NJSOC 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend

It’s our 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend and we have so much to celebrate!! In 2020, the School of Conservation was closed, and its future uncertain. The Friends of the NJSOC sprang into action to save the school and began offering programs again in just a few short months. Now, in 2024, SOC is open, staffed, and busy doing what we do best—providing “Environmental Education for Everyone, Everywhere.” We want to share this important milestone with all of our friends, old and new.

We’ve planned a special day highlighting all that the school has to offer—nature exploration, education, fun activities, a social hour and luncheon, and the wonderfully unique SOC experience of a campfire with good music and good friends along the shore of Lake Wapalanne. Our Saturday celebration will also be an opportunity for our dedicated leaders to share the rich 75-year history of the School of Conservation, our most recent successes, and our bold vision for the future to lead the way in teacher training, student experiences, and academic research centered on climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability. The weekend programs and activities are geared for adult participants.

Our 75th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 1 is FREE from the morning flag ceremony to the evening campfire, but pre-registration is REQUIRED. Please read on for optional add-on tickets to extend the celebration to enjoy the SOC after dark by spending Friday or Saturday night in a comfortable SOC cabin nestled within Stokes State Forest.

Again we welcome friends, old and new, to celebrate our 75th Anniversary in true SOC style. This event is geared for adults. Your FREE main event ticket for Saturday, June 1st includes:

8:30- 8:45 AM: Flag Ceremony at Long House led by NJ Youth Corps Phillipsburg

9:00 AM: Check in at Kittatinny Hall

9:30-11:30 AM: Panel Presentation: NJ Leaders in Climate Change Education

12:00-1:00 PM: Social hour in Big Timbers – Music by Michael Patrick

1:00-2:00 PM: Luncheon in Big Timbers: Keynote Speaker and Award Presentations

2:00-5:00 PM: SOC Activity Sampler: Archery, Fiber and/or candles, Metalsmithing, Boating, Water ecology

5:00 PM: Campfire with song leader Michael Patrick. Will there be s’mores? Join us and find out!

Capacity for this event is limited. Once full, you may add your name to the waiting list and we will notify you if space becomes available. If you are registered and will be unable to use your ticket, please contact us so someone who is waitlisted can join us.

The following food and lodging packages are available for those wishing to extend their celebration before and after Saturday:

Friday Night Kick Off Add-On: May 31 – $50/person

• Arrival beginning at 1:00 PM, community BBQ dinner between 6:00 -7:00 PM at Piney Point (weather permitting), followed by a campfire.
• Friday night lodging*
• Saturday 7:30 – 8:15 AM Continental Breakfast

Sunday Morning Add-On: June 1 & 2 – $50/person

• Saturday, June 1, Dinner at 6:00 PM
• Saturday night lodging*
• 8:00 – 9:00 AM: Continental Breakfast
• 9:30 AM – Vesper Glen fellowship
• 11:00 AM – Bag lunch pick up.
• Noon – departure

* SOC guests will be housed in shared cabin-style lodging that may include a short walk to the bathroom or dormitories with shared bathrooms. There is a limited number of overnight accommodations that include private bathrooms for guests with limited mobility.