Girls Camp ~ YCL fun!

Last fall, our  StakeYoung Women leaders (A stake is basically 8-12 wards or congregations, geographically organized and led by Stake presidency) informed us that we would not be having stake girls camp this year, but that we would be having Ward Girls Camp.  We were instructed, very clearly, that we are not to just take the girls to some cabin and play for a few days then call it camp. (Apparently, that has been done in the past.)  Ironically, while that comment was being made, I was thinking, "We are so going to the cabin for camp!"

Over the next several months, we prayed and worked very hard to prepare a wonderful camp for the girls at the ranch but doing all that we needed to do for the girls to certified for their camp requirements.  We called a great camp director, Jen, who is one of the girls moms.  She was fantastic at keeping us on track for camp certification.  I took the roll of camp fun and frills director.  We were a great team and we created a wonderful girls camp!

I was also given the assignment to be the Youth Camp Leader trainer.   I spent weeks in preparation for that excitement, as well.  I think that I was actually more excited about that than I was camp!  So, girls camp came and went and I could not be more pleased with how things went!  When we first started talking camp last winter, shortly after my new shoulder, there were only about five or six girls who said that they'd be going.  As we worked toward camp, more and more girls decided to join in and we ended up with four YCL's, fifteen girls total and four leaders at camp.  Doug was the Priesthood leader there at camp for the entire week.  It was a blast!  Here's the rundown of Girls Camp 2017!

I drove the YCLs up to the cabin on Tuesday afternoon.  Doug had taken the day off and all of the girls brought their camp things to our home on Monday evening so that we could load it up in Doug's trailer.  I can't believe I didn't take a picture of this trailer loaded ten feet tall of all their things!  The YCLs came in the afternoon, we had a prayer and were on the road.  A stop at Sonic and then a stop in Soda Springs for dinner, then we arrived at the ranch.

It was raining when we got there, so Doug and the girls decided to just unload everything into the cabin while I set up for the Leadership Training in the loft.  The girls came upstairs to the loft and I had the table waiting and ready with their YCL backpacks and workbooks.

I had worked so hard on these workbooks...to make them fun and functional.  The girls saw the books first and said, "I don't want to write in them!"  That was all that I needed to hear to know that they loved them!  I had not scrapbooked in so many years, but this was such a fun project! I used brown paper bags as the base for the workbooks and the pockets were fun to use and fill with more little surprises. Here are a couple of pix of the books:

The bags were folded and it made ten pages total.  I literally did not buy a thing to make the books.  I'm still using all of my old scrapbook papers, most of which, is gone.  I only kept the stuff that I really really love and thought I may use some day.  I was so happy to have this because it was perfect!

The theme that we used for girls camp was "Just Ask", going along with the YW Theme for the year from James 1:5,6.  If any of lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not."  Our camp them was "Just ASK!"

My training was based on leadership principles.  I shared six leadership principles:

1.  PRAYER (Pray for each of the girls in the camp.)

2. UNDERSTAND (We discussed some of the challenges that we might face at camp and specifics about the girls.  It was in no way a gossip session.  We were seeking solutions for how we might deal with potential problems.)

3. RESPECT(I spent time challenging the girls to get to know each of the girls at camp.  The booklet had a list of girls and they were to fill in blanks about each of them.)

4. SERVE  (I asked the girls to write three of their own strengths that they could use to serve the girls at camp.  These were written on tags that inserted into the page, so that the other girls didn't see them.  I thought they might be more willing to say their strengths if they didn't have to say them to others.

5. EXAMPLE (We discussed the example that they set and how much of an influence it would be on camp.  We also came up with a code word if there was a potential problem.   They would say the word and we would gather immediately to solve the problem before it became a problem.  It worked!

6. SPIRITUAL STRENGTH - they were to write their thoughts and testimony before and then again after girls camp.

Each page in the book had little challenges, quotes, thoughts, and assignments for the YCLs.  I was so excited that they captured the spirit of the training and really acted on it throughout camp!  I was thankful for the guidance that I'd felt while preparing it!

The girls were pretty quiet and focused while we discussed the leadership principles!

Each YCL was given a backpack/gift filled with fun little quotes and things as reminders of the principles we were discussing.

Nail polish - "Don't ever let anyone dull your sparkle."

Lip Balm - "Keep your words soft and kind."

A locker mirror - "If you wish to help others SHINE, you have to Glow yourself."

The girls were excited to get over to the cabin and start decorating their rooms and to prepare the rooms for the rest of the girls who were coming in the morning to join us. They hung Christmas lights, made signs for each girl and helped organize the gift baskets for each girl.

ZJ chose to sleep in the dormer closet upstairs in the cabin.  This was the first time she has slept in the cabin in years.  We always used the loft and then with the floor and renovation, this was exciting stuff for her!

Doug spent the first morning and most of the afternoon mowing and weeding around the cabin.  Zulu thought the ride was pretty cool!

The girls hung banners and the secret sister mailboxes and Christmas lights everywhere!

It was fun to have the colors of the YW Values displayed.

My favorite decoration, however, was the happy thoughts that the girls had prepared in advance.  Some were made by hand, others printed right off of pinterest, others on the computer.  We had positive and uplifting thoughts everywhere!  That was my biggest goal of girls camp... to see that the happy spirit that exists at the cabin remained happy and that the girls bonded!

The girls were up very late getting ready and then up in the morning, ready for waffle breakfast and then to head into Soda Springs to meet the rest of the Young Women at the geyser!  Kelli, our YW President and I brought our teepees up and the YCLs put one in each room for a little place to "ponder" or whatever you'd like to do in it!  Everything looked so fun and festive!