Jersday Thursday

Thursday got off to a beautiful start this morning. The sun was poking through clouds and camp was cool after a solid rainstorm late last night. As the wake-up bell tolled out, the typical morning noises commenced and the day was off to the races!

Breakfast consisted of some delicious grits, boiled eggs, sausage, french toast sticks, fresh berries, yogurts, and cereals. You can feel the guys getting the hang of camp in the smoother flow inside the dining hall. They know how to move through the line confidently, ask questions of our wonderful kitchen crew, handle turning in their dishes, and even clean their tables with relative ease… and relatively few reminders!

To assembly we went for some classic camp songs sung at top volume. Cabin inspection is an anticipated part of the morning report and campers were on tenterhooks waiting for Larry to be awarded. Though it sounds like several cabins were in serious contention, our very youngest guys in Flattop I managed to pull out a win to the applause of all.

Into activities we went, with Flattop getting their crack at the high ropes course for the morning. As you can imagine, the excitement was high and the noise was audible from a ways off. Lakeside tackled pottery and horseback riding while Foxhollow rode and swam. I was lucky enough to have both cabins join me at the canoe docks where we briefly demonstrated a couple of useful strokes before piling into boats and putting it to use. We explored the island and conducted water-based invasions. We found lake creatures, jumped in and out of boats aplenty, performed several boat-over-boat rescues after flips, and did a credible job battling against a stiff wind across the lake later in the morning. Lots of fun was had, and everyone ended up in the water at the end of each class.

Before the lunch bell rang, all three cabins reported to the hiking area to be issued a backpack and sleeping pad for tonight’s cabin overnights. Lunch was a big hit with fried chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, fried pickles, and a big salad bar. From the feature picture you can see the Jersday Thursday theme was popular with guys sporting a favorite jersey. During rest hour, all of the guys packed up the necessary, and just the necessary, supplies for the night. 

Afternoon activities were busy as well with Flattop taking a turn on our climbing tower and then swimming. Lakeside swam and took a hike while Foxhollow hiked a trail and then climbed on the tower. 

At the 5:00 choice period, we all met by the dining hall to load up food, fill water bottles, and head to three separate open-air shelters further out on camp’s property. There, the groups made pita pizzas, roasted s’mores, played campfire games, and settled in for a night in the woods. As the second to last night of camp, it is a big adventure for these fellas, and one I look forward to hearing about in the morning!