Monthly Archives:July 2016

We once had a man who went by Buck here at camp. A Native American and a long-time friend of my grandfather’s, he introduced some of those traditions and cultural practices to camp. Now, that was all before my time, but Grandpa would always say that Buck never had anything bad to say about a person. Can you imagine it? Over time, this quality has made Buck a nearly mythical figure at camp. As a social scientist, I would describe […]

There can be a lot of ups and downs in a summer at camp, just as there are ups and downs at home and in life in general.  There are times when we are feeling great and flying high on a wave of inspiration and times when we lack energy and struggle to find our way.  This is true not only of adults but of campers too. When you think about it, although camp is this amazingly spectacular and even […]

The third week was full of events that worked to challenge the boys. Starting with  Gold Rush, a few sailing regattas with the Woodland girls, and rounding out with Paul Bunyan Day yesterday, in addition to the regular activities, I can hardly keep track! But with a little effort and deliberate guidance, the boys are ready to tackle those challenges and make them into meaningful experiences. The third week is challenge week, after all! Challenges are scary. When faced with a […]

As I sit here in my camp “office,” which by the way has an amazing view of Lake Nokomis, I reflect on the decision to come back to camp after a 25-year-hiatus.  The decision was a no-brainer for me and my husband because as alumni counselors of Woodland and TP, we already knew what amazing adventures lie ahead for the summer.  However, my decision to come back to camp also meant that we were making the “choice” for our 2 […]

Week two is behind us here at Towering Pines Camp and the summer is heating up. It began with a roaring “Yar!” at Pirate Day and ended with the smell of Gold Rush in the air. These special activities break up the routine and put some different kinds of tasks before the cabin group, from a water balloon catapult to a nautical themed dart contest. Knocking some rust off the old cannons, digging up some gold, and looking at camp […]