The Impact of Camp
July 19, 2013 by townsend
Greetings from High Rocks! We have had a very busy and exciting week! The last of this week’s trips came back to camp this afternoon. Our paddlers returned from a great day on Section II of the Chatooga; one of the few wild and scenic rivers in the Southeast. They had great weather and perfect water level. Several multi-day trips also came back into camp today. Boys returned from a great five day hike in Joyce Kilmer. The three day hike returned from their Black Balsam-Shining Rock Wilderness trip. And, the three day climbing trip returned. Everyone one was excited to get a shower, and then settle in for a great supper of Sesame chicken, Beef and broccoli, and egg rolls. Of course there were fortune cookies. Finally, tonight we relax and enjoy a movie. It is a welcome change of pace from a busy week.
Our staff has once again been amazing this summer. We are fortunate to have so many counselors, assistant counselors, and counselors in training that have grown up here as campers passing on their skills and passion for High Rocks to the campers. They truly have a positive impact on the campers.
The impact that camp can have on our children was expressed today in a letter from a camper who is excited about becoming a counselor in training next summer. He expressed it so well that I wanted to share it with you.
“High Rocks is more than just a summer camp to me; it is a home away from home, a place where I can go and experience a new world. Giving back to the place where I have made so many memories is extremely rewarding in itself, but as I age and mature, I have begun to desire to do even more for others at camp.”
“When thinking of High Rocks, I often come back to the very important question: How would my life be different if I never attended camp? Though I would never qualify the value of the knowledge and experience that I have acquired during my five years at camp, I believe that I would answer: without High Rocks, I wouldn’t respect nature, enjoy teaching, I would miss out on so many relationships and most importantly, I would never have learned to lead and push myself to try scary things. I want to help kids experience things that are totally new and totally exciting. I want to be a counselor at High Rocks.”
As I said, he expressed so well what makes being a counselor here so special. We take a lot of time and effort selecting the staff that will mentor your child. We also take the time to make sure our staff understand the huge responsibility we have for children’s safety, success, and development. Maybe one day your son will want to pass it on as well.
Have a good evening and enjoy today’s pictures!
Townsend