As I stood in front of the entire camp this morning at breakfast to make our morning announcements, I encouraged each camper to make the most of every moment, every second and every opportunity during their last day of activities. This last day is only what we make of it. We could choose to see it as “boo hoo, only one more day,” or we can choose to see it as “woo hoo, we have one more day!”

As we left the dining hall today, there were lots of woo hoos and no boo hoos! I was so proud of our campers’ choices to embrace the day with excitement and enthusiasm. Their energy was contagious and made our day brighter. These are the moments that matter. The culmination of these little moments build the memory that will fill the hearts and minds of our campers until they come back next summer to experience the magic once more.

Favorite Details of the Day:

• Reflect - Beth talked this morning about everyday heroes. She challenged each camper to see the hero that they may have been this session to a friend in need and to take that courage home with them.
• Meals - Breakfast was bagels, eggs and fruit bar. Lunch was chicken fingers, french fries and salad bar. Dinner was Spaghetti and meatballs, Caesar salad and roasted broccoli. And to top it all off, we had the famous Highlander Mudslide for dessert. You should have heard the screams in the dining hall when the disco ball lit up.
• Camper’s Choice Special Trips - We took campers on some awesome adventures today. We had a kayaking trip to the Green River, a mountain biking trip in Dupont Forest and a painting hike to paint the mountain landscape. One of the things I love about Highlander is that we like to get our campers out into Western North Carolina. These are moments that make memories!
• EP - Tonight’s Evening Program was Mardi Gras, and this was the perfect way to celebrate the end of a session. The festivities began with a parade of floats led by the King and Queen of Mardi Gras, Karl and Shelley. When my parents bought camp, they brought a little bit of Louisiana with them, including a tradition of doing a Mardi Gras EP every summer. The campers love the beads, the candy and even the music. After the parade, everyone gathered in the gym for a dance. It was so much fun! At Camp Highlander,we Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez! (see video below for more!)