Chanco Chums
Do you remember your Chanco Chums? I remember! Everyone had a chum to be good to, leave treats or little gifts for. And someone else had drawn your name and was supposed to do the same for you. At the end of Chanco Chum Day, everyone would reveal whose name they had drawn, so you'd reveal yourself and learn who had been good to you. As the revealing went on, a big circle would start to form and by the end, the circle would be complete with the entire camp holding hands in a big circle. As I think back, one of my most special memories of Chanco was one of those Chanco Chum nights when there were only two people left; A counselor, whose name escapes me (it's been a long time-she was Ken Markley's girl friend), and me. We had become friends over the session and had drawn each other's names! The circle was complete! She was so very sweet to me, and I had tried so hard to be a good Chum to her without her knowing it was me. I of course had no clue it was she who had drawn my name! What a great hug we had, and what a neat way to experience the joy and the learning of giving and sharing. I've tried to carry lessons like this that I learned at camp with me. Do you have Chanco Chum memories to share?