It’s a typical busy morning at Camp Arrowflight. Kids are getting their sunscreen and hats on, water bottles ready to head out for the day’s activities while counselors check on last minute details.
Two groups are going out for a day canoeing at Gardom Lake while the other three groups are staying in camp for rock climbing, gardening, archery and creating a city using only natural materials. Other days, they might do mountain boarding, geo-caching, hiking, painting or the environmental program. And it wouldn’t be camp without the talent show and campfires.
The resident dogs, Maisie and Scout, at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club camp, who keep the bears away, follow along with the morning programs.
“I like everything we do here, especially the art and the mountain boarding,” said Lachlan Klammer, eight, from Penticton.
Mountain boarding is also popular with the girls.
“My favourite activity is the mountain boarding and I like the painting, too. And the gardening, I think I will plant some strawberries and mint and some berry vines at home,” said Kharley Stetchman, eight, from Westbank, as she finished helping plant some strawberries.
The gardening is part of the Environmental Awareness Program — Be Green, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, Future Shop and SIFE Memorial, which also teaches about water conservation and composting.
“I love being here with all my friends and all the sports, the skateboarding and the archery,” said Devyn Browne, 12, of Kelowna, just back from the rock climbing wall.
Okanagan Boys and Girls Club also operates spring and winter camps at the 82-acre site in Spallumcheen.
There are still some spaces in the one-week camps for ages seven to 12 and 13 to 16 (counselors in training) running through August. Campers do not have to be members of the Boys and Girls Club to take part. For more information, call the registrar at 250-762-3989 (ext. 112).
