For the last two years, I have had the great pleasure of being part of Camp Inquiry.  Camp Inquiry is the summer camp put on every July in Holland, New York by the Center For Inquiry.  The camp, for children aged seven to sixteen, offers the kind of activities that are found at most summer camps. You’ll see volleyball, water balloons, campfires, sing-alongs, and nature hikes, but there’s much more, and that’s what makes it so special. CI puts a special emphasis on helping children navigate the big questions that we all face: Who am I? Why am I here? What can I know? What ought I to do? This is done with the help of special guests including artists, writers, scientists, and public intellectuals who give lectures and workshops, but also share s’mores around the campfire and get into deep conversations  . After just five minutes at CI, it is obvious that this place is unique. This year’s guests included Jennifer Michael Hecht, Dale McGowan, Ben Radford, and of course, James Randi.

The children had great discussions with Dale McGowan, had a poetry workshop with accomplished writer, Jennifer Michael Hecht, and even learned the finer points of monster hunting with leading paranormal investigator Ben Radford. Few would disagree though, that James Randi’s two-day visit was the highlight of the week.  Randi spent two tireless days giving talks on his life as an investigator of extraordinary claims covering everything from faith healers to bomb detectors. The campers learned about his life as an important figure in 20th century magic and watched video of his frigid escape over Niagara Falls. While all of this was a treat for the campers and counselors, it was all the little things that will make for the fondest memories and the greatest inspiration. Randi spent hour after hour sitting with kids, telling jokes, performing magic, answering questions, and sharing his amazing stories. I had such fun listening to kids retelling Randi’s stories to their parents as they arrived at Camp. Most of the campers had heard of James Randi before they arrived at CI. It’s safe to say that many really knew him when they left on Friday night. I hope that Randi came away half as inspired as the kids were.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed