June 26, 2024

“Freedom”

I decided on today’s Blog title when observing the Paddlesports clinic yesterday morning.  When boys sign up for this activity, they will learn the basics of paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing.  The paddleboards are by far the easiest to learn and after just a bit of coaching, the boys were let loose to simply enjoy the gorgeous setting of Lake Tarelton.  Freedom. Much more on this theme is forthcoming in my blogs.

I enjoy taking a few “landscape” photos that entail the wide-angle view.  First, I think you will appreciate the context of our little space of heaven, and, second, I bet you can find your son in there somewhere, even of only the top of his head.  “Yes, that is him,” is my standard reply to your inquiries.

Don’t some of you have apps that recognize your boys and ping you when he appears in a photo?  Enjoy that modern convenience but do not make that your sole witness to the awesome setting we have and the other boys who are here, too.  Your child will get to know all of them – so should you!

Sara has not yet posted her album of yesterday but already has organized three specific albums for your viewing pleasure.  We really appreciate it when counselors post their photos on our staff-communication site called Slack.  “I know how to grab them and make albums for the parents,” she told me last evening, much to my relief. I have no idea.

Anyway, since yesterday was a “New England Sparkler,” a beauty, we sent out two day trips: Mt. Cardigan is one of our beginner hikes while Mt. Jefferson is up there in the varsity ranks.  Check out both albums, even if your son was not there.  Freedom reigns in the hills and we hope to lure every camper into at least one hike during his stay.

We are taking a shot, too, of getting all boys on an overnight trip.  In my album, you can see boys in canoes getting ready to shove off after dinner.  They were headed to Pirate’s Cove down towards the end of the lake.  I heard one camp leader holler to them that a real pirate lives down there while I was satisfied with my usual “It’s been nice knowing you” tease.

Last evening we all gathered around the Council Circle for our first campfire of the summer.  I fell to me to explain to the boys that while these meetings are full of fun and good fellowship, they are a time to sit still and do some reelecting.  Rob Wiff, especially, did a terrific job of convincing the throng of how special our setting is, with not a lightbulb to be seen across the perfectly still and quiet waters of Mother Tarleton.

Guess what?  The boys were exceptionally well behaved after Rob’s words and it was one of the better council fire sessions I can recall.  We oriented the boys to the surrounding environment, offered a few kudos for things like good sportsmanship, listened to some wonderful music by the counselors, and concluded the day by learning the Kingswood campfire song and singing taps.