Eco-camp honours virtues, environment

Eco-Camp 2007 started out with an ice-breaker for the campers - literally.

T-shirts had been frozen into the centre of blocks of ice, and groups raced to see who could come up with the fastest method to free the shirt and get it onto a member of the group.

This was just one of the many activities organized by the animators of the Baha'i Junior Youth Empowerment Program and enjoyed by the 24 campers from all over Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The youth were divided into seven groups that were named for virtues such as honesty, unity, and kindness, and activities and themes were developed around these ideals.

The camp unfolded over three-and-a-half days at Dollar Lake Provincial Park, and not even a full day of torrential rain dampened spirits.

"On the really rainy day, we still went to the field and played soccer and dodgeball, and we swam in lake," says 16-year-old animator, Shabnam Sobhani. "And we stood by the fire - a lot."

The project received $500 in funding from Nova Scotia's Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB), a program which helps businesses and community projects reduce waste and divert materials from the landfill.

The funds were used to eliminate plastics, purchase reusable cutlery and bins for garbage screening.

This environmentally-friendly message was emphasized by educator Janet Barlow, who led an ecological walk and a night walk, and by something called that the animators called "magic spot."

"The groups would go into the woods or somewhere else they really liked," explains animator Kiyan Sobhani. "There'd be no talking or looking at one another, we'd just reflect and take it all in."

Camp co-ordinator Sharon Chesley said the camp came together with the help of more than 37 volunteers who looked after things like food purchase and preparation.

Was all the work worth it?

"People really loved it!" said Kiyan. "It was amazing to see the bond develop between everyone. My group worked on the virtue 'unity,' and by the end of the camp it had been emphasized so much, you could really feel it."

watsons5@accesswave.ca