Tekarama 12: Witches in Tents

For our year-end camp, we attended Tekarama 12: Witches in Tents at Camp Teka in Paris, Ontario. This event was put on by an amazing group of Guiders and everyone had a great time!

Friday night started with Arrival, Setting Up Tents and  Registration. We only had to put up two tents, so finished quickly and then headed off to our first activity. The majority of the evening was spent working on Crafts, followed by a Snack, and then Bed. 

The crafts were set up so that groups could come as they finished setting up and work through them in any order. We made a Wand, Lightning Bolt Bookmark, and Owl Letter Holder. 

Before the end of the evening, we had a change to go over Camp Rules and Safety Information, before enjoying our Snack (Rice Krispie squares and chocolate milk) and then getting ready for bed and settled for the night. 


For the weekend, the Guides and Guiders are split up into a number of different Patrols. Guiders generally don't have any of their own Guides in their Patrol, and the Guides only have 1-2 other Guides from their own Unit. This means everyone has a great chance to make new friends!

Saturday Breakfast was waffles with berries and whipped cream, cereal and juice. After we had eaten and washed our own dishes, it was time to do our Patrol Duty for the day. Duties include planning Sunday's opening, Guides' Own, and Campfire, cleaning the lats, wiping down tables, filling dish basins, cleaning the LDU screen, etc. 

Our first activity was for everyone to get their Wand License signed by Albus Dumbledore so that they would be able to use their wand for the various sessions throughout the weekend.



A snack of watermelon, and then it was time to head to our first session, Care of Magical Creatures. Here, we found out that:

Hagrid has been called away to Romania to care for his dragon, Norbert, and now all of his magical creatures have disappeared! Dumbledore contacted the Ministry of Magic and found out that the creatures have been trapped in photographs by Voldemort!

Our mission was to find the photographs and use the information each creature has to solve the first puzzle. Once all the creatures were found, we had a batch of letters that were used to find a spell (Alohamora). The spell was used to determine the number code for a locked box, which contained two more locked boxes and some envelopes. By solving a 'Who Am I?' puzzle, the right envelope was chosen and the small box opened to reveal another clue (Black). This clue was used to solve the combination to the final box, which contained a wand. The wand was used  to cast the Redicio spell to release the creatures from the photographs!

Our second station was Charms, where we learned about different spells and proper wand movements.The Guides were also paired up and had to create a new spell to teach the rest of the group. We then played a game where the Chamber of Secrets had been breached and two monsters were on the loose! If a monster caught you, you were petrified (frozen) and had stand with your arms stretched straight up in the air. To be unpetrified, another player must stand in front of you and sweep their wand down in the air from your head to your stomach.

After finishing these two sessions, it was time to break for Lunch, which was sandwiches, fruit, veggies and a colourful potion to drink (dry ice with food colouring, Sprite poured over it).

The afternoon saw us heading to Herbology, where we potted Mandrakes. To make the screaming part of the mandrake, a hole is punched in a plastic bottle cap with a needle and a string put through it and fed out the hole in the bottom of the clay pot. When the string is wet, and you pull your fingers down it, it makes a squealing noise - for better effects, wear a plastic glove! The mandrakes themselves are made by filling a knee high stocking with a bit of grass seed and gravel (making a grass head). Then orange raffia is tied around the knot in the stocking and the whole thing place din the pot. If watered and cared for, the mandrake will sprout grass like a chia pet!


Our final session of the day was Potions, where we had a demonstration of Regenerating Snakeskin and created Hues of Effervescence.To Regenerate Snakeskin, powdered basilisk skin (powdered sugar) and horn of bicorn (baking soda) were mixed together, packed into a tiny cauldron (medicine cup) and inverted into a glass dish. Before the cup was removed, dragon drool (isopropal alcohol) was poured in. The cup was removed and the drool lit on fire. As it burnt, the snake skin was regenerated! To create Hues of Effervescence, each Guide was given 6 tiny cauldrons (medicine cups) and placed a small amount of horn of bicorn (baking soda) in the bottom of each one. A few drops of food colouring were then added to create the colours of the rainbow. Vinegar was then squirted into the cups in a line creating a very messy rainbow!


Everyone then had some free time to rest, read, spend time with friends, and finish up crafts until supper time. Supper was tacos-in-a-bag, rice and pickles, with Sorting Hat Cupcakes for dessert. 

Evening Program was a round-robin of 5 different activities:

• Pin the Scar on Harry
• Ministry of Magic Mailboxes - Guides were divided into teams and had to launch paper airplanes through labelled holes - the smaller the hole, the more points scored - but if a plane went through the other teams mailboxes, they would get the points!
• Quidditch - Played with balloons, where each team tried to get their 5 balloons through the other teams goalposts without them touching the ground.
• Hermione's Closet - Relay race to dress up (skirt, shirt, tie, cape) and then return everything to the line for the next player.
• Ravenclaw Bingo - Harry Potter-themed bingo

The day ended with a Campfire, snack and bed!

On Sunday morning, we began packing as as we got up, then enjoyed a breakfast of cereal, fruit and leftovers before returning to our site to pack up the tents and remaining gear. Camp ended with a Guide's Own in the Reflection Circle. We had a great time and plan to go back to Tekarama in the future!
 

Winter Camp: Survival Skills

We started 2019 off with a weekend of winter camp at Camp Teka in Paris, Ontario. This year, we were joined by the 1st Tillsonburg Pathfinders which meant we had almost equal numbers of Guides and Pathfinders! Our theme was Survival Skills and Winter Outdoors, with the majority of our program  based on two activities from the Girls First Platform - "Emergency Strikes-Trapped Indoors" and "Emergency Strikes-Lost Outdoors".

On Friday, we started out by dividing everyone up into mixed-age Patrols and did some getting-to-know you activities to get everyone talking. Our first program activity was making personal first aid kits. We used small square containers and filled them with gauze pads, bandages, tape and gloves. 

We then began "Emergency Strikes - Trapped Indoors" using the scripts and instructions on the platform. To start out, each Patrol had a list of supplies to divide up into those that should definitely be in an emergency preparedness kit and those that might be in one. They then had to choose 5 items from the maybe list to leave out of their kit. Each Patrol was then provided with an emergency kit, less any of the items they had decided to leave out. We did not provide every item on the list, just those that would be used during the scenarios. (Bottle of water, can opener, first aid kit, tea lights in cans, matches, toilet paper, knife, garbage bags, food for snack). Interestingly, 3 out of 4 Patrols decided that they didn't need a can opener in their kit...

The scenario uses an extreme weather emergency and all activities were done by flashlight (simulated power outage) as we worked through the following activities:

• Preparing the Shelter - Learn how to set up a safe space to weather the storm.
• Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
• Food Preparation - Girls had to prepare and eat a snack of cheese, crackers and canned fruit salad using only the supplies they had in their kit. (Those Patrols without can openers were allowed to sing a song as a group to receive this important item!)
• First Aid Skills - Find out how to bandage a cut and how to put on an arm sling and then practice on each other.
• Contacting EMS - Find out ways to alert EMS that you need help when phone lines and cell reception is not available.
• Relieving Boredom - Come up with, and practice, activities you can do in a small space with no equipment to keep your group positive and entertained.

After finishing the scenario, we cleaned up and then set up the mattresses for bed. Some time for quiet activities was planned, followed by lights out and sleep - for most of us!

Saturday morning started a bit later than expected, but we still enjoyed a breakfast of waffles, fruit, bacon and tater tots. After cleaning up and putting the mattresses and sleeping gear away, we headed outside for our second scenario - "Emergency Strikes - Lost Outdoors". Each Patrol was provided with a survival kit and a set of activity cards to work through. Their survival kits contained a bottle of water, duct tape, matches, fire starters, garbage bags, toilet paper, whistle, twine, tarp, rope, newspaper, compass, snack (granola bars), first aid kit, tin can and a magnifying glass.

• Survival Kit List - Rank a list of items in order of importance in a first aid kit - Patrol members needed to agree on rankings.
• Shelter Building - Build a shelter using tarp, rope and natural materials that your entire Patrol can fit inside.
• Preparing for a Storm - Review survival priorities and what you can do to prepare.
• Fire Building - Light a fire and boil water in a can.
• Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
• First Aid Skills - Find out how to treat a burn and how to bandage and splint a wrist and then practice on each other.
• Breaking Camp - Pack up all of your supplies and return natural items to the bush.

After finishing these activities, we used some outdoor cooking skills to make lunch - grilled cheese on buddy burners, soup in large can on the fire, and box oven cupcakes. We ran into some challenges getting the burners lit, but everyone eventually was fed. After cleaning up, we went inside for some free time. Later, the Pathfinders set up tents and did a first aid scavenger hunt. 
For dinner we had taco salad made with doritoes, along with veggies and dip. Desert was the cupcakes from lunch, with frosting and sprinkles. 

Our evening program included make a hat craft - a girl in a sleeping bag, followed by a campfire. We then made and sampled the contents of an MRE - Cheese Tortellini in Marinara Sauce, with lemonade, oatmeal cookies, crackers, trail mix and candy. After cleaning up, we set up the mattresses for bed and the girls sleeping out in tents got ready to head outside. 

Sunday morning breakfast was left overs and toast, and nearly everything was eaten! After packing, cleaning up and doing a short camp evaluation, it was time to go home. 

Links:

• Emergency Strikes - Trapped Indoors (Girls First Platform)
• Emergency Strikes - Lost Outdoors (Girls First Platform) 

Outdoor Games Night

This week we didn't have access to our regular meeting space, so we headed out to a local park for some outdoor fun!

The Pathfinders and Rangers had planned the evening and led us in a Glowstick Scavenger Hunt, Glowstick Tag, Sardines, and Flashlight Tag. Before heading back to the church for pick-up, we had some time to play on the swings, teeter-totters, slide and play structure. Everyone had a great time - and running around helped us all stay warm!