I don’t know if someone who blogged for Alpha I already addresses this topic or not, but it is one very near and dear to my heart and I want to share it with you. Grow Groups are an amazing experience that every camper gets the chance to be a part of. At the “Alphas” you are split up by age into groups called grow groups. I believe the groups were designed to do exactly what it sounds like they are supposed to do, grow. You start out in these groups when you are a first year camper and every year that you come back you stay with that group, or GROW with the group. It also could be taken that these groups are designed to start out with a smaller amount of kids and then every year the group fluctuates. It doesn’t necessarily get bigger, but it looses a few campers and gains a few new ones. I personally prefer the first definition.

I have been coming to Alpha II for six years and I have been in the same grow group the last three. The thing I have found the most amazing is that the few of us that are left from the original group have grown so much closer over the last three years, yet we are not afraid to let others in. I am proud to say that our grow group has three first year campers in it this year. I noticed this evening at grow group meditations that they fit in just like the rest of us.

Grow group meditations are one of the very special things that we do at Alpha II. They allow the group to show each other what they are really made of on the inside. I shared a poem with my group tonight that was really special to me. Others shared personal experiences or stories. We sang a few songs and also shared what our favorite thing about what 4-H camp is. Many of the other groups’ meditations were probably very different from ours. They are unique to the group, and each group is unique in and of its self.

Love Always,
Caroline