Good evening, folks, good evening, folks…the show is just beginning! Camp is flooded with excitement and laughter – now that we’re all reunited, we’re quickly reminded of why this community is so special and important. Between singing songs at meals, playing cabin games, swimming in the lake, and shower parties in the washhouse, it feels like summer should.
There are no suspected cases of COVID-19 on camp’s property. The kids have been great about adapting to the new protocols. The main one is to wear their masks unless they are just with their cabin. The boys are continuing to practice sanitizing in and out of meals and activities, and are already doing a great job with masking up at appropriate times. Every camper had an entry physical with our health team today and they look great. They are happy and healthy.
In addition to bringing up the campers from Chicago yesterday, we also picked up a Quidel Sofia 2 Analyzer which gives us the ability to do rapid tests for any suspected cases of Covid-19. This antigen test gives us the ability to receive results on-site at camp in 15 minutes. A big thank you to our friends at PediaTrust for helping facilitate this!
Each boy also took the camp advance swim test today. The swim test included swimming several lengths and treading water. At the waterfront, they were introduced to our water safety rules and got to know some of the lifeguards who will be protecting them this summer. Today was a beautiful, 85-degree, sunny day with a steady breeze, which made it a perfect day for swim tests. The kids were happy to hop in the lake to cool off!
We had our first organized free period of the summer this afternoon, where kids could choose to stay back at the cabin to hang low with a counselor or follow some of their cabinmates and counselors to a specific activity they signed up for as a group earlier today. Some cabin groups played disc golf, some went paddleboarding, some went fishing, some went to riflery, and some even chose to sit in the shade and play chess. Regardless of the activity, it served as yet another opportunity for the kids to continue getting to know each other, especially for the campers who are new to North Star this summer.
Immediately following organized free, kids gathered at their assigned picnic tables by village to eat spaghetti dinner before heading to the ball field for an epic evening activity: Human Foosball. Cabin groups lined up across the field and tried to pass multiple soccer balls to their teammates outside of their permitted zone to ultimately score goals at each end. This all-camp game was a huge hit because it took strategy, teamwork, and a whole lot of energy from every camper!
As we remind each other to sanitize hands, wear masks, and keep distance between cabin groups, we are teaching the boys about responsibility and accountability – two qualities that will serve them well far beyond their camp years. Of course, it takes time to create a habit, but our commitment to safety and well-being means we are consistently helping the campers to follow these important procedures and understand why it’s so vital to do so. There’s one thing we already know for sure: this cabin quarantine period certainly won’t stop us from having a blast!
In case you haven't seen these videos from our awesome media team:
Cabin Staff Introductions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx3xh5O75tw&t=131s
Arrival Day 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zDZRv0IMeI
Health Staff Introductions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-IZjMAKwlg
And to see pictures of all of the action, you can login to CampInTouch and click "Photos."
Today’s Grace:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
-Charles Darwin
Be Seated,
Andy
