Kid's-eye View:  DEC Camp 2005
  
Camp DeBruce
by Karen Nisley
  

I attended the DEC camp called Camp DeBruce between the 14-20th of August in the Catskills. I was sponsored by the Waterman Bird Club.

You arrive at Camp DeBruce on Sunday between 3:00 – 4:30 pm and check in. A volunteer helps you carry your stuff to your bunk in one of six cabins: Girls: Big Indian, Beaverkill, Neversink. Boys: Monguop, Balsam, Sugarloaf. Then you report to the circle at the bottom of the hill and play many name games to learn everyone's name.

Most of the days go with the same schedule. It goes something like this:
Wake Up Call at some unknown, way to early time in the morning. Circle Up in front of the lodge where you will shortly eat breakfast. At Circle Up, you will play a wake up game (Pass the loud noise /Song + Dance). Then you eat breakfast. At breakfast you are told what you will need to wear for that day's discovery group lesson.

Discovery Group Lesson: Forest, Stream/Pond, Field.

Circle Up afternoon: There you get told what the days optionals are (canoeing/Tye- dyeing). You choose your optional and then leave on the adventure. There you spend the rest of your afternoon, usually getting muddy or wet. Canoeing was my favorite thing because I had never done it before and we got to splash other campers with our paddles. There were three people to a canoe.

Occasionally you get cabin time. The counselors always give you something to do like cleaning the cabin so you have very little time for yourself.

Circle Up: Play a game before supper.

Dinner: Something you've been waiting for all day. After supper there is campfire. At campfire, everybody sings and has lots of fun. Then they send you to bed.

On the third day (Wednesday), we went on an overnight camping trip. The walk was about two miles uphill. We had to carry all our food, tents, sleeping bags and dishes. The campsite was rocky. The councilors scared all of the boys with the notion of a local bear. The “bear” was a nonexistent bear...

There were two groups: Hunter safety and non hunter safety.

Hunter safety comes back in the early morning and the non hunter group stays until lunch. Hunter safety spends the whole day studying for the test and eating PB&J.

There is usually a variety of food everyday; all of it made by the volunteers. Egg muffin, pitas/tacos, stir fry, chicken nuggets...

Thanks to all who sponsored me. It was a lot of fun!!

Wings Over Dutchess, September 2005

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