The weather gods are smiling down on your boys. While rain was in the forecast, we enjoyed warm sunshine and temperatures reaching into the eighties. We believe that the key to a successful transition to camp is getting into the structure of our program as quickly as possible. However, there are a few important formalities that need to take place before our program can really be put into full swing.
Every camper has met with a member of our medical staff for a quick health check up that included a weigh-in and a head-to-toe examination. We repeat this protocol every week throughout the summer to make sure that we keep our boys happy and healthy throughout the summer. Every camper has taken a swim evaluation and our younger campers will be grouped for swim classes that begin on Monday. We are fortunate to have sixteen certified lifeguards on staff, and we take great pride in their ability to teach these important life skills to your children.
In an effort to make our in-house league teams fair and balanced, we observed each child as he played various sports throughout the day. League teams will be announced tomorrow, and the games will commence shortly thereafter. Hobby groups have been created, and our boys will have an opportunity to explore their creative side. These hobbies include art, crafts, ceramics, woodworking, radio/electronics, photography, videography, music, camp newspaper, and pioneering, which is the site of a 50-foot, four-sided, state-of-the-art climbing wall.
I have been amazed at how smoothly the season has started. Needless to say, there are always going to be moments when a boy misses his parents and feels insecure. Yesterday, as we walked into dinner, I was talking with a camper who is here for his first summer and was having such a moment. While I was trying to encourage this camper to join me in the dining room, I was amazed as I witnessed all of his bunkmates, who have known him for merely a few short hours, coming out of the dining room in order to check on him. These acts of kindness and compassion are heartfelt. It is these moments that come to define the essence of Camp Takajo. While we pride ourselves on our program and look forward to providing excellent instruction in a wide range of activities, it is these relationships created in camp that leave an indelible mark in both our minds and our hearts.
