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Erin
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| Posted: Sept 09 2007 at 4:11pm | IP Logged
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Exciting morning here, we leave for our annual hs camp this morning. This is our 6th year, a wonderful time for the children to experience communal Catholic life and catch up with friends they haven't seen all year and meet new ones  Wonderful for parents too
We have two lovely priests coming, we will have daily Mass, adoration, benediction and rosary in the Chapel (we use a baptist camp so we dedicate the chapel every year) Actually some of you may know our American priest Fr Rizzo  The priests also give the children daily catechetical instruction.
The highlight of the week is when our Bishop arrives for Confirmation at the local Catholic church (the parish are very gracious about us using their church yearly) My son Dominic is making his Confirmation this year This year we have 6 candidates and 2 First Communicants. And our Bishop who always comes back for the celebrations afterwards is going to give the parents a talk this year 
Another exciting feature is we have a lady from the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd giving the children a couple of presentations and a talk to the parents.
Just so you don't think it is all 'work and no play' we have plenty of free time at the beach, a canoe trip planned, a sports carnival and we finish with a concert.
I'm not sharing this to make anyone envious, but to encourage you to start a camp in your area. When my friend Lynn and I camp up with this 'hair brained idea' we never knew whether it would be a success or not. We live in an area where we are the only Catholic homeschoolers for hundreds of miles, there are only eight families in the diocese (and it is a large diocese) but families are willing to travel hundreds of miles and interstate to come. Oh yeah David and Lana of Bruggie Tales are coming
We started small with our activities also, this is the first year we have such a great roll call. And I didn't ask our Bishop till our second year about Confirmation, very nervous I was but he was the gracious man he is and even better he said 'yes!'
Well this year we have 14 families and just over 100 people. I'll let you know how it all goes when I'm back in 5 days
We told the dc that we'll try to leave at 8.30am, they packed the car last night and cleaned the house, they are not happy with dh as he hasn't finished packing his bag  he is holding up the plan, I believe they are trying to get us to leave about 7.30  at least at 6.30 they woke up and checked up on me, 'had I finished my bag' our bags are the only ones not in the car  I think they are keen to go?? 
Farewell
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Mary G
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| Posted: Sept 09 2007 at 5:06pm | IP Logged
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Erin -- this sounds SO COOL! How did y'all start doing this ... I love this idea and would like to start something here too (maybe a CM West?)
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Leonie
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Have fun!
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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ladybugs
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| Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 5:12pm | IP Logged
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Erin,
I KNOW Father Rizzo!
He actually entrusted our home and family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
What a small world!
Have a GREAT time!
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Erin
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| Posted: Sept 15 2007 at 7:17am | IP Logged
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Maria
I just knew someone here would know him, he is such a wonderful priest and he really enjoys his time at camp
Thanks for the kind words Leonie, we sure did have fun I think it was our best camp ever We found it all too short.
Mary,
The first essential you need is a priest When my friend and I discussed starting a camp we rang some friends who lived 8 hours away and asked would they come? They were very enthusiastic and we thought well, we would just dive in and start with three families as definite. These friends 'had contacts' they found a priest for us so then it snowballed. Once you have the priest you then have families wanting to come.
Next you find a location, I would really recommend finding one with separate cabins for families, ours is a Baptist camp using old army barracks. Some camps do camping in tents but you could lose some mums on that one. You need to have a camp with somewhere separate to set up as a chapel, because we are using the Baptist camp they have a chapel there, but I know of camps that have found a spare hall as suitable. Having it catered, with a camp cook takes a huge burden off you. It would be cheaper to cater yourself but not worth it. Try to negotiate good prices, where we camp they give us a set family rate, so all families regardless of size pay the same, that is wonderful, it is the food that does cost.  Still this year our food was soo much better I didn't mind.
We started with 10 families, average 6 children each, that equaled about 72 people plus priests, it is really best if you can get two priests we keep them working It really helped to start small as we we grow and learn with the camp.
How formal you have it etc, will really reflect your personality. It really helps having two families running the camp BUT you would have to have a similar vision. As our camp is at the beach our goal is a family holiday with a sense of a Catholic homeschool community. Some camps are run more formally along the lines of a mini-retreat. It depends on your vision. We have daily Mass (actually two with two priests) and rosary, benediction and confession available. Plus by the second year we have children making their Confirmation and FHC. We started out with this as a basic, also we have the children having catechetics daily with the priests. If you are lucky enough you may have nuns to invite and help, alas we have none here to invite.
With this we have plenty of free time available for the beach, we also had an organised sports event right from the first year, and our sports carnival that one of the dad's does a mighty job organinsing. Delegating really helps, if you have people willing delegate.
All the dads, mums and children had a wonderful time this year, not to mention the priests
I'd love to help you with ideas Maybe something in the Colorado mountains?
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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JennGM
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Erin, welcome back. This camp is just too fabulous for words. Reminds me of the Trapp Fsmily's Music Camp they held for a few years.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Mary G
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| Posted: Sept 15 2007 at 2:01pm | IP Logged
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Erin,
Thanks SO MUCH for following up with the details -- this does sound so cooll!!!!!!!!! Now for a day when it's quiet at home AND on 4Real and maybe I could start planning something.....
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: We're off to HS Camp
