Overnight Camp 2 - Sunday

August 11

We have arrived safely at Kamp Kiwanis! After loading off the bus around 3, we had 2:6 time. At Camp Amicus, we work in a 1:3 ratio of counsellors to campers, so 2:6 time is time for a pair of counsellors to get to know the six campers that they will be spending the rest of the week with.

In today’s 2:6 time, campers set up their bunks, made their braids if they don’t already have one (braids are made of fabric and hang off one’s shoulder, firstly to identify them as a member of Camp Amicus, secondly to hold ‘bling’ that campers and staff can make for each other) and made Group Contracts. Group Contracts are an important part of camp culture, as it allows 2:6 groups to outline behaviours that they do and do not want to see from each other (such as being patient with each other and hitting, respectively).

After 2:6 time, we had an important camp tradition to honour. If it’s someone’s birthday at overnight camp, they get to push a staff member into the pool! We had three birthdays to celebrate, and as such, three soggy staff clambered out of the pool before we had some free time, and then it was time for dinner!

Before each meal, we sing a fun, non-denominational grace before eating. We then have trivia! In order to determine the order in which we eat, trivia questions are rattled off, and if a camper gets the question right, their entire table gets to line up for food. After dinner, our camp manager Kathleen formally introduced our counsellor coordinator Bagheera, our program coordinator and head counsellor Chinook, our other two head counsellors Luna and Willow, as well as our nurses Comet and Echo.

We then had a few minutes to change into warmer clothes before Campfire. We love campfire! We headed as a group to Kamp Kiwanis’ large fire pit, received some popcorn, and watched 10 great performances before heading back to get ready for bed.