Guide to Spiritual Summer Camps

Continued from page 1

A summer camp for kids from atheist, agnostic, freethinking, and humanist families. Camp Quest has six locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. According to its mission statement, the camp is dedicated to "rational inquiry, critical and creative thinking, scientific method, self-respect, ethics, competency, democracy, free speech, and the separation of religion and government guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States."

Boys and girls ages 8 to 17.

In addition to arts and crafts, the camp offers beekeeping, ventriloquism, critical thinking activities, and learning programs on ethics, evolution, astronomy, archeology and the supernatural, to name a few.

The Invisible Pink Unicorn Hunt, also known as the Invisible Green Dragon Hunt at the Minnesota camp. Campers are told there are two invisible unicorns (or dragons) on the campsite. If a camper can prove otherwise, he or she will win a "godless" $100 bill (bills printed prior to 1957 did not have the word "God" on them), or a "godless" $20 at the Minnesota branch. So far no campers have managed to claim the prize.

Our Lady of Victory Camp
What Is It? A Catholic camp run by young adults, which bills itself as a "faith experience which will last a lifetime." Located in Bentley, Alberta, Canada, the camp helps youngsters learn more about Catholicism.
Who's Going? Catholic youth between 9 and 13 years old.
Cool Activities: Daily liturgy, celebrating the sacraments, and learning about the Catholic faith. Traditional camp activities like sports and swimming are also a part of the camp experience.
Summer Highlight: Sing-alongs around the nightly campfires
Website: http://olvc.ab.ca  

A Jewish camp located in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Blue Star has different camps for different age groups, plus one for families. Campers eat food kosher food, attend Shabbat services, take "Living Judaism" courses like Hebrew and Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation.

Depending on the camp, Jewish kids and adults of all ages.

Horseback riding, pottery, Israeli folk dancing and singing, swimming, boating, athletics, and more.

A camp carnival, which has rides, a dunking booth, food and more. Proceeds benefit a

(or charitable) project such as feeding the homeless in Jerusalem.

A Mormon Camp held at various university campuses throughout the U.S.

which aims to "encourage, assist, and guide participants as they strive to 'come unto Christ.'"

Mormon teens age 14 to 18.

Games night, Cheer-offs (campers perform and present cheers and banners they've created during Games Night), dance competitions, Family Home Evening (includes prayer, songs, lessons and games), service projects, a variety show where campers can display their talents.

Banquet night, a semiformal dinner and awards ceremony held on the last night of camp.

Bayside Unitarian Universalist Summer Camp
What Is It? A small family camp located on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Mornings are usually devoted to workshops and worship for adults (the kiddies are taken care of), while the afternoon offers free time for families to spend together doing any number of the fun—and relaxing—activities at the camp.
Who's Going? Entire UU families attend, kids and adults, as well as single adults looking to get away.
Cool Activities: Games, water carnivals, weaving, poetry-writing, music, meditation, sailing, and Iyengar yoga among other things.
Summer Highlight: The Porch Workshop, which allows teens and adults to "explore the complex personal, spiritual, and political facets of contemplating the world" from an old wooden rocking chair on a large shaded porch overlooking Lake Geneva.
Website: http://www.yahoodrummers.com/bayside/index.html

Kids for Peace Camp
What Is It?  Kids for Peace day camp, located at four sites in Maryland, is based on the idea that peace in the world starts with understanding how other people live. Each week for eight weeks, campers take a “World Tour,” immersing themselves in international cultures—including Africa, Central America, Asia, and the U.S.—through hands-on arts and crafts, cooking, folktales, drama, games, music, and discussions of issues of peace and justice that affect those regions (e.g. girls’ education in Afghanistan, child labor in Brazil). Conflict resolution and peacemaking skills are also emphasized. Kids for Peace is not affiliated with any religion, but world religions are studied as part of culture.
Who’s Going? Kids between 6 and 14 years old
Cool Activities:  Field trips every week to advance cultural knowledge—last year’s trips included the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, a Ugandan dance festival, an Afghan tribal council, the Maryland Zoo, meals in ethnic restaurants.
Summer Highlight: International Day of Peace featuring “taste of the world” foods from all the countries studied.
Website: http://www.kidsforpeacecamp.com/