As a staffer, today was the first day that I didn’t have a workshop to run, a panel to be on, or an event to facilitate. So after Breakfast, Morning Meeting and my (almost) daily morning dip in the creek, I set about to wander around camp and take photos of various portions of a typical day at camp.
Central to camp culture is the Advisee Group. These are small groups of campers facilitated by a staff Advisor. The group checks in with each other by going around the group and stating how they are doing and maybe also responding to a prompt about a particular subject, serious or silly. The group might then play some games or do other activities that they have decide upon. Sometimes they might go pick blackberries or prank another advisee group.
Today had a lot of workshop slots that campers and staffers facilitate on a wide variety of subjects and activities.
As I passed the office of our health staff, or Mama Bears, which we call the Bear Cave, I snapped this photo of one of our Mama Bears with a camper. The health staff works wonders to help proactively and reactively keep camp healthy and safe.
It’s a team effort to keep camp running smoothly and efficiently while all the spontaneous magic happens. One way we do this is with Superhero crews, which our groups of campers who do various things around camp. I am in charge of the bathroom superhero team which performs the obviously necessary task of keeping our bathrooms clean and sanitary and stocked for the hundred or so people at this camp session. We also take over the Camp Myrtlewood kitchen to prepare meals, with our dedicated kitchen staff and help from the campers and some of the site staff.
My last photos were from an amazing opportunity we had to go on a Forest Walk with John Jones, who managed the Camp Myrtlewood site for more than 30 years before retiring a decade or so ago. He was involved in a lot of the conservation and restoration of the riparian and forest habitat in and around the camp. His knowledge of the area is amazing and walking through the forest and along the creek while he tells us about it’s history and present flora and fauna is always a treat. At the end of the walk we end up at his house with it’s delicious blackberries and impressive cable bridge over the creek.
The night finishes off for me with Staff Meeting and watching the Variety Show that is the night’s scheduled event. But there is also a themed dance party out at the meadow by the fire circle known as the Goblin Rave. Alas, no photos of that, but I did get a rare sighting of one of the site cats, known as Ghost Kitty.
— J., Staff (Driver)