sarah mcVey: YAC and RATPOD

So I am really really not in the mood to blog buttttt this last week and a half have been amazing! So June 10th we went to the airport, did the whole "hello campers that are older than me, I am your cabin leader... OBEY ME." okay not really but I sort of feel that way some times, or that was how I felt a little bit because most of the campers this week are, in fact, older than me. But turns out this week was really just seven days of hanging out with buddies. I met some of the most hilarious and inspiring people in the entire world.

Run down of YAC: yac stands for young adults conference and it is a week long "conference/camp" where people from the ages of 18-40 get to come and get away for a week with a combination of campy things and educational sessions. I had 16 campers and one amazing volunteer in my cabin this week. It was a pretty heavy week this week because two of the greatest campers passed away over the last year.... quick shout out to Jordan and Cassie... Really missed you this week, camp is not the same without you but I'm glad to know that you are in a better place (side note on how grateful I am for the church I am a part of, knowing that I will see my friends again makes it so much easier to deal with their passing) anywhooooooo this week we went bowling and I actually got to do the crazy curving way and I got like seven strikes! amazing. We went to the saturday market in Missoula as well and I got to spend my time with the most hilarious lady ever who sang a song called sardines and told more blonde jokes than anyone I have ever met. Spent a day P-buring in P-burg and I got married. in the thrift store. to a hilarious camper. lucky me! We also had a spectacular day on rope courses, swam, did lots of horses, another really awesome Butte hiking, fishing (no we did not catch anything but my dear friend jack says that is why its called fishing and not catching). One night I spent the evening in my cabin with my pants pulled up to my armpits- a bunch of girls got a really great laugh out of that. Dance party was just about the coolest thing ever, we did all sorts of crazy dancing and karaoke, even learned a dance from a camper that will one day own her own dance studio- she taught us some pretty legit break dancing moves. and yes. I pulled out the tye-dye jump suit. Of course talent show and slide show are the most amazing way to end the week- so many crazy talents (singing voices, dancers, and even people that can touch their tongue to their nose (me being one of them. proud moment)) and some memories that will last forever. We talked about things we were grateful for on the last night of cabin chat and I will end my blog on YAC with one thing that I am grateful for: I have never had cancer, none of my immediate family or friends have ever had cancer but some how I had the opportunity to come to this amazing camp and what I am grateful for is that all of these amazing people have been and are willing to open up and let me into their circle, their joys, fears, struggles and life lessons. I am thankful for them.

RATPOD- Ride Around The Pioneer In One Day. 137 mile bike ride. raises over a quarter of the annual Camp Mak-A Dream budget and is an amazing party weekend following a bike race. This was this last weekend and everyone on core staff got to go to the middle of no where Dillon, Montana with over 600 riders all with the joint goal of raising money for camp- probably one of the longest and hottest days ever but also one of the most inspiring. One day, I will ride in this race.

Other things: over break we went to Helena and did some karaoke at an Irish Pub- and we sang My Heart Will Go On by my dear friend Celine Dion and hiked to the top of Mount Helena, had a really fun hotel party night and now are showered and ready to go for TEEN CAMP... starts tomorrow!