Monday's Mission: Would It Be Possible?

Glenn Breazeale | Jul. 26, 2016

Last night was the night . . . Mission Impossible!!!

Mission Impossible is what boys look forward to all year. For those of you wondering why we have camoflauge on our packing list, this is why. It’s an all camp game of spotlight, played by cabins. The head counselors serve as Maxes, doling out each cabin’s first assignment and password.

The ultimate goal is to find whatever has been stolen from camp earlier that day. I should mention that the stealing takes place in an elaborate skit that is almost as anticipated as the game itself. It’s all a surprise so the skit brings elated screams. One year the deed to camp was stolen. One year they “stole” me. I hid out at my house all day until the appointed time, where I was placed in the spot where the cabins who had made the correct moves and gotten the right clues would find me.

Cabins are trying to get clues from the good agents and avoid being spotted by the bad agents. Get caught by a bad agent and the cabin must start over at their Max for a new mission. Eventually we all rejoice as the stolen camp item or person is recovered!

Yesterday at breakfast, as we dined on sausage, biscuits, grits, scrambled eggs, Roderick stood up and announced that there would be a change for Mountain Day. The upcoming celebration (tomorrow!) includes many special events like the Olympics played Mohawk v. Cherokee. It culminates in the evening with an old timey County Fair, complete with games, ice cream, sno cones, and cotton candy. Currency for the fair are dried pinto beans.

So . . . with beans in hand, Roderick began to tell us about the County Fair. He invited Inspector Clouseau to join us and explain a new system for the beans at the fair. The Inspector was carrying on in his finest English accent when out of nowhere Captain Jack Sparrow entered the stage (as it were). Now at this point I don’t really think anyone was sure why either of these two were here or what they had in common or who was good and who was bad. And that was the point. They began to banter back and forth and even locked swords for a moment. They were hysterical. At some point Captain Jack declared that he did not like the County Fair and ran off with the beans.

The Mission Impossible theme music began to play and the boys went wild. We had to get those beans back or else no County Fair. I’m happy to report that after a full night of cabins sneaking stealthily around camp the stolen beans were recovered. Tomorrow Mountain Day will go forward!

Stay tuned for a full update from tomorrow’s festivities.

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.