Once again, HMEM Nubar Cairo’s youth showed themselves capable of organizing a memorable winter camp for the youngsters of HMEM Nubar Cairo and Alexandria. The four day camp, which was held for campers aged 10 and above, started on Thursday 30th of January, and ended on Sunday 2nd of February 2020. The campers were joined by younger children aging from seven to nine for two day-camps, on Friday and Saturday, from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parents and members of HMEM Nubar family were constantly updated through social media channels via photos and videos posted on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtag #hmemories. The main goal of this four day camp was the promotion of sportsmanship attitude based on teamwork and mutual respect while fostering punctuality, intellectual capacity and physical fitness.
The camp kicked-off on Thursday by dividing campers into two groups and explaining key rules such as keeping the campsite clean, washing cutlery after usage, respecting leaders and other campers, speaking in Armenian without the usage of offensive language, punctuality, and the prohibition of consuming food or drinks other than the ones provided in the camp. Electronic devices, such as mobiles and tablets, were collected and given only on specific times in order to encourage campers to connect and bond with each other.
Before jumping into activities, each team chose a name for itself; such as “Mamba Mentality” for one team as a tribute to the loss of the great NBA player Kobe Bryant, and “Heross” for the other. Each team painted its own flag before placing it next to HMEM Nubar’s flag in the middle of the club.
From that moment forward, a great variety of activities were held, including sports games such as capture the flag, baseball, relay games and many more, as well as educational games such as a trivia contest, a treasure hunt, and a talent show. Games with similar objectives were also organized for the day campers. Furthermore, a thirty-minute educational trip was held on Saturday for both campers and day campers to the Baron Empain palace where Dr. Arto Belekdanian explained the history of Heliopolis and the castle, and their connection to Boghos Nubar. Every night, campers gathered around the camp fire for some bonding and warmth before starting their guarding shifts to protect HMEM Nubar’s flag from attacks. Indeed, a “hartsagoom” was organized on Friday night, taking campers by surprise and showing their devotion to protect their beloved club’s flag.
The camp was a big success thanks to the collaborative efforts of all those who contributed in one way or another. Many thanks to all those who passionately volunteered to help keep our campers well-fed, namely Pierre Norarevian, Mike Nabil, Mary Terzian, as well as Goganian Armenian club for providing dinner for campers on Saturday. Also, special thanks to Dr. Arto Belekdanian for contributing in the educative aspect of the camp. Last but not least, a huge thanks to the youth organizing committee members without whom this camp would not have been such a success.
Mané Djizmedjian
