Yesterday, the Indian Brook lawn sparkled with energy and excitement as campers and staff completed last-minute preparations for the Interdependence Day celebration. Every year, IB performs a song for all the other F&W camps. So, after lunch we formed groups on the lawn to practice the melody, harmony, and sign language parts for this year’s musical selection, “Ella’s Song.”
We chose this song because it was written for Ella Baker, a heroic woman who struggled to end racist and sexist oppression during the Civil Rights movement. The lyrics represent IB’s core values of equality, freedom and justice.
After song practice, campers streamed into the Creative Arts Lodge to create banners, noisemakers and costumes while face painting and decorating took place outside. Saltash Mountain campers (some of them former IBers!) hiked down the mountain to have dinner with us. Then we all paraded down Farm & Wilderness Road, with the other camps joining us along the way, until all of F&W had gathered on a big grassy hillside. Each camp delighted the group with a skit or a song, and then homemade ice cream sandwiches were shared and enjoyed by all.
Music, dancing, and laughter filled the Fairground field, and the night ended with a blazing fire set up by our own IB Pioneer apprentices. As we walked back to camp, arms around each and headlamps shining into the night, we gave thanks for our community – and the chance to trust ourselves and depend on one another.