Lately my time has been consumed with church meetings. And most of my meetings have been planning and discussing girls camp and high adventure camp. Yesterday was no exception. After a 2 hour meeting of Stake Conference our camp committee had a meeting several hours long. We actually brought lunches to the meeting since we knew everyone would be hungry. We got lots of ideas out on the table and made some decisions regarding girls camp. I enjoy going to girls camp and I think we have the makings for a fun week this summer. In February we will start working with the young women who will serve as youth leaders. We have about 20 girls who are eligible to be YCLs (youth camp leader)
Last year I was in charge of getting people from our stake to come up with boats and spend the afternoon tubing and wake boarding over at lake Lopez. The Sunday before we left I had one of my boats back out and unable to go. But I figured things out and even being short one boat we had a great time with the 2 boats we had and things ran smoothly till the last day. The last day all HELL broke loose! Communication was bad at the lake and our cell phones didn't work out there. A few of our leaders lost their minds became frustrated and angry. After a round of shouting matches back at camp, we were left with leaders who would not cooperate with each other and went home on Friday morning still mad and agitated. So this year our camp committee doesn't want to involve boats. Which in my mind is a shame. The girls really had fun and everything went great until that Thursday afternoon. In my opinion, we already have decided not to have back the people involved with that incident and there are lots of other people that have boats and pleasant personalities. But the committee doesn't want to deal with it. This leaves me with trying to come up with afternoon activities that will be fun. We have crafts, swimming, archery, and we have kayaks but these are things the girls have had every year. I got permission to have BB guns and I've got a leader to run the shooting range for this year. But the boats were so cool. I feel like we still need something thats exciting. Something that will bring a new experience to the week. Our committee keeps trying to recycle old ideas. The girls have said to me in the past that they just want something new to do at camp. Thats why I pushed for the boats last year. So now I'm looking for an adventuresome activity to provide at camp.
11 comments:
Im trying to think of ideas for you. i will let you know what i come up with. That sucks that they wont do the boats..
What about the little sailboats? One yr when we went to Girls' Camp, we had those sailboats that you need 2 people to sail, but are small. We had a blast learning how to sail and being able to take them out on our own.
What a trip! I remember going to girls camp with you Dana. At least I hope you were there...I have stronger memories of the Tarantulas we encountered on the hikes!
My living in Utah for the last 13 years will show up here but some ideas we have enjoyed doing with our youth (boys & girls): ice blocking, rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking overnighter.
I should add that one of the all time favorite trips was water skiing. Maybe you can convince the committee...
What happened to certifying? It sounds like too much fun to me...
how about map and compass - a big amazing race type competition that has challenges all week - involving different certification skills - maybe also including Geo cacheing - the treasure could tie in with your theme or the values etc. It might not seem as exciting but it the skills are things that can really help them in their adult life. Especially when they become moms to boy scouts and have to help their boys do the orienteering stuff!
you should let some old fat ladies crash your camp - I know one - hahaha
I thought of another thing - do they do woodworking projects at camp? I made a fun thing for my seminary class - a mini mormonad poster holder - I've had lots of people tell me they want to buy more - but the girls might like making them - and then they could paint or stain them - to make them unique and pretty. There are other cool woodworking projects that are possible and if your camp is not a week of cub scout day camp I could hook you up with a lot of wood working tools. Our camp has had the oldest boys make these stools that my in-laws designed - they're great because they collapse and are easy to carry so that you have a chair for campfires - etc. I have lots of woodworking books if you're interested.
Amy
okay one last idea - and I will then leave you alone because I must go to bed. Marshmallow shooters - they're very inexpensive - they're quick and easy to make and then you could have a marshmallow war.
nothing is going to be as cool as boats. I have never known anybody to do boats at girls camp. your ward is so, so lucky. we did go river rafting in moab when I was 13. that was the coolest girls camp EVER! nobody wants to go to girls camp and do all the certification stuff. you want to have fun and bond with your buddies!
we did do canoes once. that was fun. hmmm......
i like the amazing race type thing, but that sounds like a ton of work for the people organizing it.
your camp does sound way more fun than our ward's camp.
fun calling. i just got a new one that i'm not so excited about. ugh.
Wow you really try to make it so the girls have fun. I have no good memories of being in YM. I only went to 3 girls camps and hated everyone.... lots of crying and drama.... but I guess its really hard to do something that makes every girl, leader, and mom happy. ;)
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