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Texas Camp Press Release
Forwarded message:
>From nutan@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Thu Jul 21 16:28:57 1994
Subject: Texas Camp Press Release
Hindu Students Council
First Annual Texas Camp
July 16 - July 18, 1994
Press Release
Nineteen students from Texas attended the First Annual Texas Camp
organized by the Maneesh Mehra, Hindu Students Council Southwest
Regional Coordinator, for the Hindu Student Council (HSC) chapters at
University of Houston (UH) and the University of Texas at Austin (UT). The
three-day camp from July 16 to July 17, 1994, was held at Guadalupe
State Park at Bulverde, Texas. The camp was primarily for key Texas
workers to meet together to plan future local and national events.
Campers arrived at the park late Friday night. The campers worked
together to pitch the various tents and set up camp. The campers started
dinner by feeding the animals first by spilling half the chole. Despite
eating a spoonful of chole with five puris, the campers had a
nice dinner where they got a chance to know each other better. After
dinner, the campers embarked on a tortuous journey on a rocky, dark trail
to the Guadalupe River that enabled them to see various interesting
sights such as jack-rabbits, armadillos, the river, and millions of
stars. "I've never seen this many stars since I was in India," said
Texas A&M freshman Niharika Gupta. At the river the campers were able
to see each camper's rock skipping abilities. Some had a chance to learn
the technique from experienced rock skippers.
Saturday morning there were three sessions. The first one was conducted
by Mehra, who talked about HSC. He explained what HSC is, how HSC
was formed, and what HSC is going to be. UT Junior Nutan Mehta conducted the
next session. Her session was about team-work and the upcoming Fifth
Annual HSC National Coordinating Committee Meeting, which will be held in
Houston on New Year's weekend. The campers worked together to come up
with preliminary plans for the upcoming conference. The third session was
conducted by UT Law Student Amit Misra. He talked about the need for the
revitalization of Hindu society. His underlying theme was that in order
to preserve the Hindu religion and Hindu culture, one must preserve Hindu
society. In order to preserve Hindu society, it's economic, political
and social well-being must be maintained. Each individual can do his
part by contributing to one or all three aspects of society.
"The sessions were a good learning experience and helped me expand my
knowledge of Hinduism," said UT Freshman Priya Mohendra. "It was good that
there was a religious aspect to camp. It made me think and learn more."
The rest of the day was engaged in activities the park had to offer.
The afternoon was spent swimming in the Guadalupe river, where the
campers swam in fresh water along with fish, turtles, and other
creatures of various sizes. At night the Nature Society had set up
special telescopes to view the crashing of a comet on Jupiter. The
campers were not able to witness the actual crash, but were able to see
Jupiter and it's four moons, craters on Earth's moons, and other
astronomical sights. "I can't believe I got to see Jupiter," said UT
Freshman Shweta Gupta. "It really is a red planet."
For the conclusion of the camp on Sunday, the campers packed up and went to
San Marcos, Texas for a day of rafting and tubing on the lower part of
the Guadalupe River. No one got seriously hurt since many campers were
wiped out on some of the faster rapids. The campers had fun dunking each
other in a variety of ways. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Senior Jyotsom Ganatra showed the campers how crazy and brave he is by
jumping off a fifty feet cliff. "This tubing experience is something
I'll never forget," said UT Junior Vishaal Mehra, who unfortunately wiped
and flipped on one rapid which resulted in his getting bloody knees.
The camp was very successful and plans are being made to make this camp
annually. The Texas key workers were able to get to know each other
better. "The camp got to bring the Houston and Austin chapters
together," said UT Junior Swati Trivedi, "and it will make it easier to work
together on upcoming events such as the December Conference."
Chandan
cbando@lynx.neu.edu
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* "This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they *
* alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive" *
* - Vishwa Vivek *
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