I want to say this in a very humble but truthful way: Timberlake specializes in being EPIC. (My editor has put me on a diet of capital letters, but that was worth hitting my daily maximum.)
So much of our program is focused on achievements that go above and beyond. As I write, for example, I hear the sounds of nails mounting a wooden dragon covered in metal scales. This piece of KYBO art is a twisting dragon that is thirty-six feet in length and covered in almost one thousand scales made from recycled cans. In another example, we already have had seven Grand Circuit swim around the lake, so one of our campers decided to swim twice around the lake.
Part of experiences that are “epic” are exposing yourself, or putting yourself out there. The nature of wilderness hikes that Big Lodge campers returned from has this built-in exposure. We had no incidents or evacuations on these Big Lodge trips, but when the trips were out, there was a very heavy thunderstorm that moved in quickly. The counselors had just reviewed the lightning drill when the storm moved through and so campers put it into practice immediately. It was clear they were glad they had proper training and proud of that part of their trip.
My favorite quote about trips:
“How was your trip?”
“Worth it.”
It was worth the weight on your back, the miles walked, the shared space and food. It was worth it to put yourself out there.
Other times, what we do best is turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. During small camp, there was a “Lord of The Rings” adventure. In reality, it was a short walk down to the spillway for the dam, but with a trip to the costume closet and Nazgul attacks it became an exercise in imagination. Kids who gravitate towards fantasy adventure and video games have a chance to have the same fun in an unplugged way.
And then of course there was “Spy Night”. Of the 13 spies, only two got through, but eight managed to get their message through. Shouts of “Spy! Spy!” filled the night, and when it came time for revealing the cleverly hidden messages, some were fake batteries, decoy marshmallows and general ingenuity.
Today we are preparing our rides for Fair. Tonight we will be having a meal that comes entirely from our gardens as well as eating the chickens we raised during the summer. This way, we learn to appreciate all those barn chores, and all the harvesting – including an all-camp harvest that leads up to one single meal for our community. In today’s age, simply raising your own food to feed oneself is an extraordinary exercise in self-reliance.
Tomorrow, we have our end of the summer banquet which is more that just a special meal. We lead the campers through an adventure storyline during the afternoon which ends in an Upper Lodge, which is totally transformed. This summer the theme – “Choose your own Adventure” – is all about the choices you make and where those lead you.
Saturday will be Fair, with the human-powered rides our campers will be running, farm products we have made and the Fair Fire we have built. We are excited to welcome any of you that will be there for that public event, and also to see all of you who will be there for pick up between 9 a.m. -12 p.m. on Sunday.
Blogging is nice but a bit one-way. I look forward to having you here in person!
Peace,
Tulio