As one might expect, the third week of the summer at Camp Takajo is loaded with goodies. Every age group will be going out on fun day trips throughout the week. Today, our youngest campers, Warrior Crows, spent an amazing day at Sebago Lake State Park. They enjoyed swimming, playing on a beautiful beach and throwing frisbees and footballs. They then headed to a nearby movie theater for lunch and watched Incredibles 2 in their own reserved room. Our little guys came back to camp all smiles after this fun-filled day.
Our Warrior Indians (campers who finished fourth grade) hosted a friendly competitor from New Hampshire in a full day of athletic competition. Our guys could barely sleep last night as they anticipated the first field day of their Takajo careers. Every camper had the opportunity to participate in three sporting events throughout the day, ranging from basketball, baseball, flag football, and hockey to tennis and gaga. Our boys were great hosts and displayed the kind of sportsmanship that would make any parent proud.
Some of our 11-, 13- and 15-year-old boys, who love to play tennis but might not qualify for some of the higher-level tournaments, had the opportunity to head to a local camp for an all-day tennis tournament. This was a perfect event to allow these boys to have a full day of tennis competition against boys of comparable ability. We participated in two 12-and-under soccer tournaments today. One team traveled to a neighboring camp, and in return, we hosted an event that gave every interested boy the chance to compete in soccer inter-camp.
Four camps came to us this morning to participate in Takajo’s annual Rock Climbing Competition. We had campers competing in 11-, 13- and 15-under categories. Campers were scored based on the difficulty of the path they choose to climb, as well as the time it took them to make it to the top of the wall. I was very proud of our boys for their amazing effort. If that is not enough to pack into one day, our Senior campers who have a passion for golf made their way to Point Sebago to take in 18 holes on this magnificent Maine day. Finally, our 15-year-olds competed in a flag football tournament, a sport that has been increasing in popularity at camp. Our boys displayed superb skill and perseverance as they played multiple games on an opposing camp’s turf.
After a full day of competition, our 11-year-olds showered, sprayed themselves down in their fathers’ cologne, and hosted Camp Vega for dinner and a dance. Our 13-year-olds freshened up, boarded a bus and headed to Tripp Lake Camp for their social. Our Sub-seniors (campers who finished eighth grade) had a full day of camp activities, then grabbed a shower in the late afternoon before also heading to Camp Vega for their social. After a few hours of dinner and mingling, our Sub-Seniors headed north to the Kennebec River, where they retired for the evening in preparation for meeting the ladies from Camp Vega for a co-ed rafting trip. Similarly, our 15-year-old boys freshened up after their full day of activities and made their way over to a neighboring camp. This camp is hosting the social for 15-year-old campers from several of the local camps in this par of the state. Hundreds of teenagers gathered for a fun evening to socialize, which created a great sense of camaraderie for many of the camps in Maine.
This is the week when we truly hit our stride. The combination of these incredible events creates a great break in our routine from our regular daily schedule. The ability to compete with your friends and take in the sights of Maine on these fun day trips are what create the memories that will last a lifetime. As our boys retired to bed under a starlit sky, a cool breeze came across our campus providing the perfect weather for nuzzling under their blankets and getting a deep restful sleep. Reveille is just a few hours away and tomorrow we do it all over again.
