Monday, June 15, 2009
Sibling Camp: Skull Island 2009
From 13-14 June 2009, I and my friends from AWWA participated in the Sibling Camp: Skull Island 2009 as the junior camp committee, jointly orgaanised by AWWA and Happy Friends Club(HFC).
As the name of the camp suggest, the objective of the camp is to incorporate sibling bonding among the clients and their sibling. There was a total of 8 pairs of siblings who participated in this camp.
This is the 2nd time that i helped HFC as part of the camp commitee to plan a camp for the AWWA. Before that, i also was part of the committee running the Penang camp last year. This year, My commitee include:
Pin Xiu, Victor, Zheng Kai, Sylvia and Peter
This project was appealing to me, because it came with the added incentive to lead the young clients of AWWA, which to me is an offer that was too good to turn down. Also, the location of the camp(MOE Labordor Park) was also a factor which told me to go for this camp, remembering that 5 years ago, I was there for a camp as a younger client too, Sec 1 at that time. Since then, It has been a dream that I hoped that i could lead the younger clients. How that dream of mine came true, starting on Saturday, 13 June 2009.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
I met the clients and staff at harbourfront MRT. I was not surprised to see parents bring their children there. When 5 years ago, my mum also brought me there. After all the clients came, we took the bus and headed for the MOE labordor Park, which wold be our home for the next 2 days...
While on the bus, I and Victor was like chatting about the activities that we were going to plan in this camp, and also the experience of going back to the place, where it all started for me..5 years ago. Annd never woul I have expected that 5 years down the road, I would be going back there, this time not to participate, but to be a leader to the young clients, like i was 5 years ago...
Reached the Labordor Park, then saw some of the camp commitee members, Pin Xiu and Sylvia ya, so chatted with them a while. And as I looked around, I still reminds me alot of the last time i went there for camp. Seeing the clients, sitting with their brothers and sisters, on the benches, wah..they are very cute. Took some time before i went to mingle with the children.
We helped to distribute the pirates' weapons to the clients and also their siblings. We also went to find all our group members. I was the facilitator for the best Yellow group=D
Then, camp committee start to work liao, giving ourselves a name that was linked to the theme of pirates. I was named as 1-eyed captain, dunno why they give me de LOL.
The camp committee took time to introduce ourselves to the clients to start the camp. Played some ice-breaking games, so that the clients and siblings are able to interact and miingle with each other.
After all the introducing and mingling, the groups were provided with materials to make their pitrate gears and weapons. For yellow group, there was a assortments of different types of weapons, ranging from swords and pirates arms bands and many more. I just assisted the clients to do their weapons, and also to watch over them when they are using the penknives and scissors. I was impressed with the creativity and design whch the clients and siblings demostrated..They are also reauired to come out with a group cheer.
After some time making the weapons, HFC would ask them to present their weapons along with their group cheers. After lunch, we checked in to the pirates bunks and after which came back for the groups to use their imagination with the materials provided to design their own pirates ship. I helped my group suggest some designs and also helped the children with the paintings and stuff. Hands got quite dirty in the end, but i tink that thats the fun of arts and crafts i guess? I feel that it was quite fun to do painting with those kids, though my art not say to be very good haha. The clients and all were given a break to rest before the next activity.. but unforunately,the camp committee wouldhave no rest as we prepare dto run our first activity of the camp.
Sylvia and me was in charge of the first game, me being the game master while sylvia the time keeper. Our game was to blow a ping pong ball across 3 cups, of which is filled with water to the brim. I briefed te clients and I got to say that it was a fine experience again to be in front briefing, just like i did during the Penang trip. Victor helped me with the demostrations and from then on, the clients and siblings took over liao. It was cool to see them play the game which we created haha..while I supported and cheered for my yellow team.
Next on, was the game run by Peter and Zheng Kai. I just watched how they run while i stayed with my group. I felt that all did well for this activity, be it they won or lost.
The third activity, run mainly by Pin Xiu and Victor, assisted by the others, the games require the clients and siblings to use binoculars to see word and interpret them by drawing the images out. I wasnt directly involved in this activity, as i and Sylvia had to start preparations for our last activity of the set.
This game might be familiar to those that went for the ILS Camp 2006 three years ago. The game idea was originated from there and it is somewhat similiar. Items were put in the center of a boundary, while the clients were supposed to use the materials provided to create a thing to hook out the items, differentiated by their group colours. Seeing them play the game certainly allow me to remember the time we ILS Camp de we also play.
They had a refreshment break before they played the rescue the Damsel game, run by all the junior camp commitee members. it was quite fun to see them play, going under tables and walking round cones etc.
Campfire night was also interesting as the groups performed skits and a song. It was much like the penang that time like that. The only difference was that I was not to be the campfire MC, a role i kinda wanted as i wanted a taste of that experience of that night again. It wasnt to be this time haha..
The respective groups performed their skits and song and cheer ya. It was kinda funny to see the young ones do their skits, some of which was really cute haha..Then we all did the pirate dance together, the camp committee standing in front of their respective groups to lead them. The day ended quite late, so the HFC decided to call off the confidence night walk.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
All had to wear the camp t-shirt yea. The t-shirtdesign credit has to go to my inspiration, Pin Xiu, to consolidate all the images haha. Nice to work with my inspiaration to design this camp T-shirt haha=D
Morning exercise do the pirate dance again haha. Breakfast was outdoor cooking. i saw first hand some of the clients cooking independently while the volunteers watch over them.
Then after breakfast, played the telematch. The junior committee represented their respective groups at then ending point I represented my yellow group at the ending point, waiting for them to complete their obstacles. Upon completion, they would come to me, to blow 2 ping pongs balls covered full of flour. And wah I was like flour-ed LOL.my yellow captain, Anneliese, who was on wheelchair, also got flour-ed very much. It was the fun of it i guess.
After that, the siblings went for a workshop orgainised by TM, while the clients learned to mix and match soft drinks to make a mocktail. Helped those clients along the way. Mine was like so sour cozz i anyhow add LOL..
The last Activity of the camp was by far the most fun de, the pirates battle. The groups were given a base to defend, which was the respective pirate ships bult earlier. Anneliese was my captain so she was the main person to defend the base, while the others went to attacked the other teams. Theyplayed with water guns and water bombs. It was just so fun, it was a pity that the commitee is not allowed to play haha, but no matter i still got water bombed, with my shirt being wet hahahaha..
Awards were given out the end of the camp, with the volunteers and the camp commitee among the lot to be recognised for their contributions to the success of this camp.
Personally for me, this camp was really a big dream come true to lead the young clients. I always wanted to pay back by helping as many clients as I can. And I feel that leading as camp commitee was just a bonus.
My Inspiration
Monday, June 15, 2009
