I’m sure many of you have experienced the excitement of taking that first chair lift ride of the season up the mountain and turning the tips of your skies downhill onto fresh, untouched powder, or staring out onto the fairway from the first tee after a long sabbatical away from the links. The anticipation is palpable and when the thrill of returning to your passion meets or exceeds the anticipation, it’s euphoric. Even after thirty-three years as director, the excitement of witnessing camp come alive is beyond my wildest expectations.
I had forgotten what camp should feel like on our first day because last summer we were marred by Covid and forced to keep our bunks in pods for five days. While the strategy worked, it prevented our boys from co-mingling with all of their peers. The forced constant togetherness during last year’s opening created some challenging bunk dynamics that were not anticipated.
Reveille blew this morning at eight AM. For some, their alarm clock woke them earlier. Leaving the creature comforts of home and not sleeping on high thread count sheets was a bit startling for some. Other boys, who were overstimulated last evening after their arrival, stayed up into the wee hours of the evening and could barely drag themselves out of bed. It will take a few days for some of our boys to transition to sleeping in close proximity to others. However, we are establishing our routine, and the boys seem happy to comply.
Our guys were greeted with scrambled eggs and Dunkin’ Donuts for breakfast, followed shortly after by lice checks, which is customary on the first full day of camp. While I would like to report that we have no lice in camp, unfortunately, that’s not the case. Only your son has it. Throughout the remainder of the day, boys at each age level had the opportunity to get out on the fields and courts to play, join a hobby class, and take the swim test. By tomorrow afternoon, we hope to have league teams organized so that we can begin our regular program.
I know that some of you are anxious and curious to know how your son is doing and I promise you that if your son is showing any overt signs of missing you, I will personally be in touch. I’m incredibly proud of my staff for the way they have welcomed your boys to camp. They are attentive, patient, supportive, and committed to providing your son with a safe and memorable summer.
