Camp Winniaugwamauk is a Christian camp in Brooksville, Maine.
Found
within the woods and blueberry fields, Camp Winnie is a beautiful campground owned by the Community of Christ. When you first pull
into the campgrounds, you can see the beautiful waters of Walker Pond.
On the left, is the Tabernacle. This is a large white building that
serves as the Church during some parts of camp, but also as an area for
fun games and activities. On your right, is the dining hall. This is
the place where we eat all of our meals. Also attached to the dining
hall, are the dorm rooms, an area where adults usually stay during
camps. As you turn right down the road and keep driving, you’ll go past
the nurse’s station, and the nursery. The nurse’s station is, first,
where the nurse stays during camp, and second, where you go whenever
you get hurt or need to take your medicine. The nursery is an area for
smaller children to play during camps. As you keep going down the road,
you reach the cabins. These are the buildings that become your "home
away from home" during camp, and where your camp experience really
begins. Further down the road is the craft hall, and the green youth
chapel. These are other areas for classes and fun games. Now that you
know where everything is, it’s time to start your day at camp.
When you walk into Camp Winnie on first day, you automatically feel
welcome. When you go to registration, which is up on the porch by the
dining hall, you are instantly greeted by the camp director, the
counselors, and the campers that have already arrived. People help you
carry your bags to your cabin and you get to know your counselors and cabinmates a little better. These are the people that will become some
of your best friends during your camp experience. Though you do get to
hang out with everyone else at camp, your cabinmates are the people
you wake up in the morning to, and go to bed with at night. Once you
get settled in, and everyone arrives at the camp, we all meet in the
Tabernacle for some “get to know each other”-games. Then we go over
rules for camp.
Some important rules for camp every year are:
• No Electronics! (Yes, that includes cell phones!)
• Use appropriate language.
• Treat everyone with respect and make everyone feel welcome.
• No crossing the road! (Boys stay on the boys’ side of the road, girls stay on the girls’ side of the road.)
• Stay away from the water front unless you have permission and the lifeguard’s there.
• Have Fun!
After
chilling out in our cabins for a while longer, and getting to know
everyone better, we head over for supper, and talk about our hopes for
camp, and get ready for campfire time. Campfire is a really fun part of
camp, where we all gather in the craft hall, and sing songs together.
We start out with some fast, funny songs like “Wee Wee”, and “Tom the
Toad”. Then we go to slow, more spiritual songs that relax us for bed.
Some of these songs are, “I Love You Lord” and “Sanctuary”.
The
next few days follow just about the same routine. Early risers have the
opportunity to participate in fun activities including “Polar Bearing”
and Yoga. Then, after wake up call, around 7:00-7:30am, we meet on the
porch to talk about the theme for the day and the plans for the rest of
the day. Then, breakfast time!
I would like to take a second to
mention how amazing our cooks are at camp! They cook every meal for us,
and have snacks prepared, and it always tastes great! These people also
volunteer to do this, so what they’re doing is just so amazing!
Then we start in with the days main activates.
From
cooking, to crafts, kayaking, recreation, and photography, choice
classes are a wide variety of fun classes taught by counselors and
helpers. And you, the camper, get to choose the classes you want to
take. Do you love sports? Recreation is the class for you. Are you a
great artist? Take crafts class! The classes offered changes from year
to year, but every year and wide variety of classes are available, and
there is a class for everyone.
Following your first choice class
is usually camp chats. This is one of the more spiritual aspects of
camp; where we sit down and talk about how the theme for that day fits
into our lives, and the lives of those around us. Then we use a story
from The Bible to back these things up. This event is usually held by
whoever our camp pastor is for the week, and they are always amazing!
Thy really make you think about your spiritual life.
Following this is another choice class, and then lunch!
Everyday
after lunch, we have a time called rest period. Our days are pretty jam
packed and busy at Camp Winnie, so time to go sit with your friends in
your cabin is always nice. It also give you time to get ready for your
next awesome activity:
Swim time! Swim is when anyone who wants to
gets to go jump in the lake and swim around the dock, or do some crazy
jumps and dives into the water. Usually a swim test is required in
order to go to the dock just so the life guard can make sure that no
one will drown. If you’re not into swimming, you can always hang at the
swings, or play some volley ball down by the waterfront in the sun, or
you can head up to canteen and buy some yummy snacks and treats.
After
swim time, we have our theme class. This class has to do with our theme
for the day, and usually involves a fun activity along with some
learning. The teacher(s) are always really fun and help you to stay
engaged with the topic, and make sure that no one ever gets bored! This
is another class that helps you develop your spirituality and get
closer to God.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Supper time!
Next on the agenda
is a camp-wide activity. This activity varies from night to night. Some
of my most memorable activities were a shaving cream fight, greased
water melon relays, and of course counselor hide-and-seek! These are
activities that bring everyone together, and create and environment
where team work, and of course having fun, are necessary, and bring
everyone closer together. Also, it tends to be pretty hilarious to
watch!
Before you head to bed, you have to have a campfire! Like I
said before, campfire time is one of my favorite parts of camp because
it’s a time when we can all get together, have fun, sing songs, and get
ready for bed.
Other things during the week that sometimes take
the place of the night activities include a camp wide talent show, and
a barbeque at a beach in Stonington, and an owl prowl at Holbrook
Island Sanctuary. These activities are usually favorites among the
campers, and have become a tradition at camp.
Also during the
week, we participate in community service. At least one day during the
week, we devote time to cleaning up the camp ground, doing some
repairs, and going into town to help out business that support great
causes. Organizations we’ve helped in the past include: The Beth C.
Wright Cancer Center, Holbrook Island Sanctuary, and The Emmaus Center.
When your week ends, you’ve made tons of new friends, you’ve become
much closer to God, and you can’t wait to come back with your friends
next year. There’s no place I’ve ever been like Camp Winnie, and I mean
that in a good way. The tears on the last day are always partly caused
because you’re leaving your friends, but also because you don’t want to
leave these sacred and blessed grounds.
I’ve been part of the
camping program since before I can remember. From the time I was an
infant, I’ve gone to reunion with my family, and as soon as I was old
enough to go to Junior Camp at Camp Winnie, I was there. Throughout my
camping years, I’ve learned so much about myself, and my relationship
with God has really grown. I’ve have also made dozens of friends that I
have stayed in contact with over the years and become really close to.
I highly suggest the camping program to anyone and everyone! Especially
Camp Winnie! This will be the best experience of your summer, your
year, or maybe even your life. So try it out this year!
~Kassidy Giggey, 15, Brewer, Maine
|