Do Something Difficult Everyday
What a great start to our last week of camp for our new campers who arrived yesterday for E session and for our three weekers. Although it was a rainy day, we didn’t have any storms and were able to carry on with activities as we held our first day of Discoveries. Campers were discovering so many new things and enjoying time well spent with our staff while learning and stretching themselves. Miss Mary Gwynn, who founded camp in 1935, said “do something difficult every day!” Campers are always trying new activities and moving a little out of their comfort zone although they dont’ always realize it because it’s always fun to do so with new friends. In our photos, you will notice campers climbing on our wall, turning hot metal into treasures, horseback riding, swimming, mountain biking, creating all kinds of crafts, milking and feeding cows, visiting the baby piglets, picking veggies, and tonight even doing a little mountain dancing on the soccer field.
Mountainside and Riverside headed out on their adventures today despite the rain. Riverside is hiking in PIsgah National Forest from an area near the Pink Beds up to Black Balsam where you feel like you are on top of the world. Mountainside Backpackers headed out from higher up on the Parkway and are hiking toward Pink Beds so the groups are going in opposite directions. The Mountain Bikers were able to ride in Dupont today since we didn’t get too much rain and had a successful day. Expedition canoers took to the French Broad River and took out at the Hunt Farm where they are camping this evening and hopefully enjoying the beautiful sunset over the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains where some of their friends are camping. Whitewater paddlers paddled in canoes and kayaks on the lower Green River today and did really well! The MS climbers headed to Rumbling Bald to climb this morning and are going to Linville Gorge tomorrow. Miss Mary would be pleased to know they are doing something difficult, challenging themselves, and immersed in the natural world. 
Dinner tonight was delicious with herbed chicken, mixed veggies, rice, corn on the cob, and stuffing. Traditional after supper games went as planned with Thunderball, Basketball, hoola hoops, Tajar Spotting, Friendship Bracelets, Soccer, and a host of other games and things to do. Six cabins were cooking and camping out tonight. I’m sure they enjoyed their dinner and of course the s’mores!
Hillside cabins enjoyed firetime and marshmallows tonight while Brookside campers who weren’t camping out joined Grant and Debbie for a little Mountain Dancing. They started off with a bit of Hokey Pokey and then onto Bluebird and two Russian Folkdances called Minushka and Sasha. We finished with a dance called “Going to Kentucky”. All were lively and I’m sure helped to send those campers off to dreamland in a hurry. It’s a cool night here and the kind where you need a little cover to take the chill out and snuggle down in your camp bed. Sweet dreams and looking forward to another active day at Gwynn Valley tomorrow.
