Surprise & Delight
Most of our Main campers have been coming to camp for a long time. This reality flavors the camp experience in ways big and small… yesterday evening is a good case and point.
First we shattered the Guiness World Record for “Number of people dressed as dogs”. Why do such a thing? To surprise and delight our campers (who know camp as well as anyone on the planet and love to be surprised by something every day)! These girls are camp fanatics who expect great things from the summer and want us to think BIG when we plan an event… and what is bigger than a world record? We have never tried to do such a thing (it turns out that it is a very intense process with a lot of rules) and the girls entered into the effort with enthusiasm. The girls can now put that accomplishment on their resume!
Then we had a wonderful Counselor Talent Show that featured acts new and old. The new acts delighted and the old were celebrated like old friends (my “quick draw” act with David Vining is exactly the same now as it was 20 years ago). The campers ended the day smiling with the memories of the crazy things we did… and that is what we try to accomplish every day.
The perfect camp day is predictable in it’s structure and surprising in it’s details. This combination is wonderful and it provides a foundation for all the substantial growth that occurs in such a place.
We are now looking forward to a nice summer day of fun activities and wondering what new things we will learn, what fun things we will do. I dropped by cooking yesterday because I heard rumor that they were doing sushi. I grabbed the camera and ran up the hill (to confirm the rumor AND to get a tasty snack). Sure enough, the girls were doing both sushi (vegeterian sushi due to allergies) and spring rolls. I have NEVER considered doing sushi at home but after that class I am confident that we will do it this year. It was easy! It was fun! It was delicious (as good as what I would get in town)! I was surprised and delighted (just like the girls!).
Tonight we will celebrate our Senior Campers with an EP that centers around them and their wonderful impact in camp. All the Seniors are invited to do talent acts (this is considered their “Talent Show”) and each senior cabin will sing a special song (often as tears glisten on their cheeks). Finally, about 15 girls are honored by their appointment to the “Queens Court” (a long tradition that has been updated for this generation).
The best part of the evening for the Seniors will come after the rest of camp has returned to their cabins. We hold a nice reception for them in White Hall, catered by my sister Katie who is a wonderful chef, and special devotion by Dr. Margaret. The girls are then presented wonderful cards that encourage each one for the character traits that have marked their time at camp… how they have impacted the girls in the cabin and the camp at large. It is hugely encouraging and a crowning moment of many years at camp. We love this night!
It is a nice hot day… again! The chance of rain has gone away, thus we will “glisten” as we decorate the pavilion this afternoon. We will once again sing after eating and dance before going to bed. The routines of camp will continue and we will be surprised at how great it is.
Life is good. Thank you for making it possible!
