Contributed by: Nisha Parry nishaparry@hotmail.com (7/9/07)

Our theme for this year's girls camp was "The Amazing Race - Destination: Presence of God"

Here is a list of things we did based on our theme:

- We introduced our theme to the girls dressed as airline stewardesses. 

- All communication with girls and parents had a airline flair to it (i.e. boarding passes, itineraries, etc.)

- We created a passport application (which consisted of the basic name, address, etc) and also included questions that would help us get to the know the girls (what are your favorites...).

- The passport application became the basis of our passports that were created for each girl.  We tried to make them as true to life as possible.  Each page in the passport had a title which was an activity we planned to have at camp ( Canoeing, Target Shooting, Crafts, Hike, Races).  While at camp, once the girls completed a few of the activities we stamped their passports.  I was amazed at how excited they were to receive the stamp in their passport  - it even motivated the hard girls to do things they wouldn't have normally done (i.e. target shooting).  The last page of the passport listed "Spiritual Stamps" (Baptism, Y W Recognition Award, Endowment in temple, Mission (optional), Education, Temple Marriage, Children, Celestial Kingdom (Presence of God).  This list provided the foundation of the theme.  The idea was that there were certain things we needed to accomplish here on earth, while on this Amazing Race, to reach the Presence of God.

- Some activities we did around the theme included:

1.) matching girls up into partners which made a country and them into bigger groups (3 sets of partners) which made a continent. The first day of camp each continent made a flag and created a cheer for morning roll call.

2.) One day we had an obstacle course of sorts (we called "The Amazing Races").  There were 6 stations and the girls ran the race with their partner.  First the girls had to get across the lake on the canoe and rescue a wounded leader.  The clue told them to bring an extra ore to splint a leg.  Some girls caught that part and others didn't so the teams that didn't bring an extra ore had to paddle back with the wounded leader using on one ore (since other one was now a splint).  After making it back to the other side there was a 3-legged race, then the girls had to build and fire and extinguish it, then make a homemade compass which would give them coordinates for their next clue, finally the last obstacle forced the fasted teams to wait for everyone else because the girls needed everyone to help hoist each other over a wall to win the race.  It was really fun and I liked how the end of the race made them work all together.

- At the end we had medals (made of wood from a brother in our ward) for each girl with the theme on it and the certification certificate that we handed out in a closing ceremony.

Providence 1st Ward (Cache Valley, Utah)