European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Most of Jummer amp Edat Lomg olo p i boy Thor i ack Lor Argie n from Iho Nepal ear Nany x Ilso he g and ithe charge and a Deal was struck with a City swimming poof to have the Camp pay Only 50 pfennings per child to enter instead of the usual two Mark Lee just Over a Dollar a local Mcdonald s provides birthday cakes and Orange drinks selecting a name lot the Camp was easy Akawa in the language of a new Cherokee tribe translates literally As Challenge " the first busloads of children irom Fulda and bad Hersheld arrived at Akawa july 10 participants Are being bused the Camp arid Back daily but for next year the plan is Lor them to stay at the Camp for an entire two week session the last of the three summer sessions which Cost $60 per child ends aug. 18 once they arrive at the Camp the children Ages 8 to 14 take on a Busy schedule of activities. The program includes aquatics canoeing arts and crafts performing arts fishing sports orienteering rope training hiking american Indian folklore held trips and demonstrations. Children get training certificates Lor each class they Complete like Patterson s canoeing class Many activities suprise both child and Parent ii cording to Camp instructors the hardest part is finding the Talent in kids and then structuring a program around it said performing arts instructor spec. Rick Cotton the 11 the army Cav regt medic assigned to the Camp on special duty says he helps children bring out their talents and then has them put on a show Lor parents at the end of every two week session. Cotton who also wrote the official Camp Akawa song says children learn everything from standing up in Iron of an audience to being a Good audience Lor other performers. The response from the parents 10 i never know my child could do that " said Cotton. For example one performance had the most shy camper Etc being the Chow by the end of the two weeks Ron Wilkinson a 24-year Veteran of the British army who now works Lor the director of personnel and Community activities in bad Hersfeldt leaches fishing skills to Young lads and lassies at the Camp three Small Ponds at the Camp were stocked with Trout and Carp for the program. Trouble is said Watkinson they just want to fish without learning How to. But they re Good Little lads they re learning and they re interested. It s Nice teaching them out of 20.1 know there will be 10 that become fishermen. It s in the blood you whether campers Are swimming working on projects learning to tie knots or going on trips they re Given the Opportunity to express and Lind themselves while learning to be responsible Counselor said. The reason Why we believe in this Camp is because we believe in the kids said swimming coach and song Leader Amy Boyle. We help the kids realize their own potential we allow them to scream and have a Good Limo said Dvorsky but they also learn when to behave they learn to be human beings and to respect others this is something they re going to keep forever she said about their Camp experiences everybody gets something out of this obviously the kids get More than we do. But to get the satisfaction of knowing there s one less kid silting in front of a to. He s out there in the real world doing real things. And that s the Way it should be " performing arts Counselor Jana Hawthorne coaches Billy Baker on his comedy routine. A of children demonstrate paleface sign during Counselor Margie Dvorsky s Indian folklore class. August 12,1989 rain does t Dampen spirits As Margie Dvorak shows kids How to Canoe on the Fulda River. The stars and stripes Page 15
