The GlamCocks Camp Guide
2014: CARAVANSARY
It’s difficult to pinpoint what made 2014 such an incredible year. Was it because of the smaller camp size (we’d shrunk to 66 GlamCocks)? Was it the unexpected influx of amazingly talented and passionate virgins? Was it due to streamlined organization and leadership? Or could it be that Rui’s hand-made GlamCock disco ball somehow dazzled us into an uncontrollable wave of love and dedication for each other? Probably all of the above.
With our previous Foreman, Garet, planning to take a well-deserved break for a year, Rui stepped up to take over the role. After months of research and discussions, he proposed a new type of structure constructed of warehouse racking, which would be easy to build, take down, and store year after year. It required a big investment by the camp, but all regions agreed to the plan, and to camp dues being raised to $275 per GlamCock.
It was a huge success! It was sturdy, effective, beautiful, and it cut down our build and break down times significantly.
We had learned lessons from 2013. People from different regions were placed next to each other in camp, to encourage more socializing between groups that didn’t know each other. We did away with the idea of trash management as a camp service, which caused huge issues the year before, instead opting for a “pack it in, pack it out” policy.
We also placed special emphasis on GlamCocks being a family, and our virgins adopted that spirit. Each of our virgins in 2014 contributed in amazing ways, bringing new art installations, creating and sharing meals, rehearsing and contributing performances to our parties, and bringing a fresh enthusiasm that fired up the group.
We strongly enforced a new rule that no GlamCock leaves the Playa until our MOOP sweep is completed (in the past this had led to some resentment by those left behind to deal with the mess). This, together with a new and efficient break down strategy, kept us all in high spirits throughout the day.
But the biggest new change was a Closing Circle after the MOOP sweep, proposed and led by Gil. Whereas in previous years we had inevitably left the Playa frustrated, exhausted, and impatient after camp takedown. It was never a great way to end the burn.
But this time, we all stood in a circle, held hands, and each person was invited to say something. The outpouring of love was overwhelming and inspiring. It energized the the group to begin thinking about 2015, even before stepping off Playa.
