The Power of Camp

As I heard Bryan’s voice over the radio this morning, “Ring the bell…we are opening the gates”… my heart leapt with anticipation, excitement and those typical first day nerves. After 22 years at Highlander, you would think I would get used to it, but it just never seems to fade. I’m too excited…filled with butterflies of anticipation…overwhelmed with expectation…

Then, the very first camper leapt out of the car with the biggest smile and my heart almost exploded…all the nerves disappeared and turned to gratitude . That is what camp felt like today…with every hug, high-five and Highlander hello, I was more confident that this was going to be an amazing day and an incredible session…and for that, I am so grateful!

We had an amazing first day at camp, thanks to your awesome children! They are PUMPED about this session and being with their friends. This was evident from our very first meal of the day. The dining hall was erupting with laughter, chatter and cheers at lunch today, and dinner was the same. It’s day one, and we are all feeling at home here at Highlander, and I love it!

We jumped right into activities today after lunch, which is the best way to calm any first day nerves…get busy having fun and making memories, which is exactly what we did! While the campers are flying high on the Crow’s Nest or splashing in the lake, I am taking in the stories that speak volumes of the power of camp, and today was no different.

This afternoon, there were two boys cabins at Crow’s Nest and Zipline. In order to participate in the activity, you must wear tennis shoes for safety reasons. There was a new camper in the cabin who didn’t know the rules and showed up in Croc’s looking for adventure and fun. When the activity counselor told him he couldn’t climb with his shoes because they were unsafe, the camper was very disappointed. One of his cabin mates stepped up to trade shoes with his friend so he didn’t have to sit out. He told his new friend that he had done the Crow’s Nest last year, and he would be happy to go after him the next hour since they were there for two periods.

This is the power of camp…the gift of friendship…the ONE LOVE of Highlander! It’s only day ONE of the session…so stay tuned, because this is gonna be good!

Favorite Details of the Day

• Weather: The weather was absolutely beautiful today! The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze in the air all day today. As the sun began to set during campfire, the temperature dropped just enough for a perfect night’s sleep tonight!
• Meals:For breakfast we had blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon and a fruit bar. For lunch we had grilled cheese or grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and a salad bar. For dinner we had yummy pot roast with carrots and potatoes, delicious rolls and salad bar. After dinner, the disco ball went off letting us know two things were about to happen - either we were dancing in the dining hall or we were having dessert. Tonight, we did both! After doing the Cupid Shuffle, we enjoyed some famous Highlander Mudslide!
• EP: Tonight’s EP was our opening Campfire! This is one of our oldest camp traditions, and it is the perfect way to welcome campers home to Highlander!