Welcome back, friends of the blog! Despite temps soaring into the 90s, today was a great day! Bob and his wakeup crew made sure everyone was up bright an early by 7:30. Wakeup often includes fun instruments and/or Bob’s fun facts. There’s no better way to greet the day!
We started off with a breakfast of egg and cheese quesadillas, fruits, yogurt, and bagels. After breakfast, Steve Flaherty welcomed everyone to participate in Morning Watch, a 10-minute quiet time where campers and staff reflect on the day ahead and read a short program that introduces the theme for the day.
After Morning Watch, campers return to their cabins and tidy up a bit before heading to Morning Group. Our Camp theme for the week is “On the Road Again,” which is a nod to the fact that our Camp home has changed. Each day, we will explore a different facet of your typical road trip. The theme for today’s morning group discussion focused on how we build our roadmap before we leave for a trip. Groups played icebreakers to get to know one another better before diving into questions about where they come from, where they would like to go, and all the twists and turns in between.
One question that was popular among groups was, ” What is something you are most proud of on your road trip through life so far?”
Lunch consisted of chicken nuggets, French fries, fruit, and salad bar. Counselors Jenny Sheflin, Brian Hickox, and Timmy Noll explained Spree Time to campers. Each day during Spree Time, campers and staff get to choose from a variety of activities to participate in. The only rule is that you cannot be inside your cabin. Some of today’s activities included arts and crafts, disc golf, bracelet making, lawn games, and juggling. During this time, the Camp Store was open, offering Camp apparel, snacks, and drinks. The swim pier was VERY popular today, with many of our campers opting to take advantage of the Camp’s dock and inflatable water toys. Several cabins were able to take advantage of the boat pier as well.
The afternoon program was called “The Annual William ‘Billy’ Reeves Memorial Open Invitational Championship Classic.” Billy is a former staff member who is very much still alive, but not attending Camp this year so naturally we named a tournament after him! Throughout the golf-themed program, Morning Groups competed in games before two teams advanced to the final competition, which was a game of “trash in my backyard.” Meg Crosson and Jared Holton’s morning group came away with the win, but it was a close game!
Dinner included maple chicken, white rice, and salad bar. We moved from dinner to the Council Ring for Chapel, which featured members of our senior class. John Fiander had people on their feet for fan-favorites “Pharaoh, Pharaoh,” “Rise and Shine,” and “Always Forward.” Second-year staff member Hannah Rodriguez gave the message, reminding campers and staff that things don’t always go according to plan, but better things often follow those speedbumps.
Tonight’s evening program was a luau-themed dance! Campers and staff arrived clad in their Hawaiian shirts, leis, and grass skirts ready to dance. We were able to host the dance right down by the water and enjoyed a beautiful sunset as the tunes were bumping.
John Fiander kicked off Vespers with an oldie but goodie , “Two at a Time.” Robbie West gave tonight’s Vespers, sharing an inspiring message about being present, learning to embrace the unknown, and enjoying the moment you’re in.
Our campers are settling in and learning why Camp is so special to many of us!