Fun & Games

The mid-morning calm breaks as groups enter the back field. First one group arrives, then another and another, until the field is filled with campers and counselors returning from their weekend on the Preserve during Campout. Once they’ve returned camp gear, eaten a tasty lunch and showered, they get to enjoy a well-earned double Rest Hour. The day is far from over as the bell rings, signaling an extended free time, which has been turned into an enormous blow-up pony race. Involving teams of campers, they must use their dexterity and agility to jump in sacks of burlap and ride great inflatable steeds in order to shuck corn faster than their competitors. But everyone wins come dinnertime when we all get to enjoy big ears of fresh made corn on the cob. The eventful day is wrapped up with campers relaxing in the Lodge – turned makeshift movie theater – to enjoy Movie Night with GRP Mentors. Campers then retire back to their cabins after a very long and rewarding day.

The first full day back at base camp is back to the basics with exciting and educational Mentor hikes in the morning followed by afternoon activities. The camp is filled with campers running back and forth across GRP to get to their three daily activities. Campers are taking aim at Archery and BB Skeet, or gearing up to climb the Climbing Tower or ride mountain bikes in a buzz of constant motion. Finally tonight, campers and staff enjoy what we call a “Mountain Party,” with a slip-n-slide as the main attraction. As the light recedes over the Preserve, the last few slip-n-sliders try out some new poses and maneuvering for the cameras and the front field is left just a bit muddier than it was only an hour ago. I believe we will sleep like babies tonight.

Theodore Nuss
Photos by Brandon S. Marshall