On a misty Saturday morning at 6 AM, 55 polar bears are spied in Trickey Pond!
Ranging in age from 7 to 10, the giant pack is accompanied across the lake by 42 lifeguards, kayakers and boat drivers. It’s a half mile swim across, and everyone wears a life jacket just to be safe. Once on the other side, you end up at Nate and Benny F’s house, which is directly across from Skylemar. High fives and donuts await, and then the motorboats bring you back to camp in time for breakfast.
Being a Skylemar Polar Bear is a tremendous accomplishment. We’re grateful for each camper who gives it a try, as well as to the many staff members who sacrifice sleep time so that the kids can succeed. The older half of camp has their turn to swim across tomorrow.
Throughout the day it was activities as normal, but there was something out of the norm. For the one and only time this summer the schedule read “Welcome Camp Fernwood” in the 6th period slot.
Here’s the story…
You may have heard the old folk tale about a farmer who complains about his noisy house to a Rabbi. Rabbi advises bringing chickens inside. He does it and the house is even more chaotic, so he goes back to the Rabbi. Rabbi says to bring in a goat, he does it, it’s worse, and again he returns. Rabbi says to bring in a horse. Same thing happens and he’s told to bring in a cow. And on it goes until it’s unbelievably loud and there’s no space left. What should I do, he asks.
The Rabbi says to now take all the animals out of the house. He removes each, one by one. It gets quieter and calmer, and when he’s left with his own children, it’s SO very silent and serene. He never complained again and lived happily ever after.
This story “checks out”, starting at 5:00 this evening. Before then we always thought our house was loud. But afterwards, when the beautiful ladies from Camp Fernwood came over for dinner and a social, our house got a whole lot noisier.
After dinner, we got through “the awkward stage” with the Super Duper Counselor Game Show: Fernwood Edition. It was our counselors vs theirs, for trivia, hula-hooping and egg toss. Everyone loved cheering for their own.
Sky II had a beach party with Fernwood’s oldest, while the rest of us hung out on the front lawn. There was volleyball, badminton, mini golf, pickleball, ladder ball, cornhole and frisbee. Chilltop was packed with boys and girls, making bracelets and watercolor paintings. The ladies dominated Karaoke, but everyone sang along. For some Sky guys this just wasn’t their jam, so they stuck together and tossed a ball as usual. But others kinda huddled in small packs -- and together got the nerve up to talk to a group of girls. Those with sisters at Fernwood gave our guys the extra boost of confidence.
Towards the end there was some sharing of phone numbers (but they don’t have phones…) and some trading of bracelets. When they loaded the buses and drove away, we felt like that farmer in the story above. Skylemar…is now…so…very…quiet.
At least for now!
