Sunday Night

It's the eve of Week #2 at camp. As I sit in my office I hear staff members returning to campus, getting ready for the start of our second week with the campers. How was Week #1? I'm glad you asked because it was fantastic, wonderful and awesome.


Every week at camp -- all eight -- has its own particular feeling and Week 1 is no exception. I love the energy that everyone has at this time of the summer. It's everyone's first day, first week, and both counselors and campers are super charged and excited. There's nothing subtle or laid back about the enthusiasm for Week 1. It's fresh and a little bit crazy. It moves quickly. You might expect some kind of "warm up" period because it's the very beginning of the summer, but that's not how it happens.


We had our first Talent Show, complete with a variety of acts presented by all ages of campers and with hilarious video-based introductions by our hosts. We launched our first sports tournament, basketball, with a theme harking back to CK-NJ division names of years past. Danny got us started on a snack-time Ro-Sham-Bo tournament and I guess I should be happy I lasted to the second round, but I'm looking forward to a better performance this week.


Some of the activities I observed or participated in this week were slack line, skate boarding, jogging, archery, cheer leading, ceramics, musical painting, bead looming, badminton, fitness center, swim instruction, ultimate, creative writing, campfire, bunk meetings, afternoon shade. Now if you know anything about Campus Kids, you know that there were lots more activities taking place at camp than this short list. So this week I've got to speed up and get to more activities.


My favorite snack of the week was a toss-up between the ice cream sandwich and the apple. My favorite bunk meeting was with the staff assistants around the campfire discussing how hard it is sometimes to describe to non-camp people what camp is really like. My favorite "camper progress" was the six or seven campers who were dealing with significant homesickness that by the end of the week was much, much better. My favorite weather was every day this week, one of the all-time best weeks of weather I can remember at camp.


Tomorrow night is Rock of July, which has everyone very excited and I've got my July 4th shirt ready to go. You would think that, as camp director, I would understand exactly how a great special event like Rock of July is planned and executed, but I have to admit that it's a mystery to me. Somehow with everything that our staff does day and night, they also find the time to form bands with the campers, rehearse, and put on an amazing couple of hours of music, in addition to the games and crafts taking place at the same time. I was talking earlier today with my son about how many camps hire outside entertainers to put on shows at camp and how I couldn't imagine doing that at Campus Kids. It has nothing to do with spending money for entertainers and everything to do with taking the talents within our own community and giving them the chance to shine. Whether almost-professional or just-slightly-better-than beginner, watching performances by our very own camp community members is very special. It always rocks.


Well, I can sense more and more staff moving around the campus. Bus counselors are going off to bed very soon, others will follow. In just over ten hours, the buses will round the curve above the bowl and the sea of yellow-shirted staff will break into cheers and clapping as our campers return to Blairstown.


There's nothing like starting a new week at camp. Wish you were here.


Tom