Wow! Time has been flying by here at Indian Brook. The past ten days have been overflowing with laughter, singing, and stories-not to mention dirt, bugs, and rain, but all in the name of fun! In the blink of an eye, we’re already saying goodbye to the J1 session first lodgers. Last night, we all gathered for the J1 banquet, where affirmations were given to all of the campers we had to say goodbye to today. Sentiments were shared stating how much we would miss the smiles and eagerness of the J1 campers. Examples of their curiosity and growth were told, including one story of a 9-year-old’s newly discovered love for nature during Silent Meeting. At the end of the banquet, the departing campers were given a bead symbolizing their invaluable presence at Indian Brook and The beginning of their experiences here at Farm & Wilderness. Afterwards, everyone participated in an all-camp game, which brought all members of the community, both campers and staff, together through excitement and laughter.
Farm & Wilderness celebrated its first program wide event of the year, in which all camps met at the Fairgrounds to partake in Interdependence Day festivities! SAM camp joined Indian Brook for dinner, and then we all proceeded to parade down the road, joined by Tamarack Farm, Timberlake, Flying Cloud, and Barn Day Camp along the way. Since arriving at camp, IB campers had been working on a song to perform for all of the other camps. Renamed “IB Reputation,” we sang a version of Joan Jett’s “Reputation,” in which we expressively rocked and belted out our need for a break from civilization and our love of IB. The performance was spectacular. The only reason the crowd didn’t request an encore is, I’m sure, because of the dark rain clouds that soon joined us on stage. Unfortunately, those rain clouds cut the evening short, ending the contra dance early and preventing us from having a fire. The rain, however, didn’t wash away the smiles of the hundreds of kids basking in the glow of newly forged friendships and memories.
A few days ago, Indian Brook held a forum in which campers were invited to learn and talk about body image. Divided by lodge, group discussions were led by counselors and staff, but made entirely possible by the generous and open participation of the campers. The intention of these forums is to normalize and make comfortable topics that, for some, may be a source of stress. This was only the first forum of the summer, and will be followed by others covering various topics such as gender, sexuality, and race. During the most recent forum, we discussed the importance of self-care, the influence media and technology has on body image, the notion of intersectionality, and the value of eliminating body talk from our daily lives. We tried our best to create a safe, open environment within which everyone felt comfortable sharing, and seemed to have done so successfully.
A very important member of the Farm & Wilderness community, Mary Stewart, describes summers here as ‘the fastest eternity ever.’ Truer words will never be spoken about time spent at F&W. The sincerity and kindness of the community makes one feel at home seconds after arriving. The family we find here makes it feel like we’ve been here since the dawn of time. Yet, before we know it, that ‘forever’ flies by, and we find ourselves leaving the hills of Vermont. However, for now, it is only the second week of July and there are many memories to be made. So stay tuned for more adventures of the powerful people of Indian Brook!
