"Where are we going for Honor Camp?" always got the Mickey Mouse answer. New campers usually fell for it; seasoned campers and staff knew better but always held back a little hope.
Some parents fall for it when their children greet them with excitement. "I made Honor Camp, and we're going to Walt Disney World[R]." With a wink from the staff, most parents play along and feel privileged to be on the "all knowing" end of the game. Then parents try to mask theft surprise when the staff refuse to tell them where their children are really going. The Honor Camp letter gives the only clue--an out-of-slate trip.
At registration some parents were overheard grumbling, "I've never heard of a camp that won't tell you where your kids will be." Nevertheless, they willingly packed their kids' gear, brought their spending money, and waited for the announcement. Gasps and applause replaced any grumbles when parents found out their kids were getting a dream vacation to Orlando.
The CITs, staff, and AmeriCorps members were told the destination only two days before the trip. We waited for elation, euphoria, and shouts of joy. Instead, we were greeted with mostly blank faces. After years of deception (nine staff were former campers), they were programmed to react to the Mickey Mouse story in stride. Not until we gave our word of honor did expressions cautiously start to change.
Campers, on the other hand, squealed with the news. And with an excited frenzy, one hundred campers and staff boarded the two buses for sunny Florida--only 1,000 miles away. During the long bus trip, campers and staff ate often, watched movies, and did arts and crafts projects. They also watched videos about drug and alcohol prevention, violence and anger management, and AIDS prevention and completed workbooks and pre-and post-tests in all areas. A well-fed and entertained group makes for a happy bus ride.
Before the trip, staff spent many hours packing cooksets, repairing tents, and loading backpacks--assuming they would be camping all week. As the buses pulled away, one staff member noticed the equipment still sitting in front of a building. He was quickly hushed by Sanford who had one more surprise. Upon arrival, the buses passed the campground and stopped at Lake Cecile Best Western Suites and Resort. The road-weary campers and staff didn't know whether to collapse or to jump for joy. They soon realized that instead of macaroni and cheese and doughboys, they would be eating lasagna and French bread and apple pie a la mode, and their sleeping bags would not be a shield for mosquitoes but an extra blanket for the air conditioning. Honor Camp doesn't get much better than this.
The next three days were power packed with fun. The first full day started as any Orlando trip should--with a visit to Magic Kingdom[R]. Clad in Pfeifer Camp T-shirts, caps, and sunscreen, campers saw Main Street, the castle, Space Mountain[R], and a Disney character or two. On the second day, campers visited the Kennedy Space Center. The last frill day was another trip to Walt Disney World[R]--this time to the Epcot[R] Center where most campers and staff ventured to foreign lands through the World Showcase. Despite the rain, the fireworks and laser show made a lasting impression.
On the trip home, the bus drivers surprised the campers with a stop at Pensacola for a swim. An hour later, the slightly damp crew boarded the buses for the final leg home.
After a day of recuperating at camp, the last morning began at 7 a.m. with Kiwanis Breakfast, a camp tradition. Parents and dignitaries joined the Kiwanis Club in celebrating another safe and event-filled Honor Camp. After the awards, the goodbyes began.
Some staff worried that this would be the last Honor Camp trip. "Would Sanford quit now that his dream of taking the campers to see Mickey Mouse had come true?" Naaa! The truth is that the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Little Rock had some generous partners in funding this excursion. Since 1929, this club has solicited scholarship funds from local business partners. This year we had help from the City of Little Rock and a Safe and Drug Free Schools grant.
Hotel, Walt Disney World[R], coach buses. How would we justify the expense? The answer, of course, is through the campers' experiences. Honor campers are not chosen because of good grades or perfect attendance but because they proved themselves to be respectful and honorable. The camp has always been free for economically disadvantaged youth who cannot afford camp. One camper was living in a boarded up home with no electricity or running water for several months. Now she's been to Walt Disney World[R], has walked on the beach, has seen Cape Canaveral, and has stayed in a hotel. That experience will stay with her for a lifetime. She now knows what is out there to experience and will likely strive to achieve those experiences again. And she earned the trip herself by being honorable and upright, and no one can ever take that away from her.
Binky Martin-Tollette is the assistant director of Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp in Little Rock, Arkansas.
COPYRIGHT 2003 American Camping Association
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
