Stake Kickoff Meeting Suggestions

Stake Kickoff Suggestions PDF

Before the Kickoff:

  • Pick a date and time for your stake’s kickoff meeting.  Hold your meeting sometime in mid to late January.
  • Have your stake clerk compile a list of the girls in your stake that have birth dates ranging from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2014.
  • Invite the ward Young Women leaders who are handling Oakcrest, a stake priesthood leader, and all eligible young women and their parents/guardians.  Make sure every eligible girl is invited to your Oakcrest kickoff.  Many parents and girls do not know anything about Oakcrest and need to be informed of the opportunity.  Encourage ward leaders to give invitations to eligible less active and non-member girls who live in their ward boundaries.
  • Invite parents/guardians to bring their phones or laptops if you plan on helping them complete the online registration process at this meeting.
  • Print Permission and Medical Release Forms for each camper, as well as a few EpiPen Forms and Buddy Agreements.  If desired, assemble campers’ packets for the campers, including the following documents found on the Oakcrest website under the Campers tab: 
A Guide to Oakcrest Girls Camp
Packing List
Luggage Instructions
Oakcrest Service Project Flyer

At the Kickoff

  • Explain what Oakcrest Camp is. You might want to show the Oakcrest YouTube video found on the website under the About/Media tab.
  • Go over the Permission and Medical Release Form and the other forms in the camper’s packet or refer them to the website.
  • Discuss roommates after carefully reviewing the Roommates section found under the Forms and Policies tab. This information is also in A Guide to Oakcrest Girls Camp.  Point out that each camper can choose one roommate, but each must have the other’s name on her registration in order to be placed together.
  • Review the online registration process and give them the registration link that you will receive from Oakcrest registration.  Refer them to the Oakcrest website for more information regarding registration.  If campers are registering from home, make sure they know they need to register online before February 20 in order to be included in the stake payment.  Girls who register after February 20 will not be guaranteed a spot at Oakcrest and will be charged a late fee. Also, remind them that the fee for Oakcrest is $255, but that girls from participating stakes are given a reduced fee of $230, but only if they register by February 20.
  • Refer parents and campers to the Oakcrest Service Project Flyer. Remind them that donations should be packed separately.
  • Let the parents/guardians and ward leaders know when Permission and Medical Release, Epipen, and Buddy Agreement Forms and payment ($230) are due.
  • Make sure that every parent/guardian has your name and number so they know whom they can call with questions.
  • Make mention that Oakcrest does not take the place of ward or stake camps. Oakcrest is an optional or supplemental camp.
  • Emphasize that campers can only attend Oakcrest once per summer and provide them the birth date range of September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2014. Campers may attend Oakcrest twice if desired, as long as their birth date falls within the specified age range.
  • Allow time for questions and answers.

Other Tips:

  • Sing camp songs and/or play them as prelude.
  • Have refreshments.
  • Make the meeting as brief, yet informative, as possible.
  • Perhaps have a young woman who attended Oakcrest the previous year tell of her camp experience.