The extra 30-minutes of rest this morning was much needed for campers and counselors alike! The J-Village always gets the first meal shift, so they gathered at their picnic tables at 9am today to eat bagels, fruit, and cereal for breakfast. Once the I and S Villages got their turns through the food line, morning announcements were made and cabins were dismissed to get ready for the day. The hot temperature has remained fairly consistent for the past week, so we’ve been making sure the campers are sunscreened up and hydrated throughout the day. And hey, great news: there are still no suspected cases of Covid-19 at camp. We are looking forward to getting results back in the next couple of days from the tests we all took on Friday.
Because it’s so warm and sunny out, there is a high demand for water activities each day. We try to accommodate as many cabin groups as possible to have turns in the water, whether that be paddle boarding, sailing, water fights, or tubing. In a normal summer, tubing is only an available activity on Cruiser Days, but this year, we took the extra step to make sure tubing is offered every day of this quarantine period! Campers have also really enjoyed activities like canoeing and fishing during organized free; on days as warm as these, campers will take the fishing rods out on the pontoons with their cabin group, but end up just taking a joy ride around the lake to get the wind in their faces.
During lunch, the campers loaded up on chicken nuggets, mac n’ cheese, sweet potato fries, and salad, and for dinner, we enjoyed chicken fajitas. Of course, those with dietary restrictions always have an alternative option to the main dish, and our kitchen staff has been working around the clock to make sure everyone is properly fed and dishes and picnic tables are properly cleaned and sanitized before the next meal. Before cabins are called up for each meal, we make sure masks are up before they can leave their bench. In an effort to keep our camp property beautiful and animal-friendly, we ask that campers pick up any trash around their table before and after they eat. The five camp dogs like to run around and greet all the campers during meal times, and we want to keep their meals to dog food only!
Around 5:30pm today, we had a random rain disruption which led to our first dinner indoors. Cabins were called to the lodge in shifts such that no more than ten cabins were eating in the lodge at one time. They had to come to the food line with masks up, which everyone was already used to, and they were told when to clean up their tables and head out.
By the time every person in camp had a chance to eat dinner, the rain was gone, so the evening program went on as planned. Tonight’s activity was Cabin Campfire, where each cabin gathered at their own campsite to build a fire, roast s’mores, and reflect upon the week. Reflection leads to growth, so it’s important to get the boys talking about the best parts of the past 7 days, as well as the moments that could have been better. During this time, the counselors help their campers set goals for the week ahead before heading to the washhouse to clean up for bedtime. Even with wet wood, our boys still know how to make an amazing campfire.
Crossing our fingers for a dry day tomorrow, though the rain helped the temperature drop significantly up here. We’re ready for whatever comes our way!
Be sure to check out our latest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiJ54Q8P1FY
Today’s Grace:
“Do I not destroy my enemy by making him my friend?”
-Abraham Lincoln
Be seated.
