Mid Week Review

Glenn Breazeale | Jun. 15, 2022

The food today at Alpine has been delicious. Heaping bowls of red beans and rice with sliced sausage filled our tables this evening. Mixed lettuce salad with diced tomatoes and Texas toast accompanied. We always have Uncrustable packaged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (prepackaged to minimize spread of peanut butter for our peanut allergies) and cereal and milk available at meals for our more particular eaters.

For lunch, Richard Cox, our program director,predicted correctly after smelling waftings of fried okra emanating from the Dining Hall 30 minutes prior. Homemade meatloaf usually partners with fried okra and today was no exception. She also served pinto beans and cole slaw. Mrs. Gail’s meatloaf is one of my favorite meals. I love that we still eat a big lunch (like “dinner” in the olden days) for our midday meal. These boys and counselors need it after a full morning of activities.

This morning we arrived at the Dining Hall to enjoy hot oatmeal, scrambled eggs, link sausage, and buttered toast. Mrs. Gail and her crew do such a wonderful job of feeding us three meals a day. They are feeding almost 400 folks at every meal. The kitchen stays hot from all the ovens and stoves. We are so grateful for these ladies and their hard work.

I should also mention our Work Crew, or kitchen boys as we call them. This is a crew of high school boys, most of whom were former campers, who come back as employees to serve in the dining hall and other areas around camp. They get to live in a cabin together near the dining hall, with two veteran counselors. They work really hard washing dishes and waiting tables. They also have a lot of fun and bring much life to camp!

We are in a bit of a heat wave as no doubt many of you are at home. The good news about being on top of Lookout Mountain, covered with shady trees, is that it’s always about 7 to 10 degrees cooler at camp than even just down the mountain. We are pushing hydration at every meal. Three new bottle filling stations around camp help. As does the Power House, our spot for Powerade drink machines to help replenish those electrolytes.

Tonight boys are playing night games all over camp. A few Warrior (rising 7th grade) cabins are even on an overnight. The counselors pack out hot dogs and S’mores and a first aid kit. Everyone carries their sleeping bag and a flashlight. They’ll build a fire, cook out, laugh and tell stories, and then sleep under the stars on a clear night. Our overnight areas are on camp property and each group always has a communication device if they need us.

Our Hunters (rising 3rd and 4th grades) are playing an always popular game called Jedi Ball. It’s a twist on the Alpine classic, Slaughterball (our version of dodgeball). Jedi Ball is played on the field instead of the gym. Each side has a Jedi Knight with a sword (pool noodle). If any player gets hit with a dodgeball he sits down right where he’s hit instead of going out. He may get new life and reenter the game if his Jedi runs and tags him back in. But the Jedi must decide how much risk he wants to take running out of his safe zone. If the Jedi gets tagged, he is out and the prospects of any of his teammates coming back in dies. Then the victory advance is on for the other team!

The other Warriors who are not camping out are enjoying a night swim at the well lit pool. After a warm day it’s a great day for a night swim. These guys got to enjoy a camp out under the stars last night.

All in all, it’s been a great start to First Term. We’ll keep rolling with regular activities tomorrow. Then we have some fun stuff coming up for the weekend. Thanks for reading, 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.