Community Camping weekend

I am not sure I like the new buzz word of community instead of service unit. Especially when our community is very big and not at all friendly with each other. Our service unit was combined with another service unit last summer. The first meeting that was held with the large group, we were referred to as "the other group" and were not given a voice. Our representatives left feeling like we were the red headed step children.

Since then we have functioned as two units under one name. Cookies and fall products are split, we hold our own meetings. We don't go down there or participate in their activities and they do not come up here.

Yay! Communities!

Anyway... where was I?

Camping. lol  We held our first community camping weekend. It was supposed to be a re- dedication camp. My daughter Lex and I love to camp together. A weekend without boys, doing things that they don't believe we would ever do.

We were the first ones at camp. I took her and her friend out of school early so that they got the most out of the weekend. We found our cabin and wiped down the beds and swept out the cabin. For sites that are supposed to be cleaned out every time someone stays in them, they sure are gross. We found a towel and a pair of socks. Some where someone is NOT doing their job.

The girls and I then walked around the camp. They were so happy to be there. We found beaver evidence and tracks. Pretty flowers and plants.

We started the fire and waited for everyone else to get there. They giggled around the camp fire, ate hot dogs and then we hiked back to our cabin. We were actually a bit away from the group fire ring and it was getting dark. You don't want to be walking in the woods, in the dark, with two young girls.

We had 4 bunks in our cabin, with only 4 people. I thought for sure that the girls would love to sleep on the top. For some reason they could not figure out how to get out of the beds. It was actually something that was hysterical to watch. I am a firm believer in allowing them to try to figure it out with out rushing to help. But after about 5 minutes of them acting like turtles on their backs, we rescued them and they decided to sleep on the bottom beds. 

The next morning was a bit rough, but what morning at camp isn't. Our camp leader tried. I will give her that. Something just went wrong between plan and execution. Breakfast took twice as long as it was supposed to. What was disappointing was leaders who were making sure that their own kids were fed and even giving them seconds, before other girls had even eaten. I walked away with out eating and went to the archery range to set up with another leader for the day. We had both been certified two weekends before.

We had a steady stream of girls all day. They love archery. That is not something that I thought girls would. Every girl tried, and some did not want to leave.

We had a bagged lunch and after 5 groups of girls, we headed back to the group ring and started on dinner.

And then I saw the most appalling thing ever at a girl scout function.  A woman who is a leader of a troop, lost in on her child. I want to preface this with, I can not tell you how to raise your children. If you think spanking is ok, then go ahead. I do not spank my children.

Back to this woman. She grabbed her child by the back of her jacket, dragged her to a log and slammed her down on it. Then proceeded to scream at this girl.

As soon as it happened, my daughter and her friend had this look of terror on their faces. I had a rough child hood with physical violence and I can not handle seeing the same thing happen to other children.

We packed up our chairs and mess kits and left the group ring. My co-leader went over to talk to the camp host. I do not know what the outcome was personally from hearing it myself, as I was walking the girls back and explaining why we were leaving to them. From what I gather, the host asked in my co-leader thought something should be said.

YES!!! This is a woman who is in charge of other children. Of course something needs to be said. Regardless of how you discipline your children, you do not do that in front of others. If you need to use physical punishment on your child, walk away from the group. Do not scare a group of children by putting your hands on someone. Blah!

The girls though, understood and were happy to be going back to the cabins and to have a fire of their own. I was a little upset that they would not be part of the ceremony, but since my whole troop was not at camp, we would have to do one anyway. So they will still get their rededication.

We got a great fire going. Let me tell you, a year ago I went to Outdoor Skills Training and I could not get a fire started. I ended up using so many matches that when the fire finally did start, it was the matches that caught fire.  I learned that a long cabin fire produces super hot coals, perfect for smores! And that is what we did. The girls gathered wood. They are so different, but hard working. My daughter brought over a downed tree and her friend brought tiny pieces. One was good from starting the fire and the other was good to keep it going.

We were sitting for an hour when the others from our camp site came up. Turns out, that the host has decided to not do the ceremony, but sent mountain pie makers and ingredients up with them. Now the party can start. They sang songs and made mountain pies. It was a good end to the day.

In the morning we cleaned up and left early.

We had a great weekend and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Next time, I would like more of my troop to go!