Several times throughout this session, camp spaces have been transformed into something new and magical. This week we celebrated our biggest camp holiday, Someday, when zany activities occur that complete the sentence, “Someday at camp we will….” Campers suggest crazy notions and staff remember them when we create our Someday silliness as a surprise on a summer day.
This summer’s Someday theme was “Time warp”, and campers were awoken by Lodge Directors wearing robot heads and directed to the Indian Brook Lodge where they walked through a time machine. They entered into the lodge and discovered they had landed in the 1990s, complete with tie-dye yogurt, homemade pop tarts, a 20-minute “Saved by the Bell” episode, Slinkys, and slap bracelets.
We celebrated Senior Lodge trips return with trip skits where campers and staff acted out the highlights of the experience. We heard about how they summited five mountains in one day, helped out at an organic farm, saw two beautiful waterfalls, and canoed 13 miles.
While Senior Lodgers experienced their five-day trips, our smaller camp was filled with First and Big Lodgers. We all participated in a 4 ½ minute moment of silence for the one-year anniversary of death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager from suburban St. Louis who was fatally shot by a police officer. As a prelude at breakfast time, we posted a banner listing the names of unarmed black people who were killed last year as well as their pictures and biographies. That evening, the First and Big Lodge meetings began with some reflection time about the day’s information and a space for everyone to share any personal thoughts and feelings.
When Indian Brook was once again a full camp with the return of Senior Lodgers from trips, we all experienced a Hunger Banquet (inspired by Oxfam and using the organization’s script) where all the campers ate dinner the way the world actually eats; most campers just had rice and water, the next biggest percentage had rice and beans, and a small percentage ate a balanced, lovely dinner. After appreciating a full meal, we discussed how privilege and power play a role in social class.
These wonderful conversations brought a sense of awareness and curiosity about their own lives and backgrounds. We encouraged campers to ask many questions when they return home, reiterating that knowledge is power and our task is to constantly learn.
Here is a Parent Resource link to refer to on social justice issues: https://farmandwilderness.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Parents-Resource-Guide.pdf
We’re rolling into our last week of camp and are getting ready for Fair!
Warmly,
-Megan Chamberlain, Indian Brook Director