Serving our Community
Every week, we have a theme that shapes our Evening Embers discussions, inspires the lessons during church, and influences the skits at Campfire. This week, the focus is on “service,” and throughout the day boys are realizing just how many ways there are to serve each other at camp. During Evening Embers, boys gather with their counselor and cabin mates at the end of the day, discussing a question together in their cabin. One of the questions this week asked, “what can we do tomorrow to better serve our Falling Creek community?” It seemed like this question was still fresh in everyone’s minds today, because examples of service could be found in all aspects of camp.
Our kitchen staff serves us delicious food three times a day, but they are doing more than just serving out platters. The care that they put into preparing each meal is apparent, and the way they provide substitutes for specific diets and allergies shows their attention to detail. This morning we were treated to warm biscuits, sausages, eggs, seasoned hash browns, oatmeal, and a fruit and yogurt bar. We eat family style so that we can sit down with each other for conversations over our meal, and each table cleans up after themselves when we finish. Boys take turns carrying up the tray of plates after the meal, and sharing the cleaning is just one way that we can serve each other.
Good thing our counselors are strong!
The attitude of service carries over into our activities, especially at the F.A.R.M. where boys were taking care of the 23 chickens. The boys learn what it takes to care for chickens, helping to feed them and refill their water, as well as digging up bugs or harvesting lettuce for them to snack on. Some of the boys even have favorite chickens, like “Fancy Nancy,” who is named because of her “fancy feathered boots.” She is a brahma chicken, so she has fluffy feathered feet that sets her apart from the others. Today, the campers were working on updating the “chicken fort” in their run. They were collecting sticks to add to the fort so the chickens had a place to play and hide in. Beckett B. was working on making a chicken “restaurant” out of sticks, and laying out a buffet of lettuce for them. Everyone was having so much fun taking care of the chickens that they hardly realized they were serving them.
Caring for the chickens at the F.A.R.M.
On trips out of camp, a lot of planning and work from the counselors has to happen before the fun can begin. If counselors didn’t take the time to show this service, their trips wouldn’t be able to happen properly. Today, mountain biking was heading out to Dupont. Riley was most excited to ride Ridgeline again, (one of the most famous trails at Dupont) even though he had just been in Dupont last week! Before he even loaded up his bike though, mountain biking counselor Evan was in the kitchen making sure he had all their lunch supplies and no one would be hungry. Meanwhile, Dusty was serving his campers by leaving breakfast early to double check that the van was full of gas and ready to go. They were heading to Linville Gorge (or as Dusty says, Linville gorgeous), and the climbing staff wanted to make sure everything would be set, modeling their Servant’s Heart for the campers.
On the Tuckasegee river today, boys were learning more than just how to paddle the rapids. Ben Williams was teaching them what to do if someone falls out of their boat or has to wet exit in the whitewater, as well as how to perform rescues. The boys learned the technique for throwing the rope, and practiced “rescuing” each other on a tame section of the river. This kind of service is important during trips, because it allows boys to see that these adventure sports are more than just fun, and that to be successful they have to work as a team and serve each other.
Learning how to make rescues on the Tuckasegee River
Back at camp, tennis was working on a different kind of serving! They’ve been busy not only during daily lessons, but also with the Camper/Counselor Tennis Tournament. Thomas was telling me about his tennis partner, Matt, who is also his cabin counselor in Satank. In the last match they played earlier this week, they both wore fun matching neon shirts. Thomas and Matt are still in the bracket, and Thomas told me there were about 16 teams left this morning. He was looking forward to serving in their next match, which would be during Free Time. The Camper/Counselor Tennis Tournament is always a fun challenge, and everyone enjoys watching the highly anticipated final match!
Matt and Thomas, matching and ready for their Camper/Counselor Tennis Tournament match
It doesn’t matter if you are in camp activities, out of camp on trips, cleaning your cabin, or working in the kitchen, examples of service can be seen everywhere at camp. The Falling Creek Code is made up of four parts: Warrior Spirit, Positive Attitude, Moral Compass, and Servant’s Heart. Servant’s Heart is at the crux of what makes the Falling Creek Community so strong. If we didn’t encourage each other to model unselfish behavior and think of our neighbors with our Servant’s Heart, camp wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly. Today was a good reminder of just how many answers there are to that Evening Embers question, “what can we do to better serve our Falling Creek community.”
-Annie Pharr
Learning how to tie knots at the climbing wall
More Highlights From This Tuesday:
- Today was Green and Gold Day! Green won the “minute to win it” toilet paper mummy challenge at Morning Assembly, and the boys split into their tribes for Evening Program for more Green vs. Gold points games on the fields, in the gym, and in the thunder dungeon.
- Lunch was make-your-own wraps, with turkey bacon, tomato, lettuce, onion, cheese, ranch, and corn or wheat tortillas. There was also homemade potato salad and fresh watermelon, with chocolate Oreo pudding for dessert.
- Dinner was homemade perogies with cabbage, kielbasa, a hefty salad bar, and oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert
- Nathaniel R. became a Ranger in Archery
- Hudson T. became a Warrior in Archery
- JJ H., Robert P., & Tyler B. all became Rangers in Basketball
- Wells W. became a Warrior in Basketball
Green team wins the minute-to-win-it challenge at Morning Assembly!
Foggy but beautiful morning at lacrosse today