Wednesday/Thursday

The past few days have absolutely flown and this will be my final post. After dinner this evening we will head down to the pavilion to listen to Mr. Norman tell about his days in the Vietnam War. It is unbelievably powerful and in many cases, life-changing. After this very serious and intense story, we will completely shift gears and enjoy the much anticipated dance to celebrate our last night here at Camp Wesley Woods.

It’s clear to see that we are not quite as energetic as we were on Tuesday. We have been busy from 7:00 in the morning to 10:00 each night. Even the hikes to each activity are exhausting, so by the time we turn the lights out in the cabins, everyone is ready to crash. The adults are hoping for a quiet ride home (fingers crossed)!

Last night’s weather didn’t cooperate. The group who went to Cades Cove not only got POURED on, but they also got pummeled with hail! They were already on their way back to the bus, but made a mad dash for it when the hail started. Even though their walk was cut short, they still managed to see several bears. The other group who headed to Look Rock to watch the sunset was not able to do so either. We had just started our hike to the top of the mountain when we heard thunder, so we quickly headed back to the bus. The bus driver (Lester) was able to pull over into a parking lot so we could watch the sun disappear beyond the horizon. Strangely, most kids said they’d never watched a sunset before….add that to the list of many firsts this week. It’s amazing what they can see without their little faces being buried in their phones! 

Side note: It was Lester’s birthday this week, so we have had a great time wishing him a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” each and every time our students climb ONTO and OFF OF his bus. He loves it!

Since both groups were a little damp when returning to camp, Anna and Kendra (two of our most beloved and veteran camp staff members) took us to the pavilion and started a fire in the fireplace so the kids could get warm. We sang a few songs and listened to some Appalachian Mountain folklore. After watching the fire and sitting still for a bit, our audience was struggling to stay awake. Sleepily, they headed up the mountains to their cabins and it was an early night, compared to most. The extra bit of sleep is much needed by this point in the week. Speaking of sleep, the group going to Tuckaleechee Caverns this morning wasasking how long the bus ride was. It’s only about 20 minutes, but that was plenty good enough for them and they were very excited for a cat nap.

The way the schedule works for this week is that each group gets to rotate through each activity by the time Thursday afternoon arrives. The first groups to complete the activities love to share tips (or scary details in some cases) with the other groups. The next thing we know, they’re having friendly (that’s questionable) competitions to see “who can do what the fastest,” or giving advice like, “make sure you drink as much water at Tuckaleechee as you possibly can, it’s amazing.”

I just want to thank you for sharing your kids with us. It has been incredible to watch these kids grow together in just a few short days. My hope is that this will continue once we get back to Ohio. We’ve all had lessons in patience this week, whether waiting for a sink to brush your teeth, a space to fill your water bottle or just taking turns on the ropes course. I’d venture to say there have been more than just a few “life lessons” learned this week.

In closing, I ask you just one little favor. When you pick up your camper tomorrow, please look for the adults who INVESTED your child this week. SPECIAL THANKS to Janie Hershberger, Dave Norman, Butch Grimm and Sam Bergman for taking personal vacation time away from their jobs and families to chaperone this trip. TO OUR MIAMI EAST STAFF Janet Stevens, Suzie Weber, Rebecca Leffel, Jenna Dailey and Alan Russell….I could not do this without you!

PLEASE ask your kids to say, “THANK YOU!” to our chaperones before leaving the school!

Sitting on the front porch right after breakfast

On the porch

Rock climbing and rappelling