Week 5 - No camper week

Week 5 was not the average week. This week we didn't have any campers so we all just did projects around the camp. Michael and I had a list of things we did. I started out working with one of the other counselors trying to prep the group numbers to select which activities were going to do for the week. Then another project of mine was the clean out the bird feed. Michael helped with me that. Then the big project was to organize the garage a bit, starting with reorganizing all the skies. Michael, Stacy and I worked on that for a couple days. Just little things like that we did during this week. The weeks were shorter as well. It was an 8am-4pm week. Not the usual 50-65 hour week like we normally would do.

However we did have an even on Wednesday. We had our annual Spring Bash for some school groups in the morning. It only lasted about two hours but it was cool because a lot of kids came through and participated in some of the activities that were offered here at camp. Some of the kids went swimming so I had locker room duty, making sure kids to fight each other, LOL. It wasn't too bad. The event ended with a dance from 11:30am to past lunch. Then the rest of the day we all went back to our projects. That was the week.

Week 4 - Best week yet

Week 4 seemed to be the best so far. This week I got a group of campers who I really enjoyed. Not that I don't enjoy everyone else, but this particular group I had a lot more chemistry with. I worked with Britta, another counselor over here, for the second time and we seemed to work well with one another. The campers this week were Jim, Glenn, Harold, and Stephen. All for were independent on their personal care, which helped me out a lot. Everyone of them seemed to enjoy camp very much. That was my goal, to make sure every camper has a good time while they are here and these guys seem to have one.

This week we participated in the following events:

Monday:
Skeet shooting, Snow maze, and crazy hats. Then we had the karaoke / talent show for the evening event with everyone.

Tuesday:
We went swimming, archery, made a winter suncatcher, played kick ball, and made a kite. Looney Bin was our evening event. Looney Bin is a 3 event program, where one of the events I had my face painted by Glenn. He did a pretty good job if I must say so.

Wednesday:
In the morning we feed the animals, went to go see the horses, and then made pudgie pies. In the afternoon, we painted t-shirts, did a wall climb, and made pretzels. The evening event was swimming so we went in the pool for a little longer than usual. I really enjoy the evening swims. It makes the rest of the night go easier for some reason.

Thursday:
The morning events included dodge ball, in which everyone had a great time doing that. Then the group went canoeing. Everyone that went canoeing really seem to enjoy it. Then we went to the Nature center for the animal tracking activity. The afternoon events included creating door signs in arts and crafts building. This was something I looked forward to making during spring training. Then the group climb the eiffel tower ropes. From there we went miniature golfing outside, which seemed to be a bit chilly, Harold and Glenn had a great time hitting the golf balls around. After that, the evening event was the barn dance, in which I actually got out there and danced, had one of the best nights since I been here.

Friday:
Everyone had a great time. We all packed up our things, had breakfast, and my group went around to make sure the doors were locked and the alarms was working. After that we had lunch, and during that time awards were passed out. After that everyone went home.

This week was by far the best week, probably because it was the easiest week yet. But a look forward to the tougher weeks coming up. I want to challenge myself to see what I am about and what I am capable of doing.

Week 3 - Easier week

This post is for week 3. Week 3 seemed so much easier than week 2 so far. However I do believe that the longer I work here, the more comfortable I will be, which will make things easier in the long run. This week went well. We had a group of volunteers from Rice University come and give us a hand. I had two fella in my group and they did a wonderful job. Albert and Henry took care of a camper each because the campers seem to stay close with them. In my group we had 5 campers all together. Everyone of them were cool. Ellie was the other counselor assigned with me this week and she did an awesome job continuing to show me the ropes here at the camp.

This week the group participated in activities such as creating a birdseed angel just outside the nature center. From there we got to feed the animals. Two members of the group got a chance to go sledding, but the other members decided they didn't want to do it and went to the snoezleroom instead. Other things we did was have a talent night where most of the campers did karaoke. We also made orange bread, where you take out the center of the orange, fill it with Bisquick and cook it under in the fireplace for a few minutes. I never got a chance to get a taste, but they say it is good. Then we got a chance to make paper tube rockets in arts and crafts activity. Most of the campers enjoyed this activity. We all made are way to the pool to go swimming twice during the week. Finally we caped it off with a dance on the last night in the barn. Had a great time. It was a long and hard week, but it was good. My only complaint was that I caught a cold and it hasn't gone away yet, even as we speak, which upset me because I missed out on the Friday activities with the other counselors. Week 3 was a success to me.

Week 2 - Just For You Week

Let me say this. This week was the TOUGHEST WEEK OF MY LIFE. I put that in caps because I really want to make sure when I read this years from now, I will remember everything that happen this week. This is called "Just for you" week where the campers are getting one on one attention with the counselors and staff. I had this camper name Randy this week and he was cool camper. But he also tested my patience, big time. This was the first week where I had night duty as well. Night duty is where three counselors sleep with the campers in the cabin over night, making sure the campers personal care is covered at least 3 times at night (12 am, 3 am, 6 am). Lets just say that by Friday, I was tired. But I guess all I needed was my Friday afternoon nap and I was good to go.

To get back to Randy, he is guy who uses a wheelchair, but is able to move around a bit. What I mean by that is he is able to get himself onto his bed or a couch or go to the bathroom. Randy was able to do some things by himself but there are things that he definitely needed assistance with. To me, he was a great person to work with during my second week. I learned a lot about the job of being a counselor from working with him. I also learned that I have a lot of patience, patience that I never knew I could control. That is a great thing. Randy is great camper all together. He loves Mickey Mouse . When he was here, he loved to swim, and he loved his meals. This week we had the opportunity to do different things. Some activities he chose not to do, but did a great job encouraging is fellow campers. He loved seeing the animals, participating in archery, painting shirts, and chillin in the snoezell room. I am glad I got a chance to work with him, and if he comes back during my year I am here, then maybe it will be even better.

This week I got a chance to work with Britta and Mark, two other camp counselors who have been here a while and know the ropes. They really did a great job looking out for me, showing me how to do things, while I am still learning the job. I give them all the credit in the world for that because during this week I felt so overwhelmed that I didn't know if I could do this job or not. There were times I was so physically, emotionally, and mentally burned out that I didn't know what to do. But I think all that comes from not working in an environment like ever, that includes my two one-week sessions I did at Foothill Horizons back home in California 12 years ago. But when Friday hit, during the staff meeting, everyone thought I did a decent job with Randy this week, and confidence grew from that point on. I think at that point, I knew I was going to be ok, and that I know that this job is going to change me for a lifetime.

1st week at Camp Courageous

Well the first week came and went. I must say to everyone that this is the biggest job and most interesting job I had before. I remember being a camp counselor before about 11-12 years ago, but this is so much different than that. Here is how my week went:

Monday:
- The first thing I did was go attend a staff meeting. This is something the staff does at the beginning of the week. From there I got my picture taken for my id card that opens my dorm room and other buildings.
- Went to the lodge to get a list of my campers for the week. I worked with another counselor named Dan, and he did a great job showing me what I needed to do throughout the week.
- We then went back to the dorms for a few minutes before the campers arrived.
- Right before they arrived, we went back to the cabin where the campers stay and prep their beds. - Then we picked up our campers. My first week had three campers (Josh, Andrew and Andy), all really cool guys.
- We took the campers to get physicals.
- The campers, Dan and I went back to the lodge and chilled until it was time for lunch
- Had a good lunch
- After lunch, the campers went back to the cabin and rested for about an hour and 45 minutes, where the staff went back to the dorm and chilled themselves (all but 3 counselors, who stayed back in the lodge for rest duty, which happens daily when there are campers).
- After rest, the campers first activity was going skiing. This was fun, very cold because it is hella cold here in Iowa. They did a little cross-country skiing which a lot of the campers really got into.
- From there my campers went to the nature building where we seen a lot of cool animals. A couple of the campers got a chance to feed some of them, like the fish. They got a chance to pet a turtle, a ferret, and another animal that I can't seem to recall what it is exactly. They all had a good time
- The group went to the lodge and played nature games until dinner
- Had a great dinner
- Then everyone, staff and all groups, came together and did a karaoke night where the campers got up and some of the staff as well, sang some pretty cool songs. That lasted until about 8:30pm
- Then we took the campers back to the cabin and prepped them for bed.
- After all campers were in bed, the counselors called it a night and went back to the dorms.

That was an example of what we did throughout the week. I will keep everything short and talk about the major things we did or I did during the week.

Tuesday:
The activities we did on Tuesday include making super smores in the morning after breakfast. The campers seem to enjoy that. Then from there, we went on a scavenger hunt were we had to find things on a list created by our activities specialist. Some things were outside and some were in. Then we went to the arts and crafts building to make mardi grass masks for the mardi gras dance later on in the evening. After lunch, the campers went swimming in the pool that we have over here. I was kind of leery about going swimming since it is so darn cold, but the pool is about 85 degrees so when I went in, it felt just right. We stayed in the pool for a short period of time, then got out and showered off. From there we headed back to the lodge to prep for the dance and kill some time for dinner. After dinner was the mardi gras dance, where people from all over came and danced with us. That was the last activity for the night

Wednesday:
The first activity was prepping the the egg dropping event that is going to take place this evening. What we did here was come up with an idea that when we drop an egg about 8 feet, it shouldn't break. The campers came up with some cool ideas. After that the campers went to go see some horses and go to the eiffel tower event, while I stayed back and had a two hour talk with Jeanne, the camp director, and Shannon, the Volunteer director. I talked to her about a few things that I had on my mind as well as Jeanne going over some of the camp rules and counselor's responsibilities with myself and Michael, the other BVSer, who came the same night I did. Then after lunch, my camping group went back to the arts and crafts building to paint tee-shirts. From there we went sledding and tubing down this hill that's across the street on the lodge. Sledding was cool because I never been on the sled and it was my first time. The campers really enjoyed this one. Dinner came, and after dinner, we feed the birds. After the bird feeding, we went to drop our eggs. The campers got on top of this big ball that was blown up about 6-7 feet and then attempted to toss the egg to the ground. The eggs were padded with cotton and other card board materials to help protect it. Most of the eggs broke, but there were a few that survived. After that the evening was over.

Thursday:
The first activity of the day was archery. The group took turns shooting a few types of bow and arrows. Some of them really got into this. Then it was the canoe activity where we went back to the pool and the campers got into the canoe that was brought out for this session. The lifeguard, who is an activities specialist stirred them a couple times around the pool. The guys enjoyed this one as well. After the canoe activity, we headed to the snoozle room, where it was just a place to go and chill for about an hour until lunch. After lunch and rest hour, we went back to the pool for another swim session. After that was over, we went to the gym for a little floor hockey. One of guys in the group really got into this. We did this until dinner. After dinner we stayed in the lodge and had a carnival, where there was wheel of fortune being played as well as throwing ping pong balls into a box full of separate holes. Then there was a place where you throw bean bags into the hole into the wall. I helped with that one. After the carnival was over, we all called it a night.

Friday:
Basically, Friday was pack up and go home day. Before that we had an awards assembly to give our campers what kind of awards they earned throughout the week. I handed Josh the award for Recreation because he would be willing to do try any of our recreational activities and be good at it. After the awards were over, we had lunch and after lunch, the campers were picked up and headed home.

Well what can I say about my first week. I still have so much learning to do because being a counselor over here after sitting in an office for 2 1/2 years its mentally draining me right now. I am going to give myself time to get adjusted to everything. Without much training, its very difficult but I will give it all I got. I am trying to keep my head up. Things are going to get much tougher for me, but I am willing to go through this challenge because it something that I needed to go through before I retire as a BVSer. I hoping that this changes my life in so many ways. So far its a good start.

1st post for Project #3 - Arrival weekend

Well, I'm BAAACCKK. Blogging once again, but this time from a different location. This time I am in Monticello, Iowa. My third BVS project is at Camp Courageous, a place where I will be working as a Counselor for individuals with disabilities. This is so much different from what I have been doing for the past 6 years, including the 2 and half years I spent in BVS in New Windsor, Maryland and Wichita, Kansas. I won't be working on the computer department. I am taking a break from IT for a little bit to work on other skills I will need in the future. I am very excited about this new project and I will give it 100%, like usual.

I arrived here in Iowa on Friday night around 8pm. Mark, my friend from Wichita (Trees For Life) gave me a lift up to a place outside Des Moines, Iowa, which is about 2 hours away from Monticello. Then Charlie Becker, the executive director picked me up and drove me the rest of the way. When I got there, the first thing I did was get to my dorm room and unpack my bags. I met a few people that evening, some of the girls that are counselors as well. Most people went to a party that was being thrown and I was invited, but since being on the road most of the day and I had just arrived, I just wanted to wind down from the trip. On Saturday, I met the other BVSer that arrived right before Midnight on Friday. His name is Michael and he seems really cool. I am going to get along with him no problem. As a matter of fact, him and I watched one of my movies on Saturday night. On Sunday, didn't really do much. One of the girls, Michael and I went to Subway to get some lunch. Had a good conversation with her. Came back and chilled the rest of the evening. I met a few other counselors here. More girls than guys, which could be a good thing or bad thing later on. I don't know yet. We'll see about that though. Anyway that is the wrap for the weekend. Look out for the beginning of my week post coming up.