Final Weekend

Glenn Breazeale | Jul. 01, 2016

It is hard to believe we are heading into our final weekend of camp for First Term. Hopefully you received an email from us today regarding closing day plans.  We have so many fun things to pack into these last few days it’ll be very busy and fly by.

Yesterday and today activities have been focusing on final competitions in some cases.  The Disc golf guys are playing the Alpine Masters.  Of course the winner gets to wear the Alpine Green Jacket (but only for a picture, we just have one, a fine piece of clothing purchased at the local thrift store).

At lunch an older camper came to my table to show me his latest Crafts creation.  With varying types of duct tape he had fashioned an entire fedora like hat. It looked really good and he’s been wearing it all day.  Emily and her staff in the Crafts shop have done an amazing job of bringing out boys’ creative sides with all types of projects.  We try to do projects that will be fun for boys.

Behind all activity is what I love most about camp. Boys are enjoying the friendships that have been formed. By now hometown friends don’t really mean much. Nobody really remembers where anybody else is from. It’s just camp friends. And it’s not all roses. By this point, boys have had to learn how to mend many of those friendships.  Put 6 or 8 or 10 boys in a cabin for 25 days and they have to learn.  And the counselors help them learn.  It’s not always easy. Even if they have brothers and sisters at home, when else do you live in such close proximity with so many people for this long.

Tonight we celebrated the 2nd Year chiefs in a traditional Alpine ceremony called Council Ring.  Set in our seated amphitheatre with a campfire and a few tiki torches as our back drop, it’s combination comedy and ceremonial. Counselors provide the comedy in the form of some much beloved skits. Then we honor the 2nd year chiefs, 18 in all this year.  Combined they have over 125 summers of camping at Alpine!

Breakfast this morning was oatmeal, with brown sugar and butter on the side, scrambled eggs, toast along with fruit and yogurt. For lunch we enjoyed fried catfish, black eyed peas, creamed corn and green salad. Homemade mac and cheese, pinto beans, ham, cornbread, cole slaw, and salsa for dinner.

Thanks for reading and good night,

Glenn

 

Glenn Breazeale
Glenn Breazeale

Like his own father, Glenn grew up as a camper at Alpine for six summers, coming from Jackson, MS each summer. He has served on staff at Alpine since 1997, working full time as Assistant Director from 2003 to 2005 and Director since 2006. Prior to that he gained experience serving in various capacities including cabin counselor, Head Counselor, Head of Project Adventure (Ropes course), Horseback instructor, and Program Director. Glenn’s love of camping and his desire to preserve the traditions of Alpine drew him back to camp to offer young boys the same opportunities he experienced. He met and fell in love with Carter during a Square Dance with Camp DeSoto.