In the heart of DEAN Adventure Camps lies a story woven with love, imagination, and a passion for nurturing young minds. The story began at Laura Kelly’s kitchen table in 2001, a place where neighborhood children gathered to knit and sew.
Laura, a working parent like many of us, yearned for a space that would nurture her children just as she would.
What started as a small gathering soon blossomed into The Handwork Studio, a vibrant space where children across five states discovered the joy of making things with their hands, blending childhood development with the art of creation.
The story took a dynamic turn with the birth of Velocity Adventure Camp in 2023, co-created by her husband, John Kelly, who brought his expertise from a career in commercial real estate. Velocity Adventure Camp, an extension of The Handwork Studio's ethos of “Learn By Making,” embraced the spirit of “Learn By Doing.” It was a place where outdoor sports were not just activities but avenues for building confidence, friendships, and joy.
The evolution into DEAN Adventure Camps is a culmination of these rich experiences – a place where Discover, Explore, Achieve, and Navigate are not just words but pathways to empower and ignite kids of all ages.
DEAN stands as a testament to Laura and John’s vision of creating an environment that shapes confident, creative, and happy children through diverse and exhilarating experiences.