The final week of camp is our most intimate. Five years ago, we created this session. Prior to that, we only ran a 9-week season. We are excited that this session has grown meaningfully, but it remains smaller and more personal than our other sessions. Even though we have fewer campers, we still have roughly the same number of counselors and members of the leadership team. The camper-to-counselor ratio is lower than 2-to-1.

Also, knowing that camp will end in a week is like seeing the finish line of a marathon.  Knowing the end is near provides newfound energy.  In addition, we no longer have to keep any energy in reserve beyond this Saturday, so we can give everything we have to these campers. 

But my favorite part of this week is it allows us to do some things that simply would not work with more campers. For example, tonight we had vespers with both the girls and the boys at the girls sail point. [Note: the oldest 40 girls were on a cookout in the woods, so they did not join us. Campers attending vespers were the youngest girls, all the boys and all the high school campers.] The boys never get a chance to come to this idyllic spot, so it was a treat for them.

At vespers, we asked campers to publicly thanked people who have made their lives better. You would have been very proud of your children who appreciated their counselors, you parents and even the people who work in the kitchen. After the gratitudes, Susie Ma’am and I told them about the battle between the Warrior and the Worrier (see the blog from yesterday) and shared some stories about campers who learned to be brave rather than timid.

After that, we all had s’mores by the lake.

While campers cooked their marshmallows and made their s’mores, we spent time listening to their stories and answering their questions.

There are few joys as pure as laughing with a 9 year-old as you smell a campfire and feel a breeze.

Tomorrow, we will have another special treat. I am tempted to tell you about it, but I think it will be more fun to simply report to you tomorrow.

Until then, enjoy your s’mores!

Steve Sir

PS All the talk about s’mores has made Susie Ma’am want to mention that I have a blog in Psychology Today called “S’mores and More” (Steve Sir's Psych Today blog) in case you want to check it out.