SHG Camp 2007

We just had our annual camp again last weekend. I must thank all my Yuying volunteers who made it to the camp and helped out in one way or another. As usual, my poor body is still recuperating from the physical exhaustion of running around with the kids and not getting proper sleep. I think I managed to catch only about 1-2 hours of sleep on the hard canteen benches.

The first part of the camp was held at the Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) to coincide with another CDAC event that was being graced by the Minister Mr Lim Swee Say and several other MPs. I think it’s the first time that SHG was being showcased to the Minister. SDC definitely wasn’t the most conducive place for camp activities but I shan’t complain too much because we were running around in air-conditioned environment most of the time…hehe!

In the evening, we moved on to a school compound to continue with the rest of the activities for the camp. I must say the classrooms in that school were one of the dirtiest I’ve seen in all my years of camping in schools. There were plastic bags and other rubbish all over the place…that’s why I refused to sleep in the classroom. At the canteen, at least it was cleaner and had better ventilation. In fact, it was so windy in the middle of the night, I almost caught a chill. I had a tough time deciding whether I should cover my upper body or my legs with my windbreaker.

This year’s camp was different from previous years as the organisers were not our own SHG volunteers but volunteers from B-cube and JJC. As such, the planning and activities were quite different from what SHG volunteers have been used to. Well, when you have volunteers from 17 to about 25 years of age doing the organising, you can’t have the same expectations. They were less particular about things like discipline and orderliness. In fact some activities seemed a little disorganised but generally, I thought they did a good job in giving the kids a fun time. They were able to stimulate interest among the kids in most activities such as the cheering and even got the kids to participate in a couple of dances which us oldies would have regarded as mission impossible. In our opinion, the kids will never do such lame dances but they actually did it. We did it too. Bravo! Clap! Clap! Clap!

There were some grouses though. Some volunteers felt that it was improper to get the kids to shower, have dinner and then get all sweaty again by running around and play captain’s ball in the night. An older volunteer also grumbled about being ‘ordered’ by the young volunteers to do some actions repeatedly together with the kids…kind of humiliating huh? I think the young volunteers basically did not realise that some of us are twice their age. If they knew my age, I’m sure they would have got a rude shock…hahaha!

Any complaints from me? Not really…oh yeah…there’s one. When I was on sentry duty, one girl got up around 5+am to go to the washroom. I walked her all the way there, only to see her wet her hands, brush her hair, look at herself in the mirror and walk out of the washroom. I asked her very sternly “You mean you didn’t need to use the toilet? Don’t try to be funny with me!” Guess what? The girl dashed into the cubicle in super fast time to pee! Hahahaha…I’m quite a tyrant huh?

Here are some pictures and videos I took at the camp:
Getting to know each other through ice-breaking games and flag-making.

Learning to cheer and follow instructions.

The Minister actually sat down on the floor to see us play…^_^

Lots of games to keep the kids busy throughout the day. Kept me busy too…had to run with my team from station to station.



JJC students full of energy…but of course…they are less than half my age >_<.


Dance No. 1 - The Chicken Dance

Dance No.2 - The Indian Dance…I thought that was quite fun.


The waterbomb session was a bit messy. Everyone just started throwing at each other aimlessly. Our kid Vindy got hit on the neck and cried so loudly…boohoohoo.

The aftermath…look at all the plastic bags on the floor.

Prize presentation time…

About to break camp…cheering for the last time…also photo-taking time.

Why all looked so glum huh?

My afterthoughts
Although the young volunteers did not organise everything to perfection, I thought they accomplished the most important thing which was to let the kids have fun. Some activities were silly, I agree. But as long as the kids had fun, screamed, yelled, cheered…and the most grouchy girl from my centre actually smiled and laughed so much, I think the camp was a success. And when a usually quiet little girl also started chatting with me about the most mundane thing on our way back, I know we broke the ice! Yes!

I personally think it’s good to have young volunteers participating in the camp. They have the energy, can do with little sleep, are more tolerant of today’s kids’ antics and are popular with the kids with their hyperactive attitude. From a score of 1 to 10, I would say the JJC volunteers deserved an 8.

I have to admit that my no-longer-young body needs proper rest every night and I mean every night. Because of the stupid security guard’s refusal to let us in and out of the school compound freely, we had to stay in throughout the night. Thanks again to my fellow volunteers who also stayed the night to help with the sentry duty. But seriously, we oldies really should not stay overnight at such camps anymore, agree?