Zombie Survival Camp

Campers are dying to join the fun

By Chad Fincher and Mark Freidline
Photos: Kalispell Parks and Recreation

Through the years, we at Kalispell Parks and Recreation in Kalispell, Mont., have struggled to fill a need in the community for some type of programming during the week prior to elementary schools beginning the year. Our traditional summer camp usually ends a week earlier because counselors head back to college, leaving the camp short-staffed. Through conversation at a staff meeting, we hatched an idea, and a storyline quickly unfolded.

As The Story Goes

Each summer in the northwest corner of Montana, a strange and horrifying occurrence repeats itself for one week—the Zombie Apocalypse. Zombies descend on the small town of Kalispell—only 45 minutes from Glacier Park—at the peak of the tourist season. And what keeps these unsuspecting residents and tourists safe during this invasion of the undead? The fearless and well-trained campers from Kalispell Parks and Recreation’s Zombie Survival Camp.

The zombie phenomenon has manifested itself in different ways throughout popular culture in recent years. Vast numbers of movies, television shows, and books calling attention to these grotesque and blood-thirsty creatures have been presented. But we have discovered another method for showcasing the walking dead that has become popular in the community … youth programming.

Kalispell Parks and Recreation has been offering its annual Zombie Survival Camp since 2017, and the interest from children and parents has been incredible. The three-day camp focuses on the preparation of participants for a zombie apocalypse. The premise is to teach real survival skills in a fun and entertaining way, including developing emergency plans, fire building, first aid, orienteering, archery, and marksmanship. Campers even go into the “laboratory” to synthesize a cure. The experiment uses strawberry DNA extraction (YouTube has some great “how-to” videos). It is a fun, easy, and inexpensive activity that plays into the storyline. There are zombie sightings throughout the week, culminating with a legendary Nerf-gun and water-balloon battle between campers and zombies.  During the attack on Camp Woodland, campers use all of the survival skills they learned. 

So, how do participants in Kalispell’s Zombie Survival Camp prepare themselves for a zombie apocalypse? Here’s a breakdown:

Day 1

Most of the day is spent on emergency preparedness. Campers develop a list of survival necessities and gather items, such as water, food, shelter, first-aid supplies, and other essentials to get them through the first couple of days before they either develop a cure or locate a zombie-free refugee camp. Campers also learn and practice several important skills like wound care, water treatment, orienteering, and fire building.  Once they put together their zombie emergency kits and learn basic skills, campers confer with their counselors and develop preparedness plans. Variations of these simulated zombie kits and emergency plans also can be used if participants find themselves in an actual disaster, such as a wildfire or other emergency.

Day 2

Participants conduct an investigation to determine what has caused the zombie outbreak and whether they can develop a cure. Through research, campers determine the cause of the illness and how it is transmitted. In their race for the cure, campers work feverishly to create an antidote, utilizing what they have learned in the strawberry DNA experiment. As the campers close in on the answers, they realize their supply of test serum is running low. They have to use their wits and teamwork to piece together the code for the cure before time runs out.

Day 3

The campers realize that, if their cure loses potency or fails for some reason, they will have to fight their way out of the apocalypse to survive. Campers learn how to build their own bow and practice accuracy with both the bow and Nerf gun. For these participants, knowing how to shoot accurately when faced with a zombie outbreak can mean the difference between escaping to fight another day or being eaten. After the campers have had two-and-a-half days of preparation and fun, the zombies—in full force—invade Woodland Park. The zombies, who are actually community volunteers, have spent the morning preparing their ghoulish costumes and makeup, and are now ready for their epic encounter with the well-trained campers, the city’s last line of defense. The campers use their training to decide if they will stealthily evade the zombie hordes or go on the offensive and attack them head-on. At the end of the day, when the epic encounter concludes, campers and the volunteers have had an experience they will not soon forget.

Never A Dull Moment

Part of the success of the camp is the volunteers who take over due to the seasonal shortage of paid staff. Volunteers from local organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts assist in first aid, fire building, orienteering, and disaster-preparedness lessons. Individuals from the local high school’s theater programs help with the zombie makeup and application of mock injuries. We also encourage the artistic freedom of staff members in planning each year. While the base storyline is present, there is another added layer or twist to the story, a new experiment our camp counselors introduce, or a new base location within the park to keep the program fresh that keeps returning participants engaged. 

Even with the world facing an actual pandemic in 2020, the camp was still one of the department’s most popular summer programs. And how do we know this? Parents and participants keep asking for more. Just like the zombies.

Chad Fincher is the Director of Kalispell Parks and Recreation in Kalispell, Mont. Reach him at (406) 758-7960 or cfincher@kalispell.com.

Mark Freidline is the Recreation Superintendent for Kalispell Parks and Recreation. Reach him at mfreidline@kalispell.com.