Campers Save The Day!

Glenn Breazeale | May. 31, 2024

Yesterday at lunch, Nate McLaughlin, our newest full time Program and Recruiting Coordinator (fresh off his graduation from Auburn), excitedly brought me some brand new Gladiator Balls. If you haven’t heard, Gladiator Ball is one of the most popular games at camp, played in the Octagonal rings you might have seen around camp. One ball is batted around, open palm only, ricocheting off the many walls. Every man for himself, the goal is to be the last man standing in the Gladiator pit. If the ball hits you anywhere below the knee you are out (but the games go super fast so you’ll be back in in no time).

Anyway, Nate brought me some fresh balls at the end of lunch, just as we were finishing our chocolate pudding for dessert. About the same time, in walked a bunch of Roman gladiators, clearly out of place in Mentone, AL (and looking conspicuously like counselors with helmets and sheets). They demanded to have our Gladiator Balls. After “fighting” them off as long as I could, the Romans stole the coveted game balls and ran off into the afternoon. Cheers and shrieks of joy and cries of “Mission Impossible” soon echoed throughout the new Dining Hall. The familiar theme song rang out on the speakers. I entreated the boys that we must get back their Gladiator Balls, their mission, should they choose to accept it!

So last night we did just that. Cabin by cabin, boys scurried through the darkness, in search of clues from good agents, and slealthily attempting to avoid being spotlighted by the bad agents. I’m happy to report that thanks to Rabbit Run, Mountain 6 and 14 cabins we have recovered the Gladiator Balls and all is well at camp. I wish you could see the boys’ excitement in the gym just before the game starts. Clad in camo or dark colored clothes, there is strategizing, stretching, and smiles throughout.

Just when we thought a camp day couldn’t get any better than yesterday, we arrived at the Dining Hall this morning to freshly cooked pancakes and hot sausage. Mrs. Gail also has a cold bar every morning with cereals and a yogurt selection along with bananas. Her pancakes are a family recipe that are legendary on Sunday mornings. Sometimes she brings them out on a weekday! They are made from scratch, no mixes or frozen items.

I should mention Morning Watch before breakfast too. We start every Monday through Saturday with a devotional and singing time, split up by cabin areas, and led by our head counselors for each area. It is always a story from God’s word. But maybe as important is the messenger. It hits differently when a really cool college guy opens the Bible and shares. They also start Morning Watch with some fun Wake Up Songs and Games. Active tunes like Father Abraham and Fruit of the Spirit get boys up, active and ready for the day! Ask your boys to share them with you when they get home.

We simply could not have asked for better weather this week. Chamber of Commerce weather as Mr. O used to say. We’ve worn our sweatshirts to Morning Watch and breakfast as we typically wake up to high 50’s. Afternoons have barely risen above 80 with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. It’s always a bit cooler up on this Mountain.

For lunch today we enjoyed hamburger steak and gravy, green beans, scalloped potatoes, buttered rolls, and a green salad with ranch dressing. We’re sort of old school in the we still do a traditional hot meat and three type lunch each day. Boys need that considering how many calories they are burning!

Tonight Tyler is planning various activities for each age group. Some will play Capture the Flag, others Slaughterball (Alpine’s longtime version of Dodgeball). One fortunate age group will get to roast S’mores tonight around several campfires.

Tomorrow may look different for most of the working world, but not at Alpine. We run a regular schedule with the same 5 activites, 3 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, that the boys have been attending all week. It’s truly wonderful and many boys probably don’t even know what day of the week it is at this point. They will on Sunday when we sleep a tad bit later and have a different schedule, a day set apart from the other 6. I’ll look forward to giving you a window into our Sundays in a few days.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend, 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.