Today was our last camper’s choice day and the last full day of activities. Campers and staff were determined to make this day the best, and that is exactly what they did. We had our traditional camp activities today, and some wonderful twists that make camper’s choice so memorable. Today there was a golf trip to a local driving range, a pool zumba class, Jedi training, an inflatable waterslide, fishing at the lake, yogalates, a tennis tournament, and even a Taylor Swift/Harry Styles appreciation class. It doesn’t really matter what we do at camp, what really matters is who we are doing it with. Campers gravitate to their favorite staff, with their favorite friends and get to do their favorite things. This is why camper’s choice is the favorite day for all our campers. What an awesome way to finish our session!
I love camper’s choice day because it is all about family. Over the last 10 days, we have not only grown close with our cabinmates, we have become a family at Highlander. On camper’s choice day, family is what I feel when I see the older campers on camp offer to escort the younger campers to their next period. I see the way younger campers look up to the senior campers at activities and want to be just like them. And today at lunch, I loved it as the big sisters of Cabin 1 & 2 sat with their little sisters in cabin 15 & 16 for lunch. It is precious to see how these older campers take on the role of big sister or big brother to our younger campers, and I love the sense of responsibility they feel to be a role model for the campers who will follow in their footsteps. This is what family is all about, and this session we have learned to love and support our fellow brothers and sister at camp. This session, we have become one big happy family!
Favorite Details of the Day
- Reflect at the Rock: This morning at Reflect, Spencer talked about titles or roles in life and at camp. You may be a camper, a counselor or an activity counselor by name, but your real identity is found in the way to live and impact the lives of others around you. You are more than your title at camp, in your job or at your school…what makes you unique is the way you impact the lives around you and influence the world for good.
- Weather: We had another gorgeous day at camp! Blue skies and sunshine all day today!
- Meals: For breakfast this morning we had french toast sticks, scrambled eggs, sausage links and a fresh fruit and yogurt bar. For lunch we had meatball subs, tater tots and a salad bar. For dinner we had a chicken fajitas, grilled peppers and onions,black beans, rice, homemade guacamole, queso and all the fajita fixings with a salad bar. The disco ball went off at dinner for one last time for Session B, and we all enjoyed delicious cinnamon and sugar churros!
- EP: Tonight’s EP was an old Camp Highlander tradition, Mr. Highlander. Mr. Highlander is a spoof beauty pageant for the male staff. The campers really love this night. Every cabin rallies behind a male staff member that they support and cheer for. I guess there are some sort of bragging rights if your counselor wins Mr. Highlander, but what I love is how our male staff get ALL IN for this EP. They dress up, have the silliest talents you can imagine (like the art of eating a banana), and make up funny answers for their interview portion. We all shared lots of laughs and had so much fun celebrating the amazing male staff who we have grown to love and adore over the session! This year’s Mr. Highlander was Malachi, our volleyball activity counselor.
Session B has been fantastic for all of us, and Bryan and I cannot thank you enough for sharing your children with us. As parents, we know how hard it is to let your child go and experience adventure on their own. As camp directors, we believe that your sacrifice and selflessness in sending them to Camp Highlander is one of the best investments you can make. This is my last blog of the session, and I want to thank you for meeting me here each day to share the magic of Camp Highlander. Tomorrow I will devote myself to embracing every moment with your children, but here is a summary of our last day…
TOMORROW WE WILL:
- take our panoramic photo
- pack up in the morning,
- enjoy dancing in the dining hall at lunch
- enjoy our last two activity periods
- have an awards ceremony
- eat dinner in the cabin with friends
- enjoy one final campfire of session B
- and fall asleep dreaming of the summer of 2024
About Melissa Fitzgerald
