YW Camp 2020

When a member of the Stake Presidency wanted to talk to me in January, I felt a strong impression that I needed to say yes, even before he extended a calling to me.  And there have been times in the last 7 months that I sort of wished that I hadn't felt that impression.  Planning for camp during a pandemic has been really hard.  I just wanted to do what most stakes have done--nothing.  Just let it go.  But we felt like our girls still needed something.  And what that would be changed monthly.  As cases were still so high here--it ended up being "camp in a bag."  This delivery of items was linked to online resources and zoom meetings that gave the girls more than enough activities to keep them busy for 3 full days.  Then I knew why it was so important that I accepted my calling.  Even though I had never used google sites before, I had used blogger (ha, of course), and a few other website builders.  I knew how to create a schedule document, upload videos, change video formats, host zooms, create breakout rooms, and all around manage the tech we needed to make camp happen.  It was great to have something positive to focus my energy on.  And all the leaders and YCLs (youth camp leaders) pulled together to contribute to the packet and website.  It turned out so well!  I spent those 4 days doing almost nothing but camp, because I got into the activities with my own girls.  Even though it was sort of hard to get them into all of it--they did have fun.  And so did I.  We encouraged the girls to take videos/pictures of the things that they did and upload them to a google album.   

Libby and Sarah picking up their stuff (Grammy brought them to pick up since Derek was working Mariners). 

Lots of love from YCLS and leaders for the girls. 

Our first service project--making a paper chain for Rachel with inspirational thoughts for her chemo treatments. 

The girls also created and completed an obstacle challenge!  It was hilarious when the garbage truck came just as we were filming the girls going through it.  The truck knocked gently into the finish line sawhorse, bumping off the treasure box. 

Drop Everything and Read and Share

DEARS

I decided to add cooking out and sleeping out to the Girl's Camp agenda.  It was all fun and games until the rain started (seriously--it hasn't rained for weeks.  And it decided to rain us out at about 6 am.)

Ben got to be an honorary camper. 

Tin foil FTW!   Yummy! 

The girls also did a skit via zoom with the ward.  It was a Willy Wonka were the kids end up friends...Libby was unhappy with the story.  But she was satisfied that at least she got to be Charlie.  

We did some crafting.  We didn't quite finish all the crafts, so we can do more crafting over the next few weeks. 

One of my favorite activities was where there were scriptures about nature.  You had to collect the nature and then create art with it--outside.  And then just leave it to return to nature.  (Sarah's I obviously had to move so we could eat...)

Libby's lovely lady, complete with mask. 

2nd night we cooked out again, even though it was still pretty wet.  Hotdogs (and tinfoil dinners for some). 

The big tent still had a lake inside of it.  So we came inside to sleep on the 2nd night.  (We invited the Hardie girls to sleep over too--to make it feel more like YW camp.)

On Friday the challenge was a cooking challenge.  Libby made hers "instagramable." Apparently it was also yummy.  I didn't get to try it. 

Sarah made tomato basil soup....

Ben was helping me put the soup into a leftover bag and we ended up with a soup tragedy. It was not my favorite way to end the week--cleaning up soup from everywhere.  

I hope and pray that by next summer, we can have normal camp again.  But I am thankful for the hard work and inspiration that helped pull this year's camp together.  I had wonderful leaders to work with.  I felt like the girls appreciated the effort.