The drive to Perth was uneventful although the increase in temperature the further north we drove seemed to bother the kids. My view on weather has pretty much always been, it is what it is, I can't change it so I just have to adapt to it. Of course, it would be good if the the air con didn't need re-gassing and if the car wasn't so old that that didn't mean a major modification rather than a quick injection! But the sea breeze came in later and that helped.
I went to the briefing at Shenton College, to find that only the kids from Mirrabooke were there! The Shenton kids have bailed from the camp. That's a shame but not necessarily a surprise, every year there is a drop-out rate. The camp will be smaller than I'd hoped but I will still make it as good as it can be for all those who are there.
Next stop Freo to deliver some clues to detours and check-points. I ran into 3-4 of the Carine groups on their camp and asked how they were going and everyone seemed fairly happy. They knew where they were camping for the night which is a major part of their work done for the day.
I borrowed a scooter from Gem at Scoot Freo to zip around to the places I had to get to, he's a great bloke, very generous and sccommodating. His daughter came on one of the first camps when she was at Carine so he has some idea what it's all about.
Favourite Daughter and The Heir picked me up after their shopping expedition to Harbourtown and we delivered a few more clues to people in strategic places.
In the course of this I was talking to a young woman behind the counter who saw my name badge and said "Marcus Holt! I'm Candace!"To say I was spun out was an understatement! This was a girl I hadn't seen in about 15 years and the last time I had seen her she was suicidal following the murder of her best friend! (Probably an understandable reaction!)
It was great to see her and learn that she is doing really well, is happy, in a good job and enjoying life. It is a very nice feeling to run into a kid who was at risk and who is now doing really well.
I ran into at least two other people who knew me from previous years as I was travelling around the city today, it is sometimes an occupational hazard.
We dropped The Heir at the train station so he could go off and join Alex at a karoake night!!
FD and I called in at the Shenton Park Motor Lodge to drop off our gear before heading out for dinner. Just as well we got there early because Bruce and Jackie were just about to leave for dinner and Bruce had set the alarm. If we'd walked in then it would have been quite a commotion!!!!
We had Noodles for dinner then re-joined the Carine kids at their campsite, Challenge Stadium because Josh had invited me to speak to them for a few minutes. I told them to always take any opportunities that presented themselves, to take care of one another because there are no guarantees of long lives, and, using my venture into painting as an example, to be willing to try new things because they may be surprised what skills they may unearth and what doors may open for them.
When we got back to Shenton Park Bruce was still up and we've spent the last couple of hours talking. He showed me the Fathering Project DVD he helped produce recently and it's excellent. So much so that I think I'll try and put it to use at school, it's a great resource and stimulus towards helping Dad's be better Dads.
Showing posts with label Cool School Race Camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cool School Race Camp. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Kids Have Returned
While I've been back at work for a couple of days, the real start of school was today, with 1000 odd students arriving at Busso High School to begin the new school year. That's not fair really, they're not all odd, just the year 9's mainly. I'm really hoping that the particular group of girls who buzz back and past my office every recess and lunchtime acting out their own version of Home and Away will grow up soon and leave the gossipy/bitchy soap opera behaviour behind! Mind you, by recess today the signs were not good!
More prayer required!
I continued the cleaning up/sorting out/decorating process today in my office, hanging a few paintings and photos, sorting out toys and puzzles, disposing of rubbish and creating a useable space. The new air con is sensational, worth every cent.
Tonight was beach volleyball with Carolyn making her comeback after returning from Melbourne. She did well but we still lost to the boys from The Goose who are all ex-school kids who played volleyball at Country Week and won the A Grade! Sport Boy seemed to be stuck in 2nd gear tonight in his ball boy duties and didn't even hang around for the third game to maximise his earnings, the first day back at school must have tired him out!
I went to see Deja Vu tonight.
I went to see Deja Vu tonight.
Sorry, I couldn't resist that; you could probably see it coming!
It was OK except for a dodgy ending which didn't remain true to the plot line in my opinion, Jordan disagreed when I told him what I thought later, trying to convince me with the sort of argument that might cut it with a 15 year old boy but was not good enough for me.
I also hung a stained glass window in the patio that we bought at a garage sale on the weekend, it looks good and will catch the afternoon sun nicely. I also repaired and hung a mobile wind chime I made out of old silver forks a while back. I'm not much use in the garden but I can add a few artistic touches to the decor!
More prayer required!
I continued the cleaning up/sorting out/decorating process today in my office, hanging a few paintings and photos, sorting out toys and puzzles, disposing of rubbish and creating a useable space. The new air con is sensational, worth every cent.
Tonight was beach volleyball with Carolyn making her comeback after returning from Melbourne. She did well but we still lost to the boys from The Goose who are all ex-school kids who played volleyball at Country Week and won the A Grade! Sport Boy seemed to be stuck in 2nd gear tonight in his ball boy duties and didn't even hang around for the third game to maximise his earnings, the first day back at school must have tired him out!
I went to see Deja Vu tonight.
I went to see Deja Vu tonight.
Sorry, I couldn't resist that; you could probably see it coming!
It was OK except for a dodgy ending which didn't remain true to the plot line in my opinion, Jordan disagreed when I told him what I thought later, trying to convince me with the sort of argument that might cut it with a 15 year old boy but was not good enough for me.
I also hung a stained glass window in the patio that we bought at a garage sale on the weekend, it looks good and will catch the afternoon sun nicely. I also repaired and hung a mobile wind chime I made out of old silver forks a while back. I'm not much use in the garden but I can add a few artistic touches to the decor!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
I'm Home
and I'm wrecked!
The Cool School Race Camp is over for another year which gives me just under 12 months to recuperate. The camp went really well for the first 2 days, running as planned and no major dramas.But on the third day.... things did not go as planned!
Somehow I managed to put all the clues for the final day in the wrong envelopes!
Thus, the teams didn't know where to go or what to do when they got there, until they got there and opened the next envelope which told them how to get to where they had already gotten to!!!!! The whole sequence was one position out of place and for the first couple of hours it was chaotic with my phone running hot as teachers tried to work out what they should be doing. Thankfully I had included a flow chart of the whole race on day three in the staff handbooks and although it didn't have all the details they needed it did prove to be the salvation of the race as at least they knew where each checkpoint was and were thus able to tell the kids where to go to next. After dealing with the logistical challenges of transporting the following:
36 students and staff from camp site 2 at Cyril Jackson high school back to Duncraig for an assembly at 9.00
All of the gear for the 112 city students back to Carine
2 4WD's and a trailer from Carine to the finish line, in Kings Park
1 objectionable bus from elsewhere in Carine to the finish line
All of the country kids gear from camp site 2 to the finish line via Carine
40 gym mats from CS2 back to Govo high school
A van and trailer full of gear to Carine and later to Kings Park
A set of keys back to the City of Bassendean
all with the services of just three drivers
I was finally able to start dealing with the mess the clues were in!
Once I'd picked Carolyn up from the bus station and delivered her to the Good Earth Hotel where we set up the puzzle task she was to run, I set off to Fairlanes bowling alley and the zoo to switch their clues then headed for Jacob's Ladder to set up the clue box with the final clue and directions to the finish line.
Round about this time I felded an angry phone call from a lady at Fremantle claiming no knowledge of the event and complaining about the large number of school kids interfering in her day! She did not believe my assertion that I had been there and done the right thing and negotiated the process and subsequently out-lawed any further kids from entering the centre!! (This is a first in the history of the camp!)
Then it was on to Kings Park to help cook 250 sausages on 4 BBQ's ready for the hungry hordes when they arrived.
Sadly, their arrival was not quite on cue.
The length of the race, the hold-ups at the start of the day and the unhelpful union action that saw trains run less frequently than normal all resulted in the kids not being able to get to the finish line by the deadline of 3.30.
I asked the bus drivers who were there to pick up the kids and take them home at the end of the camp to help collect them from the top of the park and they looked at me as if I'd asked them to fly me to Mars! It took a few minutes of asking and encouraging before they relented and consented to my request. At some point they must have remembered that I was the customer and they were there to provide a service! We finally managed to get 24 of the 25 groups assembled at the finish line just as the clock hit 4.30, the scheduled departure time!
I salvaged just enough time to thank everyone for coming and acknowledge the staff and all the people who'd helped make the camp work. I apologised for the mess with the clues on the last day.
I was about to say how glad and proud I was that my daughter Sophie was on the camp and that my waife had been involved for the first time when my emotions got the better of me and I started to cry.
Thankfully Josh stepped in to support me and the kids ended up giving me a standing ovation! Considering how badly awry things seemed to have gone on the final day that was a very affirming experience and helped me regain some confidence in the overall success of the camp.
We loaded up the kids and their gear onto 6 buses, said goodbye and waved them off towards home.
But what about the 25th group you ask?
What indeed!
Unfortunately the group had a bit of a melt-down late in the day after getting stuck at the zoo for over an hour waiting for a bus and by the time they got to Kings Park one of the kids flipped out a little and ran off from the group! Thankfully Carolyn and I found her as we drove through the park and reunited her with her team and staff member and saw them safely on their way home! An unexpected and eventful post script to the camp!
Carolyn and I then headed for our hotel, showered and changed, had dinner then set off for Subiaco to meet Sally and Warren. The four of us then went to see Dame Edna Everage in "Barry Humphries Back with a Vengeance" at the Regal Theatre, a very funny night's entertainment.
Finally it was home to the hotel and into bed.
As I said at the beginning, I've felt wrecked all day. We did have a lovely breakfast and a couple of hours shopping at Harbourtown before heading south.
We retrieved Jordan from Capel and Sport Boy from Dumbarton and made it home sfaely at about 5.00.
Tonight I went over to Dave's to watch the soccer on Foxtel but sadly Tottenham lost 3-0 to Arsenal!!!!!
The Cool School Race Camp is over for another year which gives me just under 12 months to recuperate. The camp went really well for the first 2 days, running as planned and no major dramas.But on the third day.... things did not go as planned!
Somehow I managed to put all the clues for the final day in the wrong envelopes!
Thus, the teams didn't know where to go or what to do when they got there, until they got there and opened the next envelope which told them how to get to where they had already gotten to!!!!! The whole sequence was one position out of place and for the first couple of hours it was chaotic with my phone running hot as teachers tried to work out what they should be doing. Thankfully I had included a flow chart of the whole race on day three in the staff handbooks and although it didn't have all the details they needed it did prove to be the salvation of the race as at least they knew where each checkpoint was and were thus able to tell the kids where to go to next. After dealing with the logistical challenges of transporting the following:
36 students and staff from camp site 2 at Cyril Jackson high school back to Duncraig for an assembly at 9.00
All of the gear for the 112 city students back to Carine
2 4WD's and a trailer from Carine to the finish line, in Kings Park
1 objectionable bus from elsewhere in Carine to the finish line
All of the country kids gear from camp site 2 to the finish line via Carine
40 gym mats from CS2 back to Govo high school
A van and trailer full of gear to Carine and later to Kings Park
A set of keys back to the City of Bassendean
all with the services of just three drivers
I was finally able to start dealing with the mess the clues were in!
Once I'd picked Carolyn up from the bus station and delivered her to the Good Earth Hotel where we set up the puzzle task she was to run, I set off to Fairlanes bowling alley and the zoo to switch their clues then headed for Jacob's Ladder to set up the clue box with the final clue and directions to the finish line.
Round about this time I felded an angry phone call from a lady at Fremantle claiming no knowledge of the event and complaining about the large number of school kids interfering in her day! She did not believe my assertion that I had been there and done the right thing and negotiated the process and subsequently out-lawed any further kids from entering the centre!! (This is a first in the history of the camp!)
Then it was on to Kings Park to help cook 250 sausages on 4 BBQ's ready for the hungry hordes when they arrived.
Sadly, their arrival was not quite on cue.
The length of the race, the hold-ups at the start of the day and the unhelpful union action that saw trains run less frequently than normal all resulted in the kids not being able to get to the finish line by the deadline of 3.30.
I asked the bus drivers who were there to pick up the kids and take them home at the end of the camp to help collect them from the top of the park and they looked at me as if I'd asked them to fly me to Mars! It took a few minutes of asking and encouraging before they relented and consented to my request. At some point they must have remembered that I was the customer and they were there to provide a service! We finally managed to get 24 of the 25 groups assembled at the finish line just as the clock hit 4.30, the scheduled departure time!
I salvaged just enough time to thank everyone for coming and acknowledge the staff and all the people who'd helped make the camp work. I apologised for the mess with the clues on the last day.
I was about to say how glad and proud I was that my daughter Sophie was on the camp and that my waife had been involved for the first time when my emotions got the better of me and I started to cry.
Thankfully Josh stepped in to support me and the kids ended up giving me a standing ovation! Considering how badly awry things seemed to have gone on the final day that was a very affirming experience and helped me regain some confidence in the overall success of the camp.
We loaded up the kids and their gear onto 6 buses, said goodbye and waved them off towards home.
But what about the 25th group you ask?
What indeed!
Unfortunately the group had a bit of a melt-down late in the day after getting stuck at the zoo for over an hour waiting for a bus and by the time they got to Kings Park one of the kids flipped out a little and ran off from the group! Thankfully Carolyn and I found her as we drove through the park and reunited her with her team and staff member and saw them safely on their way home! An unexpected and eventful post script to the camp!
Carolyn and I then headed for our hotel, showered and changed, had dinner then set off for Subiaco to meet Sally and Warren. The four of us then went to see Dame Edna Everage in "Barry Humphries Back with a Vengeance" at the Regal Theatre, a very funny night's entertainment.
Finally it was home to the hotel and into bed.
As I said at the beginning, I've felt wrecked all day. We did have a lovely breakfast and a couple of hours shopping at Harbourtown before heading south.
We retrieved Jordan from Capel and Sport Boy from Dumbarton and made it home sfaely at about 5.00.
Tonight I went over to Dave's to watch the soccer on Foxtel but sadly Tottenham lost 3-0 to Arsenal!!!!!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Ready or Not Here I Come!!
Ready or Not I'm leaving for home, to pack my own gear, then on to Perth, via Bunbury to drop Sophie and Beau off (they're joining the Newton Moore kids in the morning).
It's been a long slow day with lots of hold-ups. 7 kids dropped out over the last 2 days, creating headaches that weren't resolved until late this afternoon.
Butt, the car is loaded, I've done all I can do, the camp will just have to survive on what it's got now.
ETA in Perth: midnight.
There's stormy weather happening here, hope it's drier on the road as I head north.
For the next few days I won't be blogging on Holt Press but you can get some idea what I'm up to by clicking on the link for the cool school race camp blog.
Au Revoir
It's been a long slow day with lots of hold-ups. 7 kids dropped out over the last 2 days, creating headaches that weren't resolved until late this afternoon.
Butt, the car is loaded, I've done all I can do, the camp will just have to survive on what it's got now.
ETA in Perth: midnight.
There's stormy weather happening here, hope it's drier on the road as I head north.
For the next few days I won't be blogging on Holt Press but you can get some idea what I'm up to by clicking on the link for the cool school race camp blog.
Au Revoir
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