Friday, July 29, 2016

First blog with more to come, summer of 2016

I guess I have been lax in blogging about this summer.  However that does not mean we have not been busy.  This summer has been amazing for both staff, children and myself.  I guess I can quote the children.  "Why do we have to go to bed when this is the only place where we can walk around and watch the stars whenever we want and not be scared".  Well they have to go to bed but it was an interesting comment.  The safety and fun zone here is 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  Such a needed break from life in the city.  This year not only do children not have cell phones but neither do staff.  This was a hard rule to pass.  I can not tell you the maneuvering and manipulating to not make that happen.  However, after a very short time our young staff realized they did not even want their cell phones.  You may ask why?  Communication skills lack in todays society.  The internet answers all of the question and none of the questions.  It is so easy to zone out and text a friend or hang at the office during off time.  Without cell phones the staff and children are forced to play, forced to laugh, and forced to figure it all out.  The growth of the staff this summer from day one has been in leaps and bounds.  Very few staff did not make it, and most have excelled.  The other big thing has been full camp events.  Without cell phones everyone knows everyone and really enjoys being together to laugh and encourage the young and old.  During meals not only do we eat together as a large family we talk together and laugh together.   We discuss the days events what were are going to do and what we have done.  At camp "Color War" is more important then the presidential elections.  Because the reality is all of the good and bad news will be there when this fantasy world ends.  We are on a need to know basis and so far no one needs to know.  We raised the flag half mass when the rest of the country does but we do not explain why and no one asks?  Camp is what is used to be back in the old days.  The only news you got or wanted was from your neighbor.  The news here is who learned to swim, who caught the biggest fish and what an amazing Circus show we had last night.  I love camp!