Adventure, Laughter, and Friendship at Camp HOPE Oregon
Last Friday afternoon, a close-knit group of campers collected their belongings, embraced waiting family members, and said goodbye to new friends. Their departure from A Safe Place Family Justice Center marked the conclusion of the second and final week-long session of Camp HOPE Oregon. We are pleased to report that our first year of camp in Oregon was a huge success!
Camp HOPE Oregon is based on the model developed by Camp HOPE California, which a small group of staff, campers and youth counselors from Clackamas Women’s Services experienced in summer 2014. Staff spent over six months adapting the model for local implementation and planning every detail of camp activities. Their first significant task was choosing a location, and the camp ultimately took place at a bucolic site in the foothills of Mt. Hood. Though the hewn-log buildings and the peaceful environment felt remote, Camp HOPE Oregon was located right here in Clackamas County, making it accessible to the large number of staff and volunteers who commuted for one-time or multiple shifts.
Staff and volunteers supported two wonderful groups of campers, 29 kids aged 7 to 11 during the first week and 17 youths between the ages of 11 and 15 during the second week. We kept everyone very busy! Each day’s schedule included field games, pool time, campfire gatherings, and three shared meals in the main lodge. Campers also participated in arts and crafts, hiking, archery, and miniature golf. In addition, we had two days of adventure offsite for a ropes challenge course and river rafting. Bradi, our Volunteer Coordinator, summed it all up, saying, “I heard so much laughter while I was at camp!”
Apart from having fun, campers worked together to accomplish goals and support each other in new activities and challenges. And we regularly saw campers encouraging each other. For example, several of the younger campers started off a little unsure in the pool, but by the end of the week they were accompanied by friends as they moved away from the wall and played with inner tubes and pool noodles. These efforts to support peers and try new things were rewarded–every evening during Campfire, Youth Counselors presented their campers with “Character Trait Awards” for showing strengths in areas such as kindness and courage. Staff also discussed a word of the day during Campfire, including “Rise,” “Perseverance,” and “Camaraderie,” exemplifying those traits with the biographical details of heroes from history.
We relied on a core group of Youth Counselors to lead this full schedule and to observe and identify campers’ strengths. Our team of counselors ranged in age from 17-34 and came from various backgrounds—some having no childcare experience, and some having attended camps several times in the past. Despite their differences, they were all enthusiastic, supportive, and extremely fun! Prior to camp, staff members trained ten Youth Counselors on domestic violence, trauma, bystander intervention, and our specific approach to working with children who have experienced family violence. Our group of Youth Counselors helped create a memorable and safe experience for all of our campers, and they will continue to be involved in ongoing mentorship activities.
Friendships blossomed at camp and so many memories were made. To help campers look back on those positive experiences throughout the year, we are going to provide them with a personalized set of photos from their week of camp during our Post-Camp Family Night in August. We’ve already been flooded with requests from campers and youth counselors to invite them back for Camp HOPE 2016. In fact, one of the surest signs of Camp HOPE Oregon’s success is that the countdown to next summer has already begun!