The Camp Rundown

Last year I was called to serve on the stake girls camp committee. I ended up volunteering to do the food, and I loved it! Nine meals for 150 people! It’s a daunting task, but somehow it suited me. 

Normally our stake has alternated between stake camp and ward camp each year, but this year they did stake girls camp again, so we had the same committee (save for one person), and we tackled camp together once more! 

Last year we went to a really fancy camp with a big industrial kitchen. This year we went to a camp with a storage room and a few old fridges. It happened to be the camp my in-laws served their mission at, so it’s a very familiar place.

Our camp theme was from 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of contention but of peace.” The theme was chosen by the Youth Camp Leaders. 

I was in charge of the food again, but this time the stake only provided three meals and the wards took turns providing the rest. 

Since my sister-in-law passed away shortly before camp, my girls and I came home Monday night so we could attend her funeral on Tuesday. Then we went back to camp on Wednesday. I came home late that night, and my girls stayed until Thursday. 

That actually made it easier to tackle the food because I was able to prep a lot of it at home in between camp days, and I was able to haul it up in two different loads. 

I didn’t interact much with the young women at camp. I mostly hung out in the pavilion organizing food and helping the wards with their meals. I kind of prefer it that way. I’m not great working close with the youth, and I don’t like facilitating activities, so I’m much better utilized in the food department. I will cook all day long! Just don’t make me entertain or supervise teenagers!

Like last year, I brought a few joyous gifts to share at camp.

This year my fellow camp committee members were out to get me. They came prepared and set me up for a startle! I knew something funky was going on in the storage room, and I figured I’d find mannequin heads in the refrigerators or something. Little did I know I would walk in and be greeted by this fine specimen:

Yes, I screamed. 

The worst part was not knowing who was in the costume! It was Denise, our stake camp director. 

After she got me, she spent some time running around camp.

I got a good laugh out of the whole thing. She walked like Big Foot, but not on purpose. She was in socks with floppy gorilla foot covers, and it made her take on a Sasquatch-y gait that I found hilarious. 

We had some good times!

That night I loaded up everything I could and drove home (everyone else left the next morning). 

On my way out of camp, I pulled over a few times because the sunset was really pretty. 

I had a great camp experience. I missed a good chunk of it, but I’m glad I was able to be there for two of the days.