Towering Pines Blog

The Ready Camp

Your qualified staff!

Your qualified staff!

The camp is ready now, waiting for the campers to arrive and breathe a little life into the place. Of course, some of us have been around long enough to witness the slow awakening of the grounds: from quiet and sleepy pre-pre-camp to the boisterous and busy pre-camp, to the arrival of campers on the first day of camp. We’ve been getting things in order for you all!

Our leader and a timid forest friend

Our leader and a timid forest friend

The process of set-up is a little different every year, just like the journey that we are all about to embark on. No matter how many times you’ve been to camp, every summer has something new and different to offer. Whether it’s a new water toy (get ready to try your feet at stand-up paddle boarding!) or just a new goal for yourself, you can rest assured that the summer will deliver a good time and rich experiences.

This season, the camp got a forcible overhaul thanks to a passing storm, so the grounds might look a little different to you, but things are pretty well groomed and squared away. The camp still stands and is ready to go. We all get our share of storms and scars. You just have to make the new look work for you. Despite the slight reduction in these towering pines, the grounds are green and clean for your arrival. The staff is eager and waiting, and all that hard wok is ready to pay off!

Even some campers chipped in!

Even some campers chipped in! Thanks, Ross!

Personally, I look forward to camp not just to do all those things I love, but to try new and exciting things each year. I like to lay out new directions and goals for myself each summer. My garden is planted and growing steadily already and I’m dabbling in drying, pickling and cooking natural and wild foods this time around. I could just do what I did last year, but there is still so much to learn and experience! So I plant something a little bit different, try new uses for the chicken-of-the-woods mushroom, and enjoy the aroma of a fresh cup of Labrador tea. Trying new things gets my head in the right place to really enjoy the summer, you know, really make the most out of every day.

Leveling up our camp cookout skills with some wild mushrooms.

Leveling up our camp cookout skills with some wild mushrooms.

We try to get our counselors and campers to think about camp that way, too: every summer is a new start and a new journey, a new chance to do things better. We all have some moments we’d rather forget. Maybe we weren’t at our best or said something we shouldn’t have, or maybe something we tried didn’t turn out as good as we’d like. Everyone deserves a fresh start, and our staff knows that. Every summer can change a boy and so can every school year, but a boy can also decide who he wants to be.

Who do you want to be this summer?20160620_191316We are so excited to get this show rolling and I bet we aren’t the only ones. I encourage you to think about who and what you will become this summer. Aim high and don’t be afraid to try something new. You May just discover that this is the year for you to blossom, and that everything clicks in 1-6!

Welcome back campers! And to all you parents, be sure to stroll the grounds and breathe deep of that fresh Northwoods air while you are here. We will take good care of your boys and help them along on this new path, whether they are trying something new or rediscovering something they had all along.

Can you spot the firefly over lost lake?

Can you spot the firefly over lost lake?