Sunny and Beautiful!
Dear Parents & Friends,
We were a little tired this morning after staying up a bit later last night to watch fireworks and man, they were good. Hats off to Team Maintenance for their splendid pyro-techniques display. It was a great day following another great day here at GV. The waterfront has been a most popular place with the warm sunny weather we’ve been having. Water polo was a favorite this morning at the pool and lots of campers got a chance to play. One of our staff members plays for her school and was teaching this morning. It can be a tiring game and is good for swimming skills and just treading water. Swimming always makes me very hungry and for lunch we had spaghetti. Delicious! More world cup soccer today during sports and then a big game was held after dinner tonight. I didn’t make it up there but know there was enough to fill two teams. Because our climbing tower is shaded most of the day we get a lot of campers to sign on for climbing. It’s also right next to the creek and is a bit cooler because of that. And… then there is the GV tie dye. It’s been a few years since I’ve worn a tie dye t-shirt. I guess I’ve already been there done that. The campers sure do like making them and they really have created some nice patterns through the years. They were also making totem faces at the pot shop which should be displayed in the days ahead.
Digging for potatoes at the farm always feels like you’re digging for pure gold. It’s so satisfying to dig those potatoes right out of the dirt and right into the bucket. I must say that our kitchen staff will not have to peel all those potatoes. We have a device at camp that peels them with a flick of a switch and a little water thrown in. The device also peels carrots. It’s pretty handy to have around. Mountainside went to the farm this evening to get their farm fix. We always hear from campers who make the transition from Main Camp to Mountainside that they miss the farm. Well… they spent a couple of hours down there tonight helping out and doing the farm basics which is always worthwhile. Among the eight cabins that were camping out tonight was Peter Pan as you see from the pics. They were at Hidden Stall which is a great spot because you have the creek and a nice area to camp out. Other cabins were scattered throughout the property and we’ll see them upon their return in the morning.
After supper activities was pure GV tonight. Several campers were playing jump rope (an ageless game) and others were playing “what’s the time Mr. Wolf” and great tag game that has been around about as long a Gwynn Valley. There was also the semis of the world cup on the soccer pitch as mentioned above. Looks like in this case Germany won since we have a German staff member. Ahh..the simple joys of a rope, playing tag, and a soccer ball. Just being outdoors all day long makes such a difference in children’s lives. Gwynn Valley is enriching the lives of children promoting physical activity and encouraging healthy lifestyles. We’re also teaching environmental stewardship with an emphasis on a greater appreciation of the outdoors. We’re equipping young with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills they need to be stewards of the environment today and green leaders of tomorrow. We’re also helping them to overcome challenges and obstacles and to believe in their talents and their own prospects for success. The Gwynn Valley experience is an accumulation of moments and activities that build a foundation for the future. Camp is a wonderful place and we’re just here “living the dream” as one youngster put. Stay tuned!