Summer Camp at Camp Woolsey

Some call it fun and some may call it madness

 So come on along with us and forget your sadness

Happy campers are we, having fun 'neath the trees

And when we are gone, we'll be singing the song of ...

Camp, Camp Woolsey

Camp, Camp Woolsey
Camp, Camp Woolsey

Camp, Camp Woolsey, Camp.

Yes, I have just come home from my 6th year of volunteering with the Ontario Girl Guide Summer Camps Program at Camp Woolsey and am still humming the Camp Woolsey Song!

Ontario Girl Guides runs summer camp programs for girls of all ages at different sites throughout the province. The 2016 summer camp programs are running at:

• Camp Adelaide (Haliburton) - Overnight Camp
• Camp Carruthers (Kingston) - Day Camp
• Doe Lake Camp (Huntsville) - Overnight Camp
• Camp Ma-Kee-Wa (Orangeville) - Overnight Camp
• Mississauga Girl Guide Centre (Mississauga) - Day Camp
• Camp Woolsey (Dunrobin) - Day & Overnight Camp
• Camp Wyoka (Clifford) - Day & Overnight Camp

Each week at camp has a different theme - this past week was "Looking Back in Time". I will be heading back to camp for another week in August, and am looking forward to "Nature Nutz"!

May & June with the Pathfinders and Rangers

May was a busy month for everyone, followed by camp in June. Most of our activities were done in conjunction with the Guides - more people=more fun!


We started off the month working on the Mental Health & Me Challenge created by Emily and the 1st St James Guides from the UK. This challenge asks girls to take part in activities in 3 categories: What is Mental Health?; Say NO to Stigma; and Get Practical.(While the Guides worked on the same challenge, the groups did different activities.) At the same time, we completed the Relationships, Vales & Choices Module.

The Pathfinders and Rangers started the evening off with a discussion about the difference and connections between mental health and mental illness, followed by a fact versus myth quiz about the two (the Guides did the same quiz). This was followed up by exploring their ideas about what makes a relationship healthy or unhealthy. We then did the Know the Facts Jeopardy Quiz about relationships from the Day of Action Challenge (GGC) and researched places girls their age could get help with issues they face. we had a drama break to act out scenarios, showing how the main character could get help and what we can do as a friend (scenarios covered suicidal ideation, stress, self-harm, and depression), and ended the evening by making stress balls.

We then took part in the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up with the Guides - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/05/great-canadian-shoreline-cleanup.html

Three Pathfinders took part in the Leave No Trace Outdoors Night - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/05/outdoors-night-leave-no-trace.html

This was followed by an evening of Outdoor Games - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/05/outdoor-activities.html

Our final regular meeting was Messy Night! - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/05/messy-night.html

Our joint Advancement Ceremony was held in the last week of May, where we welcomed one Advancing Guide, and said good-bye to our Advancing Pathfinder and Ranger. - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/05/advancement-awards-ceremony-2016.html

The camp we chose to attend was The Amazing Race at Camp Marydale. We had a great time and would go again! - http://caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2016/06/the-amazing-race-camp-marydale.html

And we're not done yet! We still have a year-end trip to come in July and then a break before coming back for another great year in September!

The Amazing Race: Camp Marydale

This past weekend 9 Guides, 3 Pathfinders and 1 Ranger took part in the Community 21 Camp at Camp Marydale in Mount Hope. We managed intense heat, high winds, collapsing tents, a unusable swimming pool, noisy neighbours, and the need to clear everyone out by 10am due to an incoming wedding! Everything the camp committee could control was wonderfully organized and the girls had a great time - I would highly recommend future camps to others!

On Friday night, we arrived, set up our campsite and had time for everyone to settle in and get their things organized before program started. A big THANK YOU to all the parents who helped with the set up/take down of tents this weekend - your help made a huge difference!

Friday night program started with everyone gathering in the Amphitheatre to hear more about the plans for the weekend. We were told about the 20 Challenge Boxes hidden around the main part of the campsite - in each box was an activity, and once the girls complete the activity, they added a sticker to their card, and would receive a prize for completing all 20 challenges. The girls were then divided into different groups based on colours. Each colour group then had to come up with a name (i.e. Purple Pineapples), design a flag and make up a cheer. They then played team building games, followed by a campfire, snack and bed.

Saturday morning came bright and early, with most of us up before 6am. Breakfast was at 8am and consisted of oatmeal, cold cereal, fruit and juice. There was some free time before opening and morning program, where the girls could search for the Challenge Boxes or just relax.

Saturday morning program was based on 3 Amazing Race-style sessions. The girls moved through the stations in their colour groups, completing two activities at each session in order to receive their ticket to move on to the next station. The activities were:

• Spider Web - where the team has to get through a rope web without touching the ropes, using the same spaces, etc.
• Marshmallow Baseball - played like baseball, with jumbo marshmallows in place of a ball and a giant fly swatter in place of a bat
• Clothespin Tag
• Pizzas - each girl and Guider made their own english muffin pizza for lunch
• Hold the Sponge - girls are handed one sponge at a time to hold in a specified place, more sponges are added until one (or more) is dropped - i.e. hold on knee with elbow, between ankles, under chin
• Beachball Games - one game had the girls divided into two teams, each team held a tarp and used it to toss a beachball back and forth

Lunch was the pizzas we made during the morning sessions, soup, veggies and dip, juice and cookies. Again, the girls had some free time after eating before heading for their afternoon activities.

Saturday afternoon program was sessions that the girls had pre-chosen. As part of the registration package, each girl was asked to rank six sessions in her order of preference, and they were then assigned two of these sessions. The session choices were:

• Wet & Wild - this session was supposed to be swimming, but as the pool had not yet been inspected by the health department, we were unable to use it. Instead, the girls played water games, used a giant slip 'n' slide of tarps and ran under a sprinkler.
• She Hits the Mark! - this session was archery, and very popular!
• Red Fish, Blue Fish - at this session, girls were able to learn about fishing from a local anglers club.
• Ultimate Games - this session involved active and team games.
• Chopped - this session was outdoor cooking, and the girls used camp stoves, flower pot grills, and other methods.
• Water, Water Everywhere - at this session, the girls completed the Water for Life Challenge from Newfoundland.

Between sessions, there was a snack break for watermelon and granola bars. At the end of the afternoon, there was a short break, then we had dinner of hot dogs, hamburgers, cheese, veggies and dip, juice, and cake for desert.

As everyone was tired from the heat, evening program was shortened to just a campfire, after which the girls were free to go to bed, hang out, find the Challenge Boxes, or anything else they chose to do. This worked out well and everyone was in bed earlier than Friday and asleep quickly!

Sunday morning was busy, with everyone packing up their gear before breakfast. Breakfast was simple - cold cereal, yogurt, fruit and juice. Guides' Own was held at 9am, and then we worked quickly to get the tents down and folded as best we could with the wind that gusted through the campsite! Parents arrived for pick-up, and we were all on our way home by shortly after 10am.

The girls had a lot of fun, loved the food, and would come back again another year!

Advancement & Awards Ceremony 2016

Our final meeting of the 2015-2016 Guiding Year was our annual Advancement and Awards Ceremony, where girls received badges, awards, challenges, and certificates, and we had 3 girls move up to the next branch - a Guide to Pathfinders, a Pathfinder to Rangers, and a Ranger to become a Guider.

Our ceremony was very simple, but allowed for recognition of each girl and her accomplishments. We had the girls form a large horseshoe with the open end facing their guests. Six girls were chosen to come forward as and read out the statements about different things we do in Guiding and hold up a themed poster.

Guiding is a journey. 

Some girls start as Sparks, while others join later as Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers or Guiders. Some will have a continuous journey, while others take breaks along the way. Each person's journey will be different, but in our travels, we will all explore...

Service - In 1918, B-P said that a Guide's first duty was to be helpful to other people. Today, we give service through projects that help out local community, our environment, and the wider world.

The Arts - In Guiding we explore our creativity through the arts - drama, music, painting, drawing, writing, crafts, and singing.

Camping and the Outdoors - In camp, we not only learn to appreciate nature, we learn that we can do things for ourselves. Through outdoor activities, we not only learn about the outdoor environment, we also experience it.

Science and Technology - As we explore the world of science and technology, we do experiments, design and build, invent, and take part in programs at universities, aquariums, and planetariums.

Life Skills - While having fun, we learn useful skills, like how to get along with others, how to respect others ideas, how to plan, and how to lead.

The World - Through games, crafts, food and fun, we explore countries and cultures, and join with our 10 million sisters in celebrating our worldwide Movement.

Tonight, 3 girls move on to the next stage of their journey. Whatever path they choose, they will find new experiences and new adventures, with the same fun and friendship they have enjoyed so far.

H. is finishing Guides and is receiving the Guide Challenge Pin to reminder her of her adventures in Guides, and the Lady Baden-Powell Challenge, the highest award for Guides. We wish her happy trails as she continues her journey.

L. is finishing Pathfinders, and is working to complete her Canada Cord, the highest award for Pathfinders. She is receiving the Citizenship Certificate, one of the steps towards the Canada Cord. We hope she will continue her journey and look wider in Rangers.

O. is finishing Rangers, and is working to complete her Chief Commissioner's Gold Award, the highest youth award in Canadian Guiding. She is receiving the Ranger Cookie Campaign Challenge, one of the steps towards the Gold Award. O. is also receiving the Youth Commitment Award from Ontario Council. This award is only presented to girls who have been continuous members of Guiding from Sparks through Rangers (13 years!). We look forward to welcoming her back in September as a Guider.

Our next award is the Make a Difference Award. This is presented to girls who participated in programming related to the Girl Guides of Canada Make a Difference Days for 2015-16. These were: the International Day of the Girl, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, World Thinking Day, International Women's Day and National Mental Health Week. We have 6 recipients: ---

Our top cookie seller this year was ahead of everyone else by at least 8 cases. A. sold a total of 11 cases this year!

Each girl was then called up individually while a list of her program sections/interest badges were read out. Their program badges were stapled onto a footprint and an envelope attached with all of their challenge crests. They also received a Cookie All Stars Certificate and, if they participated, a Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up Certificate.

The guests were then thanked for coming, told about the Powerpoint presentation available to watch, and the girls were sent to get their guests orders for juice and ice cream sundaes(!).

All in all, a successful end to the year!

Messy Night!

One of the Facebook Groups I follow is a group for Australian Guiders. I was inspired by an activity that is very popular there, which led to the Caledonia Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers having their first Messy Night! We had beautiful sunshine and 24 degree weather, which meant everyone was ready for water games, paint twister and outdoor fun!

As the girls arrived, we had bubble solution ready for blowing bubbles while we got organized.

We started out with rules:
1. You don't have to get wet if you don't want to, BUT you can't get other people wet without their permission.
2. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
3. Don't throw things at people unless instructed to (i.e. as part of a game)

We explained a number of different activities, and let the girls choose which ones they wanted to do. The chosen activities were Bouncy Balls, Shave the Balloon, Paint Twister, Splat Tag, Water Fight, Bubble Art, and Armpit Fudge.

Bouncy Balls
In one cup, combine 4 tbsp warm water, 3 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tsp borax. In a second cup but 1 tbsp of white glue and food colouring. Mix the glue and food colouring, then mix the water/cornstarch/borax mixture. Pour the water mixture into the glue. Stir. You'll see it immediately start to clump together. Stir a bit more until you have one, big slimy glob. Take the globe out of the liquid and roll it between the palms of your hands until you have a nice smooth ball. Store in a plastic container or ziplock bag. (If you're ball doesn't bounce well, play with the material like flubber!!)

Shave the Balloon
Girls work in pairs. One girl inflates the balloon and holds it for her partner while she covers
it with shaving cream. She then uses a butter knife (or razor) to 'shave' the balloon, trying not to pop it. If the balloon doesn't pop, 'help' it along with a pin - but be aware that when it does pop, shaving cream will go EVERYWHERE!

Paint Twister
Paint twister is played the same way as regular twister, except that instead of coloured circles on  mat, you make coloured circles of shaving cream mixed with paint on a tarp!

Splat Tag
Two players are IT and each has a water ball (cloth balls that absorb water like a sponge). To tag other players, they throw the balls trying to hit people below the shoulders. When a player is hit, she becomes it. Have a bucket of water nearby for re-soaking the balls.

Water Fight
Buckets of water, water balls and small squirt guns were provided, and everyone had a great time!

Bubble Painting
Mix food colouring with bubble solution in small containers. Dip a straw in the coloured solution. Place the end of the straw just touching a piece of paper and gently blow a bubble. When the bubble bursts, it will leave the colour behind. Repeat until you have finished your design, then let dry.

Armpit Fudge
This is a group favourite! Put 1/2 cup icing sugar, 1 tbsp butter, 2 tsp cream cheese, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp cocoa powder in a ziplock bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. Smoosh all of the ingredients together until they are blended and the mixture is coming away from the bag. Use the heat from your hands, or armpit, to help mix the ingredients.

Resources
Girl Guides Western Australia - Dirty & Messy Night
PBS Kids - Super Bouncy Ball - www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/super-bouncy-balls/

Outdoor Activities

Due to the weather, we had to flip our final two regular meetings, so tonight became Outdoor Activity Night!

As the girls arrived, those going to camp in June were asked to fill our their menu choices and activity selections and everyone was asked to write down their favourite outdoor games and activities on a large sheet of paper.

We had our regular opening, followed by an active game, then went through some of the activity suggestions from the girls. Capture the Flag and Man Hunt were by far the most popular choices, so we headed outside to play.

The group divided into two teams and each team was assigned half of the space around the church for Capture the Flag. We wound up playing two rounds before moving onto Man Hunt - which was restricted to the space at the back of the church.

As it was cooling off, we went inside to make ice cream! The method we used was mix 2 cups Half and Half, 4 tbsp Sugar and 1tsp Vanilla in a small can. The lid was then secured and sealed with duct tape. The small can was put inside a large coffee can and ice packed around it. Some salt was sprinkled over the ice and the outer lid put in place and secured with duct tape. The girls then sat in a circle, rolling the can back and forth between themselves while singing campfire songs. We didn't quite have time to get the ice cream completely solidified, but it was still pronounced taste and disappeared quickly!

Outdoors Night: Leave No Trace

As due to scheduling conflicts we were unable to take part in the Ontario Outdoors Day on
Saturday, we had our own Outdoors Night on Friday! We based our event on the Leave No Trace Amazing Race instant meeting plan from BC Girl Guides.

We had 6 Guides and 3 Pathfinders join in to try some outdoor cooking, practice their outdoor skills, and learn about the principles of Leave No Trace. Each station had information about the Leave Not Trace principle it represented and instructions for the challenge the team was to undertake.

Once the girls arrived, we prepared supper - pita pizzas with chips, veggies and dip. Each group of 3 had a buddy burner and tea lights to heat up their pizzas and melt the cheese. We were also going to make kick the can ice cream, but as the Guiders forgot to get the ice, we'll be doing this on Tuesday at our Messy Night!

We had 7 stations in total. Four of them were done by all the teams at the same time (competition style), and the other three were done one at a time in a rotation. We alternated competition and individual group activities. The girls were divided up into 3 teams - Team Pathfinders (aka "Boss"), Team A Guides and Team B Guides, each with 3 members. We covered the LNT principle "minimize campfire impacts" with out outdoor cooking. The other six were covered in the game:

Station #1 Dispose of Waste Properly - Cat Holes (Competition)
Identify a landmark on the site that would be about 60m from where you are standing. This is how far from your camp site you should go before relieving yourself.
Follow the instructions below to bury the poop out of the way so that no one and nothing knows you've been in the area.

6 D's of Human Waste Disposal

• Distance - 60 metres from water, trail and campsite
• Dig - with a shovel or trowel
• Depth - at least 15cm deep, 10cm diameter
• Dump - do your thing!
• Disguise - mix, bury, cover
• Decompose - Let nature do its thing!

Each team was provided with a cooking spoon and a ruler, and directed to a patch of soil to dig their whole. The first team to dig a whole of the appropriate depth and diameter won. The holes had to be properly filled in before moving on to the next activity.

Station #2 Plan Ahead and Prepare - First Aid Kit (Competition)
Before you head out on an adventure, you need to be prepared to take care of yourself in case of an emergency.
Put your memory to the test with a First Aid Kim's Game, then test your knowledge of what each item is used for!

The contents of our first aid kit were spread out on a tray and the teams were allowed to look at them for 1 minute. They then had to write down as many items as they could remember. As we went through the answers, we talked briefly about what each item is used for.

Station #3 Plan Ahead and Prepare - Be Bear Aware (Individual Group)
Bears and other wildlife are a real part of outdoor experiences in Canada.
As a team, hang a bear bag to keep your food out of reach of hungry visitors.

The team was provided with a bucket (in place of a bear bag), rope, a carabiner, a stick, an instruction street on the PCT method (see Resources at the bottom of this post), and knot cards for help tying the knots.

Basically, they had to tie the carabiner to one end of the rope using a bowline, and through the weighted end up over the railing (we didn't have a tree with high enough branches). Once the rope was over the railing, they clipped it to the bucket, pulled the other end of the rope through the carabiner, and pulled the bucket up as high as they could. They then attached a stick to to the rope with a clove hitch and let the bucket slide back down until the stick met the carabiner. The idea is that this method allows the food to be far enough from the branch to deter smaller critters, high enough in the air to deter bears, and since the long piece of rope is left hanging, the food is safe even if a bear slashes the rope.

Station #4 Leave What You Find - Photo Challenge (Competition)
Take only pictures, don't even leave footprints!

As a team, move around the site to capture the following things on your cameras. Be creative!

• Wildflower
• Wildlife (insect or critter)
• Life under a Rock
• Dead tree/nurse log
• A hiking stick
• Landscape or sky scene
• 2 kinds of trees

Station #5 Respect Wildlife - Tracks & Scat Game (Individual Group)
De not disturb wildlife, and be aware of what is living around you.

Can you identify animals from their tracks and scat? Use the charts provided to match the track and scat cards to the correct animal.

We used the Leave No Trace: Paw Print & Scat Game from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland (see Resource at the bottom of this post for the link). Two charts - one of animal tracks and one of scat photos - were provided and the girls had to sort through the cards and arrange them in the same format as the charts. (There is a second set of cards so this can also be played as a matching game or a memory game.)

Station #6 Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces - Build a Boat (Competition)
When hiking or camping, always use the most durable surface available to protect the
environment.

You have come across a stream on the trail and need to cross it. Work as a team, using the supplies provided, to build a 'boat' to cross the stream. Your boat should be small, big enough for only two people, and it must always have at least one person in it.

Each team was provided with bamboo poles and rope to make their boats. Some of the girls used proper lashing techniques, which resulted in much sturdier creations than those who tried to just tie quick knots. Once the boats were built, it was a race to see which team could get their group across the stream (grassy area) first.

Station #7 Be Considerate of Others - Web Teamwork Challenge (Individual Group)
On your travels, it is important to remember the needs of others as well as your own.

Your objective is to help your team members make their way through the web. Team members must work together to get through the web without touching the ropes - which would disturb others! Can you get your whole team from one side to the other without anyone touching the ropes or the ground?

A web was set up between two trees and the teams had to work together to get everyone from one side to the other.

Resources
BC Girl Guides - The Leave No Trace Amazing Race
The Ultimate Hang - Hanging a Bear Bag-The PCT Method 
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland - LNT Paw Print & Scat Game
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland - Leave No Trace Activities