July 1, 2026
Today is Challenge Day, one of the best days of the year. Opening Day is more satisfying, Closing Day more poignant, but Challenge Day is just plain fun. Campers delight in the games, relays, matches, and races (all of which were challenges formally made and accepted at Morning Assembly). Counselors appreciate the break from the normal class schedule (they are watching, officiating, and cheering with just as much enthusiasm as the girls).
The slower pace of the day (no classes all morning and Counselor Talent Show tonight) meets our definition of the ideal summer vacation. A spirited game of Softball was watched by the entire camp as our first event (due to expected heat at noon, we changed the order of events). We then spread out to compete for points and cheer on our friends. The riding Jump Off brought a crowd of horse fans who lobbied for a big horse show (we abrought back English Riding this year). The morning ends at Volleyball (when we will hand out cold Gatorades and snacks) and a Senior Tug-a-War. Challenge Day is appreciated for the significant moment it marks in our camp experience.
We have now been at camp for ten days, the point in the summer when we always relax into camp life with unfettered delight. Dr. Sevier noted this fact during his first summer in 1920. For some reason, it takes us ten days to form a completely comfortable community. We certainly run a really wonderful camp in less time, but it is not in the same ballpark as a longer session. Many are satisfied with the shorter timeframe, but they easily outgrow such an experience. Main Camp is unique, and we think it makes our camp special.
We love short camp sessions; they’re a lot of fun. Most camps operate on a two-week schedule, which, along with co-ed admissions, is what many parents want. Still, we find that significant growth consistently happens if we allow time for a single sex community to mesh (as with wine, there is no substitute for time). With time, we become comfortable with each other and with ourselves. Sometimes, as expected, we are not on our best behavior. After ten days, our friendships have grown strong enough for us to confidently ask for and extend forgiveness. We now confide, confess, celebrate, and relax in a gloriously full life.
By this point, we appreciate camp in a different way. We have found our “tribe” (a benefit of larger camp communities is that more people form more groups). We have discovered our gifts, surprising ourselves with a capacity we did not previously know we had. Throughout the camp, our gifts are celebrated in both large and small settings, and our confidence grows. We have deep, meaningful conversations with new friends at surprising times of day. I am always struck by the number of intense conversations that happen while walking down the road- two girls locked into a discussion while walking in a river of campers after morning assembly dismisses.
We now anticipate each moment of the day in different ways… mealtime in the dining hall; the breakfast club joke; around the world camper/counselor games at tennis; lounging by the lake; reading a book in an Eno. We discover other campers and counselors who share our interests. We start new fads, learn new skills, make new friends, and the hours and days FLY BY. We will be shocked when Closing Vespers arrives in a few weeks. Ten days mark the point when time shifts, and we find life passes in a flash.
The Details:
- Breakfast Truck Drivers Special
- Breakfast Club Jimmy V “Learn, Laugh, Cry” way of living.
- Joke Hare Spray
- Lunch Croissant Sandwiches
- Dinner Pizza
- EP Council Fire
- Weather Hot, 91 degrees UV 8
Thank you for reading!