On Safari, Searchin' for Heaven in "97" 
by Eileen Daniels

Daily Themes & Destiny Topics
Monday      Bear Necessities. Get Equipped
                  - Destiny focussed on being equipped to survive the world we live in.
Tuesday     It's A Jungle out There. Face to Face With Danger
                   - The danger of the adversary, crocodile's etc. was the focus of destiny.
Wednesday - Safari Sisters. Circle of Friends
                     - Destiny was on friendship
Thursday    - Searching for Heaven. Come Back Home
                    - Destiny focused on returning "home" to our Heavenly Father".
Friday         - Safari Sunsets. Faith in Every Footstep
                    - Good-byes, and the challenge to return home and have faith in every footstep was the focus of destiny.

Welcome - We use this activity which is the first thing we do at camp, to introduce the JC'S and give a preview of what to expect at camp.  The girls played a question/answer game where they had a list of various characteristics about the JC'S that was not common knowledge.  They had to go around asking questions to figure out who was who.  We gave the answers at evening campfire in a Jeopardy  version game.

Visiting Villages- Wards were grouped together for half-hour activities. One ward would host, and be in charge of the game or whatever the activity was. We did this several times during the week until each ward had the opportunity to do an activity with all the wards. This was a great asset in helping the girls in the stake get to know each other.

Don't Forget Your PJ'S - The first night at camp, the Stake YW Presidency does a skit reminding the girls to remember to read the scriptures, write in their journals, and say their prayers nightly.  They usually give them some reminder to put on their bunks.  This year they gave them a PJ Pal, which was a beanie animal with a tag around the neck that said' "Don't forget your PJ'S".  The girls went nuts over these.

Treasure Hunt - Each day, clues were given to lead the girls on a "safari" treasure hunt.  They received a piece of a puzzle each day, as well as a treat.  By the end of the week they had all their puzzle pieces and had a fun camp momento.  Those who had done the treasure hunt each day also received a lrg. puzzle piece, which combined for a huge safari puzzle.  Of course there were several pieces missing.  It was a great object lesson on unity.

Friendship Day - The girls were paired with a good friend, then put into small groups that rotated through activities, and games.  Some of these games where cooperation games where the group had to work together to figure out a solution to a challenge.  Many of these came from the "Silver Bullets" book.  Others were just for fun so the girls could get to know each other better.  After an excellent destiny, the girls did an activity called "Pat on the Back".  They each received a card with their name on it.  It was passed around the circle of their group and they wrote nice comments to each other in them.  After they were finished, the cards were gathered, and put in one of the sections of their solo booklet.  Next, they received their solo booklet, and went out on a solo time.  The booklet had a series of questions and instructions to follow to lead them through the solo process.

The most important part of the solo is getting on the knees and praying out loud.  So many of the girls commented latter, on how powerful it was to pray out loud. I guess I had assumed this was just the norm.  That evening, we had a very spiritual campfire program to end the day.  First the girls got in their small groups again, and made a "friendship web".  This is done by one person wrapping the end of a ball of yarn around her wrist while answering a list of friendship related questions we gave them.  The strings tossed to another girl who does the same thing.  As all the questions are answered, and the ball of yarn is tossed and wrapped around wrists, a web starts to form in the center of the circle.  To conclude the activity, an adult talks about how we are all connected to each other in various ways; likes, dislikes, friendships, the gospel.  Then the yarn is cut and everyone leaves a few strands around their wrist to remember the activity.  Next, the adult leaders gathered in an outward circle in the middle of the meadow.

They sang "Circle of Friendship" over, and over again gathering in all the small groups of girls as they did so.  Soon we were all gathered into one large circle.  The stake leaders walked around the circle, gave each girl a candle and a heart necklace, then passed the flame from one candle all the way around the circle.  The activity ended with someone briefly talking about unity and love.

Closing Ceremony's -We invite ward and stake leaders to have dinner on the last night of camp.  The girls always decorate the tables according to our theme.  This year one of the girls knew how to tie balloon animals.  It was so cute.  We also asked our Stake President to speak to us, just before our testimony meeting.    Crafts this year were tie-die t-shirts, and woven bead necklaces.

Contributed by: Patti   Pawmo@aol.com

This year we "Searchin Safari, It's A Jungle Out There. Our value was knowledge, so we were searchin for knowledge. Our daily themes were:

On Safari 2

Camp

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