Junior Term Comes to a Close

After a restful and fun Sunday at Alpine, the last full day of activities kicked off this morning with a breakfast of oatmeal, scrambled eggs, sausage links, and cinnamon toast. Campers then hurried off to get one last chance to enjoy their favorite Alpine activities. Boys in PA go to face their fears riding the zipline through the trees. Others had one last chance to improve on their best scores in archery, riflery, and BB. In the craft shop, boys admired the small wooden canoes they painted on Saturday. These boys will be extremely excited to show off and display their crafts from the term!

For lunch, Ms. Gail and the kitchen staff prepared chicken filets with scalloped potatoes, broccoli and cheese sauce, salad, and rolls. We finished the meal with bowls of chocolate pudding. After a rest hour, the boys went out to enjoy their final two activities. During shower period, we had a few storm clouds overhead but they quickly passed and the sun peeked through just in time for dinner. We’ve been fortunate to have a truly remarkable week of weather. The brief rain last Thursday ushered in cooler temperatures. We have woken up to temps in the upper 60s, and most days have had a high in the low 80s. The night skies have been clear, allowing for maximum stargazing.

Tonight, we had a buffet style picnic dinner of hamburgers, beans, chips, and oreos. Boys found patches of soft grass or rock walls to sit on to enjoy the meal with their friends and counselors. Next up was a camper favorite night program: Slaughterball+. At Alpine, this activity allows each age group to play one last game of Slaughterball, followed by a second activity.

Hunter 1’s and Trappers departed to camp fires for S’mores. Scouts headed to the team sports field to play Jedi Ball, a version of dodgeball in which each team has a pool noodle wielding “Jedi” that can bring players back into the game.The Hunter 2’s went over to the tennis courts for Extreme 4 Square. While the rules are similar to 4 square, the campers team up in teams of 2 and use a 14 inch playground ball on the much larger squares made by the tennis court serve boxes. Meanwhile, the Hunter 3’s played Mountain Spotlight, where they attempted to sneak past their counselors’ flashlights to reach Cabin 8 on the Mountain.

Tonight, the boys will get into bed for the second to last time for the term. Tomorrow morning is dedicated to packing and retrieving lost and found. The afternoon will be reserved for playing games throughout camp and enjoying time with friends before departure. In Junior Camp, we like to host an Olympiad after the final dinner. It’s the last chance for the boys to earn points for their tribes and compete against each other in various relay races.

Following the Olympiad, we will gather as a camp in the gym for the closing ceremony. It’s truly been a wonderful week, and we so appreciate you sharing your boys with us this summer. As a reminder, gates open at 7;30am for pick up, and we look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday morning!

Thanks for reading, Wayne