Starting the Week

Today was our first full day of Starter Camp (we call it Bear Camp), and I watched the sun rise on a large group of early risers, eager to get the week going.

We have a group of adults, “Dawn Treaders,” who come out to supervise any early risers.

We want them to get out and enjoy the morning when they’re ready. This morning there were more fishermen, Thunderball and nine-square-in-the-air players, and disc golfers than ever.

In fact, I’m not sure whether any Bear campers stayed in bed until the bugle sounded. 

Today was also the first Monday of Base Camp, and those campers just returned from a rafting trip down the Nantahala River. Yesterday we hiked across the Roan Mountain balds on a clear sunny day. On Friday and Saturday, we mountain biked at Dupont State Park, tubed down the Catawba River, and started a blacksmithing project. Last night was a movie night, and Cabin 25 decided to spend the whole night in hammocks on the outdoor movie field. 

After breakfast, our Bear Campers went to skills together as cabin groupings.

They were on the rock climbing wall, at the archery range, checking on some turtles in the lake in Nature, harvesting 75 pounds of vegetables at homesteading, paddleboarding, learning new games in Swim Sports, and knocking down targets at air riflery. 

In the afternoon, we had a full Bear Camp Free Swim. They got to try the Blob, the Gullywasher, the Turtle, the Log, the low and high dives, and the Web.

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon for them to get out and enjoy all these exciting elements. 

Right now, it has started to rain, and I’m looking across the lake at Bear Camp playing a big, wide outdoor game in a much-needed rain. (When it rains at Rockmont . . . we get wet.) After this game, they will head straight to hot showers, a snack, a devotion, and bed.

I think there may be a few more campers sleeping until the bugle tomorrow.

Stan Wilson

Coordinating Director & Director of Risk Management