I live and work at Camp de Benneville Pines in Southern California’s San Bernardino National Forest. The camp is owned by members of the Unitarian Universalist congregations in Southern California, Arizona and Southern Nevada and hosts many different types of events. Our facility is the location for youth camps, retreats for churches, planning weekends for non-profit boards, work weekends where campers build, paint and clean to help us maintain the facility, and educational/recreational weekends for a variety of types of groups—women, men, 12-step organizations, yoga enthusiasts, scouts, and YMCA groups to name just a few.
After living at camp for almost 8 years, and having been involved in many aspects of the planning and implementing of programs here, I am more more curious than ever: what is the magic of camp?
Is the the outdoor environment?
Is it the type of activities?
Is it living with each other in close community?
How are youth, family and adult camps different or the same/similar?
There is quite a bit written about camp for children but I haven’t found much about the camp experience for adults. I’m going to keep looking—-and hope to share what I find as I go along.
