Cabin Adventures Await!
We began our first full day of 2-Week Camp on Monday, gathered by the lake as we do to start all camp days. We call this part of the day “Morning Watch,” and we enjoy a calm moment among the beautiful surroundings and sounds of nature, while listening to a thought for the day. It’s one of the more peaceful and reflective times of camp, where the whole community quietly sits together on the benches by the lake.
Counselors (and sometimes campers) will take turns sharing a thought or story each morning. For our first day yesterday, our Program Director, Kyle, led Morning Watch. He challenged everyone to try something new this week during our first few days of camp, and to embrace all the different opportunities. “You never know what you’ll like until you try it,” he said. He explained how greatness looks like a lot of different things, and to never think that you can’t be great at something.
Each boy signed up for 6 activities on Opening Day, and was able to start their full schedule yesterday. With the majority of our campers this session here for the first time, there are sure to be a lot of activities that will be a “first time” experience for the boys. Framing these new experiences with excitement is a great way to set them up for success. What better place to try something new than at camp, surrounded by supportive friends and counselors?
Along with the daily activities, one of the exciting additions to our programming this year is our Cabin Adventures. These new Cabin Adventures during the first week of each session have been a great way to allow every boy to experience something new, all while bonding with their cabin mates. Some boys had been to camp for years, and still hadn’t been to some of the trip locations they were able to try this year during the Cabin Adventures. They wouldn’t have branched out of their comfort zone and tried those trips otherwise, and ended up really enjoying them.
These adventures kicked off yesterday, and are continuing all week. Adventures are a mix of on-property experiences, like a horseback trail ride, blacksmithing clinic, or day-hike to Falling Creek Falls, as well as a mix of off-property experiences like day trips to paddle, sail, bike, or climb. The age and interests of the cabin affect what kind of experience they might go on, but all of them are a great time! Just yesterday, we had Cabins 9 and 35 climbing at Gilbert’s Rock, our nearby private rock face that’s perfect for beginners, and offers stunning views of the surrounding valley. Cabin 19 also went climbing, heading out to beautiful Cedar Rock in Pisgah.
Cabins 39 and 40 went paddling yesterday, heading down the lower Green River in canoes. Lots of cabins enjoyed a nice hike yesterday, including cabins 2, 3, 10, and 33. Some went to the “top of the world,” which is a pretty view of the mountains above the old orchard on the east side of the camp property, others went on day hikes in Dupont State Forest. Dupont is just over the county border in Transylvania County, which is known as the “land of waterfalls.” They went to see High Falls, Hooker Falls, and Triple Falls. Cabins 25 and 31 were also in Dupont, enjoying a mountain bike day trip to ride some of the most popular trails in this area. Finally, Cabin 29 had a private blacksmithing clinic together, getting to try their hand at the forge, and Cabin 18 headed to our docks on nearby Lake Summit for a sailing trip.
Even more Cabin Adventures are heading out today, and the boys will also continue to enjoy their 6 daily activities. The days are just packed, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!