Camp Imadene - My Journey Through Time

At the end of my summer, after 2 weeks of holidays over Alberta and BC on a lovely road trip tagging along after my parents, I somewhat hastily offered to help out at a youth summer camp that was as unfamiliar to me as beets are to bears....ask me some other time about that comparison.
I heard they were in need of a few more female cabin leaders (counsellors) and that they also needed some help with the fun and often hilarious videos that the leaders make to tie together the night games to some sort of plot in order to get the youths all riled up and raring to play.
So Sophie moped and sulked while she watched me (over) pack up my suitcase and all my computer gadgets and cables. Off I went to Camp Imadene, ready for a week of adventuresome fun and relaxation.
At this point I should pause to inform you of all my previous camp experiences. I have been a long-time, almost life-long, attendee and volunteer of Nanoose Bay Camp. I have done all sorts of various job at Nanoose; nursery worker, kid's camp counsellor, teen camp counsellor, worship team back-up singer, team head coach.....but most recently, I have helped Nanoose Teen Camp by way of the video/tech team. We ran all the media and filmed, edited and created daily videos of sports and other activities, including at least one funny video creation, and produced Camp videos for the end of the week.
The only other camp I have ever attended was Lakelse Lake Camp in Terrace, BC, one year at the age of 9 for a week of Kid's Camp. Though I have fond snippets of memories from that time, I do not remember much about what the camp was like, nor even the type of programs that were run for the week.
Let me pull you back to the present as I drove my brim-filled small red car up island towards the mystical and well-liked fable camp that is Imadene. I have heard nothing but good comments regarding the facility and the events that go on at Imadene, so I expected to have at least an enjoyable experience on the grounds no matter what my cabin full of youthful teen aged girls held in store for me.
Well....let me tell you.....camp Imadene is B-E-Autiful!!!!!
They are situated on the small Mesachie Lake, south of Lake Cowichan, with pristine green lawns and fields sloping towards both the swimming area and dock, complete with slide and diving board, and to the ski dock, where two shiny boats awaited it's passengers to indulge in tubing, wake boarding or surfing or water skiing.
The buildings are small, but cozy and very well-kept. The chapel and dinning hall fit the entire compliment of campers and counsellors with the remaining staff to eat on sheltered picnic tables outside. To get to the circles of camper cabins, you must wander through a forested area that has been liberated of any choking underbrush, bushes or grasses, so walking through there late a night in the dark is not problem as long as you have the general direction in mind. The cabins, though a bit rustic with gaps between walls and roof are well-built and very large to accommodate 12 youth and 2 leaders. There are also other areas of the camp I didn't venture too much into, such as the Dryshed, an indoor gymnasium or sorts, the canoe dock and probably other places I didn't even find while on my first visit there.
I arrived Saturday afternoon with the other cabin leaders. We had a great time getting to know one another with games and chatter and a run through of rules and expectations for the week. I was one of only 2 leaders who had never been to Imadene before so I did feel a little out of the loop, but luckily my fellow cabin leader for the week was Amy who I had met from a few getogethers out of my church in Victoria. We decorated our cabin with blinking Christmas lights and hid our stashes of sugary treats to dole out over the week to come.
Sunday morning we, the leaders and staff, had our own chapel time where Andy, the speaker for the week and our own Student Ministries Pastor/Director, spoke to us about trying to reach into the lives of these youth to encourage great potential.
After lunch we all get decked out into our superhero costumes to welcome the campers to our Superhero Academy-themed Camp.
Soon we had a cabin full of talkative teens all getting their bunks settled with a few parents lingering and saying their goodbyes.
My cabin consisted of: myself and Amy with our campers - Jaimie, Marley, Julia, Hilary, Olivia, Kaitlyn, Marie, Claire, Emily, Dorothea and Meghan.


I simply cannot recall all that went on day-today over the entire week but I will say that the games were fun and crazy and full of running and glow sticks and water, with a few bumps and bruises along the way. The chapels were encouraging, well-thought out, touching, meaningful, deep, honest and reached my girls on all different levels. The meals were excellent, delicious, scrumptious and great!!! The activities and free time were full of fun with canoeing, skidock, swimming, soccer, dodge ball, Bead Tent (crafts, jewelry and book binding), rock climbing and many more I can't remember.

My cabin, as did all other cabins, went through the Challenge Course but in exceptional time with such wonderful teamwork and encouragement!!
We had the Spiderweb Challenge and I wish I had more photos, but here's one example. We had to lift, carry, push and cradle everyone up, over and through a wall of rope webbing, through all different sized holes, without touching the wall, the ropes or coming back through once over. Sound simple? I assure you, it was not! However, I am so very proud of the group my girls for what they accomplished!!

Friday morning we packed up our gear, hugged, exchanged contact info and began to head out our own separate ways back to our homes.

I had an exceptional week and loved every minute of it! Although I was extremely tired and store from a few too many crazy night games and um....the late night dance parties in our cabin!!

I love you all, my fellow Imadene-ers and I can't wait to help out in some way next summer.....maybe.....if I can....I'll try!!!!

Below are a few photos of our week....
some are self-explanatory...
some are a little on the crazy sized and I don't want to explain!!!

Sad to see everyone go home and to leave Camp!

Happy to go home and sleep in our own beds!!

PS - THANKS to Julia and Marley - I borrowed some photos from your Facebook to help make this blog post look better! I can't believe I didn't take more photos!! Next time!

** NEW ** THE OFFICE SUMMER VACATION

If you love The Office...watch this.

French Beach...Good Friends!

Okay so here is my drastic new change....the box said "warm chocolate brown".... this, my friends, is more of a darkest, of the dark brown chocolate!!
Ah well, I enjoy a change now and then, and I was certainly due for one. In May, the night before Youth Convention I dyed my hair red-brown o top and brown underneath. I've been noticing my normal, medium brown roots showing through lately, so I decided to even out all my blah brown tones.....even out it did!! (My dad just walked in and called me "Elvira"...come on, it's not that dark!! Not black....just the darkest brown you can get......)

Okay, on to the main even of this posting....Our stormy Saturday at French Beach.

I decided I really wanted a nice day at French Beach, a campfire, some hotdogs, some friends...so I spread the word and a few dear friends joined me in our adventure to beat and avoid the rain!

After some spitting moments in the parking lot, we braved the cooler day and started our driftwood fire, cooking our weird hotdogs and smokies and generally enjoying the company.

Our very weird, curly smokies!!

Trying to eat the aforementioned smokies....

Here comes the rain..."I give it about 10 minutes..."

And here comes the wind....and strange...face behaviour....





We quickly got out of there once the sky opened up and poured, but what a great day with friends! Thanks!!

Summer Days...pretty places...

Heeeeere's Sophie, galloping back to me after a nice romp on the beach with a few other dogs.

Oh our lovely summer days! Sophie and I have been having suck lovely walks now that she is back from her summer vacation at my sister's house on the mainland.

And here is a wonderful garden near our house where the dahlias are the biggest I have ever seen! Wow!

On my day off this week, Sophie and I took a drive out to French Beach.
(Shantala and Dan's camping trip there inspired me to go back to one of my childhood favourite places.)
The day was hot and calm, and there was barely anyone on the beach.

Here's Sophie trying to drink the seawater...ew! Poor girl, I forgot to let her get a drink before we walked down the beach, so we walked back to the campground, ate our sandwich then I filled the ziploc bag with water (fresh) for her to gulp up.

Sophie resting after our long walks up and down the beach.
She was a trooper and navigated over all the rocks like a pro!

Me, taking a photo of...well me, and the ocean.




We've had a great summer so far and I look forward to many more lovely days at home or around town. Sophie and I both love walks and beaches so if you're ever around, let me know, we're always looking for people to go for walks with. :)

Summers Past

Summer used to be a time for sleeping in, planning fun days, going to the beach, swimming, sun tanning, taking the bus to the mall, going out to movies, BBQs, taking trips with family, or having family come visit you.....

Some of these summer fun activities are still available to a late-20-something, full-time working woman like me. I enjoy the air conditioned movie theatres, the trips, the BBQs and lakes when I have the time or when friends and family are around to join up with. But some of the lazy, leisure time will never be the same as when I was growing up as a child, then as a young teen.
True enough, I didn't really have a summer job until after I graduated from high school, besides the odd babysitting, but I truly, heartily enjoyed every moment of my summers growing up.

My mom played a major role in helping us to have good summers. She worked part of the weeks but when she was off, she would take us everywhere....museums, lakes, beaches, mini golfing, and any other fun or touristy place we wished to go! She would pack sandwiches, or picnics or let us get fish and chips or some other yummy treat. We have had countless sunny days people-watching on seaside shores, or walking along beaches, with me always collecting rocks and shells.

Camps more often than not, took up at least one week for each of us; kids camp or teen camp or when I was really little, family camp on Sylvan Lake. I always made new friends, played new, fun games, grew closer to God and always had a terrific if exhausting time!

Living in such a beautiful city, we always had streams of company stay with or visit us. From family and friends, we showed them the best side of Victoria, taking them to the prettiest spots, the nicest parks, the most lovely walks around. Mom always made spectacular meals as we all gathered together to enjoy some chatter and catch up on one another's lives. I always treasured my summers.

One summer in particular, my dearest friend became a summer ally as we made each day an adventure, whether at the beach, or overnight with sleepovers and fun movies. That summer my mom's side of the family arranged to all come and visit, bringing loads of aunts and uncles but more importantly to me, cousins! I loved my cousins! A few were close in age to me, and the younger ones were all so cute and I hadn't seen them in what felt like ages. So amidst our small family reunion of sorts, my pal Elise tagged along as an extra 'cousin'. We packed lunches and picnics, and planned outing after outing....Beacon Hill Park, Elk Lake, Fort Rod Hill, Esquimalt Lagoon (where only Elise and I braved the freezing water to try riding a log in the waves! I still remember how crazy we were!). We did it all and Elise fit in just perfectly!

As I grow older, creating more memories to fill my summers, I remember less and less specifics from when I was a child. I recall more the feelings, the events and the best moments. That summer was a great one, with family and friends so close, and I will treasure it always!

Here are a few photos of a day Elise and I were at French Beach. I don't remember who else came, I don't remember what else happened that day, all I remember is how much fun we had and how splendid summer seemed. Back then, it seemed those long summer days would last a lifetime....I am certain now, that those wonderful days will live on as childhood highlights, memories that will never fade.