Keeper of the Flame & OSC Camping Overnight
The highest honor a camper can attain at Falling Creek is achieving the status of “Keeper of the Flame.”
So far, only 6 campers have achieved this role, but on Monday, a 7th Keeper of the Flame was added to the history books. Congratulations to William D!
The “Keeper of the Flame” process starts by becoming a Journeyman. Journeymen are our campers who have reached Warrior (the highest progression level) in three different activities, as well as consistently displaying that they live by the Falling Creek Code.
Journeymen are eligible to join the challenging Journey, which happens at an unknown time towards the end of the Main Camp session. Those that successfully complete all parts of the Journey become known as Keepers of the Flame, an honorable status signifying all the hard work they have put into their activity skills and progressions.
This year we had three young men achieve the status of Journeymen, which is a great achievement in itself. They were William D, Thad J, and Coley H. These three have been preparing with their mentors, and the Journey began this past Sunday night after Call to Quarters.
After the initial ceremony to welcome the Journeymen and introduce the journey they’re embarking on, the night began with the firebuilding portion. This is one of the most difficult parts of the Journey, where the young men have only 3 matches to start their fire, and have to keep it going until the end of the stage. Yates reminded each of the young men that they have what it takes, and that we are proud of them no matter the outcome of their Journey.
The only Journeyman to make it to the next stage was William. We are incredibly proud of Thad and Coley for even making it to the level of Journeyman, something that not many campers achieve. We hope they’ll return next summer to attempt the Journey again if they wish.
For William, the next stages of his Journey continued the following morning. Some parts included a test of endurance, a service component where he chopped wood for future Sunday night Campfires, and a strategy and orienteering challenge where he had to find checkpoints hidden throughout the 900+ acres of camp property before time was up. On top of all this, Journeymen must remain in complete silence throughout each test, giving them time for reflection and listening.
The orienteering challenge is the final test, and it’s a challenge to find all the hidden checkpoints across varied terrain within the time limit. However, William was able to persevere and found all the points before the time ran out! He returned to the bell to meet Yates, and was greeted by a congratulatory hug from Care Smyth, the staff member he chose as his Mentor! Friends flocked over to celebrate William’s accomplishment, as well as John Stanfill, a former camper turned staff member who is a Keeper of the Flame himself.
At camp, we know the importance of adventure, and the growth that can come from appropriate risk and challenge. We’re proud of all the young men who accept the challenge of the Journey, and show their Warrior Spirit by giving their best. Congratulations to our 2023 Journeymen and Keeper of the Flame!
The following night, on Monday, the Outdoor Skills Certified (OSC) activity led an overnight camping trip! Many campers signed up to join the trip on-property, where they hiked on camp trails, set up their own shelters, and cooked dinner over the fire.
On cabin overnights we sleep in the many existing shelters that are spread out across the 900+ acres of camp. However for the OSC overnight, they wanted to put the outdoor skills they had been learning to use. They practiced setting up tarps, tying knots, and even making shelters out of sticks and other natural materials.
For dinner, they practiced their firebuilding skills and enjoyed chicken fajitas with s’mores for dessert. There’s nothing like finishing a night around the campfire with friends. Here’s to another great day at camp!