Talent Shows
The end of the summer hit me emotionally for the first time just a few minutes ago. August Camp is not a session that causes me to get teary… the girls are just plain fun, and my connection with them is at that level. However, a few minutes ago, I was walking past the Morning Assembly as the girls were dancing and singing to the familiar songs that have played every morning since late May. Their exuberance and joy brought tears to my eyes. It is just so sweet. I’m going to miss them… it was a great moment for me personally and affirming of the work we do at camp.
There are a lot of great moments happening this week; one of them was the Talent Show last night. This is an EP that has taken literally half of the camp to put together. It started with “mini-talent-shows” last Thursday (we had three days of mini-shows on the gazebo stage, and hundreds watched their friends perform). It ended last night with an extravaganza worthy of the moment. The show went late, and we dashed back to our cabins as the fireflies came out and John cranked some after-performance music for a dance party (about 50 girls took the stage to dance) and for everyone to enjoy on the walk up the hill.
Girls LOVE talent shows. It is a moment of affirmation that is so very good for the performer and a moment of joy for anyone in the audience. I am always struck by the poise, creativity, talent, and capability of the campers- last night particularly so. It was phenomenal… funny, impressive, surprising, and representative of the amazing group of camper interests. A hugely entertaining mix of really excellent acts. Some of them were so good that I woke up this morning reliving the moment in my mind and making notes for later.
The sun is once again shining brightly, the temperatures are warm, and we are enjoying another Great Day. It will probably rain, “Perry” will probably go off several times… it will be a glorious day.
We pack up at Rest Hour… a very big job, as you can imagine. The girls have been having a ton of fun which means they have been getting really dirty! Their clothes have been washed once, but don’t think that matters. Everything will need to be washed first thing! Those smelly piles in front of the laundry machine will be remembered fondly years from now.
Tonight we will have our Council Fire/Closing Vespers program. We will meet in The Council Fire Ring, a lovely spot that the girls have never seen before. Here we have met to talk about “important things” for a hundred years. The moss-covered rock bench, the ancient-looking fire pit, and the rustic benches are all ringed by towering pines and rhododendron. We walk silently up the hill and take our seat row by row. I will tell the MeMe bird story and connect it to the secret of Greystone (unselfishness). We will give awards for great attitudes and unusual commitment in activities. While we sit quietly, we will watch the sunset as the clouds turn pink, and the fireflies rise in the surrounding forest. The evening ends with each camper gathering around the flagpole in the late summer darkness and lighting her candle, signifying the light of love that we all carry into the world. It is a wonderful night… the girls keep their candles as a memento of the occasion, and we hope that they will remember these simple lessons many years from now.
We are so grateful to have shared these weeks with your girls. They are delightful beyond words, and we are proud of how they have grown. They have filled our little world with light and will be missed when they go home.
Thank you for letting them come to camp.
- Breakfast French Toast Sticks and Sausage
- Lunch Grilled Cheese & Soup
- Dinner Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes
- EP Council Fire/Closing Vespers
- Weather 82, partly cloudy, chance of afternoon showers
