Well it’s been nearly a week since the closing morning assembly of OMC 2007. How time flies!!! I can honestly say that this was the best OMC I’ve ever attended. So I just thought I would write a week in review for everyone who was and wasn’t at OMC this year.

Sunday June 17, 2007: Share the Road.

As everyone arrived at OMC you could just feel the energy. People jumped out of cars and ran to their friends they hadn’t seen in a year. There was hugging, squealing, and chatting over the last year. As 2:45 PM came around everyone gathered along the road to welcome the Out Spoken riders to the Mill. As they arrived everyone cheered and shouted because we all knew what these people had accomplished: biking 250 miles across West Virginia for 4-H. The assembly kicked off with the riders introducing themselves and their amazing crew. After their presentation we sang, for the first time at OMC 2007, the camp song. Bob welcomed everyone and told us that as we spoke there were still campers registering. We then reported to our first tribal meeting. At this tribal meeting the candidates we introduced for sagamore. We all voted for our choice and then went over our traditional camp songs and yell. We had dinner in our small groups so we could meet everyone and get acquainted. This was fun; we played ice breakers and then had reflections. Next came the “Journey.” I take huge pride in this ceremony as should everyone. It was a beautiful opening to our first Council Circle. The night ended with a dance at the Assembly Hall.

Monday June 18, 2007: Proceed with Caution.

We awoke at 7 AM and proceeded to Mount Vernon Dining Hall for a lovely Mill breakfast. We then had workshops. Next was tribal meetings, which kind of stunk because that’s when we start planning council circle material, but we hadn’t yet listened to our speaker. So, it was a somewhat unproductive meeting. Next was lunch and then to the Assembly Hall for our “Topic of the Day.” Our topic was about the Internet and how to be safe using it. After listening to what the speaker said we broke up into small discussion groups to, what else, discuss the topic. We then expressed our opinions about the topic through questions to the speaker and everyone else. Free time followed the discussion. Swimming!!! We had a tribal meeting to finalize council circle plans and then proceeded to dinner. Camp pictures were taken in the Amphitheater. Next was cottage reflections, followed by Council Circle. This Council Circle was amazing. We all got to witness something truly amazing, a proposal of marriage. I cried. It was beautiful. The night ended with recreation at the Assembly Hall.

Tuesday June 19, 2007: No Trespassing.

Same routine as yesterday, except the Topic of the Day was in the morning and classes were in the afternoon. The speaker talked about drugs and alcohol and their affect on healthy relationships. The Polly Hanst Memorial Service was held that night in conjunction with the All-Star consecration. We got rained out of our normal Council Circle spot and had Council Circle under the big pavilion by the pool. Bob said at the beginning of council circle he knew there was a reason we were being forced to have council circle in this location. He was right. A camper who had some medical problems had to be immediately removed from Council Circle. Removing the camper would’ve been very hard had we been at Council Circle. We were dismissed to our cottages and ended the day.

Wednesday June 20, 2007: Slippery When Wet.

Community Service Day! After breakfast we had a morning assembly which went right into our speaker for the day. Chad Higgins spoke to us about community service. We broke up into small groups after his speech. We then came back to the assembly hall when the discussion in small groups finished. We were released from there to go to our community service sites and get busy. We worked until Noon and then went to Mount Vernon Dining Hall for some lunch. After lunch we worked for another hour and a half on our projects. My group finished our project before lunch so we helped another group finish theirs. All groups then reported to the Assembly Hall at 2:30 PM for community service reflections. We made posters or wrote poems that symbolized what we had accomplished that day. We were released to go change really fast if needed.

Wednesday activities were next on the agenda. I thought these were a blast! You could go to the beach in the sand volleyball court or the ocean up at the pool. You could play some games in the field in front of Monongalia Cottage while munchin’ on a snow cone or some popcorn. The talent show was also held during this time. How-How to Wednesday activities! Tribal meetings were at 4:15 PM followed by some free time before dinner. Tonight was the beef barbecue at the pavilion at 6:00 PM and then Council Circle.

After Council Circle we went back to our cottages to prepare for cottage meditations. My cottage was Barbour and we were assigned to one part of Marion Cottage. We waited for our gentlemen to arrive and when they did we were very impressed. They greeted us with a song and then let us have our pick of which guy we wanted for the rest of the night. We went down to Monroe Council Circle and had a lot of fun. We had sparkling cider and made s’mores. We sang our favorite songs, including some Disney songs. This was my favorite cottage meditation ever because it wasn’t so romantic that it was stuffy, but it wasn’t just goofing off either. They did a great job of finding a happy medium. The night then ended when the guys dropped us off at our cottage.

Thursday June 21, 2007: PG Warning.

Wake up at 7:00 AM and breakfast at 8:00 AM. Workshops were in the morning followed by a tribal meeting before breaking for lunch. After lunch we had a speaker on the topic of media. This was a very interesting and controversial topic. We had small group discussion and then came back for questions to the speaker. This was followed by some free time.

At 6:00 PM was the beautiful informal banquet. Even though there was no water to get ready with everyone poured on the perfume and it was OK. After the banquet we were allowed time to go back to our cottages and change for the Camp Party! The party was amazingly fun and couldn’t have been better. After the party we had reflections outside of the chapel. We then went to our cottages for the rest of the night.

Friday June 22, 2007: Under Construction.

Same schedule as yesterday except classes and the morning assembly were flipped. Our assembly topic was on the changing family. I did not enjoy this topic because I don’t think it was what I expected. Some did enjoy it though. At 7:30 PM we went to our final Council Circle and candle lighting ceremony. The 21 year-olds brought tears to my eyes more than once. For candle lighting after Council Circle we were led by candles to the pool. We stood around the pool and listened to campers read poetry and quotes. They then launched wish boats into the pool for each tribe. Everyone in camp had made a wish that day and then given them on a special piece of paper to their chief. They were then placed in these boats that were set sail by a twenty-one year old from each tribe and a first year camper from each tribe. It was very emotional. We then had a brief dance at the assembly hall and were then sent to our cottages for the remaining of the evening. Our last night of OMC 2007. Sigh.

Saturday June 23, 2007: Exit.

Breakfast was a little later today. We packed up all our stuff and then reported to the Assembly Hall for the closing assembly. A lot went on during this assembly. The scholarship winners from the previous evening spoke. Jeff presented the staff who had served 5, 10, and 15 years with plaques. The chorus sang two songs at the beginning of the assembly. The upcoming chiefs made a brief speech about next year. We watched the camp slideshow. At the end of the assembly the chorus sang three very moving songs: My Home Among the Hills, Come Home to West Virginia, and lastly Shalom. These are all traditional songs sung at the end of every closing assembly, but they always seem to make everyone cry. After this Bob gave his closing remarks. He spoke about how every time we saw a sign along the road we would remember OMC 2007. After the assembly was closed by Bob, the 21 year-olds took a final picture and then everyone began hugging and crying and saying their final goodbyes. One of my very good friends was aging out and I hugged her and just balled my eyes out. It was both a joyous and sad time.

I hope that this gives those of you that couldn’t be at OMC this year an idea of what went on. For those of us who attended, I hope that we can look back at this week in review and remember a truly amazing Older Member’s Conference.

Always,
Caroline