Chicago Health Corps: Chicago Health Corps Retreat 2012: Camp MacLean

post written by CHC member, Neerja J.

On the morning of April 4^th, the members of the Chicago Health Corps gathered near the Kimball Brown line stop to embark on a journey to Camp MacLean in Burlington, Wisconsin. Why was the Chicago Health Corps going to Wisconsin, you ask? To reflect on the past year of service and enjoy each other’s company during a two-day retreat at the camp.

Packing up the little car. Two days requires a surprising amount of stuff.

Packing up the massive van, lead by Captain Berg.

James, providing cupholder service.

Pillow and waterbottle, secured and ready for the road.

Once the members arrived at the camp, they took some time to unpack in their comfortable cabins and explore the campgrounds. Afterwards, the CHC members enjoyed tacos while Jenny Snyder, the Camp Director for Camp MacLean, oriented them to the Camp. CHC member Jessica Torres also introduced the members to the “Warm and Fuzzies” activity, where members posted notes to a wall in our common lodge, Kelsey’s Place, that highlighted positive qualities displayed by other members.

Cubbies? This IS the sweet life.

Aw gee. Guess who's bunk this is?! My money is on Danielle.

Carly and Lily getting used to our new digs.

Two of our three home sweet homes.
Pictured (left to right):
Shooting Star and Northern Lights.

Churros!? Nina is a happy camper.

After lunch, the members strengthened their communication and leadership skills while learning how to work better together as a team by participating in a low ropes course. All 15 CHC members climbed aboard two giant pairs of skis with ropes attached, and coordinated with each other in order to use the skis to get to cross a fictitious frozen tundra. They then continued to strengthen their communication and team-building techniques by creatively passing a hula hoop from member to member in a giant circle in less than five minutes. The members also practiced their planning skills when they prepared to use five “marshmallows” to transport all 15 of them across a treacherous “chocolate river.” Finally, Karen and the CHC members were made painfully aware of their lack of balance when they tried to organize themselves according to hair color shade while standing on a very round, narrow log. Eventually, CHC member Carly Kruse taught the members a modified waltz to help them switch places on the log, and CHC member Lisa-Sun Gresham came up with the simpler idea of having one member crouch while another member stepped over them.

Corps members heading up to Kelsey's Place.

James "Air Jordan" Raspanti

Shootin some b-ball

The volleyball matched her Michigan gear.

The situation demanded a Senior Picture.

More Senior pictures! Oh those were the days.

Neerja, enjoying the comforts of cabin living.

James, doing the salmon thing. He's so non-conformist.

Love this picture. Teambuilding is precious.

Standing on marshmallows in the river of chocolate.

Communication is key. Also: hand-holding.

Victory! (Just about)

Favorite picture of the whole trip? Yes! Look how beautiful we are!

The Log: A study in communication breakdown.
But we had a great time!

Oh the struggles

After the exhilaration and perils of the low ropes course, the members were thankful to have scheduled free time to bond with each other by playing basketball, making friendship bracelets, or simply talking. As a result, everyone was refreshed and thoroughly pumped to play an intense game of Capture the Flag, which featured many opportunities for the members to share ideas and communicate as a group in order to win the game. After two games involving members camouflaging themselves while guarding the flag, decoy attempts to capture the flag, and some highly creative guarding techniques by members of Team Black and Blue, both they and Team Win were able to capture each other’s flags once, resulting in a tied game. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time for a tiebreaker game because both teams had to report to dinner by that point, but you can feel free to leave a comment describing which team you think would have reigned supreme if there had been a championship game!

We had this nifty thing called a teambuilder. Think: sorting hat, you HP fans.

Jessica, of Team Win, was our secret, undercover, weapon.

Crazy Matt with his crazy speed and his crazy long legs.

Wild animal, loose on the field!

After dinner and some more scheduled free time, the CHC members gathered in Kelsey’s Place for an individualized reflection activity called “The Calling.” The activity was based on the idea that success arises from following one’s passions. It asked members to freewrite in response to questions about their strengths, desires, and missed opportunities in an attempt to allow the members to identify those passions and how they can pursue them. The activity was followed by small group discussions among the members about what they had discovered about themselves as a result of the activity. After the discussions, CHC member Sana Syal asked the members to write one of their fears or inhibitions on a piece of paper. Once everyone was gathered by the campfire outside of the cabins, the members either shared their fear or passed on sharing. Finally, the CHC members threw their fears into the fire together, which provided closure for the day’s reflection exercises and paved the way for a rollicking campfire.

CHCers conspire together in Cabin Shooting Star

Ze perfect S'more! Constructed by James, circa 2012.

And what a campfire it was! The CHC members kicked back by making delicious S’mores (with and without peanut butter) and singing. Farmer Sydney led the CHC in a “rare” chorus of a delightful camp song called “Rattlin’ Bog,” complete with hysterical facial expressions and musicality. CHC member Matt Dudley brought out his acoustic guitar and was able to accompany the members on every song they requested, from “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys to “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. Nevertheless, the most popular song request of the night was for more “Rattlin’ Bog” from Farmer Sydney, who probably wished that she’d never sung it for us in the first place.

Appreciating nature's beauty, and trying to live in the
moment, if you will.

Our cairn, in all its glory!

The members began Day 2 of their retreat the next day with an activity called “Pathways: Activities of Life Markers, Mindfulness, and Visualization” after breakfast. The CHC members were split into three groups and participated in three activities that allowed them to reflect at personally and with the group on their past, present, and future. For example, CHC member Lisa-Sun Gresham designed an activity that asked the members to find three rocks: a Marker of Achievement, a Marker of Obstacles, and a Marker of Self (and your role within the group dynamic of the Chicago Health Corps). Once the members identified these markers, they combined them to build a cairn, or a trail marker to guide the CHC in their remaining months of service. CHC member Ayla Karamustafa designed another activity focused on mindfulness, which required the members to spend five minutes being completely present and focused on their surroundings (which happened to be the beautiful Rockland Lake at Camp Maclean!) The members then freewrote about what they had heard, seen, and felt during that time, and shared their thoughts on the importance of mindfulness and its incorporation (or the lack thereof) in their daily lives. Finally, CHC member Neerja Joshi created an activity to help the members think about the future by defining success on their own terms, visualizing how they felt and what they saw and heard when they achieved a goal in the past, and either drawing or taking a picture of something in their surroundings that represented a form of success they intended to achieve in the future.

Preparing for the thrill of a lifetime.

Safety comes first at Camp MacLean.

James and Sydney, just about at the top. 30 feet above the ground.

Look! No hands!
Matt was giving some of us myocardial infarctions.

Karen, cool as a cucumber, getting ready to OWN this thing.

After the Pathways activity, the members took a break from reflecting through some scheduled free time. Some of the members even took on Camp Maclean’s “Skyway,” or high ropes course, during this time. Afterwards, all of the members congregated on the ground near the Skyway for some good old-fashioned fun by playing Ga-Ga Ball. (For those of you who didn’t grow up playing the game, it takes place in a pen and involves avoiding being hit anywhere from the knees downwards by a ball). The game taught the members a lot about each other, like the fact that CHC member Nina Litton has ninja-like acrobatic skills, and the fact that CHC members Maggie and James Raspanti were natural Ga-Ga Ball champions.

Sydney: 50% farmer, 50% spider.

Lisa-Sun, being brave and stuff.

Tightrope walking, essentially.

Conquering fears, one day at a time

Becca, laughing as she ascends the wobbly staircase.

Carly, loving life. Living the dream.

Sometimes you're standing on a strip of wood,

30 feet in the air, with the wind blowing,
and you're so zen in that moment, that you become a tree.

Good-bye Skyway! We love you so!

Program Director, Karen, descending among the countless ropes. It's beautiful isn't it?!

After the epic Ga-Ga Ball games, the members had lunch and gathered for a final debrief before returning to Chicago. The general feeling shared by the members seemed to be that taking some time to learn from and about each other outside of the city had been very valuable and rejuvenating. Once the members had collected the “Warm and Fuzzies” that had been posted about them throughout the retreat, they journeyed back to Chicago refreshed and revitalized for their final months of service.