Back to Nature

April Back to Nature: New Beginnings Report

Date: April 21, 2018
Location: Mitake
Participants: 24 campers, 3 LITs, 6 care workers, 14 volunteers, 4 partners, 8 MM Staff
Program:
This past weekend we hosted our April Back to Nature Program where we focused on New Beginnings.  With Easter and Earth Day being held in April, we were happy to introduce these holidays to our campers and volunteers.  The campers we super excited to participate in their first Easter Egg Hunt!  Split up into teams, the campers searched under rocks behind bushes and in the grass, searching for Easter eggs filled with yummy sweets!  While they ate their sweets, we encouraged the groups of campers and volunteers to talk about their goals as they start their new semester in school and as the new fiscal year starts at their company.
In celebration of Earth Day, we made sure to take care of the Earth by picking up trash we saw outside as we walked past the river.  The campers were just as determined to find trash as they were finding easter eggs, they even showed everyone when they found something interesting like a rope.  After cleaning up, the groups then walked inside so they could write these new goals on cute bunny cards.  Some of the campers used this program’s camp value of “Courage” by presenting their goals in English to the everyone there.
We then headed back outside where we ate yummy bento boxes, skipped rocks on the river and enjoyed the warm sun.  We were more than happy to have Mirai no Mori Ambassador, Hiroyuki Sakamoto back with us for this program.  Sakamoto gave a very moving speech, telling us his story of his determination and courage to become a professional boxer.  He then taught us all a quick boxing combination.  As the campers practiced with the boxing gloves on we encouraged them by telling them to have courage and they can do it!  Everyone had a really fun day where we were all able to have new experiences!  Thank you Sakamoto and to everyone who came!