What Are Weekends Like at Camp?
The first clue that Sunday had arrived came before breakfast.
Boxes of donuts began appearing on cabin porches as campers enjoyed one of the few mornings all week without an alarm clock and a rush to first period.
A little later, boys made their way to the Dining Hall for one of Falling Creek’s favorite traditions: Cartoon breakfast.
For one day each week, the pace around camp slows down.
The adventures are still there, but Sunday follows a different rhythm. It is a day built around traditions, time with cabinmates, and preparing for the week ahead.
After breakfast, campers returned to their cabins for inspection.
For some cabins, that meant a quick cleanup. For others, it meant searching for missing socks, water bottles, and anything else that had disappeared during the week. The reward was simple but highly motivating: first access to Sunday’s Sundae bar after lunch.
Cabin 1, the youngest cabin in camp, earned the top spot. Henry E. from Charlotte, North Carolina, said he helped by “making my bed and picking up trash.”
Gary Storm, an Adventure Guide from South Africa, understands the motivation.
Sunday Sundaes are one of the most important aspects of camp. There’d be no way to keep a cabin clean for weeks at a time without that incentive.
While the ice cream was a hit, Henry’s favorite Sunday treat came later that evening.
I’ve never had a soda before in my life. Cheerwine!
For many boys, church is a chance to step away from the noise and activity of the week and spend time reflecting alongside their cabinmates. For John L. from Memphis, Tennessee, it was something entirely new.
This was my first time going to church. I loved all the songs we sang.
After rest hour, the boys gathered at Morning Watch to kick off another All Camp Game: “Deep Woods Capture the Flag.”
For a little while, the entire camp was together again. Cabins spread across camp and campers raced from place to place as the game unfolded.
Partway through the afternoon, the Emergency Alert System sounded across camp. Campers and counselors quickly gathered in the gym, where camp safety procedures were practiced and systems tested. The timing aligned with weekly activity signups, making the transition seamless. Soon enough, campers were signing up for adventures and heading back to enjoy the rest of their day.
Reflecting on the weekend, Wick G. from Charlottesville, Virginia, said:
The all-camp games have been the biggest surprise of the week. I started out not really wanting to play, but I jumped in and had a lot of fun, especially in the Domination game.
Wick has plenty to look forward to this week. After achieving Challenger in Rock Climbing during his first week, he signed up on Sunday for a Linville Gorge trip where he will continue working toward earning Ranger.
As the sun began to set, the pace slowed once more.
After a cookout in the Dining Hall, Line Assembly meetings allowed each group to gather for one of Falling Creek’s longest-standing traditions: Campfire.
Unlike most gatherings at camp, campers enter the Campfire Ring in silence. There is no clapping or cheering. Instead, boys sing together, enjoy skits, and spend time reflecting on the week.
Without Campfire as it is, camp simply wouldn’t be the same,” said camp owner and director Yates Pharr.
The reasons campers love Campfire vary.
John L. described it as:
“A moment every week to sit and connect in silence and enjoy your brothers.”
Rivers S. from Charlotte, North Carolina, sees it as a chance to slow down and think.
“It’s a special time to be in the dark and think.”
For Gabe M. from Fairhope, Alabama, Campfire feels familiar and different at the same time.
At home, we usually are watching a football game and eating food. Here, there’s 390 campers all singing and laughing at skits.
Before long, campers returned to their cabins for Evening Embers, Call to Quarters, and Taps.
The adventures change from week to week. New friendships form. Campers grow older. Activities evolve.
But the rhythm remains the same.
A day to slow down.
A day to reconnect.
A day to prepare for whatever comes next.