I remember a young man, Michael, and his first year at camp. It was obvious that he really appreciated being there, given that he had never had the opportunity to attend before.
It was the last morning of our camp and close to the time for school to start. I generally get up earlier than everyone else, and I was in the cook tent preparing breakfast when Michael appeared. We struck up a conversation about some of the different things we had done and learned at camp.
I asked if he was looking forward to going back to school, and he surprised me with what he said:
“You know, Dan, yes I am. I really look forward to it this year.”
I was a little shocked, because most boys aren’t looking forward to going back to school. I asked him why, and he said:
“You know, Dan, this is the first summer ever that I’ve had anything to do. Most of the time I’ve never done anything. This one summer has been wonderful because of the camp.
When I go back to school, one of the things the teacher always asks is, ‘What did you do this past summer?’ And before, I never had anything to say—I didn’t do anything.
It won’t be like that when I go back now. I can tell them about the days in the mountains, the cool nights sleeping in a tent, the summer rainstorms, the times around the campfire, eating camp food, catching and cleaning fish, hiking through the mountains, and learning about the outdoors and about life.”
I was so glad he was able to share that with me, and I was hopeful that the other boys and girls would have those same thoughts—and would be able to share their camping adventures with their friends and teachers.
RC…for soda pop or Respect & Cooperation?
Soda pop is a big part of a young person’s camp life, it’s a real treat, and RC Cola is the soda we use at camp. The reason we chose RC Cola is for:
R – respect and responsibility
C – cooperation and constructive choices
We find that children are incredibly open to talking—especially while outdoors. During those “teachable moments” while hiking, fishing, or just sitting around the campfire, we take the opportunity to talk with them about important values:
- Respect for themselves and for each other
- Cooperation with everyone during their camping experience, as well as in their daily interactions with parents, teachers, and others in authority
- Responsibility to care for the forest and the land around them
- Making constructive choices instead of destructive ones in their lives
To help reinforce these lessons, we send a can of RC Cola home with each camper—tucked into an Arizona Outdoor Adventures coozie. The idea is simple: whenever they see RC Cola—in their room, in a store, or in an advertisement—they’ll be reminded of:
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Cooperation
- Constructive Choices
Our hope is that these values will take root and grow as they continue to mature and navigate life.
