The first full week of camp is coming to a close, and the first round of interest groups has ended, but things are just starting to pick up here in the Canaan Valley! After a long hot day yesterday, Campers crowded into the eating lodge with pants on their heads, wearing wigs and all sorts of other weird outfits for Crazy dinner! They had dessert before pizza, sang songs in the middle of the meal, and ate at tables rearranged in wacky new ways. The campers were tired after all of that, but had the chance to take it easy with the nighttime activity, MV Idol! A talent show for the staff, kids got to see their favorite leaders and camp staff sing songs, do African dances, and even change tires blindfolded; my personal favorite was listening to a staff member improvise on their bass guitar for 10 minutes while the sun set over camp.

This morning, after a good night’s rest, camp was abuzz with activity, as the Pioneers started a new round of interest groups and the Trailblazers headed out of camp for their hiking and canoe trips. Dry bags were packed, paddles and canoes were loaded up, sack lunches were made, and the trailblazers finally made it out. While it was sad to see them all head out, there wasn’t enough time to dwell on it, as interest groups kept everyone else busy! Campers headed out to Woodworking, Dan Hole Pond Explorers, and a variety of other places, to learn new skills and meet new friends in these interest groups.

After the busy morning, campers were able to rest during easy time. Once they had regained some energy, they headed back out to their final interest group of the day. We even had some rain this afternoon, which felt great after the heat wave we have had up here. After dinner, the Pioneers and the 4 week Trailblazer boys split up. The boys of Sentinel settled down for a round of Dungeons and Dragons with the Community Coordinator, Daniel, while the Pioneers went to the AC. There they played Middle Earth Duel, where they battled with cards while the Lord of the Rings soundtrack played over speakers. What a day it was! And as we head into tomorrow, 2 week campers are beginning to get ready for their overnights on Sunday, so check back here to find out how those go!