| [Image: Angel says "It's MY first Lagniappe!" with big sister Amber] |
| [Image: The wild and ellusive Caramelina] |
| [Image: Ricky's having fun. You should too!] |
Being Prepared Was NEVER This Much Fun
2009 Fall Camp Lagniappe was all about being prepared for anything. So, November 21 and 22, military kids from all over the state came to Camp Grant Walker to learn about health, safety and emergency preparedness on top of the usual fun, games and making new friends, which are always a part of the Lagniappe experience.
Even the rain couldn't keep us down for long. We listened and learned from the Central Area American Red Cross, who gave demonstrations about the importance of first aid and hand washing. We learned how to use a compass and emergency whistle -- and got one of our own to take home.
Mr. Mike Vaurigard, a military father and volunteer, showed us some essentials he keeps in his emergency preparedness bag, and we got to make a list of things to put in our own bags at home. Ricky Butler from Rapides Parish said, "It helped to see what was in Mr. Mike's pack and how he put it together. I wouldn't have thought about keeping a plastic bag for wet clothes."
For dinner that night, Camp Grant Walker's own Mr. Jerry Talbot taught us how to make our own easy-to-fix and delicious-to-eat meals. Di'Nardeaux Sanchez from Ascension said, "I didn't think veggies could taste this good." The next day Mr. Jerry and Ken Carpenter taught us to hunt the elusive caramelinas.
These weren't the only reasons this Lagniappe was special. We also had 10 first timers! One of them was a very special legacy. April and Amber Edmison, 4-H'ers and military children from Rapides, have come to OMK events for years, but this year, their 5-year-old sister, Angel, was finally old enough to come and play. She told us, "I'm a big girl, now!" and proved it by making it through the night without a tear!
But the best part was seeing our old friends from other OMK camps and making new friends. We made Zoom albums (www.zoomalbum.com) of our favorite pictures to take home. Bridget Wallace, a military kid from Vernon, said she couldn't wait to show her mom the pictures of her new friends.
We'd love to see YOU at Spring Camp Lagniappe at Camp Grant Walker, in Pollock, La., April 17 and 18 from 1000 Saturday to 1200 Sunday! You can be sure we'll have lots of fun games and activities planned. Don't miss out! Sign up today!