Camp Freedom
Camp Freedom is situated on 350 acres in Central Florida. We have a spring-fed lake, open meadows, lush forest, and breathtaking sunsets.
Retreats - The Heart and Soul of Soldiers Freedom Outdoors
Our retreats provide eco-therapy (healing through nature). Nature brings calm, balance and connection into the lives or our heroes. Connecting more with nature can help improve depression, lower blood pressure, improve self-esteem, and gain resilience.
Our retreats embrace the whole concept of eco-therapy, where participants are encouraged to re-connect with the great outdoors, feel the wind in their faces, listen to sand hill cranes cry out, smell the fragrance of fresh-cut hay, and just mingle with our Creator’s earth.
Equine Activates
It’s been said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that heals the inside of a man.”
The struggle with human interaction is where our horses for heroes are very helpful. Horse activities are therapeutic by nature, and especially helpful for those who avoid “talk” therapy because their memories are too painful.
Simple grooming, feeding, and putting a halter on a horse can be absolutely transforming to a vet. Time spent with their horse can bring changes, such has social interaction, responsibility, improved self-image, trust, patience, and pure enjoyment are just a few benefits.
With 350 acres immediately accessible, we offer and endless variety of ride terrain for those who choose to ride.
Hunting
Our military that choose to hunt bring their own rifles, ammunition and/or bows, depending on the season, and what they are hunting for. We provide new hunters a firearm for those who decide to hunt, and pair that individual with an experienced hunter only.
Before going into the field, a complete firearms safety protocol is taught prior to anyone handling a weapon for the first time, and most likely will include range time, if the hunting schedule allows.
For additional safety, each hunter is assigned to a specific blind or tree stand, and remains there until the predetermined hunt duration is over. No one is allowed to free-range hunt on our property unless expressly authorized to do so.
At the end of a hunt, all our vets gather back at the ranch house, where they share stories and hunting techniques, and dress the harvested animal, should one be taken. It’s a great time for all.
Water Activities
Our lake provides fishing, kayaking, swimming, lounging in a skiff, or just hanging out on our new, disabled-friendly dock with a ramp for wheelchair access. All these activities provide a venue for relaxation, mindfulness and restoration.
Most fishermen and women would tell you that watching the ripples made from casting, listening to the gentle lapping of water dockside or boat side, and the excitement of the catch, are reasons to love fishing. It’s a form of “catch-and-release” other than the act of fishing. Dropping a line helps them to focus on one thing, which releases stress and anxiety. We provide bait, tackle and rods.
Whether fishing, kayaking, swimming, knee boarding or sailing, all of these outdoor activities provide time for our Heroes to unplug and tap into the healing effects of nature.
Hiking
The trails throughout the property are used not only for horseback riding but are perfect for hiking.
Hiking provides a venue to:
- Increased self-esteem
- Increased energy
- Increased stamina and endurance
- Stronger heart and lungs
- A time to relax
For our veterans who are not ambulatory, our all-terrain, tracked wheelchair can easily emulate a hike, by maneuvering around the ranch at his or her leisure, with the simple push of a joystick on the battery-powered vehicle.
Whether just plain walking or going on a hike with a specific goal in mind, Camp Freedom provides a variety of terrain to stretch the legs and mind.