Press Release
Little Daughters of the Earth Camp – July 7-10, 2005
Arco Iris a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Mother Earth and promoting matriarchal indigenous culture sponsored the first annual Little Daughters of the Earth Camp for girls ages 7- 11 years. Arco Iris was founded in 1984 in Newton, County, and is steward to a beautiful landbase of 400 acres in Boxley near the Buffalo River.
Boxley resident Maria Christina Moroles, executive director and one of the founders of Arco Iris initiated the Little Daughters of the Earth camp program and along with Miguela Borges, a permaculture instructor, also of Boxley and have worked hard to make it a reality. Ms. Moroles also known by her Indian name Sun Hawk is of Aztec heritage, believes the camp will serve to teach children the importance of protecting our environment and preserving traditional Native American self-sufficiency skills. Accordingly, camp activities will include: an introduction to the Native American Inipi ceremony or sweat lodge, morning fire circles, native crafts making, fire building, and learning uses for herbs. Other activities will include tent camping, campfire stories, hiking, swimming in the creek and water tank, horse and farm animal care, pottery, farm chores, berry picking, and educational tour of Cosmic Caverns.
The camp recruited many volunteers from the community to get involved, which were selected for the leadership roles they play in our community to provide positive role models for the girls. The camp incorporated community members to take part in many of the camp activities and who were interested in the mission of the organization and to personally benefit from the whole Native American and wilderness camp experience. Among the volunteers were Shirley Coleman Johnson, a community organizer, Damita Marks, a director of the Women’s of Color Leadership Network, Lucia Hall traditional Guatemalan weaver and business owner of World Treasures, Sky Blaylock director of Community Access Television in Fayetteville, Lauren Elizabeth Hall a Vista volunteer, Isis Brown a licensed midwife, KJ Zumwalt owner of Caribe Restaurant in Eureka Springs, Diana Rivers artist and writer, Path Walker licensed counselor and artist, Janine Croxford artist and for loaning tents, Lucia Guillan community organizer, Dee Carmona and Aaron Crowder for all round camp ground support.
Arco Iris would like to thank all the community members that have donated their time, resources and money for scholarships to help make this wonderful event possible. We would also like to thank all the local businesses that contributed food: Wild Oats Natural Foods of Little Rock, Ozark Natural Foods, Ozark Co-operative Warehouse and Mexican Original of Fayetteville and Price Cutter and Wal-Mart of Berryville. A special thanks to University of Arkansas for loaning us a slideshow projector to show an outdoor movie. We are also grateful to the Angel Food program of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Fayetteville. The Ponca Fire Department for loaning us tables to do crafts and for meals. A special thanks to KJ owner of Caribe restaurant for not only loaning us 24 chairs but delivering them. Thank you to Gayle Pace of First National Bank of Berryville for allowing us to pick blackberries from her garden and loaning us her ice cream maker and to all our supporters that offered a helping hand to make this camp a great experience that the girls and all the participants will treasure.
Girls, moms, grand moms, and volunteers that attended were sad to see the 4 day camp come to a close on Sunday July 10. Many of the girls made us promised to have the camp again next year. Our goal is to offer camp sessions throughout the year some for boys and some for girls. Full camper registration showed that there was not only a need for Little Daughters of the Earth Camp but also community support and commitment to see happen. Several mother commented that this type of healthy and educational youth activity was what our children need more of. With the incredible amount of community support Arco Iris received for this camp we definitely plan to continue to have this program. For more information please contact: Janis at (870) 861-5080 or write her at: janisw10@yahoo.com to learn more about Arco iris non-profit programs, how you can become a member, donor or volunteer.
