The Spirit of Camp – Campfire

Many camps feel that one of their best programs is the closing campfire on the last night of camp.

If your closing campfire is the typical skit night, consider trying a closing campfire that is more reflective. Here is a way to do that.

This is not your typical campfire.

This is much more of a closing camp reflective ceremony.

THE BEGINNING

It begins with a tiki torch-lit path towards the campfire. This walk is done by cabin, and campers and staff walk in silently. On the way to their seats, each staff member receives a candle. (I love solar-powered tiki torches to line a path.)

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THE COMPASS

All campers and staff are in their seats at the campfire except for 4 staff members who are positioned with an unlit tiki torch around the campfire as if they are representing a compass.

Each of the 4 compass points can represent something different. For example, if you are a Y camp, the corners can represent Spirit, Mind, Body, and Community.

The first person, we’ll say they are representing Spirit, begins with an illustration (story, song, poem) that represents camp spirit. After they have completed their 3-minute illustration they pass the flame by lighting the torch held by the person representing “Mind”. This process continues through all 4.

SHARING THE FLAME

After all 4 have shared, the camp director then instructs the 4 compass points to share their flame by lighting the candle of another staff member and the flame is passed until all candles are lit.

A deep reflective talk is given about this process representing camp spirit and our need to pass it.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

We also have campers look into the flame and reflect on the following:

• Who made it possible for you to come to camp?
• Reflect on the new things you tried that you were scared to do.
• Reflect on all the new friends that you made.

THE ENDING

After this, half of the staff members are instructed to blow out their candles. The speaker says, “Think of how much different your week at camp would be if these staff members had not been here.”

Then the candles are re-lit and the brightness returns to the darkness.

A period of reflective songs are sung, and campers are quietly dismissed.

I don’t remember who submitted this wonderful idea to me for one of my earlier roundtables. If you know who it may be, please let me know so I can credit them.