First day of Session 2 full of fun!

By Green River Preserve on June 20, 2016

Our first hikes of Session 2 are off to an amazing start! The weather for the first day of summer couldn’t be better: cool but sunny with a slight breeze.

Senior Mentor Snowbear is famous for leading what he calls his “Mentor Strolls,” named as such because he challenges us to slow down, use all of our five senses, and appreciate every living being around us, even the tiniest of insects. We learned to identify black raspberries and other yummy, edible plant life.

Three of our hikers found turkey feathers in pristine condition and we learned to identify different types of scat (mainly turkey) and animal tracks. By walking slowly, quietly and with great mindfulness, we were able to practice being patient and observant, and how that can be very rewarding when we find treasures we might normally overlook on the average fast-paced hike. To cool off after our intense nature surveillance, every camper dunked their head under the icy river water for 3 seconds or more, initiating them all into the Polar Bear Club.

This hike was only a portion of the amazing adventures that our campers, as well as our staff, went on today.
We all had so much fun on our first day of camp!

-Laine Elliott

Green River Preserve
Green River Preserve

Green River Preserve is a non-competitive, coed summer camp connecting children with nature. Located on a 3,400 acre private wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, this extraordinary natural setting inspires campers to have a greater understanding of themselves, their environment, and their fellow man. Designed for bright, curious, and creative children, our program nurtures character development and fosters skills like perseverance, curiosity, communication, optimism, creativity, and GRIT.