BURNS, Tenn.— Nearly 60 youths and their families gathered at Montgomery Bell State Park September 13–14 for the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) Seventh Annual Montgomery Bell Family Campout, a weekend designed to connect families to the outdoors through hands-on activities and union volunteer support.
Participants enjoyed archery, fishing, a scavenger hunt, wildlife watercolor painting, a birds of prey demonstration, and campfire s’mores, while also exploring the park at their own pace.
“This campout is a great opportunity for families to step away from their routines and enjoy time together outside,” said Maggie Sager, USA conservation coordinator. “Whether kids were trying archery for the first time, discovering wildlife, or simply running free in the fields, the joy on their faces said it all. Parents were equally engaged, which makes the event meaningful for the whole family.”
The campout has become a signature USA event thanks to the leadership of longtime USA member Anthony Nicholson, retired business manager of International Association of Heat and Front Insulators and Allied Workers Local 86 and president of the Nashville Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC). Nicholson helped initiate the event in 2015 and continues to be instrumental in planning and organizing it each year.
“It’s always been about the kids,” Nicholson said. “I grew up spending time at Montgomery Bell, and I want today’s youth to have the same opportunities to experience nature. Watching my own grandson go from a participant when he was about 5 years old to a volunteer who now helps other kids enjoy the outdoors shows the impact this event has over time.”
Sponsored by the Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council, Nashville BCTC, Insulators Local 86, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 429, the campout also showcased strong on-the-ground union support with volunteers ensuring every detail, from activities to meals, ran smoothly.
“This year’s campout had the strongest volunteer turnout I’ve seen since joining the USA,” said Cody Campbell, USA conservation manager. “Members of Electrical Workers Local 429, Insulators Local 86, Sheet Metal Workers Local 177, and Auto Workers Local 1853, along with scouts and other community volunteers, all pitched in. Their teamwork is what makes this event possible.”
While some families came for the first time this year, others return year after year. Carrie Huhl, who attended with her three sons and Scout Troop 641 from Charlotte, Tennessee, said the campout has quickly become a family favorite.
“All three of my boys loved it last year, so we came back again,” she said.
The Montgomery Bell Family Campout is part of the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground conservation program, which introduces youths to the outdoors. Each child left the event with a free fishing pole and an outdoor-themed raffle prize to encourage continued exploration of nature.
