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2006 Family Camp "A Balancing Act" |
“Here, grab a wood cookie for a nametag,” welcomed Don Dehn, a Family Camp planning committee member. A forester by profession, Don explained how he'd created these durable and kid-friendly nametags from culled buckthorn, an invasive species. “It’s still a beautiful wood.”
Don’s sentiments reverberated throughout this year’s annual SJA Family Camp, “Life: A Balancing Act.” Approximately 150 people attended October 20-22 at Camp Friendship in Annandale. Again and again, participants and workshop leaders commented on the importance in finding good and beauty in our everyday lives. The importance of finding quiet time to be with family, God and self was also a significant theme of the weekend. Although there was a full schedule of interactive workshops and activities, there was ample time to enjoy the beautiful woods and lake environment.
Friday night the camp opened to St. Joan of Arc-ers who were warmly greeted by committee members, including Monica Gross and Anne Emory, who helped campers navigate baggage, supplies, and children to cabins. For parent and first-time family camper, Rita Webster, the planning committee’s attention to detail was a highlight.
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| Participatory juggling with varying results |
Friday evening featured a family massage class taught by Parishioner Cassandra Lyons. In addition to the classes, Cassandra provided individual and family massages for a nominal fee. A ten-year-old who had her first massage summed up the outstanding quality of the massages and classes, saying, “It was totally cool. Can I get another one soon?”
Cassandra, who joined St. Joan’s with her daughter in the past year, enjoyed meeting so many new people. “Everyone has been so kind,” she said. She explained how on the way to camp, she’d pulled a muscle. “A number of people helped work it out.”
In the morning, campers alternated between juggling and Tai Chi classes. Bruce Engholm, a parishioner, showed the group how to juggle scarves and balls. At end of class, Bruce demonstrated his juggling skill and promised, "Practice what I taught you here everyday and in two weeks you can do this."
There was also a Tai Chi class where students were encouraged to be one
with the Earth and to channel anger in a positive direction. After
lunch, there were more classes, 
balancing games, and for those with
stamina and older than ten, the ropes course. For teen Johanna Keller,
the rope course was her favorite part of family camp. "I liked talking
to people there," she said. "I liked how you had to work together on
the course."
After supper, there was a Halloween dance. Outside the dance, youth face-painted a myriad supply of roses, cobwebs, spiders, and cats on their younger St. Joan counterparts. Inside, parishioners of all ages danced, boogeyed, and limboed to eclectric music. Steve Emory and Joe Sayles deejayed this inclusive event. With a lovely starscaped canopy above, campers walked to the bonfire complete with s'mores and acoustic jam for musicians (and eaters) of all ages. Teens could participate in a late-night walk through a rural cemetery.
On Sunday morning, campers could pick up a breakfast that teens had laid out for in the Rec Hall before heading to the gym for the liturgy. The liturgy featured the youth band and was organized largely by Gabrielle and Richard Dane-Dodson. The dynamic and moving service crystallized the importance of maintaining a balance in our daily lives. Campers of all ages loved the music which ranged from Disney to the Beatles to Gospel.
Gabriel Keller, a guitarist in the youth band, loved practicing with the other youth and liturgy participants. “We’ve really bonded together.” He added that he’s looking forward to continuing the work in the band during the monthly performance at family mass.
Rita recapped what appeared to be the consensus among campers. “The liturgy was a beautiful family experience. Both my children got a lot out of it.” She described how they are reading the book, The Three Questions, that Richard had read from and used as a touchstone during his homily.
After a hearty brunch, campers packed up and moved out. Many took advantage of the long Education Minnesota Conference weekend to take one last walk through the woods. For ten-year-old Rachel White, these walks were her favorite part. Well almost, she added that she loved the dance and playing with her new found friends, cabin mates who attend “the other mass” at St. Joan’s.
Rachel’s not alone. Campers enjoyed learning how the other half lived; not, necessarily in a political or economic reality, but meaning the nine or eleven mass. After buckthorn chip induced introductions, the next question was usually, “What mass: nine or eleven?” One camper quipped, “I say, ‘I love you more than anything, Lord, but I’ll see you at eleven.’”
Rachel’s mother, Jane Hamilton, and family are third-year veterans of Family Camp. She said she’d enjoyed Camp each year, especially meeting other families. “It’s really great fun.”
One of this year’s goals, according to Michelle, was to better involve St. Joan’s teens with this year’s family camp. “The teens were outstanding from their work on the challenge course to setting up the breakfast before the liturgy on Sunday morning. . . . They were so much a part of the program. On the dance at Saturday night, they were there doing the limbo with the little kids and the adults. It never felt like they were separate they were so much a part of the success.” One reason for teen involvement was attributed to the “incredible adult chaperones.” Pam Kremer and Alonzo Anthony were two of the adults who spent the night in the Teen Cabins.
She invited parishioners to be part of the committee that makes St. Joan’s Family Camp flourish. She felt that new committee members infused the process with energy, resources, and new ideas. On the committee, people knew other people who were able to provide workshops and service for the family camp. “It’s not a set committee that never changes,” she said, explaining the dynamic process of the committee. Parishioners can join the committee by either filling out their annual service card or contacting Kathy Itzin, a St. Joan’s staff member who also serves on the committee.
Feedback sheets will be distributed soon and Michelle encouraged this year’s participants to respond. This year’s family camp was held later than usual, during MEA weekend. This factor was due to Camp Friendship’s availability. “It will be interesting to find out if people liked having the long weekend although we didn’t have the brilliant fall colors.”
Although the trees may have not been as vibrant as in previous years, there was nothing drab about the Family Camp. Six year old Graham White summed it up well when he was asked what he enjoyed most, “Everything,” he said. “Just everything.”
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