The campers at VeryVera’s Cooking Camp stood in the laundry room of the home management house, discussing the cardinal rules of laundry.
The first rule – make sure all pockets are empty.
“My mom once washed a tube of lipstick,” one of the campers lamented.
Discussing the woes of washing items that shouldn’t be washed, shucking corn and folding fitted sheets might not sound like traditional summer camp activities, but children attending VeryVera’s Cooking Camp spend a week doing just that and more.
“This is my first time here. It’s really fun,” said Maddie Stallings, a Martinez Elementary School student, whose camp week included those activities plus making cookies, making beds, cleaning toilets and washing dishes..
She also made a photo frame, practiced her public speaking skills, snapped green beans and made peach cobbler.
The VeryVera Cooking Camps have been offered for 22 summers. Vera Stewart, who has her own TV show and several cookbooks, drew from her home economics teaching background when creating the first camps.
Three years ago, the home management aspect was added and the day extended to offer the extra programs. The camps are for 6 to 14-year-olds, and the curriculum is geared according to age level.
The youngest campers, for example, don’t do a lot of the home management tasks, but they participate in cooking, arts and crafts and learn the proper way to set a table with a specially-designed instructional placemat. And they have a lot of exuberance when they take part.
“I love watching the 6-year-olds. Everything is exciting to them.” said Haleigh Newman, who was one of the first campers 22 years ago and now serves as camp director.
By the time students reach their teens, their curriculum is highly specialized. This summer, the oldest children who are 12 to 14-year-olds are learning about planning a wedding covering topics such as budgeting, coming up with menus, taking field trips to view dresses and discover fabrics and styles and learning calligraphy to create place cards. The boys make a field trip to Simon’s Formal Wear to look at tuxedos.
And the camps are super popular with slots filling months in advance.
“We opened registration on Dec. 1,” Newman said. “In the first 48 hours, the first pre-beginner class sold out. We added another pre-beginner class. We typically sell out by March and have a waiting list.”
Over the course of seven weeks, 224 children take part in the camp.
Each week culminates with a luncheon and children receive awards.
While the camp sessions are all booked this summer, VeryVera also offers Saturday camps during the school year. Those camps focus on a theme – typically a holiday. Children make four recipes plus participate in two crafts.
“It moves at a quick pace,” Newman said of the day. “It’s a jam packed.”
Xavier Jacobs, a St. Mary on the Hill student, attended his first summer camp session this year after attending one of the Saturday camps which he enjoyed.
“I like cooking,” said Xavier, who sometimes cooks at home.
His favorite thing about summer camp?
“I like making mac and cheese. I love the cheese part,” he said.
Check the VeryVera website for more information.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s a Georgia Press Association winner and the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
