Today was the last full day of our classic three session, and it couldn’t have gone any better.
The morning seemed to start off slower than usual, as campers and counselors alike rolled into breakfast sleepy eyed and half awake, but this is to be expected after nearly two weeks of non-stop activities and fun.
This abnormal slowness didn’t last long, though.
By the end of breakfast, it had dawned on everyone that today was the last day, and the energy levels rose rapidly. It was the last day to fit in all the things you wanted to do before you left, and the campers knew it.
Today was an all-skills day, and as I walked around camp, I got to see campers throw themselves fully into their skills for the last time.
In ceramics, kids were doing the finishing touches on their artwork for the final glaze and kiln firing. In blacksmithing, they hammered away on their final projects, and in rocketry, the campers finally got to launch the rockets they had been working on all session.
Skills were followed by our time honored daily free swim, and a steak dinner for campers who have attended Rockmont for five years or more.
This steak dinner was then capped off with a traditional slideshow recapping the whole session, where everyone gets the chance to laugh and reminisce about all the fun and the memories made.
What happens after dinner is a bit of a surprise, and one of my favorite developments of the whole summer: Closing Council.
Closing council is a new tradition here at Rockmont.
Everyone at camp, from Bear to Mountain camp, meets at Inspiration point for one last gathering around a campfire. We sing, we dance, and most of all, we have fun, and tonight was no exception.
Everyone watched the sunset together, as we sang “ Take Me Home, Country Roads” at the top of our lungs. As we all walked down from Inspiration Point in the dark, the mood was joyous and content.
It was the perfect end to a great session!
Sean Whitehead
Assistant Camp Director
2 Comments
By Chris /
Thank you Rockmont. Year #7 and the stories still fill the car on the ride home. Sure, he’s driving us and we’re listening to Kanye – but the memories are still just as sweet. Thanks for the special memories.
By Rhea Leigh /
Our son Asher had such an incredible camp experience in Mountain Camp this year. This is Asher’s 3rd year at Rockmont. He told me everything about his two weeks on the ride home today. I did realize he was a little sad though, too. He said he missed camp already. He missed his friends and the counselors and just everything about camp. He was really sad to leave. It is a very special place. Thank you Camp Rockmont for making such a difference in our son’s life. He needed you this summer more than ever.