Finding My Heart's Place at Camp Ojiketa
By Alex/Sandy (Decker) Wincell
At the age of seven I made one of the most significant decisions of my life based on color preference. I chose Camp Fire over Girl Scouts because Blue Birds wore red, white and blue while Brownies wore, well...you get the gist. Although I was not so interested in the achievement of beads, patches or the Wo-He-Lo medallion I was an active participant until I graduated from high school – and then I went on to become professional staff for five years. Now I’m on the Board of Directors of Camp Fire USA Minnesota Council.
Initially my leader was Mrs. Griffith, and we had some great times throughout Blue Birds and Camp Fire. I’ll never forget the overnights, especially. For one of them we built camp stoves out of old coffee cans fueled by cardboard strips rolled up and then dunked in wax. The singing! Unfortunately, this is not one of my gifts, but definitely one of my passions (unfortunate for anyone around me). The beauty and message woven throughout the program stemming from the focus on Native American words, symbolism and world view has inspired me all my life. My undergraduate thesis was even focused on the latter because of the influence of my exposure through Camp Fire.
I joined a different group when the girls in my first one gradually lost interest and the group kind of faded away. My leader then was Mrs. Johnson. On overnights at Camp Lokinda we had the best time piling all the mattresses up and then jumping on them or pulling them down. We did service projects each year, like singing at nursing homes. Again, pity the recipients when I was there.
Camp, though, was instantly my heart’s place. Maybe because I had 4 brothers and no sisters, maybe because of the richness and beauty of both the Camp Fire and the Camp Ojiketa traditions, maybe because I was provided so many chances to master new skills, maybe because the friendships formed there remain significant in my life now even as much as 40 years later, maybe because they couldn’t stop me from singing – even encouraged it, maybe because of the immersion in the out-of-doors or maybe because of the leadership skills I developed through that experience. All of it had a profound impact on me and the adult I have become. The horses were my favorite activity at camp. Although I later led canoe trips as a counselor I never took any of them because I wanted to ride so much. I did go on the one and only backpacking trip Ojiketa ever had.
After I attained the rank of Apprentice Counselor and for each of the next four summers that I counseled, my most magical memories are of the last night of each session. First, there would be the gathering together for the Council Fire at the amphitheater overlooking the lake. Council Fires at camp were a time to sing all the most beautiful songs complete with 4 part harmony, to speak inspirational words of poetry, to share traditions like Tajar Tales, and to feel the warmth of your friends around you. After the campers all returned to their cabins there would be a special bugling of taps, usually with more than one horn so that there was harmony, and usually involving one or two special songs. Lastly, the counselors went to every cabin and serenaded the campers by moonlight. I came to love night, and the dark of nature because of the stars. Now, it is an annual event to watch for meteors during the Persied meteor showers in August.
No other life experience I can imagine could have given me as much of the grounding in tolerance, the empathy and compassion to look beyond my own concerns, the true appreciation of nature, the holistic healthy sense of self confidence, the innate need to be a life learner or the lifelong gift of music appreciation.
