A Fun Filled First Full Day of C and C1
Dear Parents, Family, and Friends,
What an amazing first day of our C and C1 session. We had a great opening day with campers choosing what Discoveries they wanted to do, and today they found out. Discoveries are various activities around camp where campers will alternate between their four chosen program areas. Unlike the afternoon sign-ups, Discoveries are for the campers to improve and develop skills in each area. Campers were able to choose between waterfront with Stand Up Paddle Boards, Kayaking, Creek Hiking, and Water Quidditch, or sports with Archery and soccer, horseback riding and horse care, to crafts like wheel throwing in pottery, needle point, basket making, weaving, and so much more!
This morning we also had our Riversiders head out to their first of three adventures and we have heard that they have arrived safe and sound. Their first adventure is rock climbing at Foster Falls in Sequatchie, Tennessee. These Riverside campers will practice teamwork, communication skills, and begin fostering their small community through their time together doing community chores, and playing games with each other.
Following morning discoveries campers and staff sat with their assigned table for lunch. These table assignments will remain for the rest of our C1 session. These table assignments allow our campers and staff to get to know people outside of their age range, side of camp, as well as other staff members who they may not otherwise get to know. While learning these new names is tricky and normally takes two or three meals to get down, it’s always so exciting being able to say “hi” to those who sit at your table during activities or in downtown GV. My table and I have already started creating fun memories with each other, like a game of telephone but rather than repeat what you heard, you say what you think of in response to what you were told. For example, the game started with “Grant” which then moved to biking and trees and somehow ended up with avocado.
Camp is a magical place where we really live and exist just for children. It’s a child’s world and one where you become the very best version of yourself as Maggie says. I think that goes for staff also. After several days of camp our adult lives take on a whole new meaning. While camp is certainly busy, it moves at a slower, more consistent pace. Sometimes slow and consistent really keeps us on track and is great for all involved. Camp is that kid “happy place” where you don’t have to worry about anything except why can’t I take all the activities each and every day. As adults we talk about not enough hours in the day to sometimes get all the work done and at camp there’s not enough hours in the day to enjoy all the fun. It’s that place where children can make decisions, set and achieve goals, try new things, understand a sense of belonging to a group larger than oneself (cabin, activity & table), develop grit, resilience, confidence and all under the guidance of some very cool counselors you will hear about when your camper returns home. We call it the Simple Joys here at GV.
