Ahoy, friends of the blog! As I write this, the cabins are quiet (well, mostly…), but many of our staff are hard at work cleaning up from today’s activities and preparing for tomorrow’s programs. You really wouldn’t believe how much work our staff puts in to make Camp happen each year. The work begins in October and only intensifies as we get closer to Camp. Staff then work around the clock while we’re at Camp to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. I’m constantly in awe of their dedication and feel so lucky to do this work with them.
We’re nearing midweek, which means that folks are a little more tired each morning. Everyone trickled into breakfast this morning in time to enjoy scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese, sausage links, danish, bagels, fruit, and yogurt. I think I spotted staff members going back for second cups of coffee as well.
The theme for today was “Running Out of Gas.” Discussion centered around avoiding conflict and how to deal with conflict when we are tired, worn out, stressed. I also spied many groups playing games like ninja tag, human knot, and Simon Says. An interesting question that I know my group enjoyed talking about was, “What’s something you’ve learned about yourself from past conflicts?”
Lunch consisted of chicken quesadillas, tortilla chips, and salad bar. Today’s afternoon program was an extended Spree Time and featured two phases, encouraging campers to spend time outside. Phase one included our annual 3-versus-3 basketball tournament, yard games, and steal the bacon. The 3-versus-3 basketball tournament had 29 teams participate in it, which may be a record! After battling each other (and the sun), Sam, Liam, and Jonathan claimed victory! It was so fun seeing so many teams participate in this event despite the hot weather. It was even more fun watching the staff try to keep up with the campers… Congratulations to our winning team and everyone who played!
Phase two of the program had our fourth annual kayak race, swimming, and lawn games. More than 40 campers competed across four heats for a spot in the final kayak race. Lilly was our winner, impressing us all with a photo finish. Keep an eye on our Instagram for the video of her finish! Congratulations Lilly! Shortly after the kayak race, we were shocked to see these white fluffy things in the sky that provided us protection from the sun. I think they’re called clouds. We hadn’t seen any in days, so it provided a nice break from the heat. Things got a little crazy later in the afternoon as a thunderstorm passed through, which was cool to watch over the lake.
Tonight we dined on chicken enchiladas, black bean and corn salad, and salad bar with freeze pops for dessert. Chapel was led by our 9th and 10th grade campers. Cam, a member of our senior class, delivered the message. He highlighted the importance of loving our neighbors, but also loving our enemies. He shared that we are all children of God and worthy of forgiveness. We enjoyed great music yet again, including “Lord of the Dance!” The dance moves at Chapel just get better and better as the week goes on.
After Chapel, Camp transformed into a treasure hunt. Our staff was clad in pirate costumes and campers were charged with playing games to earn puzzle pieces and coins that would ultimately lead them to a buried treasure. Campers competed with their Morning Groups. After lots of competition, the treasure was uncovered down at the beach! Imagine teens digging with the tiniest shovels you’ve ever seen… quite entertaining. Congratulations to the winning teams!
We made our way across Camp for Vespers. John Fiander kicked off the evening with “There Will Be a Light.” Colin Ames then shared a message about experiencing internal conflict and how he was able to work through challenges he faced in the last year. He emphasized the importance of persevering and listening to your gut.
As we look toward tomorrow (and a break in the heat), we are excited to see what the rest of the week has in store for us!