The Sweet Taste of Summer Camp

Andrew Ferguson and his brother, Ijah, prepare their fire pit to make s'mores.

BY KIM KOBERSMITH

Most aspects of summer camp cannot fit in a shoebox. But some can. Tree bark to make a name tag, supplies to make s’mores, a camp t-shirt to tie-dye, and water balloons were a sampling of what made a success of the first ever Camp in a Box by Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) two summer camps. Hand-packed with love by current camp staff and former volunteer counselors, the simple white boxes contained supplies and instructions for six weekly camp activities. Staff from both Camp AJ and Camp Shawnee, as well as numerous volunteer alumni led virtual activities each week while also engaging campers on weekly Zoom interactions.

“I am grateful that even though CAP staff are not having on-site camp, they are having these enrichment sessions virtually,” said Alison Ferguson, mom of Camp Shawnee campers Drew, 13, and Ijah, 11. “Everything is going digital and they are staying with the pace.”

CAP staff started making plans for a virtual camp experience in the early part of spring when it began to look certain that the pandemic would preclude inperson camp this year. As they imagined what camp could look like digitally, they kept two priorities front and center: fostering connections with the kids they serve and offering activities that nurtured creativity and got campers outside.

One of the Fergusons’ favorite weeks featured the campfire activity. Ijah had never built a fire before, but the instructions included safety practices as well as techniques. After the boys chopped wood from a downed tree, they set it ablaze in their backyard fire pit. Their sweet reward? Utilizing the s’mores ingredients in their boxes.

“We wanted to get the kids away from a computer screen as much as possible,” said Emily Dumont, Camp AJ community educator. One of her favorite planned activities was the white camp t-shirt, ready for tie dying.

Normally this is an activity that campers and counselors alike look forward to each summer. With a little bit of creativity, staff ensured that campers would not lose that tradition. Instructions identified household materials that could be used in place of dye, like food coloring and Kool-Aid, which allowed campers to individually and collectively experience this camp favorite.

Staff also used the distribution of the boxes as a way to reconnect with many of the students that they tutor in local schools during the academic year. Many students in Kentucky went home for spring break, and with rising cases of COVID-19, they never returned to school. When families picked up their camp boxes in early June, both CAP staff and kids were excited to see each other, even briefly.

Camp in a Box has proven popular. The original offering of 1,000 boxes for Camp AJ and Camp Shawnee (500 each camp) were claimed in a week. Through a partnership with Save the Children and special donations, CAP was able to meet the high demand and distribute 1,506 Camp in the Box kits free of charge. With this support, CAP was able to serve 500 more children than usual during our residential camp program. In addition, there were over 6,600 video views on FaceBook, YouTube, and Instagram, which reached over 35,000 people.

Staff at both camps recognized an unexpected blessing through Camp in a Box. Some students have never attended camp before because they and their parents were nervous about embarking on an overnight camp. Virtual camp this summer served as a bridge event to give reluctant campers a taste of the camp experience and hopefully get them comfortable enough to attend Camp AJ or Camp Shawnee next summer.

Drew and Ijah Ferguson first attended Camp Shawnee two years ago. It had a powerful impact and their mother said she has often heard them talk about their camp experience. This summer, they are grateful to have just a little bit of the fun times that they have shared with counselors and other campers at Camp Shawnee.

“The Camp in the Box activities remind me of Camp Shawnee,” Ijah said. “They are so creative with the games and activities, just like at camp.”

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