Weekend Update: Activities Begin in Second Term
After eleven months of build up, Saturday marked the first full day of activities for the boys of Second Term. As a former second term camper, it’s so fun to feel the energy that surges through the camp when activities are kicked off. My name is Wayne Ingram. I work full time here at Alpine where I serve as an Associate Director. This summer marks my 5th summer on staff and 13th summer on the Mountain.
After a 7am wake up call, each age group joined together for Morning Watch, a time where the boys learn God’s Word through singing and hearing short devotions from their head counselors. The boys then made their way to the dining hall for a big breakfast of oatmeal, eggs, toast, and link sausage. They then returned to their cabins to tidy up before the first three activities of the term. Campers sign up for activities with other boys in their relative age groups, but cabinmates don’t necessarily stay together which allows the boys to meet campers in other cabins. When the bell rings for the first period of the day, campers disperse all throughout Alpine in anticipation for their first period activity.
We like to offer activities that all campers can enjoy. One of my favorite things about Alpine is that campers can all find activities that fit their specific interests. For instance, the more creative guys might prefer to take crafts where campers work on fun projects like making lanyards, painting model canoes, or working on their drawing skills. We also have activities geared towards the adventurous types like our climbing tower, high ropes course, or mountain biking.
Some of our younger, imaginative boys enjoy Alpine exclusive activities like Earth Games or Minor Sports. While sports minded campers may be lifting weights in the PT Barn, playing Soccer, or working on their jump shot in the gym. We also have the privilege of being located along Little River where we have waterfront activities, canoeing, and paddleboarding. Up the hill from our main camp is our Uptop area where campers can learn to cast a fly fishing rod, hit a golf ball, or ride a horse.
A typical day at camp has 5 activity periods, and each camper has a schedule with 11 classes. By snaking the schedule, each day is different from the one before. For example, Saturday we ran periods 1 through 5, and Monday we ran 6 through 10. This means that boys have the opportunity to take their favorite classes and explore new hobbies. For many, it’s the only time of the year they get to experience certain activities.
The first Sunday of the term was, as always, a special day of rest and worship at Alpine. We began the day with pancakes, sausage, and cantaloupe before each cabin took a photo in front of the dining hall followed by individual shots of each camper. You’ll receive a copy of these on closing day, and they serve as a wonderful keepsake for you and your boys to cherish. Church at Alpine is held in the gym. All of camp walks in together, dressed in Sunday whites and neckerchiefs. Afterwards, we all assembled at Council Ring for the traditional group photo.
After church, we enjoyed our traditional Sunday meal of chicken, rice and gravy, green beans, pears, and Moose Tracks for dessert. After lunch, campers enjoyed an extended rest hour with their cabins and store followed by each age group gathering for an afternoon activity. In the evening, the boys enjoyed a game of Slaughterball (our version of dodgeball), before congregating at their respective morning watch areas for Vespers, an evening devotional time.
Monday morning brought even more excitement, as we ran activities 6-10 today. After a few showers over the weekend, camp woke to partly cloudy skies and cooler temperatures. It’s hard to believe that tonight’s night activities will conclude the fourth day at camp, but there is still tons of fun to be had.
Thanks for reading! Wayne