"I didn't really think that I would be into sailing, but I went and it was really fun," he says.
Cody is a Grade 9 student at Sutherland secondary and has attended Keats Camp, a Baptist summer camp on Keats Island near Gibsons, for two years.
He first went to Keats when he was 12 years old. It was the first time he had ever been to a sleep-away camp, and he says he wasn't nervous at all. "I just thought it would be a fun opportunity."
Along with sailing, archery and other sports, Cody also learned more about religion at the camp but says the extent of a camper's involvement in religion there is a personal choice. "I think really anyone can enjoy camp even if you're not religious," he notes.
Although they didn't tell ghost stories, Cody and his friends did sit around a campfire from time to time to just "relax and hang around."
With 12 campers and two counsellors per cabin, that's plenty of people to get up to some real hi-jinks but Cody and his buddies didn't sneak out at night (although the counsellors did arrange a supervised sneak-out night for fun).
Cody says he was never bored at camp because there was a lot to do, and he met lots of campers from the North Shore and from farther a field, including New Westminster and California.
"I always meet new people," he says.
Being friendly helps. "Go in with an open mind. Don't worry about anything because there's nothing to worry about. Everyone is really welcoming."
This summer, Cody will be going back to Keats to volunteer for two weeks in the kitchen. He says it's a good idea to give back to the camp for all that he has gotten out of it. He'll also be attending for a week as a camper.
When asked if he has a favourite memory from camp, Cody answers: "Just every memory from camp is awesome."
ROSALIND DUANE, [email protected]
