SAM Camp Families!
We have had a terrific beginning to 1st session! Opening Day was full of butterflies as well as warmth as we all took the first steps together on our journey towards forming community. We’re a “small but mighty” group with campers from as far as away as Spain and as close as just a few miles away! The rain held off just long enough for us to get everyone to camp and dig into our annual opening meal of cook Sam Arfer’s spaghetti.
First Night Cabin Discussion – After a round of singing on the hill, SAM campers went to their cabins to brainstorm and form contracts how they wanted to create safe spaces in their cabins. Campers give input and create norms on topics like how to respect each other’s belongings, being respectful and open minded as well as taking care of cabin chores together.
Pack Out Day – The first morning brought a heavy mist on the lake that added to the mystique to readying ourselves to enter the wilderness. Campers make the choice to come to SAM are so deserving of being honored for their willingness to bite off adventure and enter into scary and new surroundings! We did this together, with each camper looking at the members of their trip group and committing to coopering in the safety and success of the journey. We spent the day in a series of rotations doing ropes course initiatives for group building, packing and checking camp stoves and tents, planning and packing the menus, and inventorying and learning to pack our personal gear.
The evening was full of games, a “Magical Mystery Tour” full of staff and costumes orienting the campers to SAM’s facilities and antics like piling the entire camp onto our dock and singing to our beautiful Lake Ninevah!
Cabin Trips – After less than 48 hours from arriving at camp, our SAMmers were packed and ready to head out on their first adventures! We had a beautiful exchange of support between our admiring 11-14 year olds heading out on the first cabin trip and our 15-17 year old Questers leaving on 18 and 35 day trips! Campers spoke of “living in the moment”; “knowing that you can make it”; “enjoying and learning about your trip mates” and finding comfort in an uncomfortable moment “soon becoming a great story”!
“Nature bequeaths its own blessing on those who immerse themselves in it,” writes author Stephen Covey. “When you’re able to leave the noise and the discord of the city and give yourself up to the harmony and rhythm of nature, you come back renewed.”
And bless us it did! We had beautiful weather, affirmed beautiful gifts in each other as well as in the world around us. After three days adventuring together, each group return raving about the connections they had made and the jokes and laughter were bubbling. The groups shared wonderful moments together hanging their food in a tree and having a little trouble finding it, sitting in canoes under the stars, hearing howling in the night, and watching electric-blue damselflies circle around our ankles.
We’re ready for a big week of in camp activities putting together a big skit for our all camp Interdependence Day celebration!!
session! Opening Day was full of butterflies as well as warmth as we all took the first steps together on our journey towards forming community. We’re a “small but mighty” group with campers from as far as away as Spain and as close as just a few miles away! The rain held off just long enough for us to get everyone to camp and dig into our annual opening meal of Sam Arfer’s spaghetti.
First Night Cabin Discussion – After a round of singing on the hill, SAM campers went to their cabins to brainstorm and form contracts how they wanted to create safe spaces in their cabins. Campers give input and create norms on topics like how to respect each other’s belongings, being respectful and open minded as well as taking care of cabin chores together.
Pack Out Day – The first morning brought a heavy mist on the lake that added to the mystique to readying ourselves to enter the wilderness. Campers make the choice to come to SAM are so deserving of being honored for their willingness to bite off adventure and enter into scary and new surroundings! We did this together, with each camper looking at the members of their trip group and committing to coopering in the safety and success of the journey. We spent the day in a series of rotations doing ropes course initiatives for group building, packing and checking camp stoves and tents, planning and packing the menus, and inventorying and learning to pack our personal gear.
The evening was full of games, a “Magical Mystery Tour” full of staff and costumes orienting the campers to SAM’s facilities and antics like piling the entire camp onto our dock and singing to our beautiful Lake Ninevah!
Cabin Trips – After less than 48 hours from arriving at camp, our SAMmers were packed and ready to head out on their first adventures! We had a beautiful exchange of support between our admiring 11-14 year olds heading out on the first cabin trip and our 15-17 year old Questers leaving on 18 and 35 day trips! Campers spoke of “living in the moment”; “knowing that you can make it”; “enjoying and learning about your trip mates” and finding comfort in an uncomfortable moment “soon becoming a great story”!
“Nature bequeaths its own blessing on those who immerse themselves in it,” Stephen Covey writes. “When you’re able to leave the noise and the discord of the city and give yourself up to the harmony and rhythm of nature, you come back renewed.”
And bless us it did! We had beautiful weather, affirmed beautiful gifts in each other as well as in the world around us. After three days adventuring together, each group return raving about the connections they had made and the jokes and laughter were bubbling. The groups shared wonderful moments together hanging their food in a tree and having a little trouble finding it, sitting in canoes under the stars, hearing howling in the night, and watching electric-blue damselflies circle around our ankles.
We’re ready for a big week of in camp activities putting together a big skit for our all camp Interdependence Day celebration!!
– Jeff Bounds, SAM Director