations that bring stimulating, high-quality and affordable after-school STEM learning to students; TWC employees, over 47,000 strong, who volunteer their time at community events like science fairs and robotics competitions, and share their passion for engineering and technology with students at CAMM career days. TWC’s national CAMM partners are CSAS (Coalition for Science After School) and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Local TWC markets are activating CAMM across the country with community-specific programs and partnerships.

About Time Warner Cable East Region

Time Warner Cable’s East Region provides video, Internet and telephone services to more than 5.9 million residential and business customers from New England to the Carolinas. Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located mainly in five geographic areas — New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas.  Time Warner Cable serves more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services.  Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable.  More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmedia.com.