Thank you to all of our parents for your patience during Opening Day. I know many of you were kindly waiting in line (for a long time), with anticipation building, and I apologize for the wait. However, I can tell you after our first day on Old Forge for Session B…it was worth it! Your children are so happy! They are amazing, positive, joyful and so so grateful to be at camp! Their energy and love for Highlander is contagious, and at the very least they have given me a new burst of energy for the amazing two weeks ahead.
On Opening Day, we don’t waste any time and jump right into the fun of camp. In just one day, we have already formed new friendships, tried a few activities and settled into our new home. While we did get quite a bit of rain today, I only felt the sunshine coming from the happy faces that skipped around the mountain, dancing through every moment of their day! And even though a few activities were rained out, there were fun games played and laughter shared in one short afternoon. We always say that at Highlander it’s not about WHAT we are doing but WHO we are doing it with that makes camp so magical. Today, we didn’t care about the rain because we were with our awesome cabinmates and amazing counselors, and it was a FANTASTIC first day of camp!
Favorite Details of the Day
- Meals: Our opening day lunch tradition is grilled cheese, tomato soup and salad bar. For dinner, we had pot roast with vegetables, homemade rolls and salad bar. When the disco ball was turned on, the dining hall erupted in cheers. Tonight we danced and we had dessert…Camp Highlander’s famous mudslide!
- Weather: The weather this morning was perfect for opening day drop off. As soon as lunch was over and everyone was back in their cabin for rest hour, the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down. I don’t think there is anything better than summer rain on a tin roof during a rest hour nap!
- EP: Tonight we had our opening campfire in the gym. While there was no fire, the spirit and magic of this wonderful tradition was alive on Old Forge.
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
At the end of 5th period and during free time, I looked out the window of the office and saw a cabin of girls playing volleyball in the rain. Their laughter and joy was life-giving. I was immediately grateful for the rain, when normally I would wish it away. In this moment, I was overwhelmed by the reality that the storms in our lives are actually the greatest opportunity to dance, sing and celebrate with the people that we love!
Thank you so much for sending your children to Highlander for Session B. They are such a blessing to me and to our entire staff. I had more staff approach me at dinner tonight saying “I have the BEST cabin. Thank you!” No, thank you to each and every one of our camp families for sharing your children with us and making Camp Highlander a part of your summer. We are so grateful for the memories we will share over the next two weeks, and if the forecast is true…grateful for the opportunity to dance in the rain!
About Melissa Fitzgerald
