get with the program  by Abby Banfield Intentionality in the Dining Hall


Te doors open and campers flood into the din- ing hall, dragging towels and sporting last night’s face paint. Everyone’s hungry and it’s loud! Tree times a day we gather for meals. It can


be tempting to think of that time as a break, but what if mealtimes were another vehicle for the same theme, message and community building that happens in chapel and around the campfire? This summer, try adding a little spice (pun


intended) to mealtimes and see what impact it has, starting with a meal host. The host’s job is to welcome campers, communicate with the kitchen, keep the line moving and share infor- mation, and can also help carry your program theme into the dining hall.


A meal host can be fun and make everyone


laugh, but if people don’t get food, they will be cranky! Just like any other role at camp, train and schedule meal hosts. Meals will automati- cally take on a new purpose and intentionality. Determine the ideal location for your meal


host and how best to get the attention of every- one in the room. Maybe there’s a bell or music that lets people know something is about to happen. Perhaps there’s a spot by the fireplace mantle or in the center of the room that will work best for your host to stand. Determine what will work best for your context. At the first meal during staff training, use


full-time and returning staff to model hosting behavior. They should demonstrate the energy and procedures you’d like to see, including how to use a microphone.


What if mealtimes were another vehicle for the same theme, message and community


building that happens in chapel and around the campfire?


54


www.ccca.org May/June 2024


Photo courtesy of Trout Lake Camps


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