TAYLOR! One of the most inspiring girls I know. I love how much time we've been able to hang out together this winter break. We met up for coffee one more time so we could swap a list and a collage. She's heading back to Colorado and I'm sure going to miss this girl.
I got to spend the next two days at good ol' Camp Tecumseh with a collection of full time staff and resident counselors. I've never been able to come for the entirety of the reunion and it was even more fun than I expected.
A few of us brainstormed a list of suggestions for next summer's inventory in the Trading Post. We put it up on Instagram as well to get some feedback and the comments poured in. What do you think? Who knows what could happen?
We played some fun games at the beginning like Willy Wonka-- it's Come On 6 meets a chocolate eating contest and exploding forks. We spent some time brainstorming all sorts of things--how camp should contact counselors, how to do training for check-in, and improvements for food service and nurses.
Empire: Snow Edition highlighted the afternoon. We split up into three teams, Valanor's Kingdom and Castle was carved into the soccer field near Irving. I got to team up with the fierce and competitive Sarah Scott, KJ, Bobby, Scott Dixler and Grace.
It was interesting looking for treasure and keys in the snow, extra mystery-value items were a fabulous edition, we scouted the perimeter for hidden pieces, guarded our treasure box and made some down-to-the-wire-last-minute strategic moves.
Back inside the Main Lodge all of the pieces were counted up to determine the score-- Valanor came out on top!
More fun followed dinner with an around the world ping-pong tournament and Sardines through out the entire Main Lodge. The best Staff Reunion tradition is arguably Running Charades. We played Old People v. OT Girls v. the Guys. And what do you know? The Old People won by a landslide.
Jordan led a staff devotion about keeping the innocence of camp and preserving the chance kids have to actually be kids--great ideas to think about. And on our way back to the cabin we had to lay down on the road to check out the stars that shine so bright, oh and Jupiter too.
The girls got to have a sleepover in Choctaw, my favorite cabin in all of camp. It was so fun to be back in there with Jamie, to talk with all of the counselors about life and next summer and have Liz read Love Does to us when we finally decided it was late and we needed to go to sleep.
After baked oatmeal and cinnamon rolls, we had a special coffee house chapel. Ben served hot chocolate, Mike and Jamie shared their music and Tom got us thinking and shared his heart. It was cool to try out a different format and have conversation with the people around us about how we reach out to others and make a difference.
Our next session centered around changes that will happen to make resources more available and beneficial for counselors. Out with the old (yes we actually burned a copy of the old manual) and in with the new. I'm excited to see how they'll take some of our ideas and make something really great for next summer.
I always love coming back to this place and it was so good to be here with good friends like KJ, Jamie and Finney Baby along with everyone else. We talked during devotions about what we think the purpose of camp is and shared ideas. I talked about about how camp is this place where kids are loved-- with no criteria or agenda. They're just loved for being them. And because that love is offered freely this is a place where kids find a home and a family that is unlike anything many of them have experienced anywhere else. I think the same thing applies to the staff. We love one another, form a family and call Tecumseh our home.
Truth: I'm currently addicted to collaging. I love finding just the right words or pictures for someone, figuring out how it'll all fit together, making something that I hope reflects someone's personality and inspires them at the same time.
GRACE! Tonight I got to hang out with this girl, one of the coolest people I know. We got to tell stories, write top 10 lists, eat dinner see teachers in the real world, plan and execute a caper Bob Goff would have been proud of and hang out with her family.
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