Sometime towards the beginning of May Kefford came home from his church meetings to find Avynlea, Rylee and I eating around the dinner table. He came over and asked me if he could extend a calling to me right then. I was a little taken aback and said ok. He said I was not going to be released from my Sunday school callings that this would be in addition to it and he then asked if I would be the Ward Camp Director. I was immediately super excited and f course said yes, I love Girls Camp! They had a Camp Director already and she had done a lot of work leading up to this point but she was moving out of the ward in a couple of weeks and so they needed a new one and I was it! Hooray! Some great things about this calling was it was Stake Camp so that is already a bonus in that I did not have as much to do and the second benefit was Holly, the previous director, already had most of the stuff I did have to do done. I just had to finish some things up and go to camp, awesome!
On Wednesday June 1 the Young Women had planned a camp prep activity. I had met with the Youth Camp Leaders from our ward previously and we had planned what we were going to do at this Camp activity. Our camp theme is "Ohana" and each ward was given an island to represent and we had to come up with some sort of entertainment for one of the nights up at camp. Our island was Bora Bora and the YCL's decided they wanted to perform the Haka for their entertainment up at camp. While Kefford and I were in Mexico they met together with Laura Johnson the Young Womens President and learned the Haka so they could teach it to the girls at our Wednesday night activity. They also camp up with a ward chant to teach and we were giving them their secret sister assignments that night. It was going to be my night to introduce myself as their new Camp Director so I made a cute handout to give to them. I got ideas from Emily and Isabelle and then I designed the handout and bought the shark gummies from Win-Co.
At our YCL meeting we gave assignments to the girls and one of the things Avynlea volunteered to do was the camper awards. I talked to her about what she wanted it to be and how it should look and with her input this is what I created...
Wednesday night came and the YCL's talked to the girls about our theme and they taught them the Haka and out Camp cheer. About once a day at camp when the entire stake was gathered they will call out each ward and that ward gives their cheer. Our YCL's decided they wanted to do a call and response type cheer and came up with this...
YCL's: Bainbridge Ward Bora Bora...Chicka Chicka(with chicken wings flapping)
Bainbridge Ward Girls: Boom Boom(shake hip to the left with each boom)
It was pretty cute, creative and easy, I loved it
Our YCL's; Allie Hansen, Avynlea, Kaitlyn Lindley, Avery Miller and Addie Bjorn
Our Young Women
Tuesday June 14th the YCL's went up to camp with the Stake Leaders to get camp ready. They were originally supposed to go white water rafting with the Stake leaders but that got cancelled because the water level was too high. So instead they headed directly to camp and played games and made bracelets. I sent all of our decorations up with Avynlea so that they could get our cabins ready before we arrived.
Addie, Avery, Avynlea and Kaitlyn
Allie had Soccer practices she couldn't miss and headed up later
Wednesday morning the rest of our girls and us leaders gathered at the church to head up to camp.
Laura was super smart and divided up the girls between drivers the day before so we had it all figured out that morning. I had Rylee, Kinsey Bjorn and Leah Farris in my car. We had a lot of fun signing and telling each other stories, I also brought a tub of licorice along for snacking.
When we arrived at camp the YCL's welcomed us all and then announced who were in their groups and which cabins they were in. We had two cabins to split between the girls. Once they got themselves situated and ate their lunch the girls changed into their camp shirts and we headed over to the pavilion to practice the Haka a couple more times. We were going that night and were first on the lineup. The girls did amazing and my only critique was to look more mean. They are just too cute and had a hard time not smiling and looking mean.
My phone got stolen a lot while at camp and I found a lot of pictures I did not take on it.
Avynlea and Avery
Allie started comparing her hair to Avynlea's and could not stop laughing that a small section of her hair was equal to Avynlea's entire head of hair. Poor Avy, the lack of hair did not come from my gene pool.
We had the girls bring all black clothing to wear for the Haka and the YCL's put black paint on their faces to make them all look fierce. After dinner we headed back to the pavilion to practice a couple more times before everyone else arrived to watch.
I got a picture with my girls. The biggest reason I was so excited to be able to go to camp was that I got to be with Rylee and Avynlea. This is Avynlea's last year and I am so glad I got to be a part of her adventure.
Mikell's family was in our Stake at this time and it was fun to have Brooke up at camp with us. We pulled her in for a picture with us when we saw her ward arrive at the pavilion.
Once everyone gathered at the pavilion the YCL's went to the front to lead the Ward cheers and then lead some songs. After that our girls performed the Haka and did amazing! They were so good and so fierce!
The girls were divided up into two cabins and us Leaders had a tent that we were in. The Leaders up at camp other then me were Laura Johnson, Linda Edwards, and Jessica Lewis. I had told them and the girls that Ithis was the girls camp and if they wanted to stay up all night talking they could. My one rule was once it was time to be in cabins for the night they had to stay in their cabins, no running around and disturbing other campers. I didn't hear them at all that night, us leaders chatted bit once we were in our tent before drifting off and I heard nothing the entire night. It was really cold up their during the night, I went to bed wearing my sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a jacket, socks and a beanie in a sleeping bag with my sherpa blanket and I was still cold, not terribly cold but it was cold. brrr
The next morning I had to wake our girls up at 7 because the stake had planned an early morning hike, they wanted to hike when it was cooler to avoid the heat because despite the freezing night temperatures it did get pretty hot during the day. I told the girls the night before the plan so nobody really complained when I went in to wake them up. I had a few girls that I had to really prod to get out of bed but everyone was up and ready by breakfast.
The Stake had divided everyone up by numbering them off and then they got assigned to a YCL to hike with but some of our girls ignored the numbering and just grouped themselves together.
top pic: Addie, Kinsey, Brynn, Taylee, Leah, Claire, Avery, Casha, Avynlea and Rylee
bottom pic: Sophie, Alexa, Avynlea and Kate
I hiked up with Jessica and Laura, mostly Laura. I had a good time talking with both ladies and getting to know them more. There were different check points along the hike and Linda and her Husband Dale were at the last check point. She made sure we were doing good and then she said to watch out for the Angel Moroni around the next bend. How fun to see a tree that did indeed look like it could be an angel Moroni.
Up at the top of the mountain I got a picture with my girls and then we took a ward picture and then my phone got hijacked once agin
Elizabeth, Rylee and Avynlea
Back row: Delany, Kaitlyn, Addi, Saylor, Brynn, Rylee, Avynlea, Kinsey, Avery, Addie, Jessica, Elizabeth and Piper
middle cluster standing: Claire, Sophie, Casha
Middle cluster sitting: Alexa, Adele, Leah, Laura
Front row: Alana, Klaire, Isabelle, Jill, Avery, Kate and Natalie
Avery, Saylor, Brynn, Leah, Rylee, Elizabeth
Avynlea
Avynlea and Avery, Rylee and Leah, Rylee and Brynn
Avynlea
Brynn, Kinsey
Leah and Avery
Avynlea thinks with a hat on she can pass for a boy and her she is doing her boy poses
Rylee and Avynlea
We also made sure to grab Brooke and get a picture with her
Once the hike was over with the Stake had planned water games for the afternoon. That was fun for all of the girls to be able to cool off and play some fun games. One of the games they did was a group of girls laid on their backs in a circle and held a bucket of water up with their feet. The longer they held it the harder it got to hold until it splashed down. I watcher Avynlea, Rylee, Leah, Brynn, Claire and Allie do it. They were doing pretty good and then the bucket started to tilt towards Leah who was like no way and she pushed it with her feet so it dumped right on Avynlea. It was hilarious and I got it all on video!
Leah, Brynn, Rylee, Allie and Avynlea
The stake had a snow cone machine and Leah, Avery, Rylee, Avynlea and Kinsey got ahold of one of their leftover pieces of ice and had me take a picture of them all taking a bite out of it.
As we were sitting by our cabins relaxing kris Gwilliam came by to chat for a minute. I got a picture of her and Avynlea in conversation because for a long time Avy had a pretty serious crush on her son Max. We still like to tease her about it and it was funny watching her talk with Kris. Kris knows about her crush and we were laughing about Avynlea having the hots for her boy and Kris said #motherinlaw. Meaning she could be Avynlea's future mother in law, hahaha probably not but it was pretty funny in the moment.
That evening we headed again back over to the pavilion for a devotional and singing and more skits. I got a picture with Avy and Rylee and then while we were sitting and waiting I got picture of our girls. Then my phone got into the hands of Leah who took some pictures of her own.
top: Brynn, Allie, Lola, Kaitlyn, Avynlea, Avery, Rylee and Elizabeth
bottom row: Claire, Casha, Melody, Addie, Klaire, Isabelle, Jill, Kinsey, Delany and Alana
One of the wards tp'd our cabin but I wanted to make sure to get pictures of our cute decorations. WE had all of the girls names in each cabin written on flowers. The YCL's did a great job of making our area look cute and on theme.
Friday night more of our youth leaders came up for the Bishops dinner which was a Luau. Kefford came up along with Bishop Eberhard. WE did a service project that day and in our area we were told to clean up the weeds and our girls did a great job. I know the camp caretakers were happy with what we accomplished.
Later at our Luau the Bishops performed a special dance for everyone and then they had the YCL's come up and all the camp directors to give us special recognition for all of our hard work. I got to lead out ward in a camp cheer with the YCL's and then all of the youth performed the hukilau a Hawaiian dance we have been practicing for the past couple of days. Paige Winter taught it to us and it was fun to learn, she was so cute teaching it and had the funnest smile on her face and was super fun to watch. I performed it on stage with the YCL's, the Directors were told we could and since I was already up there I stayed and performed. I was probably the only director up there but I don't care I had fun and really did my best to make all of camp fun for these girls.
Rylee, Avynlea, Brynn and Allie
Brooke with her piña colada
Our ward Young Women and leaders
back row: Piper, Isabelle, Kim, Lola, Kaitlyn, Klaire, Jill, Laura, Rylee, Brynn, Addie, Delany, Claire, Lori, Madison, Kefford, Lauryn, Nicole, Dale and Linda
middle row: Allie, Casha, Kinsey, Claire, Avynlea, Addi, Jessica, Brittney, Makayla, Alivia and Lisa
bottom row: Alexa, Sophie, Alana, Eliza, Melody, Adele, Kate, Elizabeth, Avery, and Natalie
lying down: Addie and Leah
Laura, Lisa, Kim and Elizabeth
We all got served Piña Coladas and I thought they were way too sweet. I drank a little bit of mine but threw most of it away.
Megan is my friend from way back in the Linder Ward. I was so happy that she was at camp as a leader and I had fun spending time with her. She just makes things that much better.
After the Luau we did ward testimony meeting and most of our girls bore their testimonies. It is always super sweet to gather at the end of girls camp and feel the sweet spirit that these girls have. After that we gathered round the field and with all of the lights off each ward would turn their flashlights on and sing a song. The song we sang was Peace in Christ and then once the last ward was done all together we sang the armies of Helaman and Sisters in Zion medley. It was beautiful and one of the best parts of camp. seeing only the flashlights of each ward when they were singing and hearing their beautiful voices it felt and looked like we were being sung to by angels. The spirit was so strong and coming off such a fun spirit filled week with all of these beautiful girls it was the perfect capping point.
After the singing we gathered back together and did our awards. The YCL's did the camper awards with a little help from us leaders, us Leaders did the awards for the YCL's and the YCL's did awards for us leaders. Avynlea got Most likely to become a Gwilliam #daughterinlaw, Rylee got Most likely to be eating off of other peoples plates and I got Most likely to act drunk. The awards were funny things that happened that week while at camp and you can see by mine that I behaved exactly how one would expect me to behave while at Girls camp.
I had such a great time and I really tried hard to make it a great time for everyone, even if it was giving them someone to laugh at. I would act the fool and the girls would love it and then I would see Avynlea and Rylee giving me the cut it sign. Hahaha, little did they realize that the more embarrassed they got the harder I tried to keep them embarrassed.
Later that night while we were in our Adult tent Linda gave me the sweetest compliment by telling me how much fun I made camp and that I was the perfect person for the job and exactly who the girls needed to have with them. She said it worked out exactly the way it needed to with me being the one to fill in at the last moment.
Camp was amazing and I love the bonds I built with the girls and with the leaders, send me back every year please