Today we celebrated Independence Day, and it was a great way to kick off our session! I was nervous about starting a session out of routine and normal structure of camp, but it could not have been a more wonderful day for our campers and staff! We jumped right into the spirit of Camp Highlander with our Stars and Stripes tradition, and I loved watching cabins bond through playful competition and team spirit!
Our morning began with everyone getting a t-shirt for our 5K run/walk event called the Highlander Freedom 5K. Almost every camper and staff member participated in the race, but those who didn’t were lining the road cheering, giving high-fives and supporting their friends. Our overall best time winners were siblings Ellie M. from Cabin 3 and Kristopher M. from Cabin 30…I guess you can say it “runs” in the family. After the race, we danced in a color bomb on our land sports field, and it was AWESOME! Covered in red and blue dust, campers were smiling from ear to ear as they bathed in the mess of it all! Only at camp!
For Stars and Stripes, each cabin is assigned to a team, either stars or stripes, and they battle brother and sister cabins to see which part of the flag is more important, the 13 stripes that represent the colonies that founded this country or the 50 stars that represent the states that represent our country today. The afternoon was filled with competitions, sunshine and laughter with friends. Cabins competed in games like bombardment, USA trivia, Ships n’ Sailors, wet willie spins, relay races, kickball and more. Everyone was so excited when today’s apple cart snack was replaced with a watermelon cart, a simple treat made their day more memorable and sweet!
After dinner, the competition continued in cabin challenge styled games. Though the rain was coming down, it didn’t stop the campers from cheering on their cabinmates, screaming with delight and celebrating a victory for their team! The energy was high, and the team spirit was epic!
And the perfect ending to our perfect day was the beautiful fireworks display we enjoyed on the athletic field. It was a perfectly, wonderful day! As I sit here typing and replaying the days events in my head, my heart is full. I am so grateful for each and every moment spent with your children today, and I am even more grateful that the fun has just begun.