Day One: Sand, Sun, and Kayak Fun

Every camp starts with a warm welcome for the campers when they arrive.  Signs with the campers' names are prepared in advance and waved in air to help campers and counselors connect quickly as the campers exit the bus. This is our first step in letting the campers know how happy we are that they are able to attend our camp.

Camp Staff Members Welcoming the Campers

Our campers are equally excited to attend camp. One of our returning campers said:

"[he was] so excited, I was twitching and my brother was so excited he couldn't stop jumping up and down - we had to hug each other to stand still."

This is what it's all about.

Camper Making Sandcastles 

Once the campers are settled in and have lunch, they head off to the activity center and the waterfront. There was a bit of excitement at the Activity Center today. One of the campers caught the first fish of our camp season and it was a big one, setting the mark high for those who want to participate in an informal fishing derby. The waterfront provided campers with the opportunity to swim, kayak with their counselor, or just hang out on the beach soaking up the sun while playing in the sand. Based on some of the sandcastles we saw today, I think there might be a future architects in our midst.

Counselor and Camper Heading Out in the Kayak 

Handing Out Quilts to the New Campers

Each new camper gets a hand made quilt to take home.  We repeatedly hear how much these quilts mean to our campers and are treasured possessions long after they've completed their camping experience with us. These quilts are made available to the camp through the generosity of the local chapter of the Linus Project. To learn more about this wonderful organization, click here. 

So ends the first day. Tomorrow brings more adventure and accomplishments.