First day of activities and Sock Wars
Hello again parents and welcome back to the camp news. Its been a greta day up here on the mountain and although Mother Nature at times looked like she was gonna take over the day, it ended up being a cloudy and cool morning followed by eventual sunshine later in the day. Just right to get everyone going on the first day of activities.
Just like I said last night, it didn’t take long today before everyone had made it through directions and was up on the ropes course or trying to decide which horse they wanted to start off the session with. As a matter fact, one of the best moments of my day was near the end of an activity period, I got called to archery to replace an arrow rest on one of the bows. When I got there you could easily tell it was a class of mini campers and while almost all of them had finished their shooting for the period, there was one left standing at the rail with her counselor who helping her put another arrow on the bow. It was clear her archery for the day and been a “no contact sport” between her arrows and the target.
As I was attaching the new arrow rest to the bow, just a few feet from where the mini camper and counselor were still working on the basics of shooting archery 101, there came a distinguishing sound of THWACK! Followed immediately by loud cheers from the bench full of mini campers behind me. Even though they were enjoying their time hanging out together, every one of them was cheering for the camper that that had just hit her first arrow on the target. And when I looked out at the targets, I saw why they were cheering so loud. She had planted that arrow just off from the bullseye but still pretty dang close to the middle. You could have counted every one of her teeth she was smiling so big after seeing what she had just done. It definitely was a great moment and I was awfully happy to be there and enjoy it with them. I may have to stop by tomorrow and see if she can do it again!
After lunch the clouds parted and it was time for the afternoon activities in the sun. Of course the waterfront was a big hit as the temps started to get a little warmer. The campers on the blob made a big splash (get it??) when they were vaulted into the air by the next camper in line. I think its safe to say the waterfront will always be a camper favorite during the summer! Just wait till they open the waterslide and you see those pics!!
Some of the girls today started their first class of CSR (caving, survival and rappelling). I’m a little partial to that class since I get to teach it. We have some fast learners here at camp this session. after getting all their gear, learning what the names of each piece of equipment is and how it all works, they were making their way up the rope, yes, I said UP the rope as they learned to climb up rope using ascenders. The last part of class we all climbed to the top of the tower and then learned how to rappel back down the rope. By the end it was up one rope and down another all around the tower as they practiced their new learned skill. This will all come in handy later on when we take our out of camp trips to do some rope work on some of the beautiful cliffs and rock formations around North Alabama. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there’s plenty of pictures of all that when we go!!
Tonight after dinner it was time for what has become a camper favorite, SOCK WARS!! This s where all the girls come to dinner dressed in their club colors including face paint and crazy wigs. After dinner each club heads out to their section of camp and every camper is armed with handholds of stuffed socks (don’t worry moms, we supply the stuffed socks they’re not throwing they own). Once we ring the bell each club ventures out to the other clubs areas and when they see a camper from another club all they have to do it hit them with a stuffed sock but watch out!!!!!! Those camper shave stuffed socks of their own and its one giant free for all with lots of cheering, yelling, stuffed socks flying through the air kind off night. THe best part os when the club leaders organize (or TRY to organize) a massive assault with their campers on another club and you keep hearing all of them yell “one, two, three…CHARGE!!!!” and both groups of campers are still standing there swinging those socks waiting for the other club to make the first move. Needless to say this may or may not happen more than once during the game!! oh yea!! don’t you worry about the ones that got hit by a thrown stuffed sock, all they had to do to get back in the game is walk to the scorers table with their hand on their head (so no one else would throw socks at them) and then they were right back in the game throwing thier socks till their arms were sore!
After all the yelling, cheering, running and sock throwing tonight I’m happy to report back the final results…………………………………(you hear the little drum roll in your head???)……………
Troopers 3rd, Rangers 2nd and the Mighty Mounties 1st!! Way to go girls. I know after all the energy they spent today and tonight, there’s no problem with any of them getting to sleep tonight.
Tomorrow night will be Sports Night. Thats a new activity this year at camp and I’ll be back tomorrow night with all the details on that and how it went.
Well, the girls are not the only ones that spent a lot of energy today, so I think Im gonna start making my way to the house and get some shut eye myself. You guys don’t stay up too late looking through all the pics, if ya do you’re in for a long session and we still have a long way to go!!
Y’all have a good night, cause like a slow kid in dodgeball……..I’m OUT!!!
LJ
