Girls Camp: The Special Ingredient Was Love

“To say preparing for this year’s Girls Camp was a lot of work is an understatement,” states YW President Cheryl Kanenwisher. 

Preparation for 4 days of high altitude, outdoorsy living at Camp Little Thunder on Cedar Mountain, began last January when Bloomington Stake YW leaders announced the theme this year for camp would be “Come Unto Christ.”   Each ward was then asked to choose an attribute of Christ as their own theme for this camp. B7 YW made a list, narrowed it down, then unanimously chose the attribute of "Love.”

To expound on this attribute, while making it fun and memorable, the girls decided they would be the Master Chefs with a motto of “The Special Ingredient is Love” which included a baking theme with aprons and chef hats.  The camp cheer was – what else – “All you need is love!”

For six months, the YW’s and their leaders were involved in fundraising, designing logos, making camp decorations, creating packing lists, hiking, certifying, skit writing and rehearsing, and practicing songs.

Girls Camp, attended by Liz and Melissa Larson, Aspen Erskine, Cara and Aspen Bair, Caroline Smith, Aleia Anderson, Caroline and Grace Bown, Emily Forsyth and Vivian Fraser, included many great spiritual and physical experiences. YW rock climbed and repelled as their high adventure activity, conquering fear as they scaled 100-foot cliffs.  On Skit Night, they shined, then won the crowd over even more by passing out homemade chocolate chip cookies at the end of their performance.  The most memorable of the girls’ four nights together included a wonderful fireside with talks and music and which ended with balloons released into the air, each with a testimony tied to it.  The girls then retired to their ward campsite for their own testimony meeting where they discussed the attribute of love.

Sister Kanenwisher, YW’s and their leaders express love and thanks to all those who contributed to the success of Girls Camp 2014.  “We appreciate our Camp Director and Organizer Sister Iliana Carter who did so much to make this a memorable activity.  Thanks to Sister Annie Green who prepared pounds of chocolate chip cookie dough and darling decorations ahead of time for our camp.  Sister Lori Bair and her daughter Cara baked dozens of cookies – then brought all the B7 campers dinner from Café Rio (probably the YW’s favorite part of camp) on Friday evening.  Thanks to Sister Rebecca Larson who joined the party on the last evening and provided rides home for our girls. 

“Special thanks also goes to Bishop Mike Bair and First Counselor Boyd Kanenwisher who helped haul gear to camp, set it up and then came back to help take it down and bring it all home.  We would not have been able to feel the Spirit or have enjoyed the atmosphere of camp without all their efforts.  We appreciate the Stake Presidency and the Stake Young Womens Presidency for all the time, sacrifice and inspiration which went into making this Girls Camp amazing.  The B7 YW are excited and ready to accept the challenge given by the Stake to read the entire Book of Mormon in 40 days!  We are warriors!  We can do it!”