Whatever happened to spiritual themes? Like "Steadfast & Immovable" or "Let the Holy Spirit Guide"? We did focus on the 13th Article of Faith (which is the general YM/YW's focus this year), but why not a theme to go along with it? Like "We Seek" or "Virtuous & Lovely"...
I guess you can't decorate your mailboxes like tigers, or giraffes or flamingos that way. Flamingos, you exclaim?! Why yes, Faithful Flamingos, as a matter of fact. Surprisingly easy to buy fun little decorations & prizes for your girls when you are the flamingos and it's time for all those luaus! We had some interesting animals - they were supposed to represent the 13th Article of Faith - animals like Cheerful Chimps, Chaste Cheetahs, Lovely Lions, Virtuous Tigers, Hopeful Hippos, Praiseworthy Panthers, Reporting Giraffes, Enduring Elephants, Truthful Toucans, and Honest Zebras. I'm not a huge fan of having our girls who live in such an intense world of "fashion" that's pre-occupied with weight, having to be called hippos or elephants. And I'm pretty sure Reporting Giraffes was supposed to be something tied in to Good report, cuz Reporting Giraffes didn't make much sense to me.
It was pretty fun to be the flamingos. The YW Presidency made feathered barrettes and the ward camp director had someone make flamingo earrings. The Bishop got us all inflatable flamingos. And of course we had the obligatory flamingo in our front yard - actually seven obligatory flamingos in our front yard.
This is my 15th year at camp... yes, that's out of 22 possible years... I've been various forms of ward camp director, YW pres, YW counselor, stake level leader, stake program director, and stake YCL leader. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. If anyone ever wanted my opinion on camp this is what I'd tell them:
- Camp in wards NOT in levels - I've done it both ways as a youth and an adult. When I was a youth there were girls in my level in my cabin who were "too cool for camp". They made my week a living hell. The only thing that stands out in my mind about that year is the night those girls thought it would be so funny to pour lotion all over my sleeping bag while I was in it. As an adult, it is soooo much easier to make sure your own girls are doing what they should. You don't know about the special needs the girls in each ward have. And when you camp in wards, it tends to lend itself to opportunities to serve and love each other.
- Sing, sing, sing - Every single year print out a booklet with the camp songs for every single girl to keep. Or print it out for everyone the first time then each following year print it for the 1st years and new comers. This year at camp we sang about 4 songs - because that's all we knew. (And I'll tell you that I love the Noah's Ark song, but variety would be nice.) We had 2 different music booklets passed out during some of the meals then collected immediately after the meal. The 2 different booklets didn't have the same songs. Oh and the YCLs in charge of singing were getting very frustrated that we weren't all singing and were not very nice about it. I understand their frustration - singing at camp brings such camraderie!! The young women like to sing. They like to sing fun camp songs. If you get it started the first year and have someone teach the songs during free time or before certification or for "class" time, and continue providing song booklets - it will grow. (If you build it, they will sing.)
- Start things on time - please!! Our ward was 5 minutes early to flag ceremony and certification and meals and not a single thing started on time during the entirety of camp. By the last morning, we didn't ask our young women to be early. If we got there "on time" it was plenty early. Maybe you get to eat in the order you get to the flag. Maybe you just miss some stuff. (But chances are good that if the we know you'll start on time, we'll be there.)
- Have "chaperone" meetings during certification every day - the YCLs and stake level leaders have got the certification down and I'll likely remember that better than after a meal.
- Be specific about what is "mandatory" and what is "optional" - is a movie under the stars mandatory? Do all the girls have to participate in archery and horse back riding? If so, great! If not, what are their other options? If the other option is to sit and talk with the leaders, then let us and them know.
- Have crafts! - the crafts this year were so delightful! Super cute and fun! Our ward's young women are not especially crafty, but they still enjoyed the crafts. I still have some of my crafts that I made at camp as a young woman.
- Stake "tuck in" - one of my favorite memories of camp directors from the past is the years they would come and sing to us at lights outs time.
- Chuck the awards for skits and the awards for wards - I've gone back and forth on this one. But seriously we would have been just fine without a "The ward who doesn't have any sour patch kids" award.
- Have a trading post - before camp I was doubtful. I questioned why the young women needed to be "rewarded" for bringing items for humanitarian kits. I'm not doubtful anymore. The trading post was so well done. I can see in the future finding other things to "reward" young women for (like being ON TIME!)
Oh! and I never told you - I don't have to go in for surgery for my neck. Yay! That was a nice little blessing. The neurosurgeon said that since the pain has gone away, I don't need surgery. If the pain comes back, we'll address it again then. Oh and I should stop jumping out of planes and doing things that will put extra pressure on my neck to avoid possibility of paralysis. Darn. I so enjoyed plane jumping.
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