Two Weeks, All In

Two-Week Campers do not take long to get moving. By the end of the first full day, boys were learning their way around camp, beginning activities, and finding their place among new cabinmates and friends.

There is plenty to be excited about at the beginning of a session, when everything is new and the days ahead are still wide open. Enthusiasm is part of Positive Attitude in the Falling Creek Code, but it does not mean a boy has to feel excited about everything. Sometimes enthusiasm is simply deciding to give something a chance and bringing a good attitude with you.

At Special Sign-Ups, Jack M. of Dallas, Texas, had already thought about the choice he wanted to make. His parents had encouraged him to take a few risks, meet people, and trust that good adventures were waiting for him at camp.

If you start out thinking bad thoughts, it’s going to set you up for a loss. A positive attitude is always the better approach. My dad told me to take a risk and try things while I’m at camp because I’m only here for ten days. I don’t want to spend those ten days being sad and missing home. I want to make the most of it.

My parents told me that cool adventures were ahead of me, so go ahead and make some friends and make the most of my camp time. So I’m listening to them. I believe them. I signed up for paddling and backpacking tonight. I can’t wait!

Jack was not saying he would never miss home. He had decided that missing home would not be the only thing he noticed during his ten days at Falling Creek. He could believe his parents, look toward what was ahead, and choose to take part.

Around camp, other boys were making smaller versions of that same decision. Gibson H. of Raleigh, North Carolina, hoped to try fly fishing after missing the opportunity during One-Week Camp. Dominic F. of Charlotte, North Carolina, returned with good memories of backpacking but chose to give mountain biking a try. Charles B. of Sullivan, South Carolina, was excited about pottery because it was something he could not do at home and announced that he planned to try everything.

For Will O. of Atlanta, Georgia, and his friend Thomas H., joining in meant building matching schedules and finding out about camp together. Even Siles B. of Greenville, South Carolina, was already deciding to return to the Blob despite slipping off during previous attempts.

I’m going to try to go on it when it’s not so wet, so I don’t slip off. I do that every time!

None of those choices is especially large on its own. Together, they show boys deciding not to stand back and wait until they feel completely comfortable. They are choosing to participate, try again, and see what happens.

It seems fitting that one of the counselors noticing all this energy is Jonathan Dunham, better known around camp as Cheerio. He had already picked up on the spirit of the boys in his cabin and liked what he was seeing.

I’m excited about these campers and really like them already. They are full of life and fun. It’s going to be great.

Cheerio’s cabin has only been together a short time, but the boys are already throwing themselves into camp. The counselors are setting the tone, and the boys are following right along.

Ten days can pass quickly. These campers cannot choose every part of how those days will unfold, but they can choose how they will meet them. At Falling Creek, that is where enthusiasm begins.

Around Camp

The second full day of activities is now underway, and boys are beginning to settle into the rhythm of camp. Across activity areas, campers worked through preps, learned new skills, and started getting ready for their first trips beyond the gates. Paddling, climbing, mountain biking, fly fishing, and other adventure trips are beginning to leave camp today with boys who have completed the preparation they need.

Last night, half of camp headed out on cabin overnights, while the other half stayed back for Line Evening Programs. It made for two very different kinds of evenings, with some boys gathering around campsites with their cabins while others were running, playing, and competing back at camp.

For the boys who stayed in camp, the evening ended with Milk and Cookies before everyone returned to cabins for Call to Quarters and Evening Embers. With the first day of activities behind them and the first wave of trips heading out, Two-Week Camp is fully underway.