A Grandchild's View of Heber Valley Camp

A teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their vacation.  One child wrote the following:

We went to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  They used to live here in a big, brick house, but Grandpa got retarded, so they moved to Heber Valley Camp.  Now they live in a place with a lot of other retarded people.  They live in a tin box with wheels and there are flowers out front.  They ride around on ATV's and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.  They don't get to wear their regular clothes.  They wear green clothes that tell people where to return them if they wander away and get lost.

At their gate there is a dollhouse with a little old man and woman sitting in it.  They watch all day and all night so nobody can escape.  But sometimes Grandma and grandpa sneak out and go cruising on their 4-wheeler.

My Grandma used to bake cookies and stuff, but I guess she forgot how.  Some of the people who get out bring food back, invite everyone, and call it pot luck.

My Grandma says Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded one day too.

When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the dollhouse.  Then I will let people out so they can visit their grandchildren.

Attending Church Outside

Every Sunday we drive down to Heber City to attend church.  Two weeks ago we began to attend here in camp in the Hinckley pavilion.  The spirit is so strong here on the mountain, and it is very strong during church in the outdoors.  Of course we see the birds outside and the potguts running around, there is nothing like it.  What a wonderful experience we have every day of the week.  Last week was really quite cold, so we all took our blankets.  Sister Crabb brings her electric blanket and plugs it into the power!

July 4th Parade

The missionaries got to decorate their ATV's and have a parade through all the camps.  I guess this is a new tradition, and it pretty much turned into a huge water fight!  I think it has grown each year as has the size of the water guns.  We were also soaked by the water truck and one camp turned on their fire hydrant as we drove by.  

Our ATV 

The Young Women Presidency got right in the middle of the water fight
Sister Hyde and Sister Greenalgh

Sister Weston as Rosie the Riveter

Elder Duerden in the middle of the water fight

On the Job

Here is a picture of me right before I climb up to the nest.  Here are a few photos taken from the nest while waiting for the next group of girls.  It's a great view of the area around.  I often see wildlife run across the zip line.

All the gear on my harness, 2 sets of rabbit ears with all the carabiners, 2 extenders, and my water bottle.  The helmet also has to go on my head.

The view down the zip line

Here is the pole we climb up.  It is free swinging as it doesn't reach the ground.

This is the area where the girls sit when they are waiting for their turn on the high course ( zip line)

ATV Ride

On our most recent ATV ride, we went up to see the old Baird cabin and up to the Crows Nest lake.  The cabin was build in 1950 and has been restored by some of the previous missionaries.  It was a beautiful ride and we saw 2 beavers in the lake.  One of the prettiest spots is where they filmed one of the newest temple films.  

Baird Cabin

Beaver

Temple Film Site

Food For All!

 On Friday mornings after the girls leave camp, often times they will leave their excess food for the missionaries.  They make an all call over the radio, and we are off  racing with our ATV's.  You would think we were starving, but we all want to get our part of the food.  It is actually pretty funny and we all get caught up in the frenzy!

Pirates!

One of the girls camps had a pirate theme.  I think their stake was staffed with over achievers!  They actually brought up this large pirate ship float and decorated the entire camp with cool pirate decor.