Children remember the Summer Camp “Journey to Africa”
The Diocesan Charity České Budějovice organised a week-long summer camp for 16 children from families in need in the date 30.7. – 5.8. 2013.
All attending children were from families, which are helped by the “EVA” counselling center for a long time. The children were at the age range 6-11 years during the camp.
The main topic of the summer camp was Africa. Pictures and telling stories about african animals, making african beads and sandals, projecting of a movie about the african culture – that all didn´t miss in the summer camp’s programme. Of course there were a lot of thematic games about Africa. Children could gain summer camp’s coins for each game and then they could use them to buy anything at summer camp shop in the evening. The Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Eucharist and the company C&A contributed by their presents to the summer camp’s shop.
Children preferred a game Live Pexeso beyond the other activities. The Live Pexeso was inspired by a classic card game Concentration, but you had pairs of matching children instead of turning over pairs of matching cards. And children traditionally enjoyed playing dodgeball in the free time, as every year. We even arranged a dodgeball match because of the huge interest.
We hid us from the hot weather into the forest, where we built small houses for elves. Now we’re expecting only, if someone inhabit them until the next year.
Sleeping outside in tents belonged to other favorite activities. Children liked it so much, that we repeated it twice during the summer camp.
The visit of policewomen from the department in České Budějovice took place in tents too. They prepared for children an instructive lecture, then children learned recognising of traffic signs and they could try to ride scooters.
Our second visitor was the company Ká-service, which lent us inflatable rafts free. Although the weather was not so good that day, not only children but adults either enjoyed rafting and jumping over rubber boats.
Sincerely thanks to a member of the local huntsman’s association Mr. Rostislav Kuboušek, who took children into a game reserve. He showed them a feeding of wild boars, fallow deer and ducks. It was an unforgettable experience for children, they kept it in mind during all summer camp and I dare to claim that much more longer. Children came in contact with other animals in Borovany too, because the Shepherds’ Celebration took place there. Children could touch sheep and watched the sheep shearing with a big interest.
All found new friends through different games, activities in free time, when children did, what they preferred. The improving team spirit of all children was very noticable at final disco, when everyone enjoyed a lot of fun. Saying goodbye at the station was sad and most of small and big campers too didn’t want to go home. So we promised to each other, that we all meet the next year again.
And finally, I would like to say thanks to our volunteers, who prepared the programme for children, organised activities and helped with the whole summer camp in their free time.
Then we wanted to express our thanks to policewomen from the České Budějovice department, the company Ká-service and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Eucharist for their interest and support for our summer camp. The financial support was provided by the City Authority of České Budějovice, the company Čevak, a. s., MUDr. Marie Heřmanová a Mrs. M. K., who doesn’t want to disclose her name.
Text: Nikola Erhartová
Contact for the media: Mgr. Alena Kohoutová, the Head Counselor of the Summer Camp for children.
