Southern Illinois University - Obelisk Yearbook (Carbondale, IL)

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one person and getting so much in return, noted Vicki Lang, a returning counselor and SIU undergraduate. tilt is not only in a one-to-one situation that this satisfaction occurs. Even in a group there is opportunity to devote special attention to one camper. Particularly with Holly. I was glad to share time, but it was not always easy? Lang said. ltHer mood swings were so extreme and so frequent that she and I seemed to be riding the same emotional vertical strip. Our relationship was so close that often her life and mine become one? tphoto at rightl At Camp Olympia activities tend to be more process- oriented than goal-oriented. Three two-hour daily activities are scheduled in the areas of arts and crafts, beach, camp- outs, nature and small craft. There are numerous special events such as weekly hayrides to Mad Murtlesis tthaunted house and Wednesday nights at the movies. Where else can one watch old cartoons and classic Laurel and Hardy films with Part II preceeding Part I? Halloween festivities, scavenger hunts at Giant City State Park, in-house Satur- day Night Live performances, 50,8 dances and a camp production of The Wizard of Ozb were spectacular events this year. Food consumption is necessary for survival, but it is also a most pleasurable experience. Good nutrition is an impor- tant concern for Food Services Director Ray Graesser. Campers are exposed to many new and varied foods includ- ing low-sugar meals. Individual special diets are easily accommodated. The entire camp gathers daily in the Freeburg Dining Hall at 8 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. Each cabin crew sits together family-style, but cooking out is also an option. It is often necessary for counselors to feed many of the campers. This requires keen observation and sensitivity. Mutual frustrations can be expected, and a sense of humor is . helpful. All that is necessary for recreation is opportunity and motivation. At camp, paint, crayons and clay abound, and materials can creatively be modified to suit the individuals ability. Specialist Laura Green, junior in special education, is at home in this setting. As arts and crafts assistant director, she emphasizes the arts, providing encouragement for closet dancers and actors as well as budding sculptors. Sun and fun are a given combination at the beach. Free and weightless in the soothing element of water, campers roll, jump, glide and dive under the watchful eyes of specialists trained in life-saving and water safety instruc- tion. Inner tubes, balls, an old surfboard and a docked pontoon boat all serve as materials to stimulate fantasies. They also function as vehicles to facilitate group inter- actions. In addition to swimming instruction and deep-water distance swims, games with greased watermelons and team races for apples are also common activities. Fear of the dark and things that go bump in the night are routine. They can be exchanged for awe of the universe and a better understanding of nature through the experience of an overnight camp-out. Supplied with equipment and provisions and armed only with insect repellent, groups of campers and counselors backpack or boat to their destinations in the early afternoon. Whether sleeping bags are rolled under the stars or indoors in true tiHoliday Innii fashion, individual responsibility is strongly emphasized. Over a 24-hour-period participants 20 gather wood, build tires, prepare meals and clean equipment. J ournal-writing, yoga and sunrise exercising are encour- aged. Group cohesion is enhanced through story and joke- telling and, of course, the campfire sing-along is a unifying experience. The Camp Lions Adventure Wilderness School tCLAWSi developed out of the camp-out activity in 1980. This was the program which won the American Camper Associationis Eleanor P. Eells Award for special populations. Specialist Daniel tiSmokey Smirkin says the program was modelled after the Outward-Bound stress-challenge school courses and has a motto of llphysically challenge yourself? After backpacking and camping together for almost a week, the group is divided into three groups. The voyagers embark on a canoeing expedition on both Little Grassy and Devills Kitchen Lakes, portaging one-and-a-half miles be-

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people who are coping with similar physical conditions. Former SIU student Sheryl Sungail was impressed by the degree of decision-making power, where you are asked what it is you want to do, and then you are supported to do it. Most people would assume that these three, ttconiined to a wheel chairii with cerebral palsy, would have difficulty wheeling down the street, much less taking on a wilderness experience, but such is not the case. SIU community members comprise over one-third of the staff at Camp 01y. They are a mix of energetic under- graduates, compassionate, theory-filled graduate students and assorted adventure-seekers. They come here for many reasons, personal and professional. Laura Green, junior in special education and a three-year veteran of camp, signs up because she likes milk and cookies and has nothing better to do with her summers. The common denominator for most counselors, however, remains a love of people and of sheer fun. Training week begins in mid-May. During orientation the staff becomes familiar with the facilities and sensitized to the philosophy of camp. They learn basic transportation and care-taking skills and get a short-course in sign language. Safety is a major concern. Two registered nurses, who maintain the camp infirmary, explain emergency procedures for problems ranging from epileptic seizures to poison ivy. Beyond the formal dimension, this week pro- vides time for adjustments to communal life, a chance to know oneis comrades and the opportunity to gear up for the long summer. The counselor-to-camper ratio is about one-to-three. Counselor teams are assigned to each cabin and for 2 weeks each team is responsible for the total safety and supervision of their campers. As counselors assume the roles of companion-guardian, playmate, care-taker and disciplinarian-friendships usually blossom. ttBy far one of the best experiences is in giving myself to continued

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tween the two. The mariners construct a raft and spend an intense 24 hours water-bound. The mountaineers learn orienteering and spend time climbing and rappelling. The nature program, which is closely linked with Touch of Natureis Environmental Workshops, combines an appre- ciation of beauty and ecological acclimitization. Tom Marcinkowski, graduate student in forestry and environ- mental studies, sparks camper interest in nature with hikes and night-sky interpretations. Gardening, astronomy and life-styling games were regular features. The Cedar Creek slide show presentation ran a close race with the natural berry yogurt-making sessions for the category of best loved activity. A sizeable portion of Touch of Natureis 3,100-acre retreat borders Little Grassy Lake. During their two-week stay, campers of all ages and sizes are exposed to the delights of water travel. The security of a wheel chair belt is joyously exchanged for that of a life jacket. Canoeing can be challenging. Oar strokes are effective even when modified, and campers can splash and sun and snack on all day canoe trips. For shorter distances, a stop- off at the boat dock store is a treat. Without a doubt, the most popular water event was the float trip. Inner tubes were secured to the pontoon boat's side railings and campers were given the stimulating sensation of gliding through the cool tumbling wake of the boat. Sunrise events were special too. Before dawn, groggy grumblings could be heard from mud-eyed campers and counselors alike. Occasionally groups attemped to capture the experience of the unborn sky with cameras or crayons and paper. continued 21