Welcome to Friends of Camp Wildcat

What is Friends of Camp Wildcat (FCW)?

Friends of Camp Wildcat is the alumni organization of Camp Wildcat. We work to provide support to Camp Wildcat, preserve the organization’s history, and connect past and current Camp Wildcat members.


Changes to the FCW Board Structure:

In the fall of 2020, Camp Wildcat alumni voted to update the Friends of Camp Wildcat Bylaws and transform the Board structure that had been in place since 2006. The new Board is smaller in size and scope, with five Board members providing the organizational infrastructure for flexible involvement from alumni through committees, etc.  The new Board began their three-year terms on August 1, 2021.


Seeking Participants for the FCW Outreach Committee:

A goal of the bylaws update was to create a sense of community among alumni, spanning geography and CW eras. If you have an idea for connecting locally or virtually with other CW people or might want to help out with those types of events/projects, consider joining the Outreach Committee. This is a flexible commitment. You will choose how you participate, based on your interest and availability! Sign up today: Outreach Committee Sign-Up.


Support the Friends of Camp Wildcat Scholarship Endowment

The Friends of Camp Wildcat Scholarship is awarded to incoming or continuing University of Arizona students from southern Arizona who have financial need. The scholarship is funded by the Friends of Camp Wildcat Scholarship Endowment - Click Here to Support.

Latest News

August 14, 2023

Next FCW Board Meeting is August 24

The next Friends of Camp Wildcat Board Meeting is happening virtually on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. AZ time. All Camp Wildcat members and alumni are always welcome to attend. Click Here to Join

Help Connect Schools with CW!

The Fall is almost upon us, and CW is already making initial plans for camps. Still, you can help play a role by connecting Tucson-area schools with CW. Are you a teacher or connected to Tucson Title I schools in some way? If you would be able to help Camp Wildcat make connections with Title I schools in Tucson, please email FCW Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Audrey Rogers (2001-05). Thank you!

CW finished the spring semester in productive fashion, having taken Friends of Camp Wildcat Chair Lucy Patterson's school, Peter Howell Elementary, (where she teaches fifth grade) camping in Molino Basin on Mt. Lemmon in April!

Four CW Chairs in One Picture!

From left to right: Greg Porter (currently residing in Seattle, WA), Steven Erly (currently residing in Olympia, WA), Kseniya Efremova (currently residing in Olympia, WA), and Lucy Patterson (Tucson, AZ).


Do you have any fun photos from meet-ups this summer with your CW friends? Or did you spend your summer reminiscing over old CW photos? Please share them with us!


Homecoming 2022 Recap

As usual, Camp Wildcat had a tent on the UA mall and we welcomed around 10 alumni and several current CW students to the tent. Even though the UA didn't win the big game, pleasant conversations were had and connections made - just like it should be! Near the end of the day, we were approached by a former camper who was really excited to see the Camp Wildcat banner. He was in his mid-thirties and still had very fond memories of the camp he attended. We even think we found the yearbook photos from the camp he went on! Check out all the Photos from the Day

Your Support of the FCW Scholarship Endowment Continues to Makes a Difference!

We have wonderful news to share - thanks to your generosity, we exceeded our goal of growing
the Friends of Camp Wildcat Scholarship to over $50,000 in 2022! THANK YOU!

"I am a first generation university student majoring in human development and family science. I also work two jobs currently since I am the only one paying for my schooling. Thank you so much for allowing me to have this reward. You have no idea how much this helps me further my education and the amount of stress it takes off my back. I am unbelievably grateful. This scholarship will help me move closer to the University of Arizona. It will shorten my commute and allow me to be more involved on campus."

Alicia D. Geraci
FCW Alumni Scholarship Recipient
Academic Year 2022-23
Renewed, Academic Year 2023-24

You can support U of A students with financial need like Alicia by giving to the FCW Scholarship Endowment today

Have You Signed Up for Our Email List?

Only a fraction of Camp Wildcat alumni have signed up for our email list. We promise we won't bombard you with emails, but we do want to make sure you stay connected to Camp Wildcat beyond treasured memories.  Sign up today to receive the latest and greatest news about alumni events and meetings, our budding history project, ways you can support Camp Wildcat, and more! 

Sign up for alumni involvement opportunities with Friends of Camp Wildcat!

If you would like to be more involved in supporting the goals of Friends of Camp Wildcat, there are many options available to you! Our Menu of Engagement includes information about ongoing and potential FCW committees and projects. Let us know how you want to be involved - we'll connect you with other alumni who share your interests!

FCW Board of Directors

Lucy Patterson, Chair

Lucy is a St. Louis native who moved to Tucson to attend the U of A in 2005 and has lived there ever since. She was in Camp Wildcat from 2006 to 2010. In those years, she served in three different CW Board positions, regularly appeared in camp skits as the incompetent “Up in the Morning” flower, and very briefly held the title of “Chubby Bunny” champion. After graduating, Lucy became an elementary school teacher, bringing CW songs and cheers into the classroom. She also served as an Era Representative on the Friends of Camp Board. She is married to another Camp Wildcat alum, Garrett Hoxie, and they have two children. She enjoys reading, board games, and being outside! 

Gregory Porter, Vice Chair

Greg was in CW from 2010-14, served as chair from 2012-13, and as camps coordinator from 2013-14. In college, Greg studied chemistry, but made a hard-left turn and went to law school after graduating. He now practices as an attorney in Seattle while serving as a law student mentor and moot court coach for the University of Washington School of Law. Greg never misses an opportunity to partake in the beautiful Washington countryside. Whether sunny or rainy, you can find him running trails, hiking, and kayaking throughout the Puget Sound area. He is also a borderline hoolaginistic supporter of the Seattle Sounders and Kraken. 

Elyse Pincus Abrahams, Camp Wildcat Liaison

Elyse was a member of Camp Wildcat from 2008-2012 and during that time, she served on the board as Campus Relations Chair and Vice Chair.  Camp Wildcat has been an important part of her life, and she is excited to be on the board, connect with other alumni, and give back. She is a native Tucsonan but currently lives in the Boston area, studying to become a Rabbi. She lives with her husband and dog, Angel, and in her spare time, loves exploring New England, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and drinking craft cider. 

Brian Simpson, Communications Director

Brian is a native Tucsonan who has lived with his wife Jennyvi in West Harlem for the past seven years, after stops in Colorado Springs and Phoenix. He attend the U of A from 1994-97, serving in Camp Wildcat throughout and leading the 1997 Summer Camp. Brian works in marketing, communications, and information technology in the non-profit/faith-based sector, filling a jack-of-all-trades role finding gaps and filling them. In his spare time, he enjoys rabidly following all things baseball, popular music, and craft beer. 

Audrey (Nieman) Rogers, Outreach Coordinator

Audrey was a member of Camp Wildcat from 2001-2005 and served as the fundraising chair from 2002-2004. She is a native Chicagoan, but has lived in Pittsburgh for the past 13 years, where she is a middle school Spanish teacher turned math teacher. She can be found running around with her two children, cooking, doing Zumba, or (hopefully one day again) traveling. 

Friends of Camp Wildcat
1309 N. Bedford Place
Tucson, AZ  85715-5615