Family Camp post from Mercury

This is my favourite camp of the summer for many reasons, which I will tell you about, along with some new ideas for this year. This is the camp that Trillium started attending when she was a little girl, and really got her connected with Kintail. This is a camp where families come for some relaxation, and always leave with a new friend, many that last years and years. This is a camp where parents and children can have fun together, leave the worries of home behind, and enjoy God’s creation together. Let the cook make the food, let the staff plan activities, and let the staff take your children for half of each day so you can do an adult activity or relax. Probably the best part of each family camp is the afternoon on the sandy beach, watching the children play with the staff in the water, build a sandcastle and get a sun tan. It’s always fun for the families to canoe together, and we see who tips.

Last year we had to leave family camp at 5:00am on the first morning to go to London where our daughter Anna was born, but we were back the next afternoon to see everyone. This year we’ll be there for the whole time!

Some highlights that we have planned for 2009:
· We have arranged for a cake decorator to come and do a cake making and decorating course for as an adult or family activity, she thinks she will teach how to make and decorate a flower box cake, but is happy to give any tips on a cake you might be thinking of making for a birthday or special occasion.
· Ken Kim, the director of PWS&D (Presbyterian World Service & Development) will be the theme speaker for the 3 adult sessions. Ken’s wife and children will be with him, and they have interesting stories of starting their family while doing mission work in Guatemala for 8 years, until returning to Canada 2 years ago.
· Tom Sandor will return to the kitchen again this year, and he will have his whole family with him this year! Tom is planning a great feast for us, and he is always accommodating to any dietary needs or snack cravings!
· Kathy Gaskin will return as nurse again this year, with her husband Mark Gaskin (camp name Jumbo Jelly Bean), and their son Oliver (Ocelot) will be Program Director again this year, and their daughter Eden (Guppy) will be a counsellor.
· Our daughter, Anna, will have her first birthday, so there will be a big party. On top of this, we thought it would be the best time to have her baptized, since this is the community she was born into. She will be baptized at the Sunday morning worship service in the outdoor chapel by the Rev. Gwen Brown (camp name Harvest). Gwen married us in the outdoor chapel at the camp 9 years ago, so it will be very special to have Anna baptized by her, in the chapel, with our camp community surrounding us!
· Our 2 ½ year old twin daughters Ella & Lucy don’t want to be left out, so they are planning a fun skit for the annual talent and skit night, that is always so amazing. By popular demand, Dean Morrison (camp name Wind) will be doing a special performance, nothing more can be said at this time, but he is aiming for a brochure picture like Joslyn (camp name Jaguar) got at family camp last year (she is playing the guitar with her son on the deck of harmony House).

Here are some pictures from Kintail Players at Family Camp last year.