By Rachel Anne Borkowsky

Can love be found? In God? In others? In yourself? In giving love? This was the theme that girls explored during ECyD summer camps in Quebec and Ontario this year.

French Camp Alizé

Le P’tit Bonheur, a campsite located in Quebec, hosted girls ages 10-16 at the annual Camp Alizé from July 8 -14, 2012.

Waking up in the morning to the song “Chacaron Macaron,” the girls danced their way out of bed to start their day of fun, friends, and faith formation.  With an atmosphere of joy centered on Christ, the day was filled with activities including canoeing, swimming, kayaking, sailing, practicing archery, and wall climbing. Throughout each day the girls accompanied a character who was searching for love, whether it was the Princess, the Pirate, the Martian, or the Indian. By the end of the camp, the girls were able to rejoice with the characters at having found love in God, others, themselves, and in giving love. These girls also enjoyed participating in daily prayer and Mass.

Sainte Collette Day Camp

Fron July 23-27, 2012, girls aged 10-15 participated in a French-speaking day-camp based at Sainte Collette Parish in Montreal Nord.  All year long, most of the girls had been meeting monthly for some fun, cooking classes, and faith formation. In an under-privileged area, these girls were also able to profit from the theme of “Finding Love.” These girls had conferences, visited Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, made crafts, played games outside, and enjoyed the activities the ECyD Missionaries prepared for them. 

English Camp Alizé

The English-speaking camp Alizé took place in Lanark, Ontario during the week of August 4-10, 2012.  This camp followed the same theme, with similar activities and dynamics as the French camp in the Mont Tremblant Region. Activities included scavenger hunts and daily skits prepared by the ECyD missionaries and team leaders, introducing the character of the day.

Every year the girls look forward to “secret angels” on the camp. On the first day of camp, the girls receive a paper with another camper’s name on it. Throughout the week, they pray for and carry out secret acts of charity for this girl. On the last night, as the girls share their favorite experiences from camp, they reveal who they were an ‘angel’ for. Many friendships are solidified and others sparked by the kindness and generosity of seeing what they did for each other. Many girls mentioned that they particularly enjoyed the fun and faith-filled atmosphere, and the fruits of being among like-minded peers, forming deep and lasting friendships.