Camp Quest Chesapeake: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
After thirteen years of accumulating supplies and filling up a storage unit, Camp Quest Chesapeake’s theme was chosen to make the most of supplies they already had on hand while teaching campers about consumption, climate change, and creativity.
Activities included recycled bottle rockets, a cardboard boat building competition, and instruments made out of recyclable materials (CQ Chesapeake’s resident electronic musician even sampled the sounds campers’ instruments made and mixed a song together!), plus camp classics like archery and Gaga Ball. CQ Chesapeake’s 16- and 17-year-old Peer Leaders put together a fantastic carnival and made the most of a stockpile of literal thousands of popsicle sticks which were turned into “tickets” for the event. Carnival prizes were donated by parents and collected from Buy Local groups, helping CQ Chesapeake avoid spending money on cheap plastic trinkets.
Fun Fact: 69% of Camp Quest Chesapeake’s volunteers this year themselves attended Camp Quest as campers! Chesapeake alumni were most represented, followed by CQ Smoky Mountains and CQ Ohio.
Camp Quest Smoky Mountains: "The Academy of Good and Evil"
We had another successful Camp Quest in the Smoky Mountains this year! There was a variety of interesting programs and activities based on the theme of “The Academy of Good and Evil.”
They discussed the role of poetry in protest, ran some game theory simulations, investigated the power of color in branding and advertising, and had an exciting afternoon with our camp host staff playing a rousing game of “Instincts for Survival” exploring the roles of different kinds of animals in nature: carnivore, omnivore, herbivore, and hunter.
The weather started off warm and sunny but it cooled down with some rain showers later in the week. We enjoyed our customary hike to the waterfall, lots and lots of River Time to beat the heat. A few of our more intrepid campers and staff took a 2-mile, one-night backpacking trip to a nearby campsite in the park. We ended the week with an energetic campfire singing songs, roasting s’mores, and recapping the week with so many thoughts about what camp means to us. Congratulations on another great year CQ Smoky Mountains!
Camp Quest Ohio: Monday Mystery and "Consent LARPing"
Camp Quest Ohio enjoyed another successful session, full of the many programs and activities that have long made it a special place for campers.
Staple programs such as Socrates Cafe, campfires, and HONAB (house of nails and beautification) were as engaging as ever, as well as our Wednesday night Carnival where all the counselors and LTs dress up and play carnival games with campers who have the chance to win tickets for prizes.
Newly this year, campers had to solve a large-scale murder mystery on Monday night after the camp director was found “dead”, and campers engaged in “consent LARPing” where they were encouraged to fight counselors with foam swords – but only if they consented to it. Our host camp staff at Canter’s Cave 4-H camp were incredibly gracious and engaging, leading us on some hikes around the site which led to some stunning natural beauty, and leading campers in line dances on our “formal” night. Our staff, the majority of whom are former campers at this point, as always made things look easy, handling issues with the appropriate care and subtlety. Congratulations on another great year Camp Quest Ohio!
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Janie! After leaving Mormonism, Janie Oyakawa and her family sought a new community. They discovered a Dallas area group called “D-A-M-I-T,” those folks along with Mormons in Transition directed them to the Dallas Fellowship of Freethought. There, the family quickly caught the attention of Camp Quest members, especially after Janie taught the kids about logical fallacies. Hesitant, but compelled by the unrelenting enthusiasm of our persuasive Camp Questers, Janie and her husband Kyle decided to join Camp Quest. This led every single Oyakawa family member, ages 8 and up, to attend Camp Quest Texas in 2014, marking the beginning of their new journey.
Volunteer Spotlight Nominations
We know our volunteers are doing incredible things!
Help us showcase volunteers in our monthly newsletter by submitting your nominations to recognize and thank people who have made a significant impact, display outstanding dedication, and show their passion and commitment towards creating an unforgettable camp experience.
Save the Date: Leadership Summit
Kansas City, here we come! We have booked the Hilton Kansas City Airport and will be sharing more details on proposals, registration, and hotel booking process. Please let us know if you plan to attend by submitting an interest form!
We’d love to announce our 2025 Summit location at this year’s gathering. Where should we go next? We’re happy to consider both campsites and hotels near our affiliates (or elsewhere)! Below is a quick spot to let us know.
National Support Center Services
Announcements & Reminders:
- Alyssa is representing Camp Quest at Skepticon!
- Volunteer Feedback Form: We are really looking forward to reading/hearing about the training question and how we can improve Thinkific (for those that used it) for future camp seasons. We will be sharing your feedback with the camp location where you volunteered so they can also assess key points on your responses.
- Post Session Report: Please submit your 2024 Post Session Report. This is due 30 days after your camp session has concluded.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us through email or Discord. We’d also like to know if there are any urgent needs in our community that we may be able to alleviate. Looking for board members, volunteers with specific skills, or ideas for programming or equipment? Let us know by sending us an email, or pop in to an upcoming office hours session.
- 1st Wednesday of every month, 8-9pm Eastern with Alyssa
- Every Friday, 1-2pm Eastern with Alyssa and Jenny
Thanks so much for all that you do, and happy camping!