A Day at Camp

There are only a few required activities at camp:  the morning and evening check-ins as well as morning mentor groups.  And although we serve three awesome meals a day, no one is required to eat during meal times.  We have a variety of snacks available at all hours of the day so even if a camper chooses to skip a meal, there is always something to eat.

Each day starts with a morning check-in just before breakfast.  This is to ensure that everyone is accounted for and gives campers a chance to get their day started with a yummy meal or they can go back to bed if they do not want to eat. After breakfast campers meet with their mentor groups.  This is a time when they will get to know a specific group of campers and participate in a planned activity organized by their camp mentor.

Following mentor groups there are several workshops to choose from coordinated by camp staff as well as campers.  These are not required activities, but are a lot of fun and most campers show up to each of them.  The workshops have included such activities as hiking, 'zine making, drum circle, Werewolves of Millers Hollow, speed dating, scavenger hunt, flash fiction, fermenting foods, soapstone carving, belly dancing, photography, partner dancing, making ice cream in a bag, karate, zentangling, sprouting, henna, Magic the Gathering, blind portraits, Dr. Who Marathon, knotted hemp bag making, drop spindling, stencil making and t-shirt printing, photo scavenger hunt, making nori rolls, music theory, pinhole photography, modern dance, and flash drawing, as well as talks and round table discussions on siblings, traveling, personality profiling, personal identity, college, sharing new music, unschooling, long distance friendships, how to get a job, tiny dwellings, gender blender, and running an online business.

ETUSC 2010 Slideshow

After workshops a delicious lunch is served.  At meal times 2 campers will help with serving and 2 will help with dishes.  Having campers assist in the kitchen is one way we get them involved behind the scenes and they tend to have a fun time helping out.  The kitchen is often one of the most active and interesting places at camp and laughter can be heard coming from there throughout the day.  I can't say enough about the kitchen staff, they are simply amazing!

Scotty serving up lunch

When lunch time is over we have an hour long siesta.  With so much going on sometimes it's hard to choose to just do nothing and rest, this gives campers and staff a designated down time and can be used to do whatever they like.

Mid afternoon is an exciting time when we have a big 2-3 hour outdoor event scheduled.  Events include such activities as ultimate frisbee, swimming in the pool, kayaking at the pond, rock climbing, zipline, and a ropes course.  We finish up just in time to get ready for another awesome meal!!

Silas on the rock climbing wall

After supper we have the evening check-in which we use to make important announcements (schedule changes and reminders usually) as well as answer questions and make sure everyone is doing okay.  After check-in our junior staff will host an activity while the mentors meet to discuss the day and prepare for the next.

After check-in, we have an evening activity.  These include such things as ice breaker games, playing music that campers have brought and hanging out and some dancing, campfires, roasting marshmallows and playing instruments, a talent show, and a big dance party on the last night.  Last year, we had a campfire scheduled on a night that it rained...many campers decided to just play in the rain and when someone suggested hot chocolate, Scotty made hot chocolate appear.  Everyone got dried off and some made "boats" out of the tables and chairs while others played instruments and just hung out and enjoyed the rainy night.

There is no set bedtime at camp.  Campers are welcome to hang out in the lodge with our night owl mentor, who stays up until the last camper has drifted off to their cabin.

Throughout the day you can find campers playing a game of frisbee, werewolves, magic the gathering or bananagrams, hiking to the water hole for a quick swim, hiking on the trails and/or going up to the waterfall, sitting in the sun alone or with a group and talking, playing instruments, watching the camp snake be fed, going to the kitchen to learn how to make pasta from scratch and roll it out, hula hooping, altering camp t-shirts, doing magic shows, hanging out in the rocking chairs on the porch, writing in journals, playing in the creek, starting a band, sleeping, taking pictures and posing for pictures, writing on the white board, singing and dancing, and talking...lots of talking and making friends!