Today was our second report card. The first came when your sons wrote their initial letters home.
Those letters offered an early glimpse into how they were settling into camp and finding their footing. Today provided another important checkpoint. Not because we expect every conversation to be perfect, but because moments like these remind us that caring for children requires constant reflection. Every stage of the summer gives us another opportunity to ask ourselves a simple question: Are we doing everything we can to help each boy feel supported, connected, and at home?
The day began exactly as Sunday mornings should: Reveille blew a little later than usual, and boys wandered down to the dining hall in their pajamas, still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, to enjoy another Lazy Man’s Morning with their favorite Dunkin’ Donuts.
There was a buzz of anticipation all morning as boys made their way to the beach for their FaceTime calls home. This tradition began during COVID, when circumstances forced us to rethink the way campers communicated with their families. Looking back, it may have been one of the few positive changes to come from that period. Years ago, boys would take their phone calls in the office, often speaking quietly with little privacy. Today, they sit comfortably by the shores of Long Lake, able to see the faces of the people they’ve missed while sharing a small piece of the world they’ve built over the last two weeks.
Conversations bounced from one topic to another. Boys proudly introduced bunkmates, talked about favorite counselors, exciting trips, campfires, new friends, waterfront adventures, big wins on the playing fields, and, of course, their favorite meals in the dining hall. Many tried to squeeze two weeks of memories into just a few short minutes.
For some, there were also tears. That is perfectly normal. Missing home and loving camp are not mutually exclusive. A child can spend two wonderful weeks immersed in camp life and still become emotional when he sees the faces of the people he loves most. A FaceTime call captures only a brief moment in the middle of a very full day, not the thousands of moments that have come before it.
As soon as the calls concluded, the rhythm of camp quickly took over once again.
Many of our boys immediately boarded buses to spend the afternoon visiting sisters and cousins at Camp Robindel and Tripp Lake Camp.Tripp Lake Camp. The reunions were filled with hugs, laughter, and stories exchanged between siblings who had been creating summer memories of their own.
Back at Camp Takajo, the relaxed pace of Lazy Man’s Morning continued. The Hobby buildings welcomed boys looking to work on projects, others enjoyed the quiet atmosphere around camp, and by the afternoon activity whistle we had settled comfortably back into our regular program.
Warrior Camp made the most of another beautiful Maine day. The AquaGlide water park was alive with excitement as boys raced across the obstacles, zipped down the slides, splashed into Long Lake, and spent the afternoon laughing alongside their bunkmates.
By day’s end, it was striking how naturally everyone had transitioned back into camp life. The phone calls provided a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with home, but it wasn’t long before the boys were once again exactly where they wanted to be— surrounded by their friends, immersed in the rhythm of camp, and eagerly looking forward to another day at Takajo.
