Below is an excerpt from Director, Hank Birdsong’s daily picture blog and update.  We post pictures and add a little update about what is going on at camp every night of the summer for parents.

 

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Lots has been going on today, leading up to parent’s day on Friday- a total of seven trips were out of camp today! Some were day trips, some were overnights that returned today including the two-day paddling trip on the Chattooga River. The Chattooga was made famous by the movie “Deliverance” with Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty. Fortunately, none of the boys had seen the movie or they might not have slept too well!! If you look past the plot line of the movie there is beautiful scenery and great whitewater along the Georgia – South Carolina boundary. One of the boys swam from Georgia to South Carolina at one calm spot on the river!

 

 

 

 

Tonight is cabin night, a final night for cabin group activities and a time to look back over the accomplishments made during the session.

 

We’re looking forward to seeing all of you on Friday morning. You are welcome to bring family and friends – we make plenty of lunch to cover guests that aren’t in our original count. If you know of anyone that is interested in a camp session for their son, they are also welcome to join us & see what we are all about firsthand.

 

 

 

 

Remember, the guys will be ready to see you about 9:45am, please do not plan to arrive until after 9:00am when we have staff in place to load trunks. The campers will be singing all of their favorite songs in assembly that morning until about 9:40. After you stop by the gym and get your son’s trunk loaded you will park in campfire field. After assembly ends, your son can show you around his activities and demonstrate the skills he learned throughout the session.

 

 

 

 

Lunch will be served for everyone beginning around 11:30am, but feel free to continue visiting with your son’s counselors and friends. On your way out, don’t forget to check in at the office to pick up your son’s envelope with cabins pictures, store account refund (maybe), and other important items. Also be sure to check out the picture tree- if you see a picture with your son in it, feel free to take it home.

 

Today will be the last day of pictures for the session, I hope you have enjoyed viewing them through the session.

 

See you in a few days,

 

–Hank Birdsong

Summer is here!  We are just ten days into our June Session and everything is in full swing!  Every camper has already been out on an overnight on the property.  There is a climbing, paddling, hiking, and mountain biking trip about every day the rest of the session. It sure is a lot of fun!

As we embark on our fifty-second summer, it is fun to see how many things have changed but what is compelling is how much it has stayed the same.  We still focus on the same philosophies that started camp over a half-century ago.  Our mission still focuses on the individual, independence, and encouraging teamwork.  Even though we have added some new activities, many of them are still the same just a little better with changes in technology and the advent of risk management.

It is still amazing to me to see how much these boys get out of camp.  These guys learn so much.  They are aware of a lot of it, but it’s fun to see the little things.  For example, I don’t think there is one camper here that says “gee, I sure am excited to share a room with five other guys.”  Nearly all of our boys here have their own bedroom at home.  Learning to live with five other guys is such a great experience.  They all have to clean up, share, and even “put-up” with one another; but they also get to enjoy, learn, and respect one another.  Some of these guys come back year after year and request to be in the same cabin.  One of the first things they ask is “who is in my cabin this year?”  Of course, with boys, they are best friends for a few weeks, and then they will not talk again for 11 months until they see each other at camp again!

I can’t wait to see what this summer has in store for all of us.  I am certain we will all learn something and have a whole lot of fun!