ACTIVITIES

Activities will be selected based on your overall purpose for being.
Depending on the amount of land available to you and the hours for your camp, activities may be few or many.

Considerations for activities will include:
1. age group you are serving.
2. outdoor/indoor possibilities.
3. climate of the area in which you locate.
4. facility possibilities
5. cost factors of activities chosen such as archery, fishing,vegetable
vegetable and fairy gardening, horses, animals, hiking trails,
rock and gem program, leather craft programs, other crafting prog
programs, recreational opportunities such as soccer or other sports.
6. activities may also be chosen for a camp based on the talents, skills,
and knowledge of those operating the camp.
7. always activities should reflect your awareness of every age of the
child you serve, thus meeting the needs of every camper.
8. safety of every activity for every age will always be a major
concern.
9. activities selected may sometimes require additional insurance
for your camp. Discover before implementing such activities which
will actually require additional insurance, as this will increase your
budget needs.

THE WHIP-POOR-WILL CHOICE OF ACTIVITIES:

SINCE CAMP WHIP-POOR-WILL operated in several locations, activities varied based on the places we were privileged to set up camp!

Example: At our first location, activities offered were considered with
our purpose of providing Christian nurture in the out of doors for children. Through music, stories, devotions, small areas for each group
were needed and thus set up in wooded areas which we called Homes in the Woods! There the groups gathered to begin and end their day, and enjoy lunch and snacks in their home away from home! Other activities based on the availability of space included at this location:

swimming
leather crafting
arts and crafts
all camp time with stories and dramas and sharing
basketball (as courts were available)
cookouts
movie time (as there was a building provided)
archery
creative time in homes in woods
nature studies

Each Thursday an optional overnight was provided for campers
entering grades 2-6. Those activities included typical overnight
activities of camp fires, cookouts, roasting marshmallows, story
times, sing alongs and choice of some of the favorite day time
activities.

While at this location, WANDERING WHIP-POOR-WILLS, a series of
unique trips was provided. This was due to annual barbecues permitted
by the owner of this property. Thus we had to pack up for a week or more and enjoy the journeys planned for more enrichment of a varied
nature. Activities consisted of trips to animal farms, to Reid’s Gold Mine, museums,and many other places for growth, learning, and fun.

SECOND LOCATION:

At the second location, again the purpose was considered and the
age levels for the available property offered. Again activities
changed based on the property. On this property there was only one
small building and a lake and less wooded areas. There was no
swimming pool. There was however, a hillside on which a fine
slip and slide was constructed for one of the most favorite of
activities. With permission to use the lake, canoes were rented
each summer from the Venture Program, offered at the University of Charlotte. A small area was fenced in for horses and animals, thus
providing a riding program and animal enjoyment. Leather crafting
continued as a popular activity along with an arts and crafts programs
with many varied creative crafts from day to day. A large tent
was put up each summer as the main meeting place , upon arrival and
dismissal, or other gatherings. Later a gazebo was purchased for the
older group to enjoy and storage was built back of a rented trailer
used for office space. A small green house was purchased for
beginning a gardening program. Soon a tent was placed outside
the small building. In this was placed recreational equipment such as foosh ball, ping pong, and tables for other games. A small rustic store
was purchased for hobby items , shirts, hats, and varied wood toys,and
a golf cart storage area was built nearby.

A large fishing deck was built on the lake with a roof covering to shade
the little fishermen from the sun! With a popular arts and crafts program a deck was constructed for a creative working space for
crafts!

With such talent among campers and creative staff, a small stage
was built and benches for all camp time. Yes, all of this on property
belonging to someone else, but needed for the provision of the
many campers, whose joy was evident everyday.

With the distance of this location, it was necessary to again consider
transportation. Purchased School buses were painted camp colors of green and white, and filled with singing campers wearing green and white shirts, and green and white caps! These buses ran on Songs, not gas. Without singing the buses stopped! The upkeep was daily, and
damage often incurred in parked places, gave constant attention
to repairs, replacement of stolen tags, and more! But the songs from
the happy campers made the other time consuming needs worthwhile!!

As the years continued, Mac’s swim club was built on the land and a hayride to the area was provided for swimming several times a week.

Family events were enjoyed. Varied activities were then shared. Picnics and family fun were highlights of every week. Camp Little Whip-Poor-Will was operating on the other campus at the same time and once a week, families from the Little Camp enjoyed coming for picnics and canoeing with the youngest of the campers!

THIRD LOCATION:

To this temporary location our small buildings were moved . for
there were no buildings available. This location provided a lake
and wooded area and hiking trails. Small group homes in the woods,
and an all camp place was set up. A safe place for archery was provided. While there was no garden area, a unique wooded area was set aside for learning about plants and other growing things. Pottery was provided for take home garden projects and decorated for proud
displays at home. Leather craft continued to be provided along with the
arts and crafts program for everyday take home projects. Fishing was
available and as the lake had lots of large catfish, there was much
entertainment at feeding and watching these fascinating fish!
A little camp store was available with their beloved shirts and hats and
other unique items for purchase if desired. Tipis were set up and Indian
programs prevailed for education . All camp time settings provided
for stories and song, dramas and Biblical leaders. Hiking areas provided opportunities to learn more about nature. Small groups
of campers with a lead counselor and Jr. counselor moved about
through the day to experience every activity to the fullest.

Some days when the showers came quickly just before leaving time
campers “huddled “in the very large tipis for counselor sharing of
talents, stories, and music. On other days with more rains, a church
nearby was leased with classrooms for each small group. Rotating from room to room with each counselor hosting a different activity,
the day passed too quickly!

FOURTH AND FINAL LOCATION:

Having explored land, made offers on land, and taken some of the
property to zoning for approval, it appeared that it was time to
close Camp Whip-Poor-Will. A Board Member asked that before such a
decision was made that a description of our need and desired wish for land, etc. be placed in the newspaper. Reluctantly this was provided. Only one person answered the request. The name of the camp was not listed , but a grandfather of a former camper responded to tell us about a place which was not for sell but would be a perfect place. When he learned it was Camp Whip-Poor-Will, he was so glad he had taken the time to call as his grandson had loved the camp. After pursuing the property, this same Board Member recommending the “last try” of the newspaper ad, purchased the property for the use of Camp Whip-Poor-Will!

The property had a large lodge, wooded areas, and creeks surrounding the property. A pavilion was filled high for storage of building materials and more! At this location, after much hard work, activities were determined as follows:

. Homes in the woods ( the place for morning devotions, etc. to
begin each day, have lunch, and conclude the day in the small
group environment)

.fishing in the surrounding creeks and later in a constructed pond.
.archery areas
hiking trails
leather craft building (moved from the other camp location)
arts and crafts
rock and gem program in the creek
gardening

biking trails
horse farm
animals
ponding (catching minnows in nets)
Train ride through the woods
Bible knowledge for Kids (called BKK)
All Camp Time (in wooded area with benches and stage for daily
gatherings for all campers) at close of day.

OTHER
scavenger hunt putt putt golf
parachute games drama
lanyards snow cones
So’mores camp store
musical instruments overnights
storytelling
nature crafts
pavilion games