August 2009 Week 1 Update

Hello from the Bubble!

The first week of camp has been a blast! The weather has been a bit undecided – sunny one day and rainy the next, but we’re currently enjoying a beautiful, warm, sunny day and the forecast looks great for the next week.

It’s been a busy week full of creative classes, mysteries, camp legends, and fun!

On Wednesday we awoke to find a hole dug below the high ropes course. We moved morning meeting to the hole surrounded by rocks and caution tape and contemplated the mystery of the whole scene. Along with a letter dated from 72 years ago we began to realize that whatever might be behind the creation of the hole/in the hole responded well to music and rhyme. Throughout the week we’ve been writing poetry and dropping it into the hole. In response we’ve received poems in return. One morning at breakfast we found all the stools from the dining hall stacked in the middle of the deck with a large poem attached. Our visiting day Theatre Festival theme based on Shel Silverstein poetry seems to have evoked this mystery and we anticipate an unveiling on Sunday.

On Wednesday night each large living unit – Cabins, Dorms and Tents – gathered for a living unit specific activity. The dorm girls created superhero personas for their counselors and dressed them accordingly for a project runway walk off, and the tent unit worked in groups to build umbrellas from miscellaneous materials.

Thursday started off a bit dreary, but after learning the rules of the waterfront at morning meeting the skies cleared and we were able to have the community celebration (sing) outside in the cabin meadow with a campfire! Through rhyme Friday’s morning meeting told the story of the Lorax, and campers went ballistic in the evening for a high energy game of (appropriately-named) Ballistic Trivia. Friday morning began with a mosquito themed skit from the performing arts department. In the evening each bunk got together with their counselor for small living unit night. Some bunks journeyed throughout camp to complete a scavenger hunt, while some canoed to the big island, and others engaged in a game of broomball in the dining hall – lots of fun all around!

Sundays follow a slightly different schedule than the rest of the week. After a sleep-in and breakfast we all head to the pine grove for Sunday morning meeting. Sunday’s meeting is a silent, Quaker-style meeting. A theme for the meeting is announced the day before and posted around camp for campers and staff to think about. At Sunday morning meeting individuals stand up and share their thoughts on the topic followed by a silent applause (using sign language). This Sunday’s meeting topic asked the question “what does it mean to follow your heart?” It was a thought provoking hour of ideas, stories, thoughts and quotes. Following brunch and siesta we all come together again for Sunday afternoon activity. This Sunday was the OLYMPICS. Living units were broken into teams and each team member was given a task that they would complete at various points during the relay race. The Olympic events included kayaking, swimming, relay reading, and a dance off among many other things.

This morning began with a camp legends morning meeting. Now we all know who the Bollywogger, Jabborwocky and Rollo Booth are (giant Beaver rumored to live in the swamp, two headed creature, and Gargoyle keeper, respectively). The laughs during morning meeting were contagious and frequent! This evening brings the highly anticipated game of CAPTURE THE FLAG -originally scheduled for Friday, but rained out. Campers are split into two teams – Dragons and Wizards – and are spread out around camp devising strategies for capturing the opposing team’s flag. There is no doubt campers will sleep well tonight!

We’re excited to see many of you on Visiting Day this Sunday, August 9th. If you have not already received your invitational flyer you will shortly. Visiting Day begins at 10:30 and we ask that families arrive between 10:30 and 11. Please do not arrive early as it can interrupt campers as they finish their super clean-up and it also causes concern for campers whose parents arrive on time. If they see everyone else’s parents arriving early they will fear that their parents are late. We appreciate your understanding. If you are not able to make it to Visiting Day, don’t worry. We arrange for an off campus trip for all campers whose parents aren’t able to join us. You can also give permission for your child to go off campus with another camp family (please e-mail such permission to Deidre@WindsorMountain.org). We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

For a glimpse of this week in photos please click here, and enjoy the photos.

See you Soon!
The Windsor Mountain Team