Winter Camp at Camp Teka

On the weekend of January 15th to 17th, the 2nd Caledonia Guides, 8th Brantford Guides, 1st Caledonia Pathfinders and 1st Caledonia Rangers headed off to Camp Teka for a weekend of winter fun!

On Friday night, the girls started off by making Warm Fuzzy Bags (paper bags, decorated, where girls can leave positive messages for each other). We talked about rules for the weekend, where things were located, and the program. The girls were given patrol scarves (green, pink, blue, orange) and also divided into their Survivor teams (Guides only). The Teams then came up with team names, made posters and mailboxes. While the Guides were busy, the Pathfinders/Rangers went outside for a hike. Later, we had a snack of Pita Pizzas, Veggies and Dip.  No one wanted to go to bed, but we finally got the Guides settled and the Pathfinders/Rangers took over the kitchen and spent time drinking hot chocolate, playing card games and talking.

Saturday morning came too soon for some of us, but we soon had all the mattresses and bedding put away and were ready for a breakfast of sausages, scrambled eggs, toasted pitas with butter and jam, oatmeal, yogurt and fruit. After camp duties were finished, we all headed outside. The Pathfinders/Rangers decided to go cross-country skiing, while the Guides looked for a hill for sledding.

The Guides also went for a nature walk around the property. We had to avoid the driveway due to the ice (which caused more than one of us to fall!). We explored some of the wooded area around the camp, and saw birds and animal tracks - deer, rabbit and fox.

We then went inside for a snack (cookies and hot chocolate) and to warm up. Everyone had free time until lunch, which was a unit favourite - tacos!

After lunch duties were finished, we had a short rest period. During this time the Teams had to choose a leader, choose 5 items from a list (supplies for the challenges) and complete their first challenge (coming up with 2 items that could be used as part of Guides' Own).

During the afternoon, the Pathfinders/Rangers did some more skiing, hiking and card playing, and also made muffin cake, while the Guides took part in a Survivor Challenge (based on the challenge available at e-patchesandcrests.com/ideas/camp_plans/survivor_camp/index.php). The teams chose which challenges to complete and then worked as a team to succeed. Challenges that were chosen included:
1. Knot Challenge - Correctly tie 4 different knots: Reef, Clove Hitch, Bowline, and one other.
4. Shelter Challenge - Build a shelter using a tarp, rope and items found in nature to build a shelter your whole team can fit inside.
6. Know Your Team Challenge - Each team member will tell a Guider the name of everyone on their team and something new they have learned about each one.
7. Sports Challenge - Invent a new sport using items found in nature. Decide how the sport will be scored and what the rules are. Play the sport with the other team.
8. Fashion Challenge - Design a team outfit, including a hat, and make one using only newspapers, masking tape and markers.
9. Survival Challenge. Your team has become lost in the woods! Name the 3 necessities for survival. Using only the materials you have or those found in nature, make a distress signal that could be seen from overhead and the 3 survival necessities (simulated only).
10. Arts Challenge - Create a nature collage outside. Return items to where you found them once it has been judged.
13. Singing Challenge - Learn a new song from the Pathfinders/Rangers and sing it to the Guiders as a team.
15. Entertainment Challenge - Perform a song/skit using only puppets.
We then had supper (tuna salad, grilled cheese, and soup), followed by duties and free time. We allowed the Guides to talk, craft and play, while the Pathfinders went on an Orienteering Hike to finish the Finding Your Way Module. Later, we had a campfire, with the Pathfinders/Rangers leading a number of songs, including "If I Were Not a Girl Guide", "My Aunt Hoover", "Auntie Monica", "Sam the Lavatory Man", "Herman the Worm", "Land of the Silver Birch", "Say Why", and "Linger". Everyone was settled a bit earlier, and the Pathfinders/Rangers once again took over the kitchen for their own activities.

Sunday morning was spent packing up and getting all of the gear out onto the porch ready for pick-up. We then had a breakfast of oatmeal, yogurt, muffin cake, fruit, toast and leftovers. The Pathfinders/Rangers did the camp evaluation and then split up to help supervise the Guides outside and to help the Guiders finish cleaning the building. Everyone had had a good time, and all the girls were picked up by 11.15am.