A Crescendo of Comings and Goings
June 24, 2014 by Dan Noland
Here in our last week of camp, with activities all going full-on, there is a feel around camp that is somewhat calmer than the first two weeks. One reason is that so many people are on trips. Another reason is that campers and counselors both have been amazingly active for seventeen straight days, and energy reserves are not as robust as they once were. Yet another reason is that the campers are learning from their experiences, showing off both the new skills they are gaining in their activities and also a firmer understanding of what it means to be part of the camp community. Their hard work, for them masked by all the fun they are having, is paying dividends in growth.
As the day began, a group of cavers took off for their trip to Worley Cave, in eastern Tennessee. The red clay from that spot was caked all over their faces smiling from the van windows as they rolled into the parking lot, and another passle of mountain bikers were in DuPont this afternoon. They both returned about the same time as the canoeists, climbers and hikers did from their two day events. It feels good to get them “home” and hear of their successes while in the woods and on the rivers. It also means that what had been a marginally quieter camp was back to its decibel-proud self at supper, even with the three-day hike still out and with the upper-middlers gone after early supper on their Chill Night.
As I write this blog, the sounds of the last regular evening activities reach me from the water slide, rope swing and even the special ga-ga game being held in the gym! Tomorrow night is Cabin Night, Thursday is final Campfire, and Friday we will have—somewhat reluctantly—let them go back to you.
Enjoy the pictures while we enjoy settling them all in for a good night’s sleep.
Dan Noland
Head Counselor