This
past weekend, my Grand Officers, Grand Representatives, and I headed back to
Rainbow Camp for two days of fun and sleeplessness. This sleepover was not easy
to prepare for in the least; there were activities to plan, a menu to
coordinate, and reservations to collect. I have to say though, given the
opportunity, I would do it again in an instant.
When
we first pulled up at camp, I took a moment to appreciate how serene it looked
without any campers or staff around. And for a moment, it was a little sad. We
had had an amazing four weeks and then, just like that, it was over. I realized
that all of the Rainbow girls would be going back to school soon and would
carry with them their memories and stories of this great summer. Then I
realized that this sleepover would be our last opportunity to make memories
together (before the Whale Watch of course) and that we better make it count.
With that in mind, I went inside the rec hall and started setting up.
As
4:30 got closer, I felt like a little kid waiting for birthday party guests;
excited and I kept wishing that girls would start showing up. I guess I learned
an important lesson: be careful what you wish for. As soon as one person
arrived, it seemed like everyone was arriving at once, eager to sign in and
start the fun.
Before
dinner, we introduced ourselves and received “swag bags” full of fun sleepover
favors. Then we played an ice-breaker game that involved switching seats around
a circle based on similarities. After this (rather dangerous) game, we watched
as teams battled it out during Instructures, where one person silently directs
the other as she attempts to build a structure out of wooden blocks. This game
demonstrated the importance of communication, and how things get done quicker
when we all work together.
After
cleaning up from our games, we ate a fantastic dinner of Taco Cornbread Pizza.
What’s that? You’ve never heard of Taco Cornbread Pizza? Well, my friend, you
are missing out! It just happens to be one of the best new food items available
at camp since the invention of Breakfast Lasagna in 2014! Taco Cornbread Pizza
consists of a layer of cornbread, a layer of cheese, a layer of taco-seasoned
hamburger, another layer of cheese, and (no one has verified this but I’m sure
it’s true) a layer of pixie dust. Honestly, it is one of the best dinners I’ve
ever had, and the sleepover was no exception. The Grand Officers and Grand
Representatives were kind enough to provide their own side dishes, drinks, and
awesome desserts. Concluding dinner, we moved over to the stage area, where our
adult assistants and some of the girls treated us to their performance of a
skit. The skit was all about planning a reception and what can go wrong when
girls don’t RSVP.
Then
we brought out our giant tabletop pad of paper and talked about the reasons we
wanted to become Grand Officers and our goals for this grand year. I think what
stood out most during this brainstorming session was that many girls wanted to
become officers in order to show the girls in their assembly what Rainbow has
always meant to them and what you can accomplish in one year as a Grand
Officer. I am always impressed with the maturity of the girls I work with, and
it is these girls who make Rainbow truly special for me.
Once
our brainstorming was concluded, it was time for bed. Everyone staked their
claim on part of the floor, crawled into their sleeping bag, and proceeded to
chat for another three hours before settling down and actually sleeping. Of
course, none of us can really complain about that, since it is what sleepovers
are for. I even heard two girls planning their first terms as Worthy Advisors,
so I know that this time was invaluable to them.
In
the morning, we awoke to the smell of French Toast Casserole (another new camp
staple!) and enjoyed our last hours together. We were able to practice some
walking drill, making an anchor and a sailboat, and talked about how to
successfully visit a Grand Assembly in another state. Finally, some of us
stayed for the Eastern Star Family and Friends Picnic, which was a great way to
end the weekend. Our gracious Eastern Star hosts created an obstacle course,
which Rainbow and DeMolay both thoroughly enjoyed. The weekend was made
complete when the members of Eastern Star presented a cake that featured our
Rainbow emblem, showing that our organization is celebrating its 90th
birthday this year. None of us expected the cake, and it was a wonderful way to
commemorate our organizations spending time together for the picnic.
Well,
I’m off to finish packing for tomorrow, when I’ll be moving back to Bay State
Road for the new school year! I hope to see many of you in Plymouth for the
Whale Watch on Saturday!
What
is the tea selection today? Peanut Butter Cup Tea from David’s Tea’s Fall
collection!
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