The boys enjoyed a little extra sleep this morning. The cooler temperatures make sleeping in the bunk more enjoyable. There’s nothing like a hoodie sweatshirt and a few blankets to help you nestle into your bed and get a good night’s sleep at Camp Takajo. After delighting in the extra hour of rest, the boys stumbled down the hill to a buffet breakfast with their favorite Dunkin’ Donuts.
The morning allowed for some free choice. Campers had the opportunity to pick their favorite activities and have unstructured play. After lunch during rest hour, we had our nurse’s inspection. Each bunk was visited by one of our registered nurses, who checked every camper from head to toe. We do weekly physical and emotional wellness checks because we don’t want to rely on a child to come to us for a medical or emotional need. We examine for head lice and sore throats, look for rashes, and check their nails. While doing this physical assessment, our trained nurses engage your sons in non-threatening conversation, just to see how they’re feeling in camp, in their bunk relations, and how they’re adjusting away from home. It is our sincere desire to not miss any physical or emotional signs that would cause your son any discomfort. These weekly checks have proven to be very valuable.
In the afternoon, we resumed our normal schedule, and our boys made their way through team sports, hobbies, and skills. The cooler temperatures have created an extra burst of energy, and the competition has been close and fun. We would normally participate in the Town of Naples’ Independence Day Parade, but we have made the decision to sit this one out.
As I made my rounds to say goodnight to the boys in the evening, I enjoyed watching the bunk rituals that the counselors have created for their campers. Some counselors are sitting on the floor playing card games, other counselors have chosen to read to their campers, and still others go around the bunk asking campers to talk about their favorite part of the day. No television, no technology, just old-fashioned, traditional time together. It’s healthy, it’s refreshing, and it’s exactly what our boys need. Warmer temperatures await us in the morning– can’t wait to welcome the more seasonal weather at the start of the new week.
