Camp Firewalker was founded in the spirit of two avid outdoorsmen and close friends, Mark Wood and Matt Van Eaton. Both Mark and Matt had an incredible love for all things outdoors, and they each sought to bring that joy to others. It is in their honor that Camp Firewalker seeks to bring the same joy of the outdoors and passion for adventure to underprivileged youth in our communities.
Mark E. Wood
Mark was a true Boy Scout. As a young man he was a member of Troop 70 attending the 1964 Jamboree. As a father he served as Scoutmaster for Troop 68 at HPUMC where both his sons along with many of their friends became Eagle Scouts. After his sons graduated high school he served with Troop 470 in West Dallas. He was a member of The Order of the Arrow and honored to receive a Silver Beaver. As a Scoutmaster he taught many of us how to camp, fish, hike, and hunt. He also served as a mentor and strong example of how to be a man in today's society. He enjoyed sharing his ranch with Scouts and developed a life-long bond with the leaders and scouts as well.
His other love in life was working on his ranches and raising cattle. He loved the outdoors and spent most weekends ranching or hunting and fishing. Mark never met a stranger and he poured his life into his family and friends.
Matthew "Firewalker" Van Eaton
Matt had an intense appreciation and passion for living life to the fullest. Never one to shy away from a new challenge or adventure, he was a true outdoorsman, craftsman, and best friend to many.
Immediately after graduating from High School in Dallas, TX he moved to the mountains of Gunnison, Colorado where he attended Western State University. While in Colorado Matt enjoyed camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, snowboarding, rafting, and the list goes on.
Matt frequently talked with friends about how fortunate we were to grow up with the means and resources to be able to take part in the outdoor activities that we all love. He was adamant that we needed to find a way to share those experiences with kids who otherwise would not have the same opportunities, and thus Camp Firewalker was founded to do just that.
““on the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living- that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend’s life also, in our own, to the world.””