Church, Carnival, & Counselor Hunt - Session 2
Dear Skyline Parents,
Today is Sunday, which is one of the most special days at camp! Though daily activities are tons of fun, the girls enjoy having a nice change of pace over the weekend with a different (but still thrilling) itinerary.
This morning, we had the pleasure of sleeping in until 8:45. Today was pajama breakfast, so all the girls had to do was roll out of bed, brush their teeth, put on some shoes, and head to the dining hall where they were greeted with a delicious Sunday breakfast of sugary strawberries, powdered donuts, and bacon. Mornings like these really make us feel like one big family here at Skyline, and it’s so fun to see the girls showing off their favorite cozy pjs before changing into their Sunday white.
After breakfast, it was off to cabin clean-up. Today was trunk inspection day, so the girls had to make sure that everything was in order before the Encouragers came around to judge. I bet some of the girls were even able to get some preemptive packing in. This session has really flown by!
Next, the girls attended Sunday School classes led by our counselors. These classes are extra special because the girls usually work together on some sort of exercise or craft that helps get faith-based conversation flowing between them. I love hearing them share what they’ve learned about Jesus during Sunday School, Morning Watch, and Campfire with one another.
During church in the gym, we started off the service with a dance performance by two of our Dance counselors, Megan and Khalyn. I loved seeing the girls watch in awe as counselors that they look up to used their talents to praise the Lord. Next, we sang a few classic hymns like “Come Thou Fount,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I was in the Counselor Choir today, so I had the privilege of being able to look out at the girls lifting their voices in worship. Nothing beats hearing their sweet voices singing the same hymns that all of us on staff did when we were their age!
Our chaplain Ella spoke from Luke 7 about the sinful woman who anointed Jesus. She taught about how our sin is a heavy burden, but when we follow Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we can live in harmony and peace with Him. Ella explained that though making sacrifices to follow Jesus isn’t always easy, we can rest in the comfort of knowing that there is nothing better than what He gives us. After Ella prayed over us, we ended church with a final song and the singing of our Alma Mater.
Lunch followed church, and we enjoyed chicken strips, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, and yummy peach cobbler over vanilla ice cream for dessert. We had an extra long, much needed rest hour to help us reserve all the energy we needed to have the best possible time at this afternoon’s Carnival!
Today’s sunny, 80 degree weather made the best environment for Carnival. The girls were able to cool off by racing down slip-and-slide, obstacle course, and water slide inflatables. It was so much fun to watch them challenge their friends to an obstacle course or slip-and-slide race. My camera even came in handy a few times by helping determine the winner with a photo-finish! We also had plenty of fun activities going on inside the gym too. Many girls braved the stage for some karaoke, while others got their faces painted or tinsel put in their hair. We also had a bracelet making station and a coloring corner, which many of the girls used to create “Happy Father’s Day” signs to pose with in a photo. I hope the dads out there enjoyed receiving a fun message from their daughters through the Waldo on their special day!
After a picnic dinner, we had Campfire as usual and then it was time for tonight’s ultimate finale: Counselor Hunt! I am brand new to Camp Skyline this summer, so I was so excited to see what it would be like. But I wasn’t the only one filled with anticipation! This activity is a camper and counselor favorite, and I was inspired by the effort and energy that everyone poured into the hunt.
All of our counselors were decked out in their best all-black or camoflauge. While the campers were sent to Riverside field, the counselors had 10 minutes to assemble in the best hiding spots possible. Then, the campers were set loose to find the counselors around camp. The girls wandered around with darting flashlights and headlamps. They had to shout “Counselor, I see you!” whenever they spotted a counselor before proudly walking the counselor to the gym to get an X marked on their forehead to signify that they had been found. I had the chance to walk around while the counselors were hidden before any campers arrived, and it was so eerie! I couldn’t see or hear anyone, which makes it even more impressive that our campers were able to find almost every counselor.
After all the counselors had been marked and the club members who found each counselor had been counted, Evan was able to share with the campers that the Troopers had claimed the victory of finding the most hidden counselors, with the Mounties coming in second and the Rangers following in third. It was such an exciting evening and I’m sure that the girls will return next summer with even better search tactics, and the counselors with new hiding spot ideas.
Since we had already done Campfire, it was off to bed when the game was over. Tomorrow is another day full of activities, and the girls are ready to see what the final days of camp have to offer.
We can’t wait to share all about tomorrow’s special moments and Speed Challenge, but for now, catch a glimpse of our Sunday with today’s “Day in Camp” video. And keep checking our socials to see what we’re up to in real time!
With love,
Sydney
