Second Set of Lessons from a Week-Long Bible Camp, Part 6

Camp food service is labor intensive. It takes a lot of volunteers to run the camp kitchen. Unless you're running an austier menu and feeding on paper plates, you're going to need support from the campers. Traditionally, this comes in the form of K.P. duty.

Here are my thoughts:

Service is not a Four-Letter Word

Scriptures are full of references to service to God and man. At FC Camp, we still require the campers to perform K.P. even though the trend at some camps has been to discontinue service jobs. Service instills character and keeps them humble (remember James 4: 6 says that there are two kinds of people in the world--the humble and the proud).

We use a two-tiered system for K.P. Each meal, two 11th and 12th grade campers were assigned to the kitchen to perform the heavier work (sweeping, mopping and garbage removal, for instance). The younger campers (4th through 10th grades) rotated by meal to the kitchen. They set tables (hoppers), served the meal (servers) and scraped dirty dished (cleaners). Each child, on average, only served two meals in the kitchen or dining room. The adults typically do K.P. for the first and last meals.

Here are the job descriptions for the various K.P. positions:

Dining Room Host

Reports to: Chef
Work hours: Reports at 0800 - 1200 - 1700 (may get one meal off)

Duties:

1. Supervises dining room and outdoor eating areas.
2. Coordinates use of KPs with cabin counselors and camp director.
3. Supervises KPs in their cleaning duties.
4. Prepares cold and hot beverages.
5. Assigns cleaning tasks to K.P.s.
6. Assists the cooks set up the salad and dessert bars.
7. Assists the dishwasher as needed.
8. Applies HACCP food safety principles during meal service and clean up.
9. Cleans insulated beverage containers.
10. Assists in other camp program areas between meals.

Cabin Counselor

1. Assemble the campers from the selected cabin in the dining room 30 minutes before the meal.
2. Report to the dining room host that your cabin is ready to work.
3. The dining room host will explain your duties and give a handwashing demonstration.
4. Find out from the dining room host how many campers will be needed for each team.
5. Divide the campers into three teams: (1) hoppers--dining room crew; (2) servers--steam line crew; (3) cleaners--dirty dish crew.
6. Monitor the campers to see that they remain on the job.
7. Encourage the campers and assist the dining room host as needed.
8. The counselor, hoppers and cleaners may eat as soon as the prayer is said. The servers have to wait until the end of the meal.

Hoppers––dining room crew

1. Wash your hands in hot water with soap for 20 seconds. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
2. Put a hat and apron on. You will be told if you need to wear disposable gloves.
3. Set each table with: 8 place settings (napkin, fork, spoon, knife and cup), 1 salt and pepper set, 1 pitcher of ice water and 1 pitcher of punch.
4. Place condiments and other dishes as directed on each table.
5. As soon as prayer is said, the hoppers may get in line and eat first.
6. During the meal, be ready to re-fill ice water and punch pitchers. Also replenish any other food dishes as needed.
7. After the meal, clear each table. Place serving dishes, pictures, silverware and cups in the dirty dish tubs. Return leftover punch and food to the kitchen.
8. Pick up litter in the patio and surrounding area.
9. Sweep the patio area and empty the garbage.
10. Check with your counselor before leaving.

Servers––steam line crew

1. Wash your hands in hot water with soap for 20 seconds. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
2. Put a hat and apron on. You will be told if you need to wear disposable gloves.
3. The cook will show you how to serve each item on the steam line.
4. Serve the meal. Neatly place each item on the plate.
5. Clean any spills on the steam line and on the floor as the happen.
6. Do not eat or drink while serving the meal.
7. You may eat as soon as all campers have eaten (before the second’s bell is rung).
8. Check with your counselor before leaving.

Cleaners––dirty dish crew

1. Wash your hands in hot water with soap for 20 seconds. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
2. Put a hat and apron on. You will be told if you need to wear disposable gloves.
3. Set the dirty dish area up on the covered patio. The dining room host will tell you how to do this.
4. As soon as prayer is said, the cleaners may get in line and eat first.
5. During the meal, help the campers scrape and sort the dishes into dish racks.
6. Run dish racks to the dishwasher when they fill up.
7. After the meal, clean the dish sorting area.
8. Clean the sorting table.
9. Put away clean dishes as instructed by the dishwasher.
10. Empty the garbage cans as they fill up.
11. Check with your counselor before leaving.