Northwest River Adventure happens this weekend. To pull off a camping trip with students takes a little bit of planning. Here are a few steps we took in our planning process:
Purpose: Fellowship
Decide what the purpose of the event is first. If the event has no purpose you are better off not having the event. The purpose behind NR Adventure is for students to have some time away and be placed in a setting that will help them form bonds and build relationships with other students.
Date: October 26-27
Make sure your calendar isn't overloaded with activities. We do about one a month and some months we don't have an event or activity. Check the school calendar and look for a long weekend if doing a camping trip during the fall or spring semester. It's too hot here in the summer to do a tent camping trip.
Location: Northwest River Campground
After choosing a date find a location that is doable from your location. If you are going on a one or two night camping trip you don't want to travel more than 1 to 2 hours from home. If your trip is longer you can travel farther. Pick a location that has space for large group camping because you want your group all camping in the same location.
Cost: $10
Contact the campground and get the prices for the space you will need. We reserved 4 large group tent areas and the screened in pavilion with a fireplace. Take the cost of the camping fees and divide it by the estimated number of students you will take camping. We are pitching in some from our youth budget to offset the expense keeping in mind the present state of our economy.
Enlist Adults
Before even publicizing an event it would be a wise move to have the team in place needed to pull off the event. I learned this the hard way last year on our spring retreat. I also hear stories of a lone youth leader taking kids on a retreat or event, that is edging very close to danger. You should always have at least one another adult involved for liability reasons. "What if I can't get volunteers?" Then don't do events then when parents or the church begin to question why there are no events or activities for the youth you can share that there is no one volunteering to help. Of course volunteers don't magically appear they need to be invited to be part of a fantastic ministry opportunity. Our camping trip has 21 students going and 7 adults, 3 men, 4 women, that is a really, really good ratio. I would never do an overnight event without at least 2 men and 2 ladies on the team, I think one to ten is good ratio. It's not wise for a husband/wife team to be the only adults either, have at least a third adult there.
Registration Deadline: October 19
Set a registration deadline and stick to it. For a camping trip you need to know how many you are feeding and sleeping in tents a week before to give adequate time to get prepared, two weeks would be even better. If you set a deadline and then always flex and give in and let students in at the last minute you will struggle with deadlines forever in youth ministry. We don't use sign up sheets. They are registered when we have their non-refundable deposit or registration fee. This approach helps with the ones that teeter on dropping out and then the domino effect it has on their friends. Medical releases are also required for any overnight trip.
Food: Students bringing the food
We made our camping trip fee low on purpose and then are having each student bring a couple of the food items needed for the trip. Other approaches we have used in the past: charge more and buy the food (a good one), Food sign up sheet (allows other church folks to get involved). The registration deadline helps you know how much food you need. We are going simple: chili dogs, stew, Mountain Man Breakfast, PB & J sandwiches.
Equipment: Stuff we need to pull of the trip
Transportation, tents, cooking equipment, first aid kit, firewood, Coffee, games (we plan on playing lots of table games by the fireplace in the screened in pavilion). Students are responsible for their own sleeping bags, toiletries, etc.
Schedule: Flexible
Some events require a rigid set schedule, some don't. This event about the only thing we are "set" on is our departure and return times. We plan on being flexible. The overnight trip will involved, time setting up tents, playing lots of table games, sitting around the fire, one devotion and one quiet time, hiking and meals. If this were our spring retreat there would be more of a set schedule. Part of the purpose of this overnight retreat is to simply give the students a chance to unwind and relax, no busyness, or hectic pace.
Our Understanding: Rules (no one likes that word)
No one is ever alone. No electronics/cell phones/mp3 players,etc. No guy and girl alone together at any point in time. Be on time for meals, help clean up. Look for opportunities to help. Let an adult know if you are going off somewhere in the campground and where you will be. Rule of Thumb - "if you have to wonder if you will get in trouble or not then don't do it." Don't play in the fire. Keep tent zipped up. Don't feed the bears or pet the deer. Wear deodorant. (if I confiscate a cell phone or mp3 player etc. the student will not go on the next overnight trip) No going into the tent of the opposite sex. No food or drinks in tents (We had some serious raccoon problems once when a girl ignored the rule, raccoons love Oreos and one coon was as big as a german shepherd. Another girl was stung by a bee because they left their tent unzipped and an open can of coke which attracted bees).
Packing: Saturday, October 25 (this is the updated part)
Today I have been busy since about 10 packing and loading. Two things I thought of as I worked my backside off: (it's now 3:00)
1. use this as an opportunity to enlist some youth to help and build relationships in the process. A "no brainer" but I thought about it too late. What does that say? hmmmm
2. Plastic tubs and lots of them. I loaded all the paper goods in one tube, all the bread in another, etc... How did we survive before plastic totes and tubs? Invest in the tubs!
In my research this week for looking for an extra tent I discovered that Coleman has a program for non-profits and you can buy tents and camping equipment directly from them and some for more than $100 less then they sell for in the store and it is free to join. If a camping trip is something you would do as a youth group on an annual basis it would be wise to invest in some quality, big tents from Coleman. I learned the hard way that borrowing tents isn't good. You can quickly ruin a tent or get there to set up and be missing some vital parts to the tent.
Enjoy the woods!
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