Limit 15 Big and Little pairs

Bigs and Littles must each complete a registration form and return it to the Big Brothers Big Sisters offices by May 11th.

The campout is fully supported by park staff and perfect for first time, novice or veteran campers.

Itinerary:

Saturday

Sunday

• Breakfast
• Followed by a light interpretive hike for those wishing to participate.
• Campers are welcome to spend one-on-one time exploring the park, including its many hiking and biking trails, waterslides (there is an additional cost to be paid by the Big and Little), water activities and more. Please bring your own lunch.

DEER will provide:

• Camp site and park admission, including parking fees
• Camping gear (for up to 20 campers), including tents and sleeping gear if needed
• Backpacks and binoculars for campers to borrow
• Reusable water bottles for Littles to keep
• All kitchen gear, including 2 propane camping stoves, cooler, pots pans, utensils and coffee
• Firewood and skewers

Big Brothers Big Sisters will provide:

• Main dinner dish
• S'mores
• Instant oatmeal for breakfast

Bigs and Littles should bring:

• Food
• Please bring snacks and a healthy side dish to share for both dinner and breakfast
• Layered, weather appropriate clothing (layers are great for changing weather)
• Swimwear or water appropriate clothing and towel (for Kayaking and optional waterslides)
• Camping gear if not provided by DEER
• Camping chairs
• Toiletries
• Flashlight
• Pillow
• Warm jacket
• Hiking shoes
• Sunscreen, hat and bug repellant
• Money for optional waterslides and camp store
• Camera
• Fireside entertainment (optional items might include guitar, ghost stories, etc)
• Recreation gear to be used during down time or on Sunday (optional items might include bikes and water toys)

DEER wishes to offer an environment of ecological learning and team work. They state: "although this is a front country campout, we would like Bigs to [help Littles] keep the four laws of ecology in mind:

1) Everything is connected to everything else

2) Everything must go somewhere

3) Nature knows best

4) There is no such thing as a free lunch (you must do something to get something... cooking, cleaning up, picking up camp, etc. is often good practice used.)"

If you need to contact the DEER on the day of the camping trip, call (805) 788-2385 for the Ranger Station.

Dear Match Support Specialist,

My Little and I just got the Summer Activities flyer in the mail. But, I am confused. Isn't the focus of our time together supposed to be one-to-one interactions? And what is value of these activities anyway?

From,

Summer Fun-lover

Dear Summer Fun-lover,

Good question!  Why DO we have parties, campouts and adventure days? First, even though these are group activities, they offer lots of opportunities for one-on-one interactions. Program activities also offer you and your Little a chance to have fun while building specific developmental assets.

           Two important developmental assets a child can gain through these activities is a sense of belonging and positive identity. Often times, Littles think they are the only person in their school who has a Big. Teen Littles particularly believe this. At agency sponsored activates youth often run into their classmates or find they have something in common with other Littles. This helps them understand that they are not alone and that being a Little is something in which they can take pride. Further, the chance to make new friends with other Little Brothers and Little Sisters helps each child in our program realize that facing obstacles at home or at school does not make them "weird" or "different."  Rather, there are lots of bright, likeable kids, who are in many ways, just like them! Meeting each other also gives our youth participants the opportunity to build alliances with other Littles in their own neighborhoods.

Further, having face-to-face interactions with agency staff and donors, as well as other Bigs, helps Littles realize they are part of a larger community and that there are many adults who care deeply about their welfare. Engaging with the Big Brothers Big Sisters community now will help them develop the social competency to reach out to others for support throughout their lives.  Also, it helps Littles view themselves as community members, with a responsibility and a desire to be connected and offer support to others, just like their Bigs.

            Finally, agency sponsored events help Bigs broaden their own networks of support. As you know, when challenges arise, our Match Support Staff can provide advice, resource referrals or a listening ear.  But other Bigs who have faced similar situations with their own Littles are in a position to offer valuable and unique insights. Both Bigs and Littles benefit from this kind of supportive networking.

            So whether you are considering attending the Campout, the Day at the Ballpark, the Outdoor Adventure Day or the Teen Beach Bonfire, remember that it's not JUST about having a great time, its about having a great life. For your Little, and for yourself, it's also about having a great experience in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

So RSVP today!

Sincerely,

Madge Morningstar