Our boys woke up to the sound of Reveille, which is played live at Camp Takajo by our associate director, Warren Davis. Warren has always joked that he learned to play the trumpet for job security. I can promise you; this is only one of Warren’s many talents, and we are blessed that he has spent the last 51 years here at Takajo. As the bugle bellowed across the campus, boys dashed out of their bunks for the first dip of the season.
Dippies are a Takajo tradition that originated back in 1947 during the camp’s inaugural year. As a head counselor at Camp Greylock, Morty Goldman produced this ingenious way to get his oldest campers out of bed in the morning. The tradition continued when Morty founded Camp Takajo. However, the morning dip became an option for all campers and staff.
The sun was shining bright when our boys made their way to the dining hall, where they were treated to a Dunkin Donuts breakfast. This Sunday morning delicacy has been a beloved tradition at Takajo for many years. We enjoyed a full day of activities as our boys bounced from sport to sport for quick evaluations, which are necessary for our counselors to make fair, balanced teams at every grade level. This is not a “tryout.” It is our way of making our league play fun for everybody.
We found time during the day for each camper to visit one of our nine nurses for a head-to-toe baseline physical. As the temperatures climbed throughout the day, everyone had the opportunity to take a refreshing dip in Long Lake. We take great pride in offering our campers a balanced program and offer a wide variety of hobby activities that include Music, Pioneering, Nature, Art, Crafts, Ceramics, Woodworking, Radio and Electronics, Tak Talk (camp newspaper), Photography, and Videography. These hobbies were in full swing throughout the day. Campers were introduced to our incredible staff and works of art are already underway.
As the sun set over Long Lake and our boys took showers and grabbed snacks before bed, we took a moment to reflect on how much we had accomplished in one day, and the best is yet to come.
