Let the Games Begin
This morning Alpine opened it’s gates for the start of our 58th summer high atop Lookout Mountain. I can’t remember a staff who has been more excited and eager for camp to begin. As I told some of you, these guys have been in training for 9 days and I thought if I made them sit in one more meeting they would pop. It was time for the boys to arrive! Summer is here!
232 Junior campers drove through the front gates today with parents, grandparents, friends, and lots of patient sisters and little brothers. From Texas to Virginia and even beyond, camp is now once again filled with the sounds of play.
My name is Glenn Breazeale. I was able to meet or reconnect with many of you today. Not as many as I would have liked so please forgive me if we did not get to speak. My wife Carter and I are the directors. We have been directors since 2006, full time staff since 02. Prior to that I was privileged to serve on summer staff for 4 summers as a counselor and head counselor. Growing up in Jackson, MS, my parents gave me the gift of camping at Alpine for 6 summers. Carter grew up at Alpine. Her parents are Dick and Alice O’Ferrall, longtime directors here.
We make our home at Alpine all summer long, along with our two girls, Caroline and Gigi, age 10 (minus the time they’ll be off at camp themselves - they are counting down the days!). Our house sits across the road from the team sports field and gym, with screened porch almost directly across from the gym.
Right at this moment I can hear many of your boys screaming and cheering as they play their first game of Slaughterball for the term. It’s Alpine’s version of dodgeball, with it’s own twists and a lore that dates back to 1959. Today your boys divided into two tribes. The same two tribes boys have divided into every summer since my dad was a camper here in the early 60’s. Cherokee v. Mohawk, and that’s how we play our Slaughterball games. Boys thrive on this type of competition, where there’s not as much pressure as an organized sports team from home.
There’s a line in an old Alpine song that goes, “Even when it rains we play.” It rained a bit this afternoon. And we played, big time. Gladiator ball, Ninja, Mafia, washers. You name it we played it, indoors when it rained and outside when it didn’t. Spirits were not dampened I can assure you.
We checked off a few necessary opening day duties: every camper received a quick health screen by our medical staff, purchased camp gear was passed out (sizes checked and names labeled), and the boys participated in a swim check to ensure safety while swimming.
After a traditional Opening Day lunch of chicken and dumplings, steamed corn, green peas, homemade biscuits, and green salad we gathered in the gym for our opening meeting with all of camp. Carter and I welcome the boys to Alpine. I opened by reading from John 13:34-35. Jesus gives a mandate to his disciples, on the night before he would be crucified. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” We talked about how we are called to love one another at camp because Jesus has first loved us (not to get Jesus’ approval). We told them, therefore, that at Alpine we are all free to be ourselves and not worry about impressing others. That Alpine is not a place where boys pick on or bully. We introduced all of the head counselors, doctor, nurses, and other leadership staff. We emphasized the importance of boys letting us know if something is bothering them so we can help them. We covered some basic boundaries and safety tips. I even told them how I was homesick during my first summer at Alpine when I was 10 years old. And here I am now! Everyone misses something about home and it’s perfectly normal.
Tonight for dinner we enjoyed chicken spaghetti, buttered toast, green salad with tomatoes and ranch dressing. Tomorrow morning after breakfast activities begin and we’ll be off to the races. Rest well tonight knowing your boys are tucked in safely in their beds after a full first day.
Good night,
Glenn
