On the night of July 5, Indian Brook sat soundless, swept clean of children’s feet slapping the ground, laughter from the woods, and splashing from the lake. Although campers had only arrived four days ago, the silence was surprising.
The soundtrack of Indian Brook had begun and gone uninterrupted for half a week, a melodic blend of the natural world with the co-existence of campers. On the night of July 5, however, First, Big and Senior lodgers all had embarked on trips of different durations. The silence was not one of sadness but one of excitement. Knowing that all of the campers were experiencing something new brought fresh energy to the camp.
Senior Lodge went on trips, in cabin groups, to shelters on Farm & Wilderness property. This gave them an opportunity to spend time with their small cabin groups. These overnights are always interesting, because although they are the simplest to plan and safest to execute, there are always bumps in the road. But, this is why we do these overnights- in order to become accustomed to the outdoors and gain some flexibility. For example- one cabin tried for almost three hours to boil water over their camp stove. At some point, someone suggested that it was not working. They decided to eat the food that was packed for breakfast instead, and ate their dinner the following morning when they returned to camp.
Yesterday, we sent out 16 different overnights/trips, and were therefore a little short on the treat supplies, (meaning we had run out of s’more materials…a true atrocity in the eyes of campers). So we had to improvise a solution. We had s’more materials for the First and Big lodge trips, but what good is cabin bonding without satisfying a sweet tooth?
So, instead, one of the cooks from the kitchen suggested sending ice cream cones with the Senior Lodge overnights. Each group was sent out with chocolate, marshmallows, and little cones, and a new treat was born. This morning when Senior Lodge returned, everyone was in good spirits and said it was a night well spent.
First lodge and J1 campers were sent out yesterday as well. Their trips were a mix of canoeing and hiking. Going on trips can cause anxiety for some of the younger campers, as settling into camp had been emotionally demanding already. However, the campers yesterday seemed excited and challenged by the idea of venturing off of Indian Brook. They divvied up the group gear and food, packed their packs, and hit the road. These trips are two-nights long, and serve as an introduction to wilderness living skills. The goal is to familiarize the campers with the camping process and ensure their comfort in the outdoors. One camper in “Crickets” cabin had a big, green hiking backpack on yesterday. She was living up to her cabin name,hopping around, covered in green, helping to get everyone in her cabin excited for the trip.
The focus of Big Lodge trips is the mastery of wilderness skills. Therefore, the trips are designed in such a way that allows the campers to exercise their knowledge. The counselors are present the whole time, but are in the background and allow the campers to lead on cooking, cleaning, water purification, etc.There were two canoe trips, one hiking trip, one climbing trip, one outdoor living skills oriented, and a farm service trip. Each group packed out between Saturday and Sunday and took off yesterday morning.
Trips are an awesome way that campers get to participate in challenges. No trip requires previous experience, just a lot of excitement and interest. To prepare for the trips, all of the campers participated in a Trips Training afternoon, where they learned or reviewed the various skills necessary for successful trips.
The First Lodgers were wildly engaged in the training session, and were asking a new question every minute. The Big Lodgers had some background in these skills. There were a number of returning campers who were able to clarify information for the new campers who were confused by or unfamiliar with different practices. This summer, the two new senior lodgers fell right into place — it’s nearly impossible to tell that they were new to this community.
Therefore, during their training, we tried to explain to them the purpose of their trips. The goal of the Senior Lodge trips is to instill in them solid leadership skills. Senior Lodgers are the oldest campers and assume a lot of responsibility in role modeling for the younger campers. Trips are a great time for them to practice their leadership abilities.
On Sunday the 12, Senior Lodge will set out on their own adventures. For some campers, this will be their last trip with Indian Brook, after many years of attendance.
Here’s wishing Big and First Lodge a safe return to camp, and Senior Lodge a wonderful beginning!
— Lizzy Quinn, Trips Coordinator