Hello, friends! I’m back and ready to relive our day for all our friends at home! First, I’d like to thank the talented Olivia Parker for her guest appearance on the blog last night! Olivia is one of our Head Counselors and is beloved by everyone at Camp. She’s a fantastic writer and an even better person so I knew you’d be in excellent hands while I got a few extra hours of sleep.

Today was incredible. It was sunny and 80 degrees, perfect weather for some of our favorite Camp traditions. We started the day off with scrambled eggs, bacon, sweet potato home fries, toast, fruit, and yogurt. We celebrated a few birthdays today, so there were several rounds of “Happy Birthday,” as well as chill tunes provided by our very own Abby Golden.

We all made our way outside for Morning Watch and it’s so fun to see folks exploring which spots they prefer for this time of reflection. People often become attached to a specific spot or area, and one of the perks of being in a new space is seeing people establish new traditions. Yours truly has a soft spot for the Adirondack chairs by the water.

After we chatted about the day at morning meeting, everyone made their way to Morning Group. At this point in the week, groups have become very close and are digging deeper and deeper into great conversation. Today’s theme, “Coming Home,” gave everyone a chance to begin reflecting on life after we return home from Camp, and what lessons we will take with us when we leave this place. Groups also talked about getting out of our comfort zone, the importance of seeking new perspectives, and change in general.

The program today included a new take on the Camp classic game, “High, Low, Cheers.” In “High, Low, Learned,” campers and staff share their high for the week, their low, and something they learned about themselves. It was fun to think about how this week has changed us. My group spent a lot of time thinking about the question, “How have I changed in the last year?”

From there, we went to lunch. Today’s lunch was pizza and Caesar salad (and who doesn’t love that iconic combo?). We needed the carbs and protein from the pizza for the afternoon we had planned.

Excitement was high as we prepared for the third event in the Color Team Cup competition, the Olympics. Pump up music blared as teams stretched and prepared for battle. Forest Green, Gold, Azalea, Jade, Royal Blue, Caroline Blue, Orange, and Purple competed in a variety of individual games like musical chairs, Simons Says, name-that-tune, and trivia before kicking off team games like tug-of-war, sponge relay, and dodgeball. After some fierce competition, two teams emerged ahead of the others: Orange and Royal Blue. The two teams faced off in an epic final relay that included dizzy bat (no injuries), frisbee toss (also no injuries), cornhole (no injuries that I’m aware of), bottle flip and pie-a-counselor (possibly some injuries to staff’s faces), and finally… the slip and slide (alright, a few bumps and scrapes but nothing crazy, I promise). It came down to the final minute, and Orange came away with the victory! The whole event gave classic Camp vibes.

Once Orange had claimed the win, the rest of the campers had the opportunity to enjoy the slip and slide. Many also took advantage of the swim and boat piers afterward. In all my years at Camp, I’ve never seen so many campers and staff utilize the waterfront this much. Camp Robindel is right on the lake and there are waterfront views from just about everywhere. There is so much access to swim and use kayaks and paddleboards. There’s even a paddleboard for 8-10 people!

We decided to get crazy with our schedule again today and switched dinner and Chapel. Our sixth and seventh graders led us in Chapel this evening, sharing a beautiful call-to-worship, scripture, benediction, and even a skit to translate the scripture into modern terms. Nearly 40 teens helped with Chapel today, which must be a record. Aiden Glennon gave the message and encouraged people to feel all the feelings, live in the moment, and make the effort to be fully present to experience everything life has to offer.

The reason we swapped dinner and Chapel was to accommodate our formal dinner dance! Everyone arrived at the dining hall dressed to impress, enjoying a delicious dinner of tandoori chicken, white rice, and the most delicious roasted cauliflower I’ve ever tasted. I chatted with the chef, and he said he used smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil (in case you were in the market for a cauliflower recipe). Dessert included three different kinds of muffins and Chips Ahoy cookies.

Once the tables were clear, everyone made their way out to the field on the waterfront. With the music blasting, people began snapping photos in their finest attire in front of a beautiful sunset. A group of amazing staff even decorated and hung gold stars around the dance space with the names of every camper and staff member. It was quite special!

Abby Golden kept the tunes coming all night. Campers and staff danced the night away to classics like “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Mr. Brightside,” and “Love Shack.” The Camp Robindel staff even came out to join in the fun for a bit!

As the dance came to a close, everyone made their way across camp to the council ring for Vespers. It’s a longstanding tradition that John Fiander gives the Vespers message on Thursday. After a beautiful rendition of “Brother” by NEEDTOBREATHE, John talked about how Camp often fills our buckets, changes our perspectives, and leaves us as better versions of ourselves. He encouraged everyone to think about how they can take what they’ve learned here, along with the Camp spirit, home with them at the end of this week.

After our middle school campers returned to their cabins for the night, our senior high campers enjoyed s’mores by the fire. Who doesn’t love a sweet treat at the end of the day?!

It’s really amazing how quickly the Camp week flies by. We spend 51 weeks planning and anticipating and in the blink of an eye, it’s here and then it’s time to leave again. Since we’re not ready for the Camp week to end, we’re just going to focus on how to make the most out of our final days together.