A Typical Stay at MountainCamp

Clear your mind of everything but an image of rolling mountains. Imagine turning onto a road leading up to the top of one of these mountains. Along this road you pass a small lake with a floating dock in the center and a large field that is just asking for folks to come and play on it. As the road ascends, you begin to see signs with names written in bright colors, and…look! There’s your name!! YOU are going to a “happy place” called The Mountain! YOU are going to MountainCamp!! At the top of The Mountain, you see the signs pointing toward a building for check-in, and you can hear laughter and excited chatter somewhere in the area. You begin walking toward the building and can hear the echo of guitars and people belting out a song that you have heard many times, but have never heard it sung quite like that. As you walk through the doors of the building, your name is shouted out and people start cheering – “YAY Campers!!” And even though you have no idea who these people are or why they all seem to know your name, you know that these interesting folks in matching shirts must be your counselors. These are the people who are going to lead your activities and tell you stupid jokes that they think are hilarious even though they really aren’t, but you just can’t help but laugh, too. You know that this group of rambunctious people will help you become a part of the camp community by teaching you those cheesy dances that many folks prefer to forget, will give you a hug when you need one, and will encourage your participation in a safe and fun environment of peers. Time has passed. You have moved into your cabin and are getting to know your cabin mates. Some of your new friends have been to this camp before, some have never been to any camp. You all have been chatting about the fun activities that are on the camp schedules posted on your counselor’s bedroom door. Will you choose the jewelry making workshop, or the hike to a waterfall that you can swim in, or the rafting trip down a river, or international games on the field? So many choices, so many opportunities to try something new and exciting! A week has flown by, already! You have just completed a Service Project to help The Mountain and the local community. Although you are tired from a day of hard work, you are pumped for the costume dance that is taking place tonight, and laugh as 3 fellow campers and a counselor pass by your cabin window in crazy outfits with hair spiked to the sky. You are ready for another week of activities, and you are pretty sure that learning about Outdoor Survival Skills and building mud pies and finger painting with pudding in the Gross Workshop are calling your name to sign up. Plus, you have already made a pact with your cabin mates and counselors to have your evening gathering (known as family council) on the Observation Tower tomorrow night so you can look at the stars and lights of the surrounding states (3 other states total!). It’s strange, you never thought time could pass so quickly. Your last week at MountainCamp passes by. You, along with the rest of camp, are standing on Meditation Rock – one of the many beautiful places that you have learned to love while you were at camp. You can’t believe that this is the last day, that the Closing Circle has almost come to an end, that your ride home is nearby in a parking lot to take you home from this amazing place and your many friends. Two weeks have passed by in what seems like a matter of minutes. Although you can’t wait to go home and tell all the folks about climbing the side of a mountain and your standing ovation after your performance in the No-talent Talent Show, you don’t want to leave – you could easily stay forever in this special place. But even as you hug your friends goodbye and give your counselors one last high-five, you know that you will be coming back. As your car slowly drives back down the road and passes the field and lake where you have played many times over in your two weeks at camp, you turn in your seat to look at the entrance sign one more time. You have a “happy place” that you will remember forever and always. You know within your heart that you will take The Mountain home with you and be the best person you can be – the one you discovered in yourself through the eyes of your beloved MountainCamp community. Contact: Brian Gifford Youth & Environmental Programs Manager, The Mountain Youth Programs (828) 526-5838, ext. 253