Monday, April 12, 2010

Girls' Camp Rocked!

I had just one goal for our girls for camp: Have FUN! Our vision for this year is to unify our ward girls so this was also important for camp. I decided to ditch all plans of stressing myself out with fancy handouts, special activities planned for our girls during spare time, really pushing camp craft and not harrass or nag, in an effort to just let the girls relax, get to know each other better and just 'hang'.

I'm learning that just sometimes it is ok to let some important things fall to the wayside in pursuit of some other worthwhile goals. Take camp craft for example. I love camp craft. I believe in it. I worked very hard at it as a youth and received the box in recognition of completing all 6 levels. I loved camp because it meant I could do all those outdoor things like cook over a fire and learn firstaid. But......
It is slightly outdated. (It still teaches the heimlich manoeuvre). The camp craft program does not appeal to everyone. Stake wasn't pushing camp craft and was offering very limited camp craft activities. We weren't even encouraged to cook on the fire! So it would have taken a lot of extra time and harrassment on camp to get all girls to do their certification.
Now usually I am very opinionated and like to follow all rules, but this time I just had a feeling.
So I encouraged those who wanted to do it and about 5 girls completed their certificate. I felt that pushing the others to do it would have been unenjoyable for them and me so I left it. Did I do the right thing? Well, who knows. Maybe they'll get lost on a mountain this week and I will be sued because they didn't learn how to send a signal and orientate their way out using the stars and sun or light a fire using a magnifying glass.......

What I do know is that camp provided an opportunity to break down some of my leader-youth barriers. I got to know the girls. For us all to be a little silly. For us to laugh. For the girls to hang out in a social environment which they wouldn't usually do.
There was a lot of laughter and we got the 'unity award' at the close of camp, so I think we did alright with my goals.

And, we were the only ward to cook both dinners on the open fire. And it was DELICIOUS.


I loved being on camp with them and would love to find a way to have that feeling within our group all the time. Here's a few bad photos of our fun times.



I love that these girls even find fun in pitching the tent.

This was pretty common. Four girls to watch one actually do the task. Support team????

The huge slip 'n slide.

Clowning around waiting.... after the hard work was done.
THE game of the camp. (Which doesn't have a name)


4 comments:

  1. It sounds just right! :)
    Well done! And I am really glad that you liked it so much :)

    xo

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  2. The best thing any Young Womens president ever did for me was to listen to the spirit.... and on more than one occasion that meant ditching the intended lesson, postponing the organized activity and listening and bonding. If anything i have a greater love for these women in my adult life than i ever would of dreamt when i was a teenager. you did the right thing... i seen and been a part of a unified young womens program and the friends i made then are still my very best friends now. i've also seen the opposite end of the spectrum and the girls usually turn to friendships made at school and other activities which is nice but often makes it harder to live the gospel.... some even stray. GREAT job bev, sounds like you created some wonderful memories.

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  3. sounds like so much fun and very un-Bev like!!!! :) :) :)
    So glad you had a wonderful relaxing bonding time bev - you really just need to have a little more faith in your amazingness and how much good you can and are doing for these precious girls. They have to love you Bev for your goodness and your righteousness and your faithfulness...you are just truly fabulous and I really hope you can give yourself a little pat on the back for being so great!!!
    ps - Ystyn said the food was awesome!!!! :)

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  4. The food WAS awesome. We so should have got the best food award - except stake didn't actually eat anyone's food so they wouldn't know!

    Thanks Adele. I had a moment tonight with a few girls at mutual and had an imaginary pat on the back ceremony. They really do appreciate me.... sometimes.....!!!!

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