Banquets
Tonight we will celebrate the end of camp with a banquet. It is an event that the campers anticipate with keen delight, often ranking as the favorite moment of the entire summer. It will be a wonderful ending to a wonderful session… beginning with a fun play presented on the Gazebo Stage before dinner (the counselors performing an adapted story, complete with costumes, singing and choreography), favorite camp food served in a decorated FORT, toasts, awards, favors, and the final team scores announced. So much fun!
But first, we enjoy one last day. There is no chance of rain (despite the overcast skies) and everyone is on their best behavior. We have one more day to spend with our friends in the best place on earth and we are not going to waste it! Lots of last conversations marked by expressions of gratitude, joyous laughter, spirited tetherball games, and end-of-summer dance parties. It is going to be a Great Day!
At Closing Vespers last night I read the Nathanial Hawthorn short story “The Great Stone Face”. This story is almost 200 years old and it’s formal language and strong moral structure might appear outdated, but the girls love it. They sat in absolute silence, despite the distractions of an end-of-camp dance party taking place across the lake at Green Cove and the occasional pontoon boat ideling their way back home. We acknowledged the distractions and encouraged the girls to accept the challenge of focusing on our program… and it worked! The girls were able to filter out the noise and see the beauty. It was a wonderful Council Fire followed by a lovely Closing Vespers in the meadow. When it was over the girls kept their candles and many resolved to tuck them away in a box of camp memories just like Dr. Margaret did 40 years ago. Whenever that little candle is brought out we hope it will remind them of the simple lessons of light and love learned at camp.
In other news… Murray is back! I picked the little scamp up from “Camp Charlie” (my nephew’s house in Hendersonville) yesterday afternoon and he joined us for Council Fire. Murray is a Blue Heeler who loves to play. The girls LOVE him (he consistently wins the “favorite dog in camp” survey) but we restrict his access to times when the zip line is not in service (otherwise, Murray chases & barks at the zip line campers… scary to sensitive girls!). His arrival was marked by squeals of delight and Murray made a point of sitting with the campers during Council Fire (which solidified his “awesome-dog” status with the girls).
Thank you once again for your support and encouragement for the past two years.
Thank you once again for sharing your girls.
Thank you once again for reading the Blog.
We are grateful beyond words.
- Breakfast Belgium Waffles
- Lunch Taco in a Bag (easiest, best, most requested, “crowd-pleasing” meal in the camp menu… do it the next time you have a crowd of children coming to dinner… you will thank me). Check out the video below for instructions.
- Dinner Chicken Tenders, Mac-n-Cheese… and Chocolate Stacks
