Kicking Off D Session!
I say this every year, but I truly can not believe our final three weeks are upon us. We had our third and final mass Opening Day yesterday, where we were fortunate enough to welcome a new group of Main Campers, Mountainsiders, Riversiders, and Young Leaders.
The summer is racing by at the speed of light, and I’m sure I’m not alone in desperately wishing it would slow down just a bit. The feeling of Opening Day is unlike any other at camp; we have the sense of opportunity in the air, the curiosity at what the session will bring, the joy at seeing returning faces, and the chance to make so many new friends and memories. We are happy to say that the optimism and energy of Opening Days are not over yet, as we welcome four new cabins on Saturday – literally, all of those campers will be brand new to Gwynn Valley, as we launch the pilot program of our Starter Camp! We can not wait to share all the wonders Gwynn Valley holds with our (soon-to-be) youngest campers, all of whom will be finishing kindergartners through second graders. It is such a treat to see the world through the curious and playful eyes of children, and for those of us who have been at camp for many years, we can not wait to see camp through the eyes of so many first-time campers as well.
Afternoon sign-ups today went off without a glitch as campers signed up for s’more making, mountain biking, many lake fun activities, and going down to our farm to play with baby goats and pick potatoes. There was even a quesadilla making sign-up at the mill, and it proved that sometimes things just taste better when cooked over an open fire.
We also enjoyed our first day of morning Discoveries today, with campers getting to make rainbow pottery, go rock climbing, and even try their hand at making their very own stuffies, in whatever animal they choose. So far I have heard of campers making rabbits, sea turtles, and koalas, oh my! (Sorry, couldn’t resist!) Riverside also headed out on their climbing trip, making us proud with their adventurous spirit and resolve even when the weather isn’t as great as we would hope. Our Young Leaders certainly lived up to their name as they got right to work setting tables, serving food, and helping in Main Camp Discoveries. We are lucky to have their service-forward hearts and minds enriching our camp, and are so glad they joined us! Mountainside got right into days of mini-adventures as well, and we can not wait to see what they end up choosing for their final adventures!
Like the rest of the world, many of our campers enjoyed getting to watch the World Cup yesterday, and the sounds of cheers (and disappointment) coming from our Lodge during the match were some of the loudest shouts I have heard in my time here at camp. Who knew we had so many Spain and Argentina fans here in the Blue Ridge mountains? Normally, we are a screen-free program, but on special occasions when the opportunity arises, we will break out and dust off our projector. A once-every-four years major world event definitely meets that standard, and we were glad to start the session off with so many of our campers and staff coming together to watch history unfold. It has been a jam-packed first two days of the session, and we look forward to even better days up ahead!
– By Heather Chalmers
