Archive for July, 2008

I knew when I began planning for this summer back in October that there was something incredible on its way. After having so many of you join us for Visiting Day and experiencing Timberlake firsthand, I am confident that with all of the amazing adventures that we’ve had these past few weeks that this will be a summer to remember for years to come…and we still have five weeks left!

During Silent Meeting on Sunday, there were many voices speaking to the strength of community and the home that we all have at TL. Sitting under a very ominous sky, we sat as a family of 250 in stillness and in silence, sharing our space with new families and multi-generations of former Timberlakers. This was the tail end of a wonderful two days and of an excellent week, where after some long absences all of the trips returned and we were together again. As we move into the final week of the half, we are very aware of our time left together and our desire to hold on to every minute. But before we look forward we have reminded campers to take the time to reflect back on the last few weeks and to take advantage of every opportunity that they can.

As the second of two trip weeks, Week 3 was full of adventure. Campers once again stuffed their packs and headed for the peaks, cliffs, lakes and rivers of New England. We even sent out our two work trips, one to a local Vermont farm and another to clear trail in the Green Mountain National Forest, allowing campers to step forward as active stewards of the earth and of the larger community. I was able to head out with a group of First and Big Lodgers for an overnight visit to Flying Cloud as visitors in an FC Naming Ceremony. It has been a long time since I’ve been out on the trail and it was great to step away from my normal responsibilities and enjoy extended time with campers. Visiting Day of course capped off our week and by all accounts was a huge success. I want to again thank those of you who were able to join us. Singing songs with parents is always a highlight and I am still always tickled by the fan favorite, Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads, sung at the top of our lungs. As always our guitars are a little out of tune and our percussion, “slightly” offbeat but man do we have a good time. We’ve also loved welcoming the J2 campers and watching them discover Timberlake for the first time. While they have spent most of their time engaged in regular programming they have had the chance to enjoy some special activities of their own, including a visit to Saltash Mountain for a square dance and celebration. They also spent Visiting Day off at Buttermilk Falls, with a sweet stop for Maple Cremees!

I asked the staff to offer some of their favorite memories from the week:

• Building boxes with parents on Visiting Day
• Teaching Piano Trips!
• Painting music
• Campers advancing through swim levels and getting to swim further into the lake.
• Building a boat
• King of the Monster
• Musical Jam Session with campers and parents
• Talking with campers about theoretical physics and math
• Learning axe skills and building big fires
• Reaching the peaks of high mountains
• Hercules Training Run
• Drum Stalk
• Huge Arts projects completed and the presentation of the first Diego Rivera rating.
• “Breaking Boards” Activity
• Rock Climbing at Silver Lake
• Hulk Day!
• Silent Meeting and wonderful self-expression
• Picking fresh strawberries and making pies
• A Council Fire closing circle that was so big you could hardly see the other side
• Stage Coach (All Camp Game)
• Flying Cloud visit
• Greased Watermelon at the Waterfront
• Adventure Afternoon

Please know that you are enthusiastically invited to return for The Fair on Saturday August 9th. It is an incredible day when all six of the F&W camps come together to celebrate the summer and visit with old as well as new friends. Starting at 1:00 pm, the festivities include people-powered carnival rides, a diverse assortment of tasty eats, fresh organic produce from our gardens and crafts made by campers and staff. The day concludes with a presentation from Flying Cloud, a huge Contra Dance in the soccer field and an amazing bonfire. All of the profits earned go towards supporting the F&W Campership Fund. All camp families are invited and it is a wonderful opportunity to re-connect with friends from 1st half.

I want to again thank you again for the gift that is your boys. At Silent Meeting, I spoke of the magic that is TL and I have finally come to the realization that the magic that gets spoken of so often is without a doubt the campers. While each member of the staff has traveled their own path to Timberlake, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your boys and that is ultimately why we come. We thank you for the trust that you place in us and know the great responsibility we carry as well as the role we play in their growth as young men.

Over the next few days there will be elaborate games, hard work, goals attained, fabulous laughter, as many tears, spectacular feasts, a community to celebrate and lots of hugs. We know that those of us staying on for the second half of the summer will greatly miss those campers and staff heading home, but are anxiously awaiting the long time friends and new friends to be arriving Sunday. At Staff Meeting last evening we spent time reflecting on the first three weeks and were frequently struck by all that we have achieved together in such a short time. We are thankful for the time we have had and are excited for the days ahead.

Another week has passed and we’ve said farewell to some and already welcomed others. With many of our trips coming and going over the course of the next two weeks, our community grows and shrinks every couple of days. We miss those faces we don’t see at Morning Meeting, but also get to enjoy life in a smaller more intimate camp.  Of course we find that getting chores done is more of a challenge when the work load remains the same but the number of available hands decreases, but there have been so many boys willing to step up and volunteer to fill in the gaps. Now, I can’t promise that when they arrive home that they will be jumping to do more chores around the house, but we’re trying.

Both morning and afternoon activity groups have been smaller and that has provided more one on one attention and instruction from counselors in all five areas. This week was all about adventure, even for the small number of campers that chose to remain in camp to work on special projects or complete various skill ratings. We’ve continued with our system of staggering our trips in order to increase safety, allow for more consistent programming and also to create more opportunities for the older campers to step up as leaders as the smaller trips.  Our first big wave of trips left at the start of the week and began returning near the end, and the remaining trips will take off over the next few days. Backpacking adventures to the White Mountains, Northern Long Trail, Camel’s Hump and several local locations made up the first part of the schedule and all returned with great stories to share with those of us still in camp. This week we will be sending our groups to Silverlake to rock climb, Stone Farm for service work, Lake Ninevah to visit our mountain camps, and two groups will set out to canoe the Raquette and Androscoggin rivers.  I was able to go on many of these trips back when I was a camper and cabin counselor, and envy our intrepid travelers, as well as looking forward to their return.

The second week of camp is also about transition, as new campers become more comfortable with camp life and those new faces become closer friends.  After a first week of testing the waters in each of the Activity Areas, campers have had the opportunity to begin “specializing” in the areas that have sparked a greater interest. We have boys working towards proficiency in a diverse set of skills: canoeing, botany, carpentry, drawing, Woodsman, trail building, farming, gardening, rock climbing, swimming, animal husbandry and homesteading.  Older campers have continued to step forward as leaders for the younger boys and we have been so proud of their efforts to support a community that they love. The farm is now up and running with calves, goats, chickens and piglets creating that early morning symphony that can be heard all through the cabin area.

Monday was Adventure Day, a full day of exploration, adventure and expedition throughout Vermont.  Campers were given the opportunity to choose from several options, including a day of stalking and camouflage, visiting a local organic creamery, climbs at Deer’s Leap, visit to the Coolidge Cheese Factory, spelunking at Plymouth Caves, fishing on Woodward Reservoir, visiting Warren Falls, hiking PKS in a Day, exploring Clarendon Gorge and B-Ball in Lebanon. The J1 campers had there own special adventure of Goonies Day, but I’ll let them tell their own story.

As always we played tons of games, including the ever confusing yet highly entertaining TL version of 43 Man Squamish and plenty of B-Blanket, Capture the Flag and Kabadi.  And of course these are just the planned events and don’t include all of the spontaneous play sprouting up all over camp from morning to night. We’ve finally been given a break from the constant rains and have enjoyed multiple days of beautiful sunshine, which means lots of swimming and fun at the Waterfront.  We have been eating VERY well and I have been amazed by the numerous campers who have gravitated to the kitchen and have been interested in helping the cooks prepare meals. Maybe if you are lucky a chef will return to you at the end of the summer and you can enjoy some four-star meals of your own! We have held our Camper Voice meetings, which give the boys a chance to speak about their concerns and to take a more active role in planning program, establishing tradition and creating ways for camp to function smoother. There has been even more interest in the process this summer and already they have stepped forward with a list of insightful ideas and proposals. We have also heard from many campers during Silent Meeting as they share their thoughts with the larger community. You are raising amazing young men.

And this upcoming week? Cook-Outs, FC Naming Ceremony, more trips, Stagecoach, more adventures, BBQ Night, J2 Overnights, Hulk Day, Lodge Nights with Indian Brook, sunshine, sunshine, sunshine!

It is getting harder and harder every day to imagine leaving at the end of the summer and I do my best to enjoy every single moment. This summer has already proven to be a special one and we still haven’t reached the halfway mark.  Thank you again for sharing your boys with us and for letting them be a part of this amazing adventure.