Description of Evening Activities by Sally Sayre

Directors' Description of Evening Activities at Shehaqua Family Camp

by Sally Sayre

Background

Over the years our evening activities have become set into a pattern that seems to work well. These have evolved and are still subject to change as needed. Probably the only thing that can't be changed is the necessary orientation meeting on the first night in camp. Virtually all the other activities have been moved to different nights or been discarded all together. For instance, we used to save Smore's for the last campfire, but it got really annoying to have to put off this treat and deal with inquiries every night about whether or not there would be Smore's. We decided rather early on to just "get it out of the way!" The candlelight prayer used to be the night of the third full day at camp, but we found that the spirit created by this event was really unifying for the whole camp and the sooner we could capture that feeling the better it was. No matter what, the spirit at camp is higher after the candlelight prayer. The third full day (fourth night) at camp has been capped lately by a dodge-ball tournament but previously we had "Family Challenge" where families competed against one another for prizes and bragging rights. For several years, beginning in '97 at Robin Hill, we had a hoedown. In 2009 the third week at camp had both a "family challenge" and a hoedown!

At present: here's the line-up:

First Night — Orientation Meeting

Orientation Meeting in the Rec Hall for all campers to go over procedures and rules, cautions about water safety, bears, etc. At this time everyone is introduced to people in key roles: nurse, lifeguards, general-affairs person, and the cook and who will explain kitchen dos and don'ts.

Morning service happens by unit and this is explained at this time. Also, "unit parents" are appointed from couples who volunteer for this role. The unit parents are generally a couple who will take responsibility for waking up the families in their unit and prepare for the first morning service. They then pass the blessing on to another couple/person in their unit for the second day. Morning devotion by unit has proven to save time and create a sense of family among those in the units. Unit parents sometimes must monitor campers in the lodge if there are groups who are sleeping there. Unit parents sometimes have to do a special "wake-up" for the lodge and sometimes have to caution lodge campers to keep the noise level down at night. This has been much less of an issue since we instituted midnight curfew.

Orientation is also the time when young campers are introduced to their teachers and group leaders. Campers and group leaders find out where their classes will meet the next morning. The education director for that week of camp is usually the one to introduce the groups and clarify who is in what group. It is often here that mistakes are discovered with regards to having some students misplaced. Also, if campers are really unhappy about their group and changes can be made to suit their needs, this can be done at this time rather than waiting until the next day. Our camp is so short and we truly want campers to experience joy, so it's not worth having someone start off their experience unhappy about their educational placement. On the other hand, teachers, parents, and directors must make the decision that is right for the camp as a whole—not just the one camper. Balancing the needs of one and the whole is usually not difficult.

(If the afternoon organizational meeting is well-attended by teachers and group leaders alike, many mistakes can be discovered and corrected even before the orientation meeting.)

Venue: It has been suggested that the orientation could be held around a campfire rather than in the Rec Hall. I think this maybe could work, but I've always thought the indoor location held fewer distractions.

Orientation is challenging because it must be comprehensive, covering all the necessary bases, but it can't go on too long or people lose interest and don't really remember what they hear. And the later it gets, the more likely it is that parents with small children will have to leave to get their little campers to bed.

Second Night — Campfire with S'mores

This is the night for horizontal bonding! It becomes an informal talent show with groups and individuals offering songs or stories, or poems. I usually make it a point for my education group (usually Suns) to offer a song on this first night. It doesn't allow a lot of time for rehearsal, but it helps to bond the class together and the parents always enjoy seeing their children perform. Over the years we've seen campers (notably, Kevin Convery) prepare well in advance to have something to share at this first campfire. Campers are encouraged to bring sticks (for roasting marshmallows) to campfire, but then are instructed to leave them down on the ground until needed.

Key things to remember:

• Announce at dinner for campers to find a good stick to bring to campfire along with flashlights. We stage a set of songbooks at the campfire so campers don't need to remember to bring their own.
• Instruct campers to keep sticks on the ground until needed.
• Have youngest campers go first while others wait.
• Start while it is still daylight so young ones are safe.
• Prepare Smore's fixins in advance. Have a station where campers can pick up graham crackers and chocolate after they have toasted a marshmallow or two.

Third Night — Candlelight Prayer

Noah Ross and I first designed the candlelight prayer experience at Robin Hill in 1997. Since then the formula has remained pretty consistent. The basic plan is to sing songs that connect to the heart and have a couple of people share testimonies that can help others understand something about God's heart and how they can connect to God in prayer. I would usually give instructions for the lighting and relighting (if necessary) of candles before the last song. Below is a list of great songs that can be and have been used. I'm sure there are other songs that would work well too. The number of songs can vary greatly. We have sung as few as five or six and as many as ten or eleven. Working the testimonies in before the last couple of songs is good.

Noah would generally ask for a couple of people to give testimonies. Sometimes this would be discussed at staff meeting the night before. Usually by lunchtime on the day of the prayer, a parent and also a BC would have been selected. Noah would try to meet with them individually and get a sense of what they might want to share. He always emphasized brevity and depth. We've heard some amazing testimonies over the years. Lately we have had as many as three testimonies. There's no rule here—follow the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Moons and Younger Candlelight Prayer: Prior to camp or on our first education meeting at the beginning of the week, I would usually ask one of the teachers or moms from the youngest groups to run a candlelight prayer experience for the little ones. We had the Moons (3rd and 4th graders) and younger campers meet with a parent at a campfire outside the dining hall where they would use tea lights set on a rock rather than hand-held candles. They also sang songs and sometimes the children would say aloud what they want to thank God for. Actually, I never witnessed this campfire since I have always been down in the meadow with the older campers and their parents. Various reports have come to me that this is a special experience. After the brief prayer, any marshmallows left from the night before are brought out to be enjoyed. Important to remember: a parent or responsible adult must accompany each young camper to this campfire.

Suggested Songs for Candlelight Prayer: —Not an all-inclusive list. Choose what you like!

• If I Were Free*
• Annie's Song
• The Belvedere Song
• Pass It On*
• Up On the Hill
• This is My Father's World
• Morning Has Broken*
• If Life Were Gracious Enough*
• I'll Never Leave You*
• We Shall Overcome
• Kumbya
• The Heart of My Country*
• Brother Son and Sister Moon*
• Be Thou My Vision
• Amazing Grace*
• When I Behold the Lord*
• The Lord Has Come

*Sally's favorites

It's actually good to keep a variety of easy-to-sing kid-friendly songs and then some more grown-up hymns and holy songs. "I'll Never Leave You" is the song I never want to miss singing. It, along with "The Heart of My Country" is an American Holy Song. I remember one time we used that song as the center of our prayer experience and then used it to call people back from their individual prayer time. "Tongil" is traditionally what we use to call folks back together, but we have also used "Pass It On", particularly when we knew there were those in the circle who wouldn't be familiar with "Tongil."

It is always advisable to have a list of songs prepared ahead of time so that there is little lag time between them. As we get to the last couple of songs I ask for the talk between folks to lessen. Sometimes the mood is such that no such request needs to be made. We also request that people refrain from talking as the candles are passed out. Pass out candles during one song and then light candles during the last song.

Basic Instructions

• Sing songs together. Emphasize 100% participation to build a sense of unity. Make sure song books are readily available. (Don't mike the instruments too much—it's best when campers can hear each other sing.)
• Have testimonies of personal experiences of prayer, of life of faith, of God working in someone's life.
• Candles that are lit stay upright.
• Candles that are receiving the light can tilt.
• Camp Director should light candles going to at least three points around the campfire and relying on others to "pass it on." Going to either side of the canopy and directly across from the canopy with the flame passed in both directions works well.
• Relight candles without conversation. Just go to someone who has a lit candle and relight yours.
• Move out into the meadow to have your own individual prayer.
• When you hear singing, come back together, remain standing around the campfire. Singing is begun by Emcee or Camp Director or both together. Noah and I would usually catch each other's eyes and then begin singing together.
• Camp director ends with representative prayer and then asks everyone to put out their candle. Usually candles are thrown into the fire. (This becomes an illustration of O-D-U. We light from one candle, spread out to pray individually, and then return the candles to the one flame of the campfire.)
• Instead of closing by groups, each family closes the evening together in prayer.

The tradition of closing by family is relatively new, but we keep incorporating these ideas as we recognize their merit. If someone's parents are not present at the campfire, they should join with their friend's family.

I often encourage participants to write down their experience in prayer if it was special—maybe they will be the one to give a testimony next week or next year! It's always a good practice to ask the campers in the next morning's classes to share if they had a special experience in prayer. We've been amazed in the past that some of our youngest campers can have spiritual experiences which they tend to relate as if it is no big deal. We've had campers talk of seeing a group of spirits around each person who's praying and conclude that those are ancestors or family members from the spirit world. We've had young campers see Jesus and True Parents visit our candlelight prayer!

• After the candlelight prayer, no candles are to be lit anywhere in camp for any reason!

4. Fourth Night in Camp: Dodgeball Tournament or Family Challenge or Hoedown or Whatever!

I won't attempt to go into detail about the possibilities for this fourth night in camp. Basically, the directors need to take a good look at the demographics attending that week of camp, the size of the camp, and determine what people have the talent/capability to pull off and what would offer the best experience.

In the last few years, dodgeball has been extremely popular. The one drawback is that the little kids do not get to participate and it becomes tedious for them to be watching. An alternative activity has been organized in the past with a kind of carnival with games and activities for the little ones. There can also just be another campfire for the young ones or even a movie night set up in the Rec Hall.

Family Challenge is basically a series of contests or challenges where families compete together against other families. It can include whatever you want—sack races, balloon toss, blind walks, scavenger hunts, etc. This needs a fair amount of planning and work ahead to stage all the props and materials. You also need people to lead and judge or time each contest. If there's a contest, there should be prizes! We have used camp hats, bags, T-shirts, books, etc. as prizes.

Other ideas for the fourth night at camp:

• Movie night (Some G-rated) fun for the whole family with treats during intermission. If dodgeball gets rained out, this can substitute.
• Pictionary in the Dining Hall—This also works if dodgeball gets rained out!
• Other types of board games/card games, etc.
• Treasure hunt/race (This must be planned really well and have decent prizes for the winners or it can really fall flat—as we've learned from experience!)

5. Fifth and final night at camp: Talent Show

The Talent Show is probably the most popular activity at camp. It's great fun for both performers and audience, but keep in mind the following:

Organize the acts ahead. Usually, the Emcee will start a list of groups and individuals who want to perform beginning at lunch on the final day of camp. Start announcing this activity early in the week. The Emcee can organize the order of the program according to performers' requests and in order to have a good flow to the program. Alternating groups and individual entertainers works well. Make sure the youngest campers go on early in the program because they'll need to get to bed!

Skits: Teachers and group leaders, in particular, should be working with their groups to create a good skit. In the past skits were mandatory for every group—until the population at camp made the program way too long! Lately, skits are optional, but encouraged! The only exception to this is: the youngest campers—Start, Twinkles, and Moons should all have something to perform (even if it's just a song). The campers enjoy performing for their parents and can feel left out of the fun if they don't get to do this. Rules for skits are as follows:

• Keep it short!
• The "Good Guys" must win in the end!
• Only the most Abel-type campers can play the evil roles. Campers who may be struggling should be asked to play Jesus, TP, God, SuperMoonie, etc.

Don't let the program go too long! Tightening up transitions and not allowing groups to offer multiple songs/skits, etc. can make a big difference. Longer is definitely not better. The emcee, as he/she introduces each act, should let the next group know that they are "on deck" so there is a quick transition to the next act.

Take a moment to announce special "thank yous" to camp staff—all of us! Gregg Noll began this tradition and it really helps solidify the spirit of unity of the camp!