In continuing with our recap of our historic 100th summer, here is a rundown of how 2nd Term went! (and if you missed them, check out our previous blogs on Staff Training, Mini Camp, Mother-Daughter Weekend, 1st Term, and our 100th Anniversary Party!)
COVID?
As I mentioned in the 1st Term blog, we did end 1st Term with a wave of COVID-19, in both campers and staff. So a handful of campers who stayed on for 6 weeks – Full Term Campers as well as LITs (and some counselors, too!) – started off 2nd Term in our quarantine tents, dubbed Creekside Village.
And then a few 2nd Termers also came down with it in that first week…. So here we were again! It felt frustrating, to say the least, but our medical staff that first week of 2nd Term decided to take the bull by the horns and reign it in very aggressively. We changed our tactics and protocols a bit – namely, what we decided to do during days 6-10 of a COVID infection – and by golly, it worked. We managed to keep it in check, and the last two weeks of 2nd Term, plus all of Family Camp, were completely COVID-free!
So maybe a rocky start, but we certainly ended strong in that department!
2nd Term Traditions
2nd Term is full of its own special and unique traditions, and this summer was no exception. We enjoyed our Christmas in July festivities with a Christmas morning pajama breakfast, carols at Assembly, an afternoon Carnival, and an evening movie night followed by fireworks.
We enjoyed our final Campfire of the summer with Candlelight Campfire on the second-to-last night of camp, located at a special campfire site only used for Candlelight. We’ve had a few rainy Candlelight Campfires the past few years, but the weather was beautiful and the skies were clear for this special, serene, and bittersweet evening of reflections.
And of course, Banquet night, our final night of the summer! Banquet is a celebration of the entire summer where we recognize and honor our staff and peers, share memories, give awards, and of course, announce the winners of the summer-long Blue/Gray competition. This year the Grays won!
Our Banquet theme this year was Party Like It’s 1922, with a huge celebration of our 100th anniversary. The decorations were amazing and the night was spectacular!
Looking Ahead
2nd Term is also the time of the summer when we start thinking about next summer. I know that sounds crazy! But all summer long I take notes on what is going well, what could be better, ideas for the future, etc. Once we get to 2nd Term, things seem to calm down a little (during 1st Term, we’re running a session while also preparing for the next session!), and we start to reflect on what has gone well, what could be improved, etc. Of course, much more reflection happens in the Fall once we have had time to review our surveys and take a step back from camp. But we do scratch the surface a bit during 2nd Term.
We start talking to the counselors about returning next summer, what positions they might want next year, and where they see themselves next summer.
We start discussing the menu for next year (yes, this early!) and what meals have been successful, and what meals haven’t been as popular.
We take the suggestions from the group of peer-elected Camper Council members and start brainstorming how we can implement them.
And we sit down with Site Manager Garrett O’Dell to discuss what facilities projects are needed in camp during the off-season, as well as those that are wanted, and how we can balance them time-wise and financially.
Things are still bustling and busy, but there are a few more moments of calm to start the initial reflections and discussions about the coming year (especially when you don’t have any hail storms or power outages to keep you busy!).
1st Term vs 2nd Term?
Very often I get the question – which term is better? Which do you like better? Which one should I send my daughter to? This is definitely not a question I can answer!
I was a Full Term camper my whole life, so I made lifelong friends in both terms, and equally loved the traditions of both terms. Now as Director, I still love both terms and enjoy the unique aspects of each term.
I love the vibrant excitement of 1st term – campers are just out of school, and summer has begun! It’s our first long session, the counselors’ first time having their own campers, we’re getting our feet wet and settling into the job. I love celebrating the 4th of July, and I absolutely love Babies Boats.
Similarly, I love 2nd Term and its slightly more laid-back nature. School has been out a while, summer is in full swing, there’s a slight chill vibe, and like I said above – a few moments to pause, breathe, and reflect a bit. And I love all the 2nd Term traditions just as much as the 1st Term ones.
I could never choose! So I think it’s safe to say that both choices are great if you’re trying to decide.
Either way, both terms do have space for next summer, 2023, but the spaces are actually filling quite fast this year! If you know you want to come, don’t hesitate to register now and secure your spot for either term. You can’t go wrong!
