Getting into the Swing of Things

                                       

                Admittedly getting up early can be difficult for our campers when they have had so much fun their first day of camp.  None the less at 7 a.m. it was time to rise and shine, get dressed, brush their teeth, and tackle their first full day at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center.  Our younger campers then hit the dining hall for breakfast (this morning it was French toast and bacon) while the older campers worked on cleaning their cabins.  At 8:15 everyone meets in the middle of the camp for flag raising and then the younger ones take on their chores while the older campers enjoy their breakfast.

                It is not long after when everyone hits the camp for their very first organized activities of the week.  It doesn’t seem to matter where you turn there is a group just about everywhere.  Our younger campers hit the craft shelter to start working on making their own pet chickens.  Heart and Hands groups jumped right into the activities by jumping into the pool.  The Health group headed out for a Beaver Hike at the Beaver dam.  Our older youth were enjoying horseback riding, archery, canoeing, and a gianormous game of jump rope, which turned into a game of don’t let the gianormous rope touch you.

                After all that fun we had worked up an appetite. Good thing lunch was being served in the dining hall.  We had grilled chicken sandwiches and potato wedges for our meal which was just right to take the edge off of the hunger.  After lunch we got back on track with groups headed to canoes, archery, and crafts.  Mid afternoon we take a break for camp store.  All the volunteers and agents run the store where we can purchase a drink, water bottle, and snack.  Nothing like an ice cold drink or ice cream on a hot day.  After camp store we have one more activity before heading back to our cabins for rest period or dinner. 

                Dinner tonight was an international favorite of tacos.  We had all the fixings to make it just like we like.  After cleaning up it was time for a little rest then up and off to flag lowering.  Of course, the announcement of the day centered on the cleanest cabin awards.  Today the girls had the silver toilet seat awarded to them (second place in camp lingo) as cabin three took top honors.  On the other side of the camp the boys received the gold faucet (first place) as cabin 7 took top honors with a perfect score.  After the trash talk and rubbing of Dr. Js head for luck it was time to get on to the adventure of the night.

                Tonight our younger campers in the Head, Heart, Hands, and Health groups enjoyed water sports while our older campers in the Earth, and Sun groups enjoyed a hike and campfire.  Water sports consists of four areas for our campers to enjoy.  There is a dizzy bat relay where the group is split into two teams and they must turn 10 times around a pool noodle, keeping their forehead on the noodle.  Once they are thoroughly dizzy it is their responsibility to take a sponge full of water and transfer as much water to a bucket at the end of the course and run back.  Needless to say it makes for some great laughter.  Further down the hill was a soapy slip and slide that had everyone sliding down the hill on their stomach.  Of course water sports would not be water sports if a trip to the lake and pool were not included.  After snack it was time to make our way to the cabins for showers and bed.

                There were lots of smiles, and good times today.  Tomorrow will bring more adventures and even more photos.  Stay tuned to our continuing Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center camping extravaganza.