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Camp adventures establish spirit of being at home

At Pilgrim Firs, Bob the monkey welcomed campers and was in many programs.        Photos courtesy of Kristen Almgren

Pilgrim Firs used Bob the Sock Monkey as a promotional tool to draw children, youth and families to camp.  Deeg Nelson, managing director, took photos of Bob the Sock Monkey in different places around the camp.

“The Western Regional Youth Event used Moses the Sock Monkey for its promotion,” he said. “Even with WRYE, our numbers were steady compared with 2013.”

One change was that for the first time in the 12 years he has been managing director, Pilgrim Firs combined Kids and Intermediate camps.

“When campers arrived they had photos taken with Bob the Sock Monkey,” he said.  “It put smiles on their faces.  Some cradled it like a baby.  Some just held it. Some put it on their shoulders.  It reduced campers’ nervousness on the first day.”

Deeg suggested senior high campers begin to terrace a slope beside the basketball court. so

Campers sing "Kumbayah" at worship.

campers could sit on it more comfortably to watch games.  The junior high campers finished it up.

This year, campers joined in “Pilgrim Games,” which were Olympics style games.  They invited campers to make up a game with their team in 15 minutes and then teach it to the others in five minutes.

Katy Lloyd, who co-directed the combined Kids and Intermediate Camps, said it was “the first time we combined these camps at Pilgrim Firs in recent memory.

“There were some logistical issues to figure out to make sure things ran smoothly and each group had their own experience, but we were helped by two things: a phenomenal staff that blended like peas and carrots (Kids staff in orange, Intermediate in green; Camp Grandma Ruth Anne in blue; Nurse Barb in red).  We learned from the wisdom of Trudy Lambert and Gale Peterson, Kids Camp co-directors at N-Sid-Sen, where they’ve combined Kids and Intermediate Camps for a couple of years,” Katy said.

Campers terrace hillside by field for seating.

“It was a fantastic week, filled with fun, sunshine, campfires, singing, incredibly deep sharing from the campers, and enough smiles to make Bob the Sock Monkey proud!” she said.

One meaningful memory was the night campers sang “Kumbayah” around the campfire. This was a favorite song of a camper, who requested it many times during the week.

“One by one the campers got up from their benches to form a swaying circle of song. This song sometimes gets teased among adults for being too ‘hippie’ or ‘new age-y,’ but these kids had no sense of irony about it—just a deep love for a meaningful song that may make a well-deserved comeback!” Katy said.

For information, call 360-876-2013 or visit www.pilgrimfirs.org.

 

Copyright October 2014 © Pacific Northwest United Church of Christ Conference News

 

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