At 7:58 this morning I stood in front of the staff in the dining hall with the biggest smile as the rain came pouring down. “This is it! This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for…the campers are coming,” I exclaimed as the dining hall erupted in overwhelming cheers, whistles and applause. As my eyes filled with tears, I quietly gave thanks for the amazing group of people that I have fallen in love with over the past week. The kindness, compassion and enthusiasm that I have seen from the 2019 Camp Highlander staff is such a gift to me and to each and every one of your children. I am encouraged, inspired and hopeful about the amazing week and unforgettable summer ahead.
As the gates swung open at 9:00, our smiles grew with every precious camper that hopped out of their car into the rain, ready for adventure and all that a week at Camp Highlander holds. Though the rain was pouring down, all I could see was the sunshine beaming from each of their smiling faces as they walked into the gym with great anticipation of meeting their counselors and cabinmates. I am so grateful for the energy, the enthusiasm and the spirit that they brought to camp today. Your children are the reason we say that the sun is always shining on Old Forge Mountain!
Favorite Details of the Day:
- Meals: For lunch we enjoyed the Opening Day tradition of grilled cheese and tomato soup. And this year, we added shoestring french fries to our lunch tradition, making it officially the BEST LUNCH EVER at Camp Highlander. For dinner, we had a delicious pot roast with vegetables, rice and gravy, and of course, our wonderful salad bar. Lastly, Opening Day would not be complete without Highlander Mudslide for dessert. YUM!!
- EP: Cabin Challenge + Campfire!
- Weather: Lots of rain that couldn’t stop the loads of fun!
As the last car exited the camp gates, we gathered in the dining hall for lunch, before campers and staff went back to the cabin to unpack, settle in and get to know one another. Something magical happens on Opening Day at rest hour because when the 2:15 bell rings for snack, campers who were strangers this morning are now friends laughing, singing, running and even stomping in puddles on their way to their afternoon activities.
We jumped right into the fun of camp, making memories and trying new things. Each cabin had a full schedule of activities from riding horses to canoeing in Silver Lake or shooting a bullseye at archery. Cabins had their swim evaluation, took their cabin photo and got their 2019 camper t-shirt. It was a busy afternoon to say the least!
A little thing about t-shirts at Camp Highlander…they are a BIG deal. Campers love them, staff love them, we all love to show our ONE LOVE for Camp Highlander! These t-shirts are a symbol of belonging to our family, and I was so happy to see how many campers changed their clothes to put on their camper shirt as soon as they got it. My heart was full with pride to see how our campers already feel at home on this mountain.
After dinner, cabins dressed in costume to compete in Cabin Challenge. You wouldn’t know that many of these campers just met today, as they walked to the gym chanting and claiming that their cabin was the number one cabin on camp. Their cabin spirit did not quit as they competed against brother and sister cabins in tic-tac-toe relay, gaga ball, musical ice buckets, ketchup cup, telephone and more. We finished our night singing and dancing in the gym to our favorite camp songs, and just like that, it was the perfect Opening Day!
Thank you to our amazing parents and camp families who weathered the storm for the love of your children. Thank you for the hugs, the kind words of encouragement and for your support of Highlander. You make the gift of camp possible for your child and for each and every one of us. We look forward to an amzing week ahead, so stay tuned because the fun has only just begun!
Tags
About Melissa Fitzgerald
