Girls Camp July 2012

  

 Last February I was asked to meet with a member of our bishopric, and was completely expecting to be called to the primary because my visiting teacher was in the presidency and had mentioned they were trying to get me in primary.  Well, you can imagine my shock when the bishopric member said they would like me to be the Young Women's Camp Director! I think my response was "What?!"  I have never said no to a calling before, and this wasn't going to be my first time.  So, I decided to buck up and be a good sport about it.  Everyone was focused on the Pioneer Trek that our stake did in March, so I was asked to hold off on any camp activities until that was over.   I started attending YW on Sundays so I could get to know the girls before camp.  Trek came and went and then it was time to start preparing.  There was a lot of work involved before camp, and it seemed as soon as I finished one big thing, it was time for the next.  We had to organize a "hike,"(here in Houston there really aren't mountains or many places relatively close to do an actual hike) so we ended up going to a park with a walkway, and making several rounds so the girls could pass of 1, 3, and 5 mile hikes.

It got a little warm so the girls decided to use our extra water bottles to cool off.

After passing off their hikes, the next thing the girls needed to pass off was their First Aid.  Our sweet Stake President's wife is an E.R. Doctor and came and taught all of the certifications for CPR and other things the girls needed to pass off one night for mutual.

Next they needed to learn how to tie knots.  The good thing about having a husband in the Young Men's Presidency is I could ask him and the boys for help.  So, one night for mutual the boys took the first 20 minutes or so to refresh their minds on how to tie all the knots the girls needed to learn, while we made signs for our fundraiser.  Then the boys and leaders came in and each boy partnered up with a girl and taught them how to tie all the different knots we needed to know.  It worked out great!

The next big thing(by far the most time consuming and hardest thing I had to do) was the fundraiser for camp.  Our ward is full of young families, many of which are medical or law school students.  So, the bishop really wanted the money to come from the community, not just from the ward members.  Last year they did a big yard sale and were really successful, so we decided to stick with the same thing.  All the leaders helped with preparation, and most of the credit needs to really go to Joe.  I don't know what I would have done without him!  One of the leaders had a big neighborhood yard sale before our fundraiser, and she suggested going around after it was over and asking if people would just like to donate the things they didn't sell, to our yard sale so they didn't have to haul it off somewhere.  Joe was so sweet to go with me that morning to ask people if they'd be interested in having us come by to pick things up once it was over.  Then he went and got the scout trailer and picked up one of the young men to come help us load it up. One of the sweet girls from YW was also there to help us!  We ended up getting some decent things from that, and our ward members were incredible and donated so much also! Joe was always there, never complaining whenever someone called and said they had something to donate.  We stored the items in a couple garages of members, so the day before the yard sale we had to transfer everything from their garages to the church.     It was a lot of work, but it ended up being a huge success and we raised about $2400.00  We had to give about $1700 to the stake for our camp fees, $200.00 for t-shirts, and the rest quickly disappeared also.  When you have about 17 girls and 4 leaders to pay for, the money was quickly spent.  I was so grateful that everything went so well and we were able to cover all of our needed expenses.  It was a success!

It rained the day before, and stormed all night.  It was still raining at 6:30 the morning of the yard sale, but our prayers were answered when it stopped raining right around the time we were supposed to start.  We already had everything inside, so we just moved a few big items outside and the girls held signs out on the street telling people to come in.  My assistant director also put an ad on Craigslist saying we'd have the yard sale come rain or shine.

                                      

    

                                      

                                       

                                     

This was the morning of Tuesday, July 10th 2012.  We met at the church at 6:30am.  Our Laurels were already up at camp so on the way up there we had some extra seats and were able to help out one of the branches in our area with rides.

       

When we got there we checked in with the stake and started setting up tents. Of course it started to rain.  Rain was forecasted throughout the entire week.  So, the girls pulled out their ponchos and we kept working to get the tents set up.

If I went again, I would have taken more pictures of our camp site for sure.  I realized when I got home that there were lots of things I should have taken pictures of.  Our campsite had a pavillion with 3 covered tables, a hose with running water, and a large sink.  There was also a bathroom area which consisted of an outdoor shower(just like the one at home only you're standing on a concrete slab with 3 walls made out of wood, and a shower curtain on the 4th side.  The toilet (which did not flush) was on the opposite side of the concrete slab in it's own little 3 wall hut.  There was also a sink attached to outside wall of the shower, which later that week ended up falling off the wall. =) All in all, it wasn't as bad as I pictured and there was a lot more room in the toilet area than there would be in a porta potty. So I couldn't complain.  I showered at night after the day was over, to wash all the sweat and dirt off and to cool down before bed.  The water was a little frigid but felt fabulous!  It was quite the experience to shower outside, and to be able to look up and see the stars.  We just had a little lantern we'd take out and hook on a nail, so it wasn't much light and most of the time my eyes were on the ground watching for spiders or snakes.  Luckily I never saw one!=)


That night the Stake put on a big party to celebrate the 100th year of Girl's Camp.  They had Elvis come and perform!  Pretty funny!  I think he was more for the leaders than the girls!=)  They would have probably enjoyed Justin Bieber.....and honestly so would I!=)  ha ha!  It was fun though and we all had a good time.

       

        

It rained every day, but it was such a blessing!  When I was called, my biggest concern was having to be out in the heat.  The rain kept the temperatures somewhat bearable (probably around mid 80s) and luckily I had gone to buy rain boots the day before camp.  Best investment I've ever made.  One of our leaders did end up having to make a trip to the laundry mat and Walmart because some of the girls' bedding, pillows, and things got wet.  Some girls just brought one pair of shoes, and a few pairs of socks.  With it raining every day they went through them fast.  Girls ended up with blisters and all sorts of things.  Luckily some of the older girls knew what to do to help the younger ones bandage up and dry out their feet at night.

The Stake leaders did certification, and then the ward leaders were assigned to help certain levels.  I was with the 3rd years.  This was the morning they had to certify "cooking with fire." Of course it was raining!=)  What we did was put a #10 can over a tuna can filled with wax and a wick that was lit.  Then the girls took a brown paper lunch bag, took a couple pieces of foil and put 2 strips of bacon in it, and then cracked an egg on the top.  They wrapped up the foil, and stuck it in their lunch sack and on top of the can to cook.  It wasn't the most amazing breakfast I've ever had, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  They were all good sports about it though.  They also used these grilled cheese makers on a pole to make a grilled cheese or put pie filling between two pieces of bread.  I didn't try that.

One of the days I had to be a "cut victim" and the girls would come around in groups and treat me.  This involved a temporary tattoo and fake blood!=)  

This was the path to our campsite.  One day it rained so hard and for so long that the dirt road was flooded.  We couldn't drive during the week, we just walked so it wasn't too bad for those that had boots.
                                      

More certification in the rain.

This was another part of the trail back to our camp site one day.  Muddy!  

One of the afternoons there were 4 classes that a stake leader put on, and we got to chose 3 to go to between a certain time slot.  One of the ones we went to was about different hair dos and then skin care and meditation.  They had a cucumber mask they had made out of cucumbers and yogurt and stuff.  It wasn't the best texture to be putting on our faces, nor did it smell too good, but we were good sports and did it anyways.

The theme this year was "Happily Ever After" based on a talk from Elder Uchtdorf.  Each ward had to choose a fairy tale and a name.  Our girls chose Peter Pan, and they decided to the the "Found Girls" as opposed to The Lost Boys.  This is Autumn, and she and her family made the flag for our ward.  They did an AMAZING job!

 

This is our group with the bishop the night he came.  We are missing our YWs President (she's the one in the middle of the cucumber mask picture) because she's pregnant and could only stay a few days.  Other than that, this is everyone that came.

This is where we had our meals every day.  They would serve them family style most of the time.  The food wasn't bad.  There were a LOT of salads, which I'm sure they did because it was supposed to be hot in July and normally the girls don't feel like eating much when it's that hot.  I can't complain though because it saved us so much time not having to make meals.

We had some ward time Wednesday Evening and my assistant director had some really fun team building games.  The girls LOVED them!

Then we built a fire and made smores before the girls went out "snipe hunting."

 
                                      
We have such a fun group of girls and I absolutely LOVE the moms that stepped up and helped us out.  None of the YW leaders or Presidency could go, except the President, because they had young kids or work.  So, I REALLY appreciated Cali and Shawna being willing to go the entire time!  The girls loved them, and we all had a lot of fun together.
                                     

Friday night was Bishop's night.  The girls love our bishop, and he was a good sport about letting them paint his nails and spray glitter in his hair.

After dinner and a little program, we went back to our camp site and had testimony meeting and ate the cookie cake that the bishop brought.  Then we sang along to him playing the Ukulele and the girls played the game Spoons.

Every day each ward had "kapers", which were chores around the camp to keep things clean.  This was the last morning we were there.  The girls had to clean the bathroom near the kitchen and common areas.  You can tell by their faces that they LOVED it!!!=)  Ha ha 

      The morning we left, I had been advised by those that had been before that it was best to wake up early(we got the girls up around 6) and get everything packed up and our campsite cleaned before breakfast.  I am SOOO glad that I listened to that advise!  They had an awards ceremony after breakfast, and by the time that was over it was REALLY hot and muggy!  Packing everything up in that heat would have been miserable!  I think we were the first ward to leave.  All the leaders and girls worked so well together, and I was so glad we got it all done!  It was about a 3 hour ride home, and as soon as we got back to the church everyone worked together to get the trailer unloaded really quickly!  Joe and I spent the rest of the afternoon setting up and cleaning out the tents and tarps with one of the other leaders and her family.  Needless to say, we were so happy when everything was finally done!

                                      

I really had a wonderful time, and learned so much!  I would do it again in a heartbeat!  The youth are SO incredible!  I remember my leaders saying that my generation was so much stronger than theirs when I was in YW.  Now, I think they are even stronger, and more valiant.  I was just blown away by their testimonies, and their courage and strength in living the gospel and standing up for what they believe in.