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Tak Talk Blog- Camp Takajo – July 17, 2018

By July 17, 2018 January 4th, 2019 Tak Talk
Camp Takajo Baseball 2018

I can feel the excitement and the anticipation for visiting day weekend growing.  We extended morning clean up a few extra minutes so our boys could put their laundry away. For the first time in three weeks, it was reported that many boys spent a little extra time cleaning out their cubbies and tidying up their shelves. Cleaning is one of the skills that builds self-reliance during these seven weeks at Takajo; but, for some, it may be conveniently forgotten the moment the campers return home.

Camp Takajo Baseball 2018The dining room was a little quiet during the Warrior breakfast because our fourth graders had not returned from their overnight. Fortunately, the weather cooperated, and we did not see our first raindrops until after lunch. It was a well-needed rain, not only for our fields. More importantly, the rain was appreciated by our campers and staff. The pace of our day, while exhilarating, is sometimes exhausting, and we needed this day to catch our collective breath and relax.

Our Senior campers met with their trip leaders to discuss their big trips, which depart the Monday after visiting day. They reviewed their itineraries, planned their menus and discussed what needs to be packed before our visiting day weekend begins. The MLB All-Star Game could not have come at a better time. All three age groups retreated to their rec. halls to watch their favorite major league players compete in the summer classic.

Camp Takajo Okeechobees 2018One of the things I love most about being a camp director is the quiet moments that I get to spend with my campers. Whether it be in a bunk, ironing out our differences, or just a quiet, individual moment in my office talking about whatever is on the camper’s mind. Today, I had one of those special moments as I sat with a 15-year-old boy who is here for his seventh summer. This camper has never starred on our athletic fields and has never taken a lead in the play, but he possesses a warmth, compassion, and maturity that I witnessed and captured my attention.

This is a young man who often spends his evenings going into the bunks of our youngest campers to play Legos and to be an extra pair of helping hands for our counselors. Perhaps a little under the radar with his peers, but his influence with our youngest boys makes him an unsung hero in camp. All too often, boys gravitate towards the one who scores the winning goals, but the true measure of a man is how he treats others. This camper has proven to be an exceptional man.

In any given day, there are so many significant events taking place at Takajo, but it is the silent influence and the giving of one’s time that makes the greatest impact.