As we enter the second week of camp and the boys have settled into a routine, we have the perfect opportunity to introduce our youngest campers to the Takajo family. We have over thirty boys who have completed ninth grade and are in camp for their final summer. This group is called the “Okees,” short for Okeechobee. Most of these boys have been with us seven or eight summers and are truly the leaders of our camp. A few years ago we created what we call “Takajo Family.”
Today, our ninth graders met their Camp Takajo families. A list of campers from each age group is given to every Okee camper. The ninth grade camper begins by going to the bunk of an eighth grade camper, who was selected to be in the same family. Once the ninth grader connects with that eighth grader, the two boys walk to meet a seventh grade camper. As the boys moved throughout camp picking up campers in each age group, the group grew larger and so did the enthusiasm. You could just imagine the excitement on the faces of our third and second graders as they waited with sheer joy for these older boys to come to their bunks and welcome them into their families.
Once these groups were formulated, the Okee (the oldest member of the family) sat with his group. He introduced the boys to one another, and shared traditions of Camp Takajo. There is a natural connection that took place among the boys. What makes these families so special is that campers were meeting other campers in each age division, creating a more fraternal environment.
The families walked to dinner together. They also sat together for our Independence Day ceremony. A camper, an American counselor, and an overseas counselor, gave speeches on what this holiday means to them. As the speeches came to a close, we turned our attention to the women’s’ World Cup soccer final game on our large, outdoor screen. As a finale to the day, we then looked towards the center of Long Lake, where a barge prepared with fireworks put on a spectacular display for the campers to enjoy. It is a great feeling to see our older campers being such positive role models and big brothers to our youngest boys.
