Peace Village has been full of many adventures and the week is coming to an end. Many volunteers and teachers have devoted their time to make this year phenomenal. The children and counselors have learned so many things throughout the classes, but also they have learned more about themselves. "The purpose of Peace Village, as I see it is to contribute at the local level to the evolution and advancement of civilization." Chelan the Peace Village counselor director said. Teaching children ages 6-13 the multiple practices of peace by trying new things throughout the week is also another goal at Peace Village. Everyone at Peace Village is thankful for all the helpers and volunteers making this camp continue on.
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I can’t believe today is already Day Three of camp! I am having a blast as always, this year as a counselor for the Eagles, our oldest group of campers, many of whom are veterans to Peace Village and are gearing up to become junior counselors in just a year or two. These young people are full of joy and insight, and two of them are already teaching their own classes as part of Village Fair, our mixed-age group activity rotations. I am continually impressed by the maturity with which each camper engages in the material of each class, and how they often step in to help both younger campers and older counselors.
This year, we have something new and special planned for these fantastic kids – an overnight retreat (tomorrow night!) where they can explore as a group and as individuals this incredible time of their lives: a time where they are no longer children and not yet adults, a time of earning independence and gaining responsibilities, a time of discovering who they are and who they wish to become. Many cultures around the world hold rites of passage for their adolescent citizens, but this celebration of transformation is something that is often forgotten in America today. We hope to bring this tradition back for our 12- and 13- year olds, so that we can celebrate with them their changing roles at camp, in their families, and in the world. I feel that this time is neither a beginning nor and end, but another step on a journey that can be confusing but also enlightening and empowering. I feel very fortunate to be sharing this time with these teens and to have them on the inaugural overnight for Peace Village! I can’t wait to see what the facilitators (Karen, Pamela, and Jack) will bring to this exciting event and what new discoveries our Eagles will make; I hope they will take some opportunities to share their stories with you! For now, we have another day of games, stories, crafts, and lots of Peace And Love for all. -Sulli, Eagles counselor Peace Village 2014 has certainly been off to a fantastic start. The familiar sound of children laughing and the delightful smell of food being prepared in the kitchen fills the air. I look forward to coming to Peace Village every summer. It is such a magical place to be around lively kids and wonderful staff who volunteer their time to be here. Peace Village is truly a special camp that makes my summer so much better. This year there are over 150 campers at camp! I have been coming to Peace Village since the very beginning and it has been such a thrill to watch it grow bigger and bigger every year. People all over the gorge have embraced the concept of Peace Village which has allowed the camp to flourish in the best way possible. Today, my Salamander group went to an "Earth Art" activity. We listened to a story about animals working together to stop the hurtful habits that we inflict on the planet. I watched the children's faces as they listened to the story. They were engaged and excited. This is what Peace Village is all about. It is about making children think about issues in the world and helping them to learn how to be a peaceful leader. I am looking forward to what the rest of the Peace Village week has to offer!
After several months of preparation, Peace Village camp has finally arrived. Excitement is shown through the children's faces as they connect with friends, and counselors. For many this camp is a tradition and reconnecting with old counselors is also an excitement. Peace Village offers a variety of activities allowing each child to explore in new adventures. They learn about connecting with other children by sharing common interests and developing new skills, but mainly they learn how to connect within themselves. An exciting week is bound to happen and new memories will arise.
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AuthorPeace Village Staff and Volunteers share mostly during the week of camp. Sign up above to receive notifications of blog posts and you'll never miss the latest news. Archives
August 2018
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