First Full Day of Adventure Camp!

06/30/2014

The Campers have arrived and the fun came with them! We’ve spent roughly the last 1 and a half days getting to know each other and learning about camp!

Adventure Village campers jumped right into a variation of Rocks Paper Scissors where if you play with your feel in one straight line between the two participants. Then if you win a round you take your front foot and place it behind your back foot, still in a line and the other participant slides their front foot forward. You keep playing until someone looses their balances or shows off an impressive gymnastics splits! Once you tip you immediatly join the cheering squad of the victor and the machine grows and grows until you have two participants in the middle with everyone around the outside cheering!

After the games, expectations, and get-to-know you festivities we headed to dinner for delicious delicious filling pizza that even the picky-eaters can’t deny is darn tasty!

After dinner Adventure Village began the traditional opening ceremony. This is where the Adventure Village campers are led by their counselors on a blindfolded trust walk into the woods to a secret fire ring called Ewok Village. Once they arrive they’re greeted with songs, cheers, call-and-responses, and all around good camp fun. Top Secret Information: One of the most impactful moments in the Opening Ceremony is when campers are presented with a pot of racoon poop (chocolate chips) and asked to try a little without spoiling the surprise for the other campers. It represents taking a risk, being your self, and stepping out of your comfort zone. This idea and other core values (Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Inclusiveness, Diversity, Community, Stewardship) will be the hot topic of conversations as the campers hit the sack for their first night in Adventure Village.

This morning campers woke up to morning reflection, which is a new tradition in our Village. Morning reflection is when we all meet on the lawn in Adventure Village and mention a Core Value of the day. Then we do a short activity to get the blood flowing and reflect a little on how we can bring that value into our day and sequentially our lives.

Once we hit the dining hall for breakfast, the Village learned some Hoopla Cheers and played Geronimo with Al, one of our most beloved trustees. After lunch we hit the water front and spent quality time with our bunk mates.

Dinner was delicious and the best cap to the day is some good old fashioned French Rev. A game where a campers stands in the middle of the woods with some counselors and all the other campers will hide in the surrounding woods. If the camper in the middle hears anything they can shine a strong flashlight in that direction, if they spot a camper that camper’s out. The game continues until a camper sneaks into the inner circle around the middle camper. Endless fun!

After rolling around in the woods playing glorified hide and seek it was high time for tick checks, showers, and bed! But not before the tent groups met and reflected back on the day in devotion. Did we achieve our goals with the core value today? Did we have a great time? Is camp fun? What does “Adventure” really mean? If you could shoot anything out of your belly button what would it be? Conversations that could go on endlessly if not for the pressing blankets of night.

Camp has been in full swing for a full day and we’re full ready for a full summer ahead!

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me! On a general note though, things have been running very smoothly and that’s a testament to our counselors, who are putting effort into every moment.

Happy Trails,

Lincoln McLain
845-985-2291 x265
adventure@frostvalley.org

PS the first photos from session 1 are up in smugmug.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zach eigenbrodt

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Zach couldn't keep himself out of the woods when growing up. He started working at a Northern Wisconsin YMCA Camp as a wilderness trip leader while in college and fell in love with getting kids into nature. The smiles on kids faces after returning from a once in a life time wilderness experience is why he is here today. Zach brought his talents to Frost Valley YMCA, in 2014, when he started as the Trips Coordinator and soon was promoted to Adventure Director. Zach loves all forms of Wilderness exploration, though some would say his heart lies most with canoeing.