Today we are happy to present the annual Guest Blogger Post written for us by a dear friend of Day Camps, Mrs Bella Philmore.
Mrs. Philmore is instrumental in assisting with all matters of etiquette and is especially present throughout the Retreat Week, at meal times and providing guidance with the preparation and presentation of the Billetting Workshop.
Welcome Mrs. Philmore!
Hello followers of the Day Camp Blog, Bella Philmore here; joining you for a report on the Billeting Workshop which I helped to create this year for the delightful group of young people who were training to lead Day Camps.
The Day Camp Director had consulted me as to ways in which we could update the traditional Billet Workshop as she had been using the same format for many years:-a process of discussing various topics related to billeting and then having the young people portray these topics in short skits.
All of this was quite successful and amusing, but we felt it was time for a new approach…
Et voila!!- the “Mrs. Philmore Board Game”, graciously named after myself, what an honour!
Thus the new format consisted of a rousing round of the Game, followed by a time of crafting HANDMADE THANK YOU CARDS, a task which warmed the cockles of my heart.
I gather it also warmed the Director’s heart as, unbeknownst to her, the Team Members also took this time to secretly write personal thank you notes to her!
All in all the new format was a huge success. At least one Team Member listed the workshop as their favourite activity of the whole Retreat Week!!! And several members made reference to the benefits
of the coaching in Table Manners which they felt would be of assistance to them throughout the Summer.
of the coaching in Table Manners which they felt would be of assistance to them throughout the Summer.
A quote from one of the Thank You notes reads:- “Thank you for teaching me manners, which I will carry to my billets’ houses this Summer.”
One evening over a dinner of Corn Chowder, the Director took the opportunity of sharing with those assembled a favourite couplet of mine relative to the proper etiquette for eating soup:-
“Like little ships put out to sea, I push my spoon away from me”
This helpful “aide memoir” caused much merriment and will, no doubt be, in the future, of inestimable value to the dears.
Thus another happy week full of learning has taken place and I may now return to my sun-splashed kitchen to water the geraniums and stir up more tasty treats, should any hungry young people knock at the door.
Blessings to you all, Bella Philmore