Final Day of 2-Week Camp!
Time flies when you’re having fun, and these past two weeks have been full of fun, friends, and adventure. As parents, you’ve probably been counting down the days, but here at camp we can’t believe where the time has gone! Yesterday was the final day of 2-Week session, and we’ve been spending these past couple weeks together enjoying the outdoors, building skills in activities, growing deeper friendships, and gaining more self-confidence and independence.
After a great breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, breakfast potatoes, yogurt, and granola, we enjoyed our last activity periods. It was a final chance for boys to work on progressions and finish projects, and it was also one more chance to try something new! Hudson from Cabin 1 signed up for horseback riding for the first time, and was so thrilled to be able to ride that he didn’t stop smiling for the whole activity period. “I’ve never been on a horse in my whole life, I feel like I’m in a dream!” he told me as we put Buck’s bridle on and got ready to hit the trails.
The last day is also a great time for campers to do their favorite thing one more time. Fielding was also at the barn to go on the trail ride, and was excited to ride Pharoah again. “I rode him yesterday and he’s my favorite!” he said with enthusiasm. During the trail ride, we walked a loop around camp, enjoying the great weather. The views are always better from the back of a horse! Hudson seemed to know everyone we walked by, shouting their names and waving proudly while on Buck. It made me think about how many friends these boys have already been able to make during this session, and how quickly a community can form at camp.
Once we finished the first half of the day’s activities, we enjoyed ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch, with cheez-its, fresh watermelon, salad, and homemade rice krispy treats. Afterwards, we had an extended Rest Hour for packing and getting our trunks ready to go. Once everything was ready to go for the morning, we returned to the remainder of our afternoon activities, and then dinner. Evening Program was one last opportunity for cabin time together.
We close every session with Campfire, which gives us time to reflect as a community and enjoy songs, skits, and verses in an area special to camp. Like all Campfires, we crossed Bain Bridge and filed into the benches in silence, listening to the cicadas and bullfrogs softly singing. Before walking across the bridge though, everyone brings a rock on the final night to add to the growing Ebenezer Wall that leads to Campfire. Every Ebenezer rock serves as a physical reminder for each camper and staff member of the contributions, memories, and experiences they have had during the session. This meandering stone wall reminds us, too, of the spirits of all those who have been part of the Falling Creek Camp community – past and present.
Last night was our special Candlelight Campfire, where everyone lights their candles as we sing the final song, Falling Creek’s version of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The first candle is lit from the central campfire, and spreads from there. Each boy lights his candle from another, symbolizing the light we share, costing us nothing to spread our light to others. It gives the boys a thoughtful reflection into their Falling Creek experience. It is a beautiful way to end the day, sitting together in the campfire area with glowing candles that reflect off boys’ faces. One of the verses particularly resonates with the atmosphere: “so when you leave tonight, by the fire’s light, please leave your spirit here. And we’ll let the trees, and all the memories, guard them all till we’re back next year.”
Everyone headed to bed last night tired and happy, dreaming about this whirlwind of a session, and all the fun and growth we packed into a seemingly short couple of weeks. Parents, as you read this, you are probably on your way to pick up your sons from camp and hear about all their adventures and accomplishments - we know they’re excited to see you too! It’s been a great 2 weeks, full of fun memories! We are so thankful for the great personalities, energy, and fun that each of your boys brought to this camp community. Thank you for sharing them with us, and we can’t wait to see them next summer!