[The following is part three of a five-part series of live-from-camp updates written in August 2023 by Experience Camps founder and CEO Sara Deren. We’re excited to share the camp experience with you.]
While every day at camp has a very full line-up of activities from morning to night, many of the best moments happen in the “in-between”. The in-between is the long walk down the hill to get to basketball or the few minutes spent sitting on the grass before the Dining Hall opens for lunch. At home, those minutes might be filled with a quick scroll through TikTok or checking text messages, but here at camp we are tech-free, and instead we fill that time with conversation, made-up games, or comfortable silence.
In those in-between moments, connections deepen and words flow. A camper may comment on a friend’s sports jersey, and all of a sudden they’re having a conversation about their dad’s favorite team and the last game they went to together. It’s where you collect nuggets of useful information about a new acquaintance, like the names and ages of their pets, which actually become the foundation of a lifelong friendship.
It’s time to get wacky
More College League points were earned in the Counselor Hunt and Project Runway, both of which are excellent examples of the lengths our volunteers will go to bring joy to our campers. Some counselors donned full-body animal costumes and hid around camp in the 90-degree heat while campers searched for them like predators stalking their prey. Others were dressed by their campers in fashion ensembles of tissue paper and aluminum foil, and strutted their looks on the runway. I’m sure our volunteers will be missing these moments when they’re back at their desks on Monday. I know I will.
We brought this very full day to a close with a campfire, where we took some time to slow our heartbeats and our feet, reflect on the memories of our people who have died, and share our hopes for the days that fill our future. It was a very full day, indeed.
Campfully,
Sara
<<READY FOR MORE? READ “CAMP DAY 4: BROKEN THINGS CAN BE HEALED>>
Want to find out how you can get involved?
- Learn how to volunteer for us.
- Learn how to apply for camp next summer (applications open in November).
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