Greetings from our little slice of paradise here in the San Juans!
Camp has been moving along swiftly, with lots of singing, activities, dances and fun across the board. Orientation day gave everyone a good sense of our different departments and the types of activities the campers can expect to experience over the course of the session. We’ve had brilliant sunny days, like in the picture above, as well as spots of rain here and there – allowing us to practice proper planning for activities (raingear!) and excellent tarp shelter building on our Thursday night overnight.
We’ve seen a wonderful array of talent emerging from our campers at the campfires, dances and initial meetings for opry house (which will be performed toward the end of the session). We are also looking forward to our first Musicale, which will happen tomorrow after ‘dinner’ (our Sunday lunchtime meal). This is a time for campers to share any creative expression – whether it’s a song, poem, dance or something else – and be supported by the larger Nor’wester community. It’s the talent show where everyone wins!
Throughout this first week, all of the units were able to work on their Code of Living, which is an agreement created by the members of the unit that expresses how they want to live together and treat each other during their time together. This Nor’wester tradition has proven to be an excellent way to unite the group as well as give everyone an opportunity to be personally invested and to strive for common purpose.
Our oldest girls unit, the Troubadours, had the opportunity to go on a two night overnight over to Lopez Island to work with the Lopez Community Land Trust. They sifted sand and clay for earthen plasters, weeded and liberated trees, planted a couple trees, cleaned a house, picked up the site and were able to share a nice lunch together with the volunteer coordinators. We appreciate their great work ethic and commitment to service learning!
We are impressed with the energy, wit, heart and spirit of all of the campers who are with us. The singing has been joyous after lunch and dinner, with both rousing, rambunctious tunes as well as sweet melodies, and the new campers have seamlessly joined the camp family. We have had a little bit of homesickness, a few coughs and scratches, and some lost and found items (already!)…but mostly, we are witnessing laughter, wide-eyed wonder, and many budding friendships. It’s a beautiful thing…
After new schedules for the coming week are made by the unit leaders, we’ll be reporting on what’s to come, including an exciting 4th of July celebration, complete with Salmon bake and creative pie-making. Also, our photographer has been taking lots of great pictures and we will be sure to get a good sampling of shots for each blog entry to give you an idea of what your kids have been experiencing.
Enjoy your launch into July and we’ll be back in touch very soon!
Sheila