EYMC Matching Grant

Wonderful news! An Anonymous Donor has contacted EYMC with the offer to contribute up to $5,000 in matching funds.

Any individual who donates to EYMC between now and July 15th will have their donation matched up to $5,000. If you donate $50, EYMC will actually receive $100.

We are beyond excited to have received this gift. The donor has stated that she wants to support EYMC because, “Camp gives confidence and community to youth who need just that.”

If you would like to be involved in supporting this amazing ministry and have your gift be doubled, please send your tax-deductible donation before July 15th to:

EYMC
c/o Sheila Foster
St John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church
2175 First Street
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Update

All of the pictures I have are now up on the Picasa photo album.

- J

Last free time has started.

Everyone has been practicing hard and it sounds great.

This afternoon we will be having a combined choir practice where all the groups that were practicing independently finally come together and we get to hear the full sound. Then we get into the doing a final rehearsal of the musical and figure out the technical things. Some time it is a little crazy trying to get everyone in their places ready for what comes next. But it is all worth it.

Questions?

This is an open blog entry...

If you have any questions or comments, post them in the comments below.

PICTURES

Sorry,

There have been some technical difficulties with the photo albums.

We are working on making space for the 2011 photos... More to come.

The blog will be updated when things are back to normal and the new pictures are up.

UPDATE 10pm Thursday: The pictures are back and new ones added.

Something Silent

Dinner costume creativity for Something Silent:

• FOBBY time
• Clouds
• Darkness
• A mouse
• A person with a mute button
• Silent letters: e, k
• a rest (music notation)
• Dandruff
• Ninja
• Dementors
• Love

Wednesday.

The sun is a little brighter and the wind a little calmer.

It's the day of silence and listening at camp, and we celebrate this theme by throwing an awesomely ironic dance party beside the Camp Heartland stage. While dancing isn't had by all, everyone participates in of many activities; like cards, football, or just socializing.

When the whole camp is a little sweaty and a tad bug-bitten, we make our way to our communal campfire to celebrate listening and the sanctity of silence through a rousing version of "Lord of the Dance".

Camp is brimming with inspirational messages, especially on this Wednesday where we celebrate with the sanctity of God both silence and raucous rejoicing.

To each his or her own.

- Andy

Cups are not just for beverages...

Cups are not just for beverages, they are valuable teaching tools here at music camp.

In Andy's music theory class they are being used to teach rhythm, beat, accents, and other concepts. Coordination of both the person and the timing to have everyone stay together on the beat is a difficult task at times.

We started out with a well known pattern that the majority of the class already knew. It was tougher than they expected because they knew how to do it quickly, but could not do it slowly. We would practice the pattern, then write it on a musical score, later we determined where the accents were and marked those as well.

Andy even came up with a new pattern so everyone could start learning from scratch.

Clap - Clap - Tap - Tap - Tap - Tap -Tap - Clap - pause - grab cup - cup to other hand - to table - to hand - to table -to hand and switch - over and down...

Camp Lingo

In order to blend in with all of us down at EYMC, here is some vocabulary that you should be familiar with.

• FOBBY - Flat on your bunk by yourself / Flat on your back by yourself
  Time after lunch to rest and re-cooperate so that everyone can be ready for the excitement of the afternoon.

• SHAFT - Super Happy Awesome Fun Time
  All the high school age campers meet to talk and bond, while the younger campers play games on the field.

• White Sock- Every day our co-deans will inspect the cabins, and during lunch they announce the winner of the White Sock award. This is very competitive, as the winner of the White Sock will get a free canteen item, the privilege of being first in line to canteen, as well as an actual white sock to display in their cabin.

• No Hands Dessert- This is exactly what it sounds like. Campers will often compete to see who can eat their dessert the fastest without using their hands. (And who can get the messiest face.)

• Activity time vs. Free time - While both are chances for campers to relax in the afternoon, these are two different things. Activity time is where there are specific activities that the campers have to chooses from such as swimming in the pool, playing basketball, swing dancing, and arts and crafts. Free time is less structured, giving the campers a chance to just hang out. This time is also when the canteen is open, and we can buy candy, snacks, and EYMC gear.

Also:

• When a time is announced, a proper response to "Be ready for lunch at 12." is "No Way Man, 11:55" This is to remind people to be EARLY.

EYMC Leadership Team Dance

Here is a video of the LT using a bit of musical theater magic to teach an important lesson at the talent show.

Videos

Would you like to see more of the camp experience?

Juli has been taking pictures and videos and posting them on Facebook and YouTube.

Links here: Facebook and YouTube

Toads and Frogs, oh my.

The basketball activity time came to a complete stop when a frog was seen in the runoff from the water slide... It was HUGE according to once camper. We all gathered around and looked at the frog. About 5 minutes later, a HUGE tree toad was found in the water slide. This one was more colorful with yellow on the legs and a lighter green back. This toad even got to ride around Reed's shoulder for a while.

Cabin 1

Cabin 1 is composed of eight 6th and 7th grade girls. ON day 1 they created a hanging mobile of ribbon, lace, streamers, and buttons to make the cabin less stark.

They kept up the tradition of winning the coveted white sock award on Monday!

All the girls are still excited to be here and getting along great, reenforced by the daily themes in christian formation. They are looking forward to the talent show tonight where they plan on doing a cabin skit.

Rain or Shine

Monday night's activity...

Every night after dinner there is a special activity, Monday we had the LT Hunt.

In past years, the Leadership Team and some members of staff would position themselves around the camp. Monday it was raining on and off while we were eating so everything was wet and it was ready to rain again.

The awesome program staff adjusted things and now the LT and Staff were spread throughout the main lodge.

Each cabin was given a list of unique facts. The cabins, as a team had to guess which unique fact went with which person.

The catch: the cabin must act, mime, motion, or whatever it takes other than talking to the LT.

So it would go something like this...

1. cabin moves together as a group (or is wrangled) to find an LT that is available.
2. cabin chooses a fun fact from the sheet that they think belongs to the LT.
3. cabin members, without taking, do what ever it takes to clue the LT into understanding what they are doing. (after many different attempts)
4. LT figures out what they are acting out and says 'yes, they chose the right one' or 'no'. Sometimes you get more than one turn.
5. the cabin team moves on to another LT until the time runs out.

Here are some of the clues. You may want to ask your camper about it.

• Garrison Keillor was my dinner mate.
• Last month I was hiking in the Alps
• Two medium pizzas in one sitting is my style.
• I have a black belt.
• If I were a fruit, I would be an orange.
• Onomatopoeia is my favorite word.
• Zip-lining in 3 countries is my fame.
• I have ridden a dolphin.
• ...

No LT members were hurt during the LT hunt...

Photo Album

The pictures in the photo album have started being updated.

Pictures are grouped by day.

If, when you click on photo album, you get a blank page, try right clicking and choosing open in a new window, or, type in the link directly: https://picasaweb.google.com/EpiscopalYouthMusic/

Monday's Theme

"Heaven"

We are preparing for the heavenly banquet.

What places are sacred to you?

How do we create glimpses of heaven on earth?

Verse for today

"Blessed is the one who will eat at the feat in the kingdom of god." - Luke 14:15b NIV

"How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" - Luke 14:15b, The Message

Cabin 7 after the first night's sleep.

We are ready for the first full day.

A few of us went running, some did morning stretch, others just sat on the bench and watched.

Then off to morning worship and breakfast.

In case anyone was wondering, Pancakes and sausages...

It has started!

Sunday, our first day, is well under way.  The campers have arrived, set up their cabins, had a quick orientation, and are currently doing rotations (bells, choreography, and choir).

The campers in cabin 7, of which I am one of the counselors, have already bonded and are talking about many things, mainly a Mario Brothers game that I know nothing about...

Finale information

Are you a facebook user?

Here is an invite to the Finale [invite]

Not a facebook user?

When:

Saturday, August 13 · 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Where:

Camp Heartland Amphitheate
26001 Heinz Rd
Willow River, MN

Clark says:

The Episcopal Youth Music Camp is proud to announce it's 2011 Concert Finale. Come and support these incredible young people as they perform their hearts out. Hear the Choir, String Orchestra, Hand Bells, Recorder Ensemble, Concert & Marching Band, and more. Our Musical Theatre piece this year is "Big River". We are going to have a blast. Our weekly theme is "Two Worlds Together are Better Than One". Oh, it's so wonderfully true. For directions to Camp Heartland , please click on the attached web site. http://local.yahoo.com/inf​o-24351761-camp-heartland-​center-willow-river. Hope to see you there. It's gonna be a HOOT and a HANNY!! HA!! Take Care!!

The meeting is over, we are now ready for camp!