On Sunday, June 22nd, St. Alban the Martyr Episcopal Church in Morehead, KY held our sixth annual Reading Camp Celebration and Camper Send-off.
Annie and Hunter, our 2008 Reading Camp kids, were the center of attention as we gathered to celebrate and help send them off to camp with full tummies and the blessings of our parish.
This year we were excited that Debbie Howes, principal of Tilden Hogge Elementary School in Morehead, joined the festivities. Ms. Howes, pictured below, is a critical partner with St. Alban's in our RC mission.
The Reading Camp Celebration and Camper Send-off tradition was started by our previous parish priest, Emily Richards.
Along with the RC kids and their families, we also invite the RC kids from previous years.
The event allows us to connect with the RC kids and their families (parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles come). Families have commented that the event has helped them to feel safer about entrusting their children to us.
Just as important, the event helps make Reading Camp more tangible to our parish members, who are able to meet and interact with our RC kids/families.
While previous years have included potluck lunches or ice cream socials, this year our new priest-in-charge Janey Wilson suggested having a potluck breakfast. We feasted on egg, sausage and cheese strada, Quiche Lorraine, hashbrown casserole, blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, and yogurt/fruit/granola parfaits.
Part of the annual tradition includes giving each camper a "goody bag." We try to balance practical camp stuff with fun items they wouldn't normally get cool sunglasses, fun flashlights (this year a UFO shaped flashlight that really shines bright), and battery-operated toothbrushes.
We also purchase several disposable cameras for each camper, with the invitation for them to return in August before the new school year starts to share their RC experiences with us and show us their photos.
This year, the items were put in fun Kung Fu Panda bags. When the kids opened the doors on the front of the bag, out popped the Kung Fu Panda, kicking. The whole point is fun, fun, fun!
Another way we support our RC kids and connect our parish to the RC experience is to buy fun cards for each camper, one card for every day of camp. Parish members sign the cards, putting encouraging and funny comments on them. Typically, the RC liaison then begins mailing the cards to the Domain the week before camp begins.
Of course, an important part of each Reading Camp Celebration and Camper Send-off is the worship service. Unfortunately, this year the campers had to leave right after breakfast in order to get to the van to Mission House and the RC van.
The worship service is a very special time where we bless the RC kids and their week at camp. Four years ago, our priest at the time, Emily Richards, asked our RC liaison to write special Reading Camp Prayers of the People. This has become part of our RC tradition.
The RC families often comment how much the services (and blessing their children) mean to them.
In August, we plan on inviting our 2008 RC kids, Annie and Hunter, back to St. Alban's to share their RC experiences and photos with us.
~~
If anyone wants to contact us about how to implement similar events at their parish, please feel free to contact St. Alban's RC recruiter, Maggie Miles at either MovetoLearn@gmail.com or 606-356-6773.
No comments:
Post a Comment