Always a Reason To Dance

As I sit at my desk writing my blog tonight, I’m listening to your children dancing on the field during the final song of our square dance and my heart is so full. It is truly the most joyful noise—the laughter, the music, the singing—it makes me so happy. I can still see their smiles, hear their laughter, and feel the energy of our camp family making memories together. While square dance is one of everyone’s favorite traditions at camp, the truth is - at Camp Highlander there is always a reason to dance. And today proved that in the best possible way.

We had another pop up shower this afternoon that tried to interrupt our activities. As the rain began to fall, my eyes grew misty as I witnessed a cabin of girls run into the rain with arms wide open and faces turned to the sky (see video link below.) These precious campers didn’t see the rain as something to ruin their plans. Instead, they saw it as an opportunity to sing and dance right in the middle of it. And as they sang at the top of their lungs Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten,” I got goosebumps.

It was one of those perfect camp moments—unplanned, authentically carefree, and completely full of joy. Watching them dance in the rain, I was reminded that even a rainy day at camp is something to celebrate…because we are at camp…together…so why not dance in the rain. Here, even the weather gives us a reason to embrace the moment, to be fully present, and to choose joy no matter what.

And as the song says: “Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten…”

Today was another busy, beautiful chapter in our Session C story—full of sunshine, a little rain, new activities, yummy meals, lots of laughter, inside jokes, and deepening friendships. But the best part is that the rest of it is still unwritten for us here on Old Forge Mountain. There are more adventures to have, more friendships to make, and more reasons to dance in the days ahead.

Thank you for sharing your amazing children with us. We’re so grateful to be here alongside them as they sing, laugh, learn, grow, and write the next pages of their camp story. And rain or shine, we will keep dancing.

Favorite Details of the Day

IT’S A GIRL! We are SO excited to announce that our Director of Boys Camp, Mac Bishop and his wife Autumn, welcomed their first child this morning at 7:23 am. Monroe Jane Bishop surprised us all three weeks early and is definitely our VERY FAVORITE DETAIL OF THE DAY! Mac and Autumn are great, and Monroe is healthy and beautiful. We haven’t met her yet, but we already know that she is one lucky girl to have such wonderful parents AND because she will get to have a camp birthday every summer! Camp birthdays are the BEST!

• Reflect at the Rock: This morning Spencer, our Program Director, talked to us about reslience and embracing your youth. He reminded us to embrace the day, even when it doesn’t go our way, and to remember that being young is a gift…don’t waste it! Well today our campers listened and didn’t waste a single second of their day today!
• Meals: For breakfast we had Mrs.Kaye’s homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs, sausage patties and fruit and yogurt bar. For lunch we had copycat Chick-fil-A sandwiches with waffle fries and a salad and sandwich bar. For dinner we had flank steak, roasted rosemary potatoes , green beans and warm, soft rolls. YUM. We also had a salad and sandwich bar. Dessert tonight was Gus’s candy and soda after camper’s choice sign-ups.
• Weather: Lots of sunshine and a little bit of rain.
• EP: Tonight’s EP was Square Dance!

While Mac is out enjoying time as a new dad, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Bryan and I with any questions or concerns you have. We are answering Mac’s emails, and you are also welcome to respond to my blog email if I can help in any way!