Barbara Morrell (YW Pres.), Me (1st C.), Karlene Eliason (camp director)
The stake leaders were amazing, furnishing all meals except one breakfast and a first day sack lunch (no cooking at campsites due to very dry conditions), all the certification rotation activities, and the morning and evening festivities in the amphitheater which is where my assignment fit it.
About two months before camp, Wendy Morgan, a ward friend who is in the stake YW , asked me to be in charge of the music/dance/chant committee for the camp gatherings in the amphitheater. The committee consisted of me and 4 YCLs (youth camp leaders - 4th and 5th year campers). This assignment sounds like it should be a snap and right up my alley...it's in my genes as my mother was always in charge of the music for girls' camp...but I didn't know a single current camp song...Primary songs, yes, but camp, NO! So I was a little freaked out! I thought of the idea to contact the Oakcrest camp leaders (SLC valley Beehive camp), but it took me a couple of weeks to get my hands on the Oakcrest Camp songbook/ 2 CDs combo. I put them on my IPOD and then listened to them while I exercised in the mornings...day after day until all 50 songs were becoming familiar (and some a little annoying!). I could finally relax a little, until it was time to plan some meetings with my committee. One of the four girls could be counted on to respond to texts, emails and/or phone calls. A couple of them would come to the meetings. It was driving me crazy! Finally, the week before camp everyone came to a meeting at my home to go over all assignments (YCLs were in charge ...shadow leadership concept), review the camp song "Stand Strong", the dance "Makin it" and make all final plans. I typed up a songbook for the campers and we were ready to go. Long story short.... All went great! Fun dance, fun chants and fun songs!
Lindsay Kenner, Sydney Kim in foreground left, Anna Workman, right, Rebecca Morrell
We camped with the Telford ward YW (we also join with them for weekly activity nights)
At the ward camp I was in charge of our camp craft. I had collected flat, smooth rocks at the beach in April for this very purpose. I sealed them ahead of time and gathered supplies...lots of fun paint, etc. The girls chose their rocks, painted them (I had lots of pictures to spur their imaginations), then I sprayed them with a high gloss sealer and glued a magnet on the back. Cute for the inside door of their lockers.
Lastly, it's true confession time. I slept in my own bed at night. I waited until 9 p.m., then drove the hour home to get a good nights sleep, woke up early (for me), made the drive back up the mountain to be back in camp by 8:00. My ward leaders were very understanding! I've NEVER liked sleeping bags...and now I have an issue of going to the bathroom during the night...well, I've always had that if I drank past 7:00. I knew it would be impossible to go back to sleep if I quietly unzipped the tent, walked up the road to the bathrooms, repeat coming back.....I would be wide awake! So, anyway, I was a whimpy camper. I admit it.
Our camp was only Wednesday to Friday, shorter than past years, but I thought it was successful in every way. Our darling girls were so sweet to each other, no tears, no hurt feelings, no one wanting to go home early...there was such a nice feeling in our camp. In the picture above, Lauren and Madison are non-members, and fit in so perfectly. Darling, darling girls. I am loving working with these Young Women!
1 comment:
Love that you are keeping up on your blog!! thank you!!
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