We are almost halfway through the session already. Here at Indian Brook, we believe that it is through sharing, listening and developing compassion for of the experiences of others that we have the opportunity to build a community and celebrate life together.
One of the ways that we build community at Indian Brook is in getting to know our cabin groups. To kick off these first moments together, we began with “cabin night”, which is a chance to share about ourselves, make new friends, play games and learn about others.
Big Lodge, made up of several cabins with 11- to 12 –year –old campers, invited others to a Lodge Night and shared about fun things to do at camp. Each camper was given a sheet of paper with a heart on it and asked to write their goals for the summer inside the heart. Some favorites included playing pranks, going to the adventure course, trying new foods, learning to dive, making friendship bracelets and playing with the farm animals. After writing down their goals, campers walked around the room, sharing with one another and signing their names the paper of others who had a common goal. Many campers were excited afterwards about all of the activities that they could do here at camp and inspired by the network of friends they have to remind them to pursue the things that they love.
As you walk around camp, it is obvious that the community is coming together in other ways as well. The sounds of guitar strings being plucked and strummed from the gazebo echoes across IB as Senior Lodge guitar apprentices laugh and sing together. On the lawn campers are being taught how to use axes. In the dining room, trips are packing their gear for their new adventures.
Trips serve many purposes, one of which is the simple joy and pleasure that can come from exploring new horizons. Many campers noticed that camp feels like it ‘comes together’ in a deeper way after they return to IB from trips. On trips we have the opportunity to make friends outside of our usual cabin groups, to learn, listen through sharing with others, to express ourselves and have new adventures with people that we don’t know very well.
We also ventured this week into learning with Timberlake campers with an afternoon full of activities; weeding, preparing connegburts (a favorite at Fair), swimming, and combining their voices in song. The echoed unison can be heard over Cozy Lodge and through the valley!
— Katy Blackman, IB alum and volunteer
