Here's a follow-up on yesterday’s Cool2Care/World of Change effort…
Camper X is an especially picky eater. Mom suggested a reward system of paying him a dollar for every time he eats whatever is served. “Hmmmm,” says Camper X. “I don’t really need the money.” He contemplates and then says, “But I could give the money to World of Change”.
His response made us smile, but also got us thinking. It truly is a gift to be able to give to charity. And it feels whole lot better to give a dollar than to get one. Maybe a twist on traditional “allowance-giving” is something to consider... like this: When you contribute to the household, mom and dad will give you the gift of being able to help someone else.
The sun shines on! We’ve been on a roll of fantastic, warm weather. Even though we didn’t get back from the Sea Dogs game until 11pm (yikes!), our guys ran and swam just as usual. Periods like Yellowhorn (outdoor science – they’re making scented slime) and Chilltop (crafts) were a welcome respite.
We took care of a couple of important things today. First was a “Safety Exercise” following breakfast. That’s when we practice listening well and moving together with our counselors in the event that Shep, Arleen, George or Nick ever tell us to do so. We keep it that simple.
Second most important was GACU! That stands for Great American Clean Up, and what better day for that then July 4. That’s when each camper goes to “The Spa” (Garden Cabin porch) for nail clipping and feet washing, and then on to the Infirmary for a meeting with the nurses. Special thanks to the loyal staff members who gave the pedicures. Now that’s dedication.
We spent the evening at Trickey Pond for our own fireworks show. Shep meticulously arranged a perfect viewing spot for each Bunk – on a dock, in a ski boat, on the beach and so forth. The warmup for the show was the Counselor Belly Flop Contest. Counselors of all sizes, shapes and abilities did whatever it took to make the kids laugh. Most impressive was RayAnn. She absolutely blew our minds with the most graceful cartwheel off the dock, rotating into a perfect horizontal flat position as she splashed into the pond. Definitely the Skylemar winner!
We’re especially fortunate to have wonderful neighbors on Trickey Pond. We work together to keep our lake healthy and clean (check out www.trickeypond.org) and stand ready to lend a hand when anyone’s in need. It was fun to see these friends forming a boat parade passing by our waterfront. Greg from across the lake was the “fireworks master”. He put on a spellbinding show!
