Roughing It Day Camp: Ann & Hobie

Founded in 1972, Roughing It is owned and personally directed by Hobie and Ann Woods, who have over 60 years of combined experience in organized summer camps and youth leadership. Ann and Hobie met as counselors at Kennolyn Camp when they were in college. Their dream of founding and directing their own camp became a reality when they opened Roughing It Day Camp in 1972.

Ann has been an elementary and preschool teacher, camp counselor, camp administrator, riding and swimming instructor. Hobie taught recreation administration at San Francisco State, directed all recreation programs at the Treasure Island Naval Station, was a recreation director for the City of Oakland and has been a camp counselor and administrator.

Both Ann and Hobie are Certified Camp Directors by the American Camping Association and have been active in a number of professional associations.

Their own daughters as well as thousands of children in the Bay Area have grown up through Roughing It.

The Woods work full time throughout the year at Roughing It. They are always available to speak directly to camper families.

Dear Parents,

Directors Ann and Hobie Woods
with Horse Aladdin

Our career in summer camps began in 1965 when we both took positions as summer camp counselors. This experience turned out to be far more than "just a summer job.” It developed into our life's work when we started our own camp, Roughing It Day Camp in 1972. We feel fortunate to work at our jobs as camp owners and directors full-time throughout the year and to be able to help children grow and develop through our unique camp experience.

So much has changed in the lives of children as we move from the twentieth century into the twenty-first. We have come from the dawn of the automobile age to travel in space and e-commerce. Yet the important experiences that children need in order to develop the critical assets necessary to become successful adults remain the same:

The need for positive, caring adult role models
Opportunities to enjoy and appreciate the great outdoors
Shared group experiences that create community
Lifelong friendships
Growing through new challenges, and
Chances to take safe risks.

Roughing It is proud to provide these important experiences to better prepare each of our campers for life in the new millennium.

Sincerely,

Ann and Hobie Woods
Owners and Directors

Let's Start at the Very Beginning!

Ann and Hobie met as counselors at Kennolyn when they were in college. They worked at Kennolyn for three summers as riding instructors, swim teachers and head counselors. Max and Marion Caldwell, who founded Kennolyn and were directors until they retired at 90 years of age, were Ann and Hobie's inspiration to start Roughing It and have been their life long mentors and friends.

Hobie as counselor of 9 & 10 year olds boys in 1965.When Hobie returned to visit Kennolyn in 1971, his campers were still at Kennolyn, but they were all a head taller than he was.

Ann as a counselor of 11 year old girls in 1967, her last year at Kennolyn. One of the girls in her tent, Laurie, (sitting to right of Ann), looked Ann up a few years ago, and they had a wonderful time reminiscing about the special summer they had together at Kennolyn. Camp memories live on long after "camp" is over.