Secret Agent Training Camp
Code Name: Camp Valor 2009
by Becky Ybarra
To view photos from camp, please scroll down to the bottom of this page. Additional photos may be viewed by clicking here.
All secret agents, time to return and report. Now that our secret agent camp is over, we can disclose the details of our training. The secret agents arrived on a hot Tuesday morning. As they checked in, they were given disguises, and then were introduced to their secret agent advisors (code name “counselors”) and the rest of their team and were taken to their bunks. Once they got settled in, they were able to go to secret device training (code name “arts & crafts”) and make a book safe. Then the adventures began!!!
We gathered around the fire pit where Secret Agent Derek (at least I think it was Derek – he had a great disguise on!) welcomed the agents to their training. After that we hit the ground running!
Hi-YA! Who was that? Dallas was back to train the agents for some secret self-defense tactics. He talked about self discipline and self motivation and taught the agents some really cool karate moves! While some of the agents were working on their karate moves, others were doing nautical training, or making marshmallow guns. Ka-ponk! Later that afternoon, Agent Steve Petty and Agent Tim Stemple trained the agents on wilderness safety and survival—what DO you do if you get lost and/or stranded in the wilderness? They also learned a really cool way to make a fire without using matches. While this was taking place, one could hear the distant sound of drumming and guitar—some of my favorite camp sounds!—thanks to our music guys, Sean Dahl and Blake Winslow.
Blake Winslow and Collin Barkdull were the masterminds behind one of the great, behind-the-scenes, secret agent activities, the Secret Mission of the Day! The agents were given a series of clues throughout the day. “The sitting butterflies would have a good view of this clue if it wasn’t so cleverly hidden”, for example. They would have to find certain people to get the clues, decode them with a black light, or unscramble a message. The first cabin to solve all of the clues at the end of each day won a prize!
That evening, our secret agent training was provided by Chad Hymas. Chad became a paraplegic at the age of 27 due to a tractor accident. As we gathered around the lodge and listened to his story, Chad revealed one of the great secrets in life: how to think beyond “I can’t” and achieve the unachievable. He explained that we can do this in two ways. First, if there is something in life that you want to achieve and feel that you can’t do, take a step back and approach it in a creative, sometimes unconventional way, and with a lot of determination, you CAN achieve it! For Chad, this started as something as simple as getting dressed by himself in the mornings. Then it became driving a car. Now he is a world class athlete and a motivational speaker. The second message Chad had for the agents was to go beyond themselves to make a difference in other peoples’ lives. For Chad, this message was wrapped up in a story he told about a young lady named Melanie who attended his high school. Melanie was disabled. Because of the influence of Chad’s father, Melanie went from someone who was teased because of her disabilities, to becoming the Captain of the Cheer Leading team. Chad taught that if we take TIME to connect with, understand, and give to other people, we can move mountains.
Wednesday morning included activities such as learning how to disguise secret messages in art, how to scale a climbing wall, and teaching the young grasshoppers how to become centered, relaxed, and mindful through a little T’ai Chi and Yoga. We then met in the lodge for a little Bleeder’s Bingo and then… “Get Down! Get Down! Get on the Ground!!” Whoa, a SWAT team came in and took down our Secret Agent Director, Derek! Is he a double agent??? They hand-cuffed Derek and took him outside. Then what…it’s a bird, it’s a plane – not a superhero (that was sooo last year!), it’s a helicopter! And it landed in the field next to the lodge!!! Air Med paid us a little visit. We got to climb through the helicopter and check it out (wow, it is big!!), then talk to the agents who perform those awesome, life-saving rescues every day! We also got to talk to the SWAT guys and check out their gear. (It was a fake sting, by the way. Turns out Derek really is a good guy.) We wrapped up the afternoon with a little relaxing pool time and a visit from Primary Children’s Child Life specialist, Rachelle, who gave us some great stress reducing tips.
On Wednesday evening, we had our traditional camp BBQ. This year we celebrated the UHF’s 50th anniversary. Happy Birthday, UHF! After the food and festivities were wrapped up, we held a Pine Cone Ceremony. We gathered around the fire pit for a time of reflection and memorial. As the camp fire blazed, we all got a chance to stand up in front of the fire and dedicate our own pine cone to someone or something special in our lives, then add our pine cone to the fire. This was an amazing and inspiring experience. I still get chills just thinking of that evening.
So, Thursday came around. To tell you the truth, I was looking forward to a regular camp day. The HTC staff was coming to do some great medical education. I was also looking forward to the usual camp stuff: a little pool time, a little arts and crafts, some cool music activity, a great obstacle course, and, of course, you can’t forget skits! I should’ve known better. The morning came with an eerie sort of feeling. The wind was swirling around camp. There was an odd, grey-brown muted color to camp that morning, and what’s that? DO I SMELL SMOKE? Well, the rest is history. Thanks to everyone: all secret agents, secret agent trainers, and parents for helping with a wonderfully smooth and safe evacuation! I can’t wait until next year!!! Hope to see you there!
To view photos from camp, please see below. Additional photos may be found by clicking here.
We gathered around the fire pit where Secret Agent Derek (at least I think it was Derek – he had a great disguise on!) welcomed the agents to their training. After that we hit the ground running!
Hi-YA! Who was that? Dallas was back to train the agents for some secret self-defense tactics. He talked about self discipline and self motivation and taught the agents some really cool karate moves! While some of the agents were working on their karate moves, others were doing nautical training, or making marshmallow guns. Ka-ponk! Later that afternoon, Agent Steve Petty and Agent Tim Stemple trained the agents on wilderness safety and survival—what DO you do if you get lost and/or stranded in the wilderness? They also learned a really cool way to make a fire without using matches. While this was taking place, one could hear the distant sound of drumming and guitar—some of my favorite camp sounds!—thanks to our music guys, Sean Dahl and Blake Winslow.
Blake Winslow and Collin Barkdull were the masterminds behind one of the great, behind-the-scenes, secret agent activities, the Secret Mission of the Day! The agents were given a series of clues throughout the day. “The sitting butterflies would have a good view of this clue if it wasn’t so cleverly hidden”, for example. They would have to find certain people to get the clues, decode them with a black light, or unscramble a message. The first cabin to solve all of the clues at the end of each day won a prize!
That evening, our secret agent training was provided by Chad Hymas. Chad became a paraplegic at the age of 27 due to a tractor accident. As we gathered around the lodge and listened to his story, Chad revealed one of the great secrets in life: how to think beyond “I can’t” and achieve the unachievable. He explained that we can do this in two ways. First, if there is something in life that you want to achieve and feel that you can’t do, take a step back and approach it in a creative, sometimes unconventional way, and with a lot of determination, you CAN achieve it! For Chad, this started as something as simple as getting dressed by himself in the mornings. Then it became driving a car. Now he is a world class athlete and a motivational speaker. The second message Chad had for the agents was to go beyond themselves to make a difference in other peoples’ lives. For Chad, this message was wrapped up in a story he told about a young lady named Melanie who attended his high school. Melanie was disabled. Because of the influence of Chad’s father, Melanie went from someone who was teased because of her disabilities, to becoming the Captain of the Cheer Leading team. Chad taught that if we take TIME to connect with, understand, and give to other people, we can move mountains.
Wednesday morning included activities such as learning how to disguise secret messages in art, how to scale a climbing wall, and teaching the young grasshoppers how to become centered, relaxed, and mindful through a little T’ai Chi and Yoga. We then met in the lodge for a little Bleeder’s Bingo and then… “Get Down! Get Down! Get on the Ground!!” Whoa, a SWAT team came in and took down our Secret Agent Director, Derek! Is he a double agent??? They hand-cuffed Derek and took him outside. Then what…it’s a bird, it’s a plane – not a superhero (that was sooo last year!), it’s a helicopter! And it landed in the field next to the lodge!!! Air Med paid us a little visit. We got to climb through the helicopter and check it out (wow, it is big!!), then talk to the agents who perform those awesome, life-saving rescues every day! We also got to talk to the SWAT guys and check out their gear. (It was a fake sting, by the way. Turns out Derek really is a good guy.) We wrapped up the afternoon with a little relaxing pool time and a visit from Primary Children’s Child Life specialist, Rachelle, who gave us some great stress reducing tips.
On Wednesday evening, we had our traditional camp BBQ. This year we celebrated the UHF’s 50th anniversary. Happy Birthday, UHF! After the food and festivities were wrapped up, we held a Pine Cone Ceremony. We gathered around the fire pit for a time of reflection and memorial. As the camp fire blazed, we all got a chance to stand up in front of the fire and dedicate our own pine cone to someone or something special in our lives, then add our pine cone to the fire. This was an amazing and inspiring experience. I still get chills just thinking of that evening.
So, Thursday came around. To tell you the truth, I was looking forward to a regular camp day. The HTC staff was coming to do some great medical education. I was also looking forward to the usual camp stuff: a little pool time, a little arts and crafts, some cool music activity, a great obstacle course, and, of course, you can’t forget skits! I should’ve known better. The morning came with an eerie sort of feeling. The wind was swirling around camp. There was an odd, grey-brown muted color to camp that morning, and what’s that? DO I SMELL SMOKE? Well, the rest is history. Thanks to everyone: all secret agents, secret agent trainers, and parents for helping with a wonderfully smooth and safe evacuation! I can’t wait until next year!!! Hope to see you there!
To view photos from camp, please see below. Additional photos may be found by clicking here.
