The first full day of camp is a potluck of discovering things, new experiences, and figuring out just where that one class is located on the mountain. Campers were woken up by the 7:00 bugle, where caring counselors gently but firmly urged them out of bed. After tackling the chore chart, the girls headed down to breakfast. All nerves were dissolved at the sight and smell of iced cinnamon rolls, and the usual “which cabin can eat more” game commenced. The girls squealed when they received their schedules and compared classes and times.

The morning chill was beginning to fade while campers trotted up to the chapel. After a few fun, upbeat songs, like ‘I Like Bananas’ were followed by the camp hymn. Adam Boyd did a short story that illustrated how God desires our whole heart, not just our empty words. The girls then separated into their Tribes for a meeting. As 10:30 rolled around, you could see older girls taking the Tweedles and new girls by the hand and showing them where their classes were. As per usual, the first day is mostly introduction games and safety talk. For some classes, this simply means ‘Don’t eat the clay,’ and ‘Let’s not use the knitting needles as weapons.’ However, for classes such as Riflery, Archery, and all lake activities, the safety talk is more extensive.

The day heated up as first and second period flew by. Pottery class began one the first stages of a pinch pot, and DIY was stringing together braids and beads for friendship bracelets. Climbing was on the Traverse wall, where some brave new girls scaled the steep incline. Gymnastics did warmups, followed by the trampoline. Basketball eased into some simple passing and shooting drills. By 12:30, everyone was wondering what was for lunch. While waiting for the lunch bell to ring, the girls played tetherball or lounged on the grass, swapping stories and enjoying the sun. The girls sat with their cabins and enjoyed grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, peaches, and vegetable soup. The girls stood for their Tribe songs, and for some of the girls it was their very first time joining in the chants and cheers. However, just one day into camp, old and new girls are undiscernible in a sea of red, black, and blue. Everyone has the same tribe spirit.

After a much-needed rest time, where girls colored, wrote home, or maybe even slept a bit, they raced down the mountain to Traypo for their favorite snack and candy. 3:30 marked the start of 3 rd period, and the excitement continued. PAWS class got to meet the adorable Goldendoodle they would be taking care of, and riflery jumped into firing rifles at targets down range. In Drama, charades and improv games brought laughs that could be heard from all around. Archery class was dedicated to figuring out the girl’s dominant eye and which bow they would shoot from. In fencing, proper form and equipment were explained. At 5:00, the girls dressed in their whites and smiled for a camp picture, then raced to change into their tribe uniforms for the evening activity – Sock War, a camp-wide favorite evening activity.