Bustle filled Venue 208 in downtown Columbus May 30 as Camp Rising Sun volunteers packed almost 40 “magic boxes.” Each cardboard carton contained everything a camper will need to “attend” camp June 8-13 via their internet connection. Camp Rising Sun is going virtual. From living rooms, front porches and bedrooms, campers who are being treated, or have been treated, for cancer will be able to sign into Zoom daily for arts and crafts, skits, games and much more. In addition to camp T-shirts and supplies, each box includes a schedule and booklet telling participants in Mississippi, Alabama and southwestern Tennessee what will take place during three daily sessions Monday through Saturday.
“We have designated certain time slots with activities for every item in the box,” said Allison Kizer, who co-chairs the camp with Siggy Weeks.
Camp Rising Sun was to have taken place at Timberlake Ministries in Millport, Alabama, this month. Due to COVID-19 concerns, however, the CRS board did not want to risk the health of any camper or counselor. But even a pandemic can’t stop Camp Rising Sun, the organization’s Facebook page proclaims. Board members and counselors instead got to work developing virtual camp.
“We had innumerable Zoom meetings, sometimes three a week, and break-off meetings to specifically talk about games,” said Kizer. Ideas were prolific. An original concept to take camp online once a day quickly expanded to three times a day.
Planned activities include a Possum Pageant, scavenger hunt, lantern-making, dance sessions, a virtual petting zoo, Minute Ministries, games like Fact or Faux and Masked Counselor — plus the always-popular yearly talent show
“We want to let people know we are still here,” said Kizer. “And we appreciate all the support this community provides year after year. We’re excited about this year, and we’re also looking forward to being live-and-in-person next year.”
A post on the nonprofit organization’s Facebook page reads, “Camp is not a place but a people, and where our people are our camp will be also.”
Follow Camp Rising Sun through Facebook and Instagram. The camp is for children 6-16 living in Mississippi, Alabama and southwestern Tennessee who are being, or have been, treated for cancer.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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