COOKIN' AT CAMP

It is always fun to look forward to camp, but when the primary bunch of campers are third graders, it is easy to look back and heave a sigh of relief. My son and his colleague teacher have combined their third grade classes for a three day outdoor school in the springtime for several years now. They use a Methodist campground about 20 miles north of their school which offers a lodge building with a commercial-equipped kitchen, cabins, and other typical camp facilities.

My role was to prepare the meals, although some of the lunches were pretty light-weight effort – the first came from home and the last was just sandwiches, snacks, and a bottle of water. Still, the 50 or so kids and 15 to 20 adults did fare well with most other meals, considering the rest of the menu planned beforehand by the leaders. First breakfast, for example, was 140 sausages, 12 dozen eggs scrambled, hash-browned potatoes, trays of toast, applesauce, and a choice of beverages. I heard it called pretty good eats for a bunch of kids. Fortunately, the kitchen had a large grill in addition to plenty of top burners, so the cooking which begin at 6:30 was finished and ready by 7:30.

One big dinner involved nine pounds of spaghetti which when cooked filled three huge baking pans. Over that I poured about three gallons of sauce with meat and herb flavoring. Dana prepared two trays of rolls with garlic-butter topping and two large tubs of salad. There was plenty for all 70 appetites and seconds for those who wanted more.

The family night beach cookout almost fizzled due to wind and rain, but with food brought from the camp and more brought “pot-luck” style by parents, everyone was fed and filled. although some of the planned activities were rained out and the S’mores were delayed until later and cooked over a Bar-B-Q kettle instead of a campfire. Seems like they tasted just as good anyway.

The camp purpose – Introduction to the Outdoors – was accomplished in style with the teachers and assistants, including parents, a few high-school students (briefly), and a series of well planned lessons about nature and the environment. There was little free time and the kids mostly had no chance or need to generate trouble of their own. All in all, it was impressive to see how mature fifty kids who are mostly only nine years old can be when they have specific standards and rules in place and know how important their cooperation is to the success of the adventure. These teachers are to be greatly admired and are worthy of much thanks from students, parents, and school staff.

The whole effort, three meals a day with snack breaks morning and afternoon, couldn’t have been done without many willing hands. My greatest helper was the amazing Dana, my daughter (in-law) who filled an amazing role in the planning and shopping for meals and in helping her hubby juggle the thousands of details such a camp involves. And thankfully, several hard-working kitchen helpers – members of the Juneau Church of Christ - came to camp at various times to help with meal preparation and clean-up. I wouldn’t have had time or strength to do it all on my own. These volunteers have my heartfelt thanks and gratitude.

Everyone seemed to have a fine time. With classes, games, visiting speakers, campfire songs and skits, and a hike in the woods all the students were busy, involved, and usually loud with joy and excitement. Even the frequent announcements and instructions were accompanied with songs and humor. There were no “owies” requiring more serious attention that balm for mosquito bites or band-aides for scrapes. Glacier Valley School administrators and personnel can be justly proud of this week’s “Camp Work”!! All the participants earned “A”s for a job superbly done!!