Cooler temperatures and grey skies made for perfect playing weather and didn’t cramp our style down at the waterfront. We had a full morning of activities which included our last soccer clinics with Mike Turtle. After lunch, a little sprinkle appeared, which dampened our hard courts. We quickly transitioned into our two indoor sports complexes. We are so fortunate to have indoor space at Takajo that allows us to be in full swing, rain or shine. Our boys at all age levels rotated through these indoor buildings and played basketball, dodgeball, and indoor soccer. The hobby buildings were busy and created the perfect transition for our boys who were hot, sweaty, and tired after a hard run indoors.
Rainy days don’t scare us at Takajo. It gives us the opportunity to have a change of schedule that is often welcomed and refreshing. Our program this summer has been robust, yet flexible. We pack so much into every day because we are in our own little bubble. We have the ability to anticipate the weather and set up activities based on the forecast.
Last night, our Warrior campers had their first campfire, where we introduced our youngest campers to some of our traditional campfire songs. Led by some of our boys’ favorite counselors, our little guys sang until their voices squealed. It was a great evening that brought our younger boys together for some good old, traditional camp fun. Later in the evening, our Senior boys made their way to the council fire ring where they had a Takajo Forum led by their group leader, Neil Minsky, and Assistant Group Leader Jeff Cunjack. Our oldest boys sat around a campfire and talked about their first three weeks of the summer. They discussed what activities they enjoyed and gave respectful, thoughtful feedback on things they hoped we would improve.
We believe it’s important for all of our campers to have the opportunity to be a part of constructive dialogue. To learn at an early age that their words matter and to teach young men how to articulate their feelings in a meaningful, thoughtful way are important life skills. By creating these moments, we believe we are giving our campers ownership in their summer experience. I’m incredibly proud of our Senior campers and, in particular, our oldest boys, our leaders, the Okees. They are a unique group of young men who happen to be a perfect collection of guys to lead us during this unprecedented time. After missing camp last summer, these boys understand and appreciate this special time in their lives. While they will miss some of the fringe benefits such as trips and socials that come with this right of passage, they remain balanced and savor every moment that they have together in their final year of camp. These boys have set the tone for our younger campers. They are making the most out of every day– showing great spirit and appreciation for everything that they have. We could ask for no greater role models for our little guys. As we end the third week of camp, the days seem to be passing faster and faster. We are approaching another Lazy Man’s Morning, but not before Saturday night at the movies and game five of the NBA finals. It’ll be a late one, but we get a little extra sleep in the morning.
