By JOAN ALIOBE. Romero House Resident
The most amazing moment this year was the trip to Romero Camp at Anishinabe Spiritual Centre, a place of peace, beauty, nature, quiet, and relaxation. It is located to the south of Espanola, on the shores of Lake Anderson. It was the first long drive for us as newcomers, outside of Toronto.
The trip to Anishinabe started with a lot of preparation prior to the travel day. One of the places we visited on our way to Anishinabe was the French River Visitor Centre, which had a beautiful foot bridge with nice scenery. The Centre is also a mini form of a museum with different pieces of information and materials. Most memorable is the way it’s constructed with very minimal disruption to the original set up of nature.
Arriving at Anishinabe, we were welcomed by a team of staff, including our own Mary Jo and Robbie, who travelled prior to preparing for our arrival. The centre is so beautiful and a worthy destination for a camp or hide away. The tranquility of this place is remarkable, with only the soft conversations of birds and the gentle swaying of the trees breaking the silence. Lush natural vegetation surrounds the centre, creating an oasis of calm. The true gem, however, is Lake Anderson—a serene expanse of water that adds beauty to the landscape. Sitting by the lake, enjoying the refreshing breeze and the peaceful ambiance, is a simple but profound pleasure that defines the atmosphere there.
While at the camp, we were able to go visiting two different locations. The first and very memorable was the waterfall near Kagawong where most campers dipped themselves in the cold water and swam beneath the falls. We thereafter had a long walk through the forest to the lake side, where we had lunch and other snacks. The days at the camp had several activities that ranged from field games such as rolling air filled tubes, sack race, tug of war, football, basketball, volleyball. The most amazing thing was canoeing and swimming. The children enjoyed the fishing time too.
During the mornings we always had a meeting and a schedule of how the day was going to be run and also remind the campers of the helpers in the kitchen. We also took some time to do housekeeping. The meals were so amazing and a lot of teamwork was demonstrated. One very eventful night was the fashion show night. We really had fun and had a hearty laugh. By the time we were returning to Toronto, we had made many friends and the trip back was more interactive.
