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Transcript of XX Games Edition 2
XX GAMESSp!ng E"tion
May 2#9
Cairn’s Online Magazine ~ For Women of A$ A%sCAIRN PRESBYTERIAN CAMPING AND RETREAT CENTRES ~ www.ilovecamp.org ~ BAYSVILLE ON ~ (705) 767 - 3300
photo taken at the CAIRN Baysville site
Madaline Kocher at Pee Wee Camp - Glen Mhor Programme 2009
Be who you are
and say what
you feel, because
those who mind
don't matter and
those who matter
don't mind.
~ Dr. Seuss
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!rom "e Desk of Topaz 3
...within every issue you will
recieve a small note from the
desk of Topaz!
# Word $om One of Us 5
...in every issue one of our
sta! or alumni will write a
special article for XX Games.
In this issue, Deb“Tosley”
Stanbury has written a
special article
!ood For %ought 6
...something for you to think
about! Every issue we will
provide with resources to
start important discussions
with the females in your life!
Our Global Vi&age 9
...Jessica “Sesame” Chapman
has written about her
experiences abroad this past
summer. Check it out!
'tanding on Solid Ground 10
...within each issue there will
be an article containing
helpful hints to apply to your
daily life! This issue takes a
look at Debra Beck’s online
article.
(TOL 11
...CTOL or Cool Things
OnLine will appear in every
issue of XX Games. We
encourage all of you to go an
look up all of these things!
Sta) Spotlight 13
...This season we have
featured one of our brand
new sta! members. Let’s
hear about her exciting
opportunity!
*usic + My Ears 15
...Find out the song we have
chosen for the season!
!rom Your Lips 16
... we want to hear from you!
Here’s how you get in touch
with us!
INTHISISSUE
While I know myself as
a creation of God, I am
a l s o o b l i g a t e d t o
realize and remember
that everyone else and
everything else are
also God's creation.
~ Maya Angelou ~
I just walked in the door. Maverick, our pup, and I
were out for a stroll in the early spring breeze. All
around me were signs of growth, things springing
to life -- and not all in the most perfect of
conditions. Despite the cold nights, the odd snow
flurries, and the high winds, daffodils are doing
their best to push through the earth, buds are
appearing on the trees ready to blossom, and
birds are singing out their new songs -- and as I
walked and took it all in, I realized that all these
things remind me of you.
It’s your time. Time to grow, to blossom and to
sing. Remember that each one of you has
something to say, each one of you has a
contribution to make. So don’t let others keep
you from sharing the gifts and talents God has
given you.
Make this your ‘spring’, your time to bloom....we
can’t wait to see what develops!
LOVE TOPAZ
FROM THE DESK OF
TOPAZ
!"ve learned #at people wi$ forget what you said,
%eople wi$ forget what you did,
but people wi$ never forget how you made #em feel.
& Maya Angelo'
WORK URL! 1
The LITs one year when I was camper
had T-Shirts that read: “All I Ever Really
Needed To Know, I Learned at Camp!” It
was then followed by a list of things you
learn at camp and as a camper I always
wanted one of those T-Shirts. Even then
I knew that I was learning things at
camp that I would carry with me for the
rest of my life. I suppose at the time, I
didn’t fully realize how God through the
ministry at camp was moulding me and
would work the things I learned at camp
into the rest of my life.
Looking back, I often remark that my
first “call” to ministry, happened my
first summer at camp, only it took me
years to see it that way. Leaving camp
that first summer, all I knew was that I
wanted to be a camp counsellor! I
wanted to do what they did! What I
didn’t realize at the time was that camp
counsellors participate in an extremely
important ministry.
Among the most valuable things I
learned at camp was the ability to think
“outside-the-box”, and I suppose that’s
what led me to Vancouver School of
Theology for seminary, I wanted to
continue to be challenged to think
“outside-the-box.” However, it was camp
that helped me realize that the ministry
God was calling me to could be, beyond
the pulpit, beyond the walls of the
church building, beyond the familiar.
Camp helped me to realize that ministry,
the ministry God was calling me to,
could be whatever God and I dreamed it
to be.
In that dreaming, in that “outside-the-
box” imagining, the search for that place
“where my deep gladness and the
world’s deep hunger meet”; in my
searching I found Evergreen Centre for
Street Youth, or maybe it found me.
L o c a t e d i n D o w n t o w n T o r o n t o ,
Evergreen is a drop-in centre for street-
involved youth between the ages 16 and
25. Each day, Evergreen seeks to be a
place of belonging and refuge from the
“All I Ever Really Needed To Know, I Learned at Camp...”
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Evergreen is a safe place where street youth
can rest, eat, obtain health care, receive
parental relief and get help with finding a job
or a place to stay. Among my responsibilities
at Evergreen, is leading a goal-based camping
and adventure program for the youth.
Through this program youth are challenged
to work hard to meet personal goals, and are
exposed to the unique and in many cases
“new” experiences that camping and
adventure bring, be that dog-sledding, rock
climbing, or white-water rafting. Youth come
back to Evergreen empowered with greater
self-confidence, self-esteem, and motivation
to make positive changes in their lives.
On a daily basis, I am challenged to think
“outside-the-box”, problem solve on the spot,
and think creatively about programming. On
a constant basis I get to participate in the
building of community, the fostering of
healthy relationships, and the empowerment
of young people. On a regular basis, I get to
plan camping trips, and give youth the
unique experience of camp. Everything I
ever really needed to know about these
things....you guessed it, I learned at camp!
Deb “Tosley” Stanbury
Here is a great discussion to have with your friends, your mom, your sister or
the young women in your Youth group:
In recent years, you may have noticed more and more magazines on the
market geared toward teenage females. As these are directed at you, why not
take some time to explore the gender messages that these magazines
promote?
Get your hands on a copy of a Seventeen magazine as well as copies of other
magazines aimed at the teenage market. Take some time to go through them.
* Do the magazines promote independence or do they reinforce the idea that
teenage women should be more concerned with looks, relationships and the
approval of others?
* What would you say are the main messages of the magazines?
* Are the physical ideals that you see in the magazines’ photos a true
reflection of reality? Are there people who are not represented in the
magazines?
* Do the topics in this magazine really reflect the issues that concern teenage
girls?
* What do you think makes these magazines so appealing to teenage girls?
* Do you think that magazines like Seventeen contribute to lower self-esteem
in young women?
* What are the next steps we, as women, should take?
How Young Women are Portrayed in Magazines
Prep Work
Discussion Questions
Food For Thought...
I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still
I can do something;
And because I cannot do
everything
I will not refuse to do the
something that I can do.
~ Helen Keller photo taken by Travis Allison subtlevoxphotography.com
OUR GLOBAL VILLAGEA FEATURE
ARTICLE BY:
JESSICA
“SESAME”
CHAPMANContinued on next page
A Journey across our Globe...to bring CAIRN and Presbyterian
Camping to the Hearts of all children.
“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity (Timothy 4:12).
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by Jessica “Sesame” Chapman
O n e o f m y f a v o u r i t e
Bible verses says “Don't let anyone look down
on you because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in life, in
love, in faith and in purity (Timothy 4:12). I
have always believed and have tried to show
that actions speak much louder than words.
This past summer I had the chance to put that
conviction to the test. To let my faith and love
for God motivate me to love others actively
and practically, and travel to Eastern Europe
along with two other staff members, Konk and
Kiwi, to share with children in impoverished
and rural communities the camping ministry
that we so love and cherish.
We were working primarily within the Roma
(also known at Gypsy) community which has
had a troubled and sorry past in Eastern
Europe, and they still struggle to lift themselves
out of it. Roma are often very poor people
with little education. They live in groups, in very
small houses on the outskirts of villages or in their
own settlements. In these families there are usually
a lot of children and many don’t have the
opportunity to go to school. The Roma have darker
skin and they are discriminated against by people
and the government. Many of the children we
worked with came from communities where they
are often left with little structure or guidance, live
in small houses with few amenities, and must cope
with poverty and broken families. But even in this
harsh environment we saw many things to be
optimistic about. Throughout the trip we continued
to meet missionaries and church leaders who are
truly committed to working with Roma
communities and that are doing great
work in developing places of worship,
schools and summer camps in many
Roma communities throughout the
Carpathian Basin in Eastern Europe.
When we worked with children and
community leaders that come from
strong communities of faith we sensed a
lot of joy and excitement, resourcefulness
and celebration in their way of life.
During our mission trip we took part in 3
different summer camps in Ukraine,
Southern Hungary and Croatia. At each of
these camps we lead daily crafts, group
activities like games and relay races,
helped to keep campers entertained
during free time, taught camp songs and
supported local leaders by passing on a
little bit of our experiences working at
camp to them. It was very special
spending time with and getting to know
the leaders and the children we worked
with. One of the things that really stands
out for me is that any camp setting can
be a magical and wonderful place no
matter where it is. I noticed so many
similarities between working at these
camps this summer and all of my experience
working at Glen Mhor. The power of song, the
sound of laughter, and the look of joy on a child’s
face for things as simple as making their very own
beaded necklace or a leader devoting their full
attention to them can transcend great differences.
The amount of energy children have, even after
playing outside all day long, and their love for
games like football, duck duck goose, freeze tag and
many others can cross cultural and language
barriers. For me there were also the mixed feelings
of joy, satisfaction and exhaustion that I feel at the
end of everyday working at camp.
I also learned more about my faith, by putting faith
in action, challenging myself and deepening my
commitment to follow God’s path for me. I was in
a position to really be on the look out for and
clearly see God working in the lives and
communities of the people and places we visited,
and I could see Him shining His light everywhere
we went. I challenged myself to put my faith to the
test by getting involved, by not just praying for
others, but rolling up my sleeves, leaving the
comfort of my home and doing something with the
talents I have been blessed with. And camping is not
only something I love, but something that I love
sharing with others. I hope that this is just the
beginning for our local church and camp leaders to
strengthen ties between the two church bodies in
Canada and Eastern Europe so that we can
continue to impart a true appreciation of each
others cultures and for both parties to work
together again.
JESSICA “SESAME” CHAPMAN
Last summer Sesame, along side two
other staff embers (Kiwi and Konk) got
the opportunity to take CAIRN Abroad to
three different countries: Hungry,
Croatia,and the Ukraine
Sesame has a long camp History. She
was a long time camper and also staff
member. On Staff Sesame did many
different jobs; Counsellor, Arts n’ Crafts
Director, Administrator, and LIT Director.
OUR GLOBAL
VILLAGE
“...I noticed so many
similarities between working
at these camps this summer
and all of my experience
working at Glen Mhor. The
power of song, the sound of
laughter, and the look of joy on
a child’s face for things as
simple as making their very
own beaded necklace or a
leader devoting their full
attention to them can
transcend great differences.”
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Check out this online article by Debra Beck: “Empowering Teenage Girls: Five Ways to Build Great Friendships”
It’s a quick read that gives you 5 ways to protect yourself from mean girls and unhealthy friendships. It is found on the website, “My Feet Are Ugly”.
Debra Beck is a mom, a mentor, a speaker and an expert on the issues facing teen girls.
http://www.myfeetarentugly.com/challenges1.html
Photo taken by Natasha Dunn natashalcd.com
Standing on SOLID Ground
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Remove those 'I want you
to like me' stickers from
y o u r f o r e h e a d a n d ,
in s tead, p lace them
where they truly will do
the most good -- on your
mirror!
~ Susan Jeffersphoto taken by Travis Allison subtlevoxphotography.com
1
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COOL THINGS
Each and every month we
provide you with many different
cool, fun and exciting things to
go and check out for yourself!
We recommend that you look
some of this stuff up because it
is just that cool!
ONLINE
Here is a list of websites we came across that
might be of interest to you. They celebrate the empowerment of young
females in a variety of activities and disciplines.
CTOLCool Things Online
Check out this youtube video by
Dove. It’s all about building
confidence and self-esteem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=IWzbIVwGd1E
Here is a fantastic Resource for
your women of all ages:
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/
professional-development/childlit/
girllist.html
Here’s is a national collection of
photographs taken by teenage
girls. It’s called The Girl Project:
http://www.thegirlproject.org/
Always be a first-rate
version of yourself,
instead of a second-
rate version of
somebody else.
- Judy Garland
Alyssa “Steinway” Townsend
For two weeks this summer,
Steinway will be leaving Cairn to go to
United Space School at the NASA facility
in Houston, Texas. If you come to camp in
August, she will tell you all about it.
It all started with a bit of healthy
competition. MDA Robotics, the company
t h a t m a d e C a n a d a r m 2 f o r t h e
In ternat iona l Space Stat ion, was
supposed to choose two Canadian
Students to go to United Space School.
They chose Steinway’s school, Marc
Garneau Collegiate Institute, at which to
hold the competition, because of the
excellent math and science program and the
presence of the Canadian Space Resource
Centre (CSRC). Steinway submitted an
application and then spent a week hanging
around the CSRC reading about the Hubble
Space Telescope, the ISS, and other great
space programmes. To Steinway’s great joy,
she was chosen as one of the two Canadians
to attend.
At Space School, Steinway will get to meet
NASA engineers, astronauts, and scientists.
She will get to see the space probes, rockets,
and propulsion systems. She might even get
to do some flight simulations. While she waits
for Space School to start, she plans to spend
her time reading books about mars,
interstellar space exploration, and solar
propulsion. And after Space School, she
plans to go on to study engineering science
at U of T and become an Aerospace engineer
(an actual rocket scientist!). Steinway’s
dreams are becoming a reality. Yours can too.
So set your sights high, reach for the stars,
and never give up. Someday, when you look
up at the stars, maybe Steinway will be
waving back.
Staff SpotlightXXG
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A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.
--Maya Angelou
PHOTO TAKEN BY TRAVIS ALLISON SUBTLEVOXPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
1
OUR SONG FOR THIS EDITION
"FRECKLES" by Natasha Bedingfield
I used to care so much about what
others think about,
Almost didn't have a thought of my
own,
The slightest remark would make me
embark,
On the journey of self doubt.
But that was a while ago
This girl has got stronger.
If I knew then what I know now
I would have told myself don't worry
any longer it's OK
[Chorus]:
'cause a face without freckles is like a
sky without stars
Why waste a second not loving who
you are
Those little imperfections make you
beautiful, lovable, valuable,
They show your personality inside your
heart
Reflecting who you are
Who you are,Who you are, Who you
are
I wondered if I could trade my body
with somebody else in magazines
Would the whole world fall at my feet?
I felt unworthy and would blame my
failures on the ugliness I could see
When the mirror looked at me
Sometimes I feel like the little girl who
doesn't belong in her own world
But I'm getting better
And I'm reminding myself
[Chorus]:
'cause a face without freckles is like a
sky without stars
Why waste a second not loving who
you are
Those little imperfections make you
beautiful, lovable, valuable,
They show your personality inside your
heart
Reflecting who you are
Who you are,Who you are, Who you
are
MUSIC TO MY EARSXXG
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IF YOU WANNA LISTEN:
http://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=8zjDFgWZvTM
Our favorite lines are in
the chorus:
“Why waste a second
not loving who you are?
Those little imperfections
make you beautiful,
lovable, valuable,
They show your
personality inside your
heart
Reflecting who you are”
photos taken by Travis Allison www.subtlevoxphotography.com
We would like to hear from you!
Please send us your poems or
short essays. We would love to
share your thoughts and
feelings about being a young
woman (or a woman still ‘young
at heart’) with all our readers!
This is your magazine. We have created it so
that our female campers, LITs, staff members
and alumni, can contribute and build each other
up. We want to know what you are up to, what
you worry about, where you find strength. Our
next issue will come out in the summer of 2009
and we would love add articles from you,
profiles form you , advice from you. We want to
share what you are doing, what groups you are
involved in and how you are making the world a
better place! If you have books we should read,
workshops we should attend, or other ideas to
share, that will help us to develop, more
confident women, please drop us a line at
XXG
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FROM YOUR LIPS