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| Josh Best on Camp Counselors and Homos… |
 | Marina on Camp Counselors and Homos… |
 | Danielle Kaplonski on Camp Counselors and Homos… |
 | Leena Kapoor on Games Day – Blindfold… |
Last week we breeched the taboo topics. I would like to continue that this week. I have worked at both secular and Christian camps. I am wondering what the view in the industry is about incorporating religion or even spirituality into their camp program. Is this something that should be done? Is the topic of religion to be avoided at all costs in a secular camp? Should it only be spoken about if campers bring it up?
How you do it:
In this activity you just pick a destination and go for it as a group. Sounds simple enough, but as you know adventure activity appearances can be deceiving! Materials for this challenge include a bag of balloons and a group of people willing to go on a trip. Pick up balloons of some substance, at least 12 inches in diameter inflated, minimal regulation size for this activity. Theme balloons can be fun, such as all smiley faces or Star Wars. If you can find a bag of fat elongated balloons, grab ‘em. We once searched eight party stores in vain for those suckers, which seem to be discontinued as per a marketing genius who determined that round is in, elongated is out. Go figure! Anyway, here is the set up for balloon trolley.
Lay out a course of travel with a difficulty level that relates to your program goals at the moment, and the nature of the group. One bunch may need to travel up and over boulders, while for another the challenge of just getting there without committing homicide may be sufficient. The task is to have a line of people, with a balloon held between each of them move from one place to another. Hands may not be used to hold the balloons in place, only bodies pressed together exerting pressure on them. The difficulty of this innocent task should now be coming readily apparent. As an initiative to illustrate the components of goal setting, this is a real winner.
Some thoughts around variations include allowing the group to determine what constitutes success. Does that mean no balloon drops, the fewest over three attempts, one, two? Empower them to determine the level of success they find acceptable. Now give the group some planning time before the trolley leaves the station, then let them have at it!
Disclaimer: I will attempt in the following post to use neutral language. I want to give no opinion on this issue. I have not heard it talked about in very many circles, so I would like to know what people in the industry think about this topic.
I had the opportunity to interview a camp counselor who is homosexual for a cabin counselor position. I began to wonder if this poses a liability issue. This person has taken a position with another organization, but the question still remains. Is there a boundaries/liability/legal issue with employing a person who is homosexual in positions where that person would be in a one-on-one with campers? Please let me know what you think. You can post anonymously if you would like.
All right. It is time. We are going to get into some prop heavy activities. Kits for all of the activities that we will talk about can be purchased from any of the major vendors or if you are very savvy, you can create them out of things you can find at your local hardware.
How you do it:
A terrific way to get people thinking about the values they’ve chosen to reside within themselves is to have those values cared for by the group. This nurturing of norms can be built right into your activity design. Your Toxic Waste kit should include the following items:
Lay out two circles of rope, a large outer circle, with a diameter of approximately 30 feet, and a smaller rope circle centered in the larger one, about 5 feet across. Call the group and ask them to give voice to the values they have carried with them throughout their group experience. Write each value they recall on masking tape, then attach each to a small diameter plastic ball. The balls should then be reverently deposited in one of the cans. Now, place one #10 tin can on a spot marker inside the smaller circle. Place the can containing the group values on the second spot marker just outside the smaller circle.
Arrange the group around the outside of the larger circle. Hand them the bag filled with ropes, inner tube, and other assorted retrieval items. Using these resources the group must transfer their values from the can “bobbing” in the sea of toxic waste to the blissfully serene can in the inner circle. It is imperative that no group values be desecrated by tumbling into the toxic waste during the transfer process from one can to the other. The group may not cross into the outer circle without risking their corporeal lives.
We have witnessed many solutions to this most challenging of initiatives. The inner tube figures prominently in the most common solution paths. If you are feeling particularly strict, blindfold any participant whose hand breaks the plane of the outer circle when holding onto a rope. She may continue to hold the rope but her movements must now be directed by a sighted helper. This strategy maintains the integrity of the challenge and will ensure that you are unanimously hated by members of the group, at least for the duration of this activity!
