The Roost

Helloooo Parents and Happy Birthday America!!!!!!

We had a fabulous birthday celebration for America up here at camp today and it all started early this morning when our very own horseback crew rode through camp yellin’ and warnin’ all the campers that the British were coming. Of course our campers rose up to the challenge and sprang from their cabins to watch the horses and riders run through camp.

After our flag raising and breakfast, we headed out to our last day of classes and everyone enjoyed the last playtime in all their activities. You cans see in the pics, our canoeing class had a fun time in “Splashout” where they get to try and swamp everyone else in the canoes down on the river. Our equestrian program had their horseshow and those ladies really put on a show.

Tomorrow we’ll have our Grand Championship where winners from all the classes will compete for the Grand Championship and some big club points for their club. We’ll be there getting all the pics so you guys playing at home can keep up with the winners!

After the Grand tomorrow, our Musical theatre will put on their presentation of Annie for the rest of camp to see. I’ve been watching those campers practice throughout the session and I can’t wait to see the final performance! You’ll get to see a lot of the pictures form the show so you’ll feel like your right there too!!

Now tonight after dinner, we had our 4th of July parade right through the middle of camp and all the campers lined the driveway to cheer on their cabin float and try to catch some of the candy that was bein’ thrown out to them (you can’t have a parade if you don’t throw candy…I think its written in the bylaws somewhere). After the parade we had Showtime and those girls that performed in showtime really did one heck of a job. I think the rest of camp probably has leg cramps from all the standing ovations they gave tonight. But I tell ya, everyone of them was earned the old fashioned way, they EARNED them!!

Well folks, can you believe this is the last news letter for second session? Where has the time gone? I just can’t believe the whole session is almost over and the girls have been here that long (I know for some of you at home it seems like its taken forever) but I gotta tell ya, while we’ve been here at camp, its been just a blink of an eye and BANG! The session is over!

After all the performances tomorrow, we’ll wind down our session with our banquet night where the campers will sit with their clubs at dinner and each class will give out their awards. Not to mention the awards for the campers that have been here for the numbers of years, and then the biggie, the honor counselors and honor campers. To wind it all up, we’ll announce what every camper has been waiting for and that’s the cup winners. Each club has been competing for the the point cup (for the club that’s accumulated the most points in all the competitions during the session), the horse show cup (given to the club whos camper won the Grand Championship) and then its time for the biggest of ‘em all… the Eloise H Temple spirit cup (given to the club that’s shown the most spirit, sportsmanship, citizenship, etc… throughout the session). This cup is voted on by the counselors and it’s the one every camper wants to claim for their club.

Its also one of the saddest time during the session ‘cause after all the awards have been handed out, its time for the campers to realize that camp is almost finished and everyone will be going home soon. I’m pretty sure I could get Kleenex to sponsor the banquet if they only knew how much crying was involved once the campers start saying “good-bye”. It really is a sad time when you see just how close all the campers have become in the short time they’re here and how important the friendships they’ve made are to them.

After banquet (and all the tears have been mopped up, hey, its girls whatcha expect?) all the campers will head down to the river for river vespers where our counselor choir will paddle downstream singing and our club leaders will give their fairwell speech along with the campers that have aged out of camp. It’s another really touching moment when you get to see just what these girls get from camp. I’d take some pictures for ya, but pictures just wouldn’t do the moment any justice for all the emotion that’s coming out during this time.

Speakin’ of time, I guess its time for me to sign off one last time and say good bye to all you that have spent entirely too much time on the computer these last two weeks. I really can’t say how much fun it was to have ya’ll tune in and keep up with all the going ons up here at camp these past two weeks. You guys at home have no idea how much we appreciate the fact that you let us have your most prized possession here to play and grow with us for second session. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have but I really doubt that would be possible ‘cause we’ve had a blast these past two weeks!! I also wanna thank you guys that have stayed up way too late each night or got up way too early each mornin’ to ready these silly newsletters. I often wonder just how many of ya’ll are out there reading these and really appreciate the post some of ya’ll have made throughout the session to let us know you’re involved with your daughter even though you’re not here at camp with us (some of ya’ll would have no problem moving into camp if we offered…this is not that invitation though…sorry).

Well folks, you guys have a safe trip up (or down) here when you head this way and please be careful on your way up. We look forward to seein’ ya when you get here. One owrd of warnin’ though, your campers will be really happy to see ya, but that doesn’t mean they’re gonna be happy to leave. Just so you’ll be prepared. (there, I told ya!!)Be sure to stop by the front office when you get here and say “Hi”. I’ll be the one out front that looks as tired as most of ya’ll. So….. theres still plenty of pics to come tomorrow, enjoy checkin’ ‘em all out and congratulations, you’re almost there.

Yall have a great night, I’m gonna head off to bed and get ready for the onslaught of tears tomorrow night!!

For the last time second session….Ya’ll take care, I’m outta here!!!

LJ