Carnival

Today is a pretty great day for the girls.

First of all, it is Challenge Day! This means that we will have lots of good spirited competition in the classes pitting the Evens against the Odds. Every class will still meet on a normal schedule, but during the class the counselors will arrange little Odd/Even challenges. After a full week of regular classes, it is a nice little “shake up” and it really energizes the girls.

Secondly, it is Carnival! All afternoon we will set up inflatable rides and tents for a HUGE EP. Carnival is the top rated EP of the summer for it is all about celebrating a successful adjustment to camp. The girls have had a week to settle in (that is about how long it takes) and now we have a big party to mark the occasion. There is a huge sense of accomplishment at reaching this point in the session, no matter how long the camp meets. It is SO MUCH FUN!

The girls are very fired up and their energy is noticed everywhere. The Dining Hall is very loud and the songs are being sung with a lot of volume. The classes have an intensity that is contagious… campers and counselors alike are drawn into the vortex with glee. Assemblies and EP’s fill immediately with chatty campers who immediately quiet themselves when the program starts. Camp feels like it is supposed to (from my perspective) and that feeling is good.

After EP, not all the girls dash off to their cabins… many instead choose to go to the lakeside swings or catch fireflies on the pageant court. Some sit on the stone benches and watch the sunset with a friend. When even energetic ten year olds appreciate such moments of contemplation, camp is accomplishing it’s mission!

I will be manning the Funnel Cake station this evening, frying tasty dough as quick as I can with my buddy Gervais. We got this job because it is dangerous (hot oil), but we love it! Ours is the most popular carnival food, and we have a lot of competition… Cotton Candy, Popcorn, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Hawaii Shave Ice, Cookie Decorating, BBQ sandwiches, Roasted Corn on the Cob… it is an over the top night and is topped off by a camp wide dance party on the lawn. Good times.

Thank you for sharing your girls. You should know that this has got to be the sweetest session of the summer. These girls are amazingly thankful, very polite, very sensitive to each other, very responsive to our rules. They are delightful… what a great way to end a great summer!

The sun is shinning, the birds are chirping, the fish are jumping, and all is well with the world. Go about your day with the confidence that your girls are having a blast at camp. Enjoy your weekend, I know that we will do the same!

Jimboy

PS THE JOKE: A young man was dating a girl named Loraine. As time went on he found himself liking Lorane’s friend Clearly… awkward. He couldn’t figure out how to break up and not ruin his chances with Clearly. One day, Loraine was walking along the river and fell in, a tragic accident. The boy was so sad… but then he thought (in song) “I can see Clearly now Loraine is gone…”