As you walk thru the archway at the Skylemar office, a sign hangs that says, “Come as friends, leave as brothers.” That truly is the way it is here.
Sure, there are those you find annoying or frustrating. And perhaps there are some who you prefer over others. Yes, there are times when someone says something they shouldn’t. One may be insensitive, and another might struggle with letting a comment roll off their back.
But when you get down to it, as summer brothers, we do care about each other. When someone hurts or feels sad, we feel it too. As Jack L said in his Meal Minute, someone is always watching out for you at Skylemar. Could be a little guy looking up to someone older, or a counselor watching over their campers. Could be a nurse tending to cuts and bruises, or a chef making sure all are well fed. Could be our maintenance director fixing the screen that a ball magically went through, or maybe a dog greeting you warmly.
One of the warmest and most welcoming places at Skylemar is the Waterfront. Peter Solomon, the world's greatest Waterfront Director, is also one of those hard-to-find people who’s the whole package: he’s kind, brilliant, sensitive, caring, fun and supportive. Along with his fabulous assistants Lexie, Paige and Quinn, Peter supervises and trains a staff of 20+. Everyone working at Trickey Pond has been Lifeguard certified, and they do whatever it takes to make being in the water safe, fun and empowering.
Some kids come to camp already comfortable in the water. But others may be timid or don’t know how to swim. Rarely does anyone know how to sail or ski before getting to Skylemar for the first time. The staff knows that Skylemar is the perfect place to learn, no matter your level. In fact, the main reason we wear life jackets while playing is so that everyone can have fun on the inflatables, not just the strong swimmers.
The Waterfront Staff feels great when the kids feel great. They get in the water with the boys, patiently explain and come up with creative plans to make things interesting. Whether someone is a beginner or advanced, the staff at Trickey Pond shares the pride when a boy does well.
Tonight’s Viking Pine Cone Auction was Bunk pride all the way. When our Viking leader (Shep in costume) raised his sword, everyone ran across the Golf Course and gathered colored eggs. The eggs became the medium of exchange for each bunk to go home with a prize. Up for auction were t-shirts, indoor and outdoor games (like a glow-in-the-dark basketball and Monster ping pong), gift certificates (breakfast burrito making with Cory) and assorted snacks. Each bunk went home with something special.
As we sang “Taps” tonight, as we do regularly, we thought about so many who we love and are fortunate to have watching over us. Through ups and downs, ins and outs, at camp or home, there’s one thing we know for sure. We are blessed.
