Revelry and Reverence
When the day starts with a late brunch of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, it’s destined to be a good day! Every Sunday we get to enjoy a more relaxed pace around camp. We sleep an hour later, enjoy breakfast together in the Dining Hall (complete with those coveted doughnuts and chocolate milk), and have Special Sign-ups instead of our regular activities. Sundays are like a reset button for the rest of the week, and after playing hard all hours of the day, we use Sundays to clean up after ourselves. Boys have to keep their cabins clean for daily inspections, but on Sunday they are given extra time to catch up on cleaning, especially because their trunks have to be open and ready for inspection by the directors and tribal leaders. This helps practice responsibility, and keep everyone accountable for maintaining their own cleanliness and health. Everyone takes turns with sweeping, cleaning the bathroom, and taking out the trash. The boys get some extra motivation too, because the cleanest cabins get called first in the ice cream sundae line after lunch!
After all the revelry and running around during normal games and activities, we exercised some reverence as we gathered at church. It’s a nice balance after all the high energy games and activities, and taking the time to be reverent during the church service helps reset the focus of the week. Today’s church service was themed around “joy,” continuing on the theme that our Evening Embers and tribal discussions have centered on all week. After church, we enjoyed our weekly fried chicken lunch, ice cream sundaes, and an extended rest hour to catch up on reading, letter-writing, or sleep. During lunch today, we celebrated Walker S.’s 14th birthday with cake and singing!
One of the sweetest parts of camp
Getting all the toppings during Sunday ice cream sundaes!
In the afternoon, the boys were able to choose from a long list of Special Signups to try something new and different at camp. During the first half, boys could learn how to make rope from natural fibers found in the woods around camp. They could also build climbing anchors or try fencing. Kickball was happening, as well as climbing on the climbing wall and drawing at arts and crafts. A “walk and stretch” group was heading out, or a group going on a “light jog” for something a little more strenuous. At the tennis courts, they were playing “touch the fence”, and at the swim docks they were hosting a swim trial. Boys could also go on a color walk, or trade Magic cards at “the grid.”
During the second half of the afternoon, there was a “brisk walk and talk” happening, where boys would head out for a walk and finish with some meaningful discussions at the overlook. Ian was taking on any challengers in a Magic game at “the grid,” and James was hosting a run around camp on the old Foo Foo trail. Pottery was open for progressions and boys could head back to the tennis courts if they still hadn’t gotten enough of “touch the fence.” Finally, at the swim docks there was a diving competition happening off the high dive.
After an afternoon of free-choice and unique activities, we headed up to the gym and turf field for dinner. On Sunday evenings, we get to have a cookout supper, enjoying a picnic outdoors with our friends. Tonight’s supper was hamburgers and hotdogs that Chef Kevin and David had been chargrilling on the big outdoor grill all afternoon. The highlight of the meal is always the weekly Cheerwine soda that they boys enjoy, but we also were treated to some delicious sides: potato salad, beans, cole slaw, and brownies for dessert.
Tonight at Campfire, we tapped three new members to be in Honor Council, the peer elected group that models the Falling Creek Code and acts as the voice of the campers during staff meetings. Will S. from Madison, MS, Matthew L. from Davidson, NC, and William W. from Ridgeland, MS are the three newest Honor Council members. During Campfire tonight, we also had the opportunity to recognize and honor two young men who reached the status of Journeymen. As mentioned in previous blogs, Journeymen are campers who have attained the highest Warrior progression in three separate activities. They then become eligible to participate in a series of challenges to earn the status of “Keeper of the Flame.” Tonight, we announced Sam F. and John S. as the newest Journeymen at Falling Creek.
Sam is a 6th year camper, and is from Raleigh, NC. His three Warrior levels are in Disc Golf, Sailing, and the Climbing Wall. At Campfire, his mentor, Sam Limby, introduced him to the camp community. “Sam or Samuel originates from the Hebrew meaning either ‘name of God’ or ‘God has heard.’ As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.” He then read 1 Samuel 16:7 as Sam was recognized.
John is an 8th year camper from Burlington, NC. His three Warrior levels are in Disc Golf, Nature, and Blacksmithing. John’s mentor, Scuba Keiser, introduced him to the camp community as well. “John originates from the Hebrew meaning ‘to be gracious,’ but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (his brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.” He closed by reading Acts 4:13.
The rest of Campfire was centered around the new theme of this session’s second week: anger. Though it may not seem like the first choice to center a week around “anger,” it is an important topic to talk about and focus on, especially for adolescent young men. Throughout the week, our Evening Embers discussions and tribal group talks will work on how to deal with anger, what makes us angry, and why it is important to deal with our feelings in a healthy way. Though it seems unpopular to talk about feelings or emotions as a teenage boy, camp offers a unique environment where boys can feel comfortable making peace with their emotions and discussing their feelings openly.
Tomorrow is already the start of week two at camp, and with that comes a multitude of new trip opportunities and activity challenges. After savoring a slower paced day, we’re looking forward to jumping right back into our activities tomorrow morning!
-Annie Pharr
Reverence during today’s church service
Our band leading us in church songs
Caught a critter!