July 1 2025

How many campers would sign up for Koi Fish Club? You would be surprised to know that the girls on the cover did… and they are LOVING IT. I get a front-row seat to observe the process up close without intruding (the fish pond is next to the office). You would be impressed with the curriculum and the dedication of the staff and campers to this often-ignored area of camp life. Their interest delights me!

You see, I am an amateur ichthyologist (having had countless fish tanks over the years). I even harbor a secret plan to build a turtle pond somewhere near the pageant court (it is a tricky thing to build but perhaps we’ll crack the code soon). Fish ponds are historical icons at camp (we used to have a big one in front of the dining room that the campers loved) and I know we should have more, but other improvements have taken priority for a long time. This little pond and its two Koi inhabitants were essentially forgotten. Moss was growing on the walls and a layer of muck lent it the feel of one of those janky Florida backyard pools. The girls pretty much ignored it… until this year.

Koi Fish Club was started by two staff members who harbored an appreciation for the space and started a club to share their enthusiasm with the girls. It might be a very small club, only boasting 5 or 6 campers, but what they lack in size, they make up for with enthusiasm. They have undertaken the physical improvement of this area, and their work is already yielding dividends. First, they caught the two Koi (a lot of fun) and put them in a 5-gallon bucket “apartment” to live in while their home was being renovated. They then emptied the pond, scooped out the muck, and yesterday started power washing the top and sides, exposing the big quartz rocks that adorn the top of the pond. The quartz is unlike anything else in camp. Beautiful shades of white rock that is almost as hard as diamonds and inspires the imagination. The sides of the pond feature small quartz rocks that will glisten beneath the surface when complete. It is going to become a favorite spot in camp, thanks to the work of this little club. Dozens of campers watched as the girls power-washed, and word is spreading about their progress. We can’t wait to see how it turns out! Perhaps next year we will finally have a Turtle Pond club! It made me think of how great these “nature” classes are… they are surprisingly compelling.

Farm & Garden is located just 400 yards from my office, so I decided to go take a look. Fishing, Yoga, Pickleball, and FORT all pulled me in as I tried to just walk on by. Great classes are hard to ignore. The counselors are teaching with energy, enthusiasm, and excellence. The campers are focused and tracking exactly what is being said, delighting in the company of their friends. It is magnetic… just try ignoring such a thing; it’s impossible! The 2-minute trip took the remainder of the day, but I am going to check it out as soon as I can this morning because I know it will be amazing.

The barnyard animals have traditionally been the stars of the Farm & Garden show, but that changed with Devan’s “Cooking at the Barn” class. On their first day they learned how to make blackberry ice cream (with cream from Bessy the camp cow and blackberries from our HUGE blackberry patch). Not sugar needed (just mash the blackberries that they pick and mix with the cream in a ziplock bag and shake in an ice bag for 10 minutes to make softserve ice cream). The next day, they made ranch dressing with mayonnaise they made from the camp eggs (the flock lays about 30 eggs a day) and herbs picked in the moment. They are already talking about the upcoming pizza and focaccia days, as well as Fry Day (on Fridays, they will fry something, such as donuts, funnel cakes, green beans, squash, and blackberries). Gardens are work, presenting a constant struggle against weeds and insects under the heat of a blazing sun, but the work is worthwhile! I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up putting a little raised bed in the backyard when they get home.

If garden class is this good, just think how much fun the girls are having doing all the traditional “fun” classes that are more obviously “fun”. Waterpark, Pool Games, High Adventure, High Ropes, Glass Beads, Glass Fusion, Zumba, Fitness, Hip Hop, Gymnastics… the list goes on. We offer over 70 activities, no wonder the girls like it here! Learning new skills is so compelling that some girls decide to experiment with a schedule consisting only of new classes (things they have never done before). It is an excellent strategy in my mind… such classes stir up gifts they do not even know they have!

Advanced Ceramics will have a visiting artist today, and the girls will learn how to throw a large bowl (very difficult). I can’t wait to check it out later this morning! I also look forward to hearing how she decided to become a professional artist and what it is like doing such an interesting thing every day. We have several professional artists on staff, and all of them inspire the girls to develop their natural skills. Becoming truly skilled at something requires dedication and a passion for excellence. Main Camp is long enough to begin such a journey, and many campers sense that they just might be talented enough to become professional artists themselves.

Breakfast French Toast Sticks and Sausage Patties

Lunch Sloppy Joes and fries

Dinner Baked Potato Bar and roasted chicken

Weather 82 degrees, UV 10, chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

Breakfast Club Kindness to strangers… I recounted meeting an interesting cashier at the grocery store yesterday.

Joke It’s a Puppy

EP Gameshow