It Starts with People

Everyone likes taking pictures, but at a place like Rockbrook where there is something wondrous or beautiful at every turn, it’s exciting to try and capture the experience in photography. The photography activity, or what we call “Photo Phun” around here, gives the girls a chance to explore and take— no make pictures all over camp. Jane, the lead instructor, starts them out by explaining how to use the digital cameras and when to select certain settings given what they’re shooting. She teaches them the basic notion of adjusting shutter speed and aperture relative to the amount of available light, for example, and how changing these settings affects the depth of field and motion effects. With this background, the girls will often head out to explore, looking for “cool photos.” To focus that sometimes, Jane will challenge them with a scavenger hunt where each photo has to have a different main color, or a represent a different letter in the alphabet. She’s taught them about stop motion photography and light painting as well. See why we call it “Photo Phun?”

You probably can also see why having a skilled, energetic and enthusiastic activity instructor is so important to the success of something like this. For Photo Phun to really be fun for the campers, Jane has to be both a skilled technician who really knows her stuff about photography, but also a creative teacher who enjoys working with kids. Rockbrook is full of great activity instructors like this. They instinctively know how to take something maybe a little technical, like archery, tennis, horseback riding, or rock climbing for example, and present it to the campers in a way that’s safe and informative, but also inherently fun. There are a few tricks to this that we present during our staff training week, but we also work hard to hire counselors who “get it” instinctively. Pull together a bunch of people like this, young women who love what they do, creatively and imaginatively, and who sincerely love being with kids, and you’ve got a sense of what makes the Rockbrook staff special.

Beyond the scheduled activities offered each day, it’s often the simplest things that mean the most to a girl when she’s here at Rockbrook. Playing tetherball on the hill at twilight, sitting in the sun on a huge rock by the lake, or racing your flip-flop down the creek— these can be the best memories of camp. Of course, the most important ingredient in everything at Rockbrook is the people, the incredible community of spirited folks who share camp together. They form the core of these memories. Certainly Rockbrook is a beautiful place and the activities are excellent, but it’s your cabin mates, your counselors and all the other support staff (Rick, Alison, Clyde, Elaine, Richie, Katie, Will, the many Directors and so many others) that truly make these little moments that add up to be “camp.” The magic of camp starts with people.

Tonight after dinner we sent word for everyone to dress up and come down to the gym for a surprise evening event. The girls must have been saving up costume elements because we saw amazing wacky wigs, goofy glasses, colorful dresses, boots and hats in any combination (There are some great photos of this in the gallery). When they arrived, they found the gym transformed into a game show, with our friend Bill Grimsley ready to host a trivia question and answer game using his podiums and scoring system. He randomly selected contestants from the audience, pitting girls from the same line against each other. Some of the questions were about Rockbrook, and others about pop music, TV and movies. Occasionally he would announce a “challenge round” where for extra points the contestants performed a task like hula hooping, or for the counselors, eating something “not so appetizing” like canned pig brains in gravy. Ugh! Of course, the audience thought this was hilarious. Prizes, like a giant cookie cake, went to cabin groups, and at times when the contestants were stumped and the audience knew an answer, the whole crowd won a little treat. Silly and oh so good!

Hello Mini Session Campers!

“We welcome you to Rockbrook Camp; we’re mighty glad you’re here…” was the lyric of the day as we welcomed all of the August mini session girls to camp this morning. For these girls the wait was finally over; after weeks and often months of getting ready, time is about to speed up dramatically because they are joining the non-stop action of camp. There are a couple of hundred really great people to meet, songs and hand motions to learn, and lots of new things to try. For some, the opening day is a gradual introduction to camp life—meeting your counselor, setting up your bunk, spending a few minutes with cabin mates making your first friendship bracelet. Others, though, jump in feet first and are running off with other girls already enjoying the enthusiasm and freedom of camp. Sometimes, parents have to hunt down their daughter just to say goodbye! Either way, it doesn’t take long for the girls to begin making Rockbrook their camp.

Before we gathered for lunch, the whole camp assembled on the grassy hill in the shade of the big walnut tree so everyone could sing the line (age group) songs, hear about the different camp activities, and meet a few head counselors and the directors. It provides the first taste of what happens when you bring together this many excited girls. You see it in the energy of the staff, the enthusiasm of the directors leading the songs and the sheer volume of the singing. The effervescence of it all can first be a little shocking, but it quickly pulls you along and the next thing you know, you’re clapping and shouting too!

That was certainly true for the afternoon’s big event also: a camp-wide, Outer Space Carnival. Think aliens, astronauts and other “space beings,” but then add pink feathers, beads and colorful face paint, and you can imagine the costumes we saw. A crew of the counselors organized this event and came up with several different games and activities for the girls: a hula-hoop relay, a ring toss game, a “Cream the Alien” (“pie” in the face) challenge, a ribbon dancing project, face painting, and a giant bubble “machine.” We rented a 40-ft inflatable obstacle course and a 20-ft tall Velcro wall. To keep things lively, we also had the music pumping and served cotton candy and popcorn during the whole event. Teamed up in groups, the girls went from station to station trying what looked fun to them. They might put on the Velcro suit for a quick jump onto the wall, then make a ribbon dancing wand, or just dance around, cotton candy in hand… lots of fun choices for a Sunday afternoon.

After the Carnival and before dinner, the mini session Middlers and Seniors changed into their bathing suits so they could demonstrate their swimming ability down at the lake. We want to make sure everyone at camp can swim and tread water confidently before allowing them to enter the lake, zip down the water slide, or take a kayaking, canoeing or rafting trip. Girls who “pass” the swim demo receive a special colored buddy tag and a green bracelet that then alert the lifeguards that they can swim in the deep area of the lake. For those uncomfortable in the water, or for those who can’t complete the “demonstration,” they will have to wear a life jacket and stay in the shallow end of the lake. We always offer swim lessons during the swimming activity periods, so we encourage (though don’t require) girls to work on their strokes while at camp.  The chill of our mountain-stream-fed lake can be a little shocking for girls used to warm water, but it also feels really good on a hot summer day.

One quick reminder: be sure to send those letters and emails to your girls (check the RBC parents manual for the addresses). It’s such a treat for campers to find something in their mailbox after lunch, and to have something to read on the way to rest hour. Plus, it’s the best way to inspire them to right a letter home as well!

Full-Throated Fun

One of the activities offered each day at Rockbrook is something called “Nature.” While rather broadly defined as anything involving the plants, animals and forests of camp, it’s a real treat for the campers. The notion of exploration, of discovery, describes it pretty well also, because mostly the campers are tromping around through the woods and finding fascinating bits of the natural world. With more than 200 acres of Rockbrook property available, the counselors have come up with loads of really fun ways for the girls to be true naturalists. They take stream hikes, stopping to turn over rocks looking for crayfish and salamanders. Like in this photo, they take nets and capture tadpoles at the lake to compare their stages of development. Or, they may simply hike through the woods, perhaps bushwhacking off-trail, to marvel at some of the huge old growth trees on the property.  Of course part of the fun is getting a little dirty and truly feeling the grit and grime of what they find, but that’s one of the things that helps the girls appreciate the beauty of it all, and for us, is something we can feel good about because of the benefits outdoor experience provides.

During one of the swimming activities this morning, the counselors greased up a watermelon for the girls and organized several fun relay races. There’s still plenty of silt coming down the creek and into the lake making the water cloudy, and this made the watermelon a little more difficult to find when it went under. Having to hunt for a hidden, submerged fruit is surprisingly fun because it can appear far from where you expect it. On a bright sunny day, this is good old fashioned fun, and it comes with a sweet tasty watermelon treat.

Being Wednesday, the afternoon was our cabin day, a time when instead of each camper pursuing her individual schedule of regular activities, the cabin groups and their counselors stay together for special whole-cabin events. Each cabin decides what they would like to do. Many involve hiking, like along the gentle trail to Rockbrook Falls or the steep and severe trail up to Castle Rock overlooking the camp. Today, a few cabins played group games on the hill, a couple of Junior cabins played board games, and others relaxed on the porch of the Lakeview lodge making friendship bracelets. One cabin was caught doing outdoor yoga!

All of the senior cabins took a special trip right before dinner. Dressed in their bathing suits and with towels in hand, they loaded up the buses to head out to a special spot in the Pisgah Forest for a picnic. Our timing was excellent because when we arrived, we were the only people there to enjoy a wonderful grassy field, trimmed with awesome shade trees and just the right number of picnic tables. Rick packed us another amazing dinner of fresh corn on the cob, tortellini, warm rolls, and cool, bright red raspberries. The late afternoon sunshine was gorgeous and we had plenty of altitude to keep things breezy and comfortable. After eating, we couldn’t help but skip around the field and play an exuberant game of “Duck Duck Goose.” You might think teenage girls would be “too cool” for this kind of game, but not so with this crowd.

Our next stop on this outing was the main event: Sliding Rock. Always a favorite, this is the natural waterslide formed by Looking Glass Creek as it drops about 60 feet over a gently sloping rock into a deep pool. Going this late after the Forest Service lifeguards have left (we bring our own) is ideal because it avoids the typical crowds of summer, and thereby allows our Rockbrook girls to spend less time waiting in line and more time sliding.  Is the water cold?  You betcha!  That explains why most of the photos of the girls sliding end up showing them with their mouths open.  A few can remain poised enough to smile for the camera as they accelerate toward to bottom, but most are anticipating the plunge that awaits and just let loose with a wide-eyed, full-throated scream.  You can almost hear it in each shot.  Meanwhile, the rest of the girls waiting their turn are cheering their friends on, clapping and shouting.  It really is super exciting.

With our fill of sliding, there was one more stop to make, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.  On the way out of the forest we took that happy left turn into Dolly’s Dairy Bar so everyone could enjoy a cone of their favorite flavor of ice cream.  There were more screams and cheers of delight as we pulled into the parking lot and all the girls ran to join the line waiting to order.  Dolly’s has refined their serving so it took just a few minutes for everyone to be savoring (for some, gobbling) their treat. Yummy stuff.  It was dark by the time we made it back to camp, bringing our surprise night out to a close, but it was the kind of big group fun we love around here, and a really good time.

Activities Galore at Rockbrook

Miriam tries out her Yoga skills

Monday was quite eventful around Rockbrook Camp as our Third Session campers tried their first set of daily activities. They will do these chosen activities for three days and then have the opportunity to try a whole other set for the second half of the week. We have seen over the years that this concept of choice while away from home is a wonderful way to encourage independence and growth for every camper.

Two extra morning highlights included muffin break and free swim. Our resident baker Allison had wonderful chocolate sprinkle muffins waiting for the girls between first and second period. Then after second period, most girls headed down to the lake for a dip after this warm morning. They had their first opportunity to go on the water slide and swim laps for our Mermaid Club. With all of these bust active girls, there were smiles everywhere down at the lake!

Two thumbs up for the slide

After rest hour this afternoon, activities continued and our first white water rafters left for an overnight camp out experience at our Nantahala Outpost. Another group will join them tomorrow on the river for a day trip. As the only camp with an outpost at the Nantahala River, we love being able to let each camper decide which length of trip she would like to participate in.

We did have a little rainstorm this afternoon, but we did not let it slow us down. One of our favorite songs here at camp is the “Dewcoat Song.” We just think of rain as a little dew and keep on going! As we all filed into dinner, campers were greeted with a camp favorite: hotdogs with all the sides and fixings followed by key lime pie for dessert.

Even our youngest campers have the opportunity to weave on our Appalachian looms

Great new friends who met yesterday!

We hope that every camper picked up a new skill today, whether it be making a friendship bracelet, walking a horse or talking with a new friend. Each of these qualities is what makes Rockbrook so special and the campers will continue to build upon during the rest of their session here.

Excitement Bubbling Up

Today we opened our third session of camp, and it started out with excitement bubbling up all over. You could see it on the hill when each camper arrived and the counselors let out a cheer. You could see it on campers faces as they literally jiggled in the back seat of the car ready (so ready!) to hop out and get started. These girls have been waiting all summer long for camp, so they were ready to explode with excitement. It was there in the big bear hugs between two friends finally reunited. And we certainly saw this excitement during lunch, the first meal, when it took about 3 minutes for the whole camp to launch into the “Bubble Gum” song.

It’s always a real moment of pride for us to open a new session of camp because it lets “the outside world,” our parents and campers, and their family and friends accompanying them, see all the good things we enjoy at Rockbrook everyday. They can marvel at the sheer beauty of the place, the big trees, stone lodges, and traditional, rustic cabins tucked in the forest. They can enjoy the truly cool mountain air and gaze off the hill at the mountains beyond. Most importantly, they can personally meet some of the wonderful people here. Our cabin counselors are fantastic young ladies. It’s clear when you talk with them that they are marvelous, caring, confident, and energetic women, and will be great role models for the girls at camp. Likewise for our camp Directors, Sarah and Charlotte, Mandy, Sofie and Catherine— these are highly experienced and dedicated Rockbrook people, super organized and responsive. I’m sure you’ll get to know several of these folks, and I’m equally sure you’ll be impressed.

After lunch, which included Rick’s comforting, homemade macaroni and cheese, we all assembled on the grassy hill of camp to meet the Line Heads (the counselors who lead each age group) and Directors, and to sing a few songs. The Hi-Ups, our oldest campers, took a turn teaching a song, and the Directors all joined in to perform a funny “Shower Song” that reminded the campers to bathe while at camp. “Jumping in the lake is not the same…!” Down in the gym, the counselors next took turns presenting short skits to introduce themselves and their activities to the campers. It’s helpful for everyone to learn what activities are offered this year and who will be teaching them. Here too, the campers see that being a little silly is part of the fun here at Rockbrook and that everyone, counselors, directors and campers alike, enjoy it. At some point or another, we’re all dressing up, dancing around, singing and laughing our heads off.

Later, each age group came down to the lake for their “swim demonstrations.” With all of our lifeguards assembled, plus all the Directors, every camper and counselor took a turn demonstrating her swimming ability by jumping off the dock, swimming out 60ft, back another 60ft, and then treading water for 30 seconds. Doing this successfully, confidently, earns you a buddy tag and a cool green bracelet that signals a swimming ability strong enough to tackle our new water slide. If a camper’s swimming skills are weak, she receives a special colored buddy tag (alerting the lifeguards) and must wear a life jacket in the shallow end of the lake. She can also redo her swim demo during any free swim, and the lifeguards are always happy to help work on her strokes.

One quick last reminder… we are posting photos every day online and you can see them after logging into your Campminder account. Checking these is a great fun and you can easily share them by email or on Facebook. Enjoy!

Twins, Friends and Fun in the Sun

There is always an opportunity to wear a costume at Rockbrook and today was no exception with the announcement of Twin Day!  There were lots of adorable sets of twins running around!  It does not take much to create a twin, from a matching t-shirt to completely identical outfits. The sunshine and blue sky made the day a great one for the several trips that were offered today as well!  One group of girls went on an overnight hiking trip to Pisgah Forest, while one group went on a day climbing trip to Looking Glass Rock.  We also have a group of our oldest girls (known as Hi-Ups) out on a multi- day camping trip which includes some fun water activities!  It is a gorgeous time of year to explore all of the local scenic highlights.

As we walked around camp we also saw lots of girls really shining in their activities. Over their time at camp  they have really developed some great skills.  You would be so impressed to hear all of the campers names called out who have completed The Bullseye Club in Archery and Riflery, The Mermaid Club in Swimming, or The Mountain Phoenix Club in climbing.  At gymnastics there were campers doing amazing tricks on the bar and at dance the girls have worked all session on their dance routine. That is one of the great things about being at Rockbrook- where else do you get a chance to try so many new things and learn about all of your hidden talents?

In the camp kitchen today we had some delicious offerings- the highlight was the delicious BLT sandwiches at lunch as well as the cherry- white chocolate chip muffins at snack break!  We love Rick and the camp kitchen staff!

Rounding out the fun day  here at camp will be our all camp Slip n Slide and Shaving Cream fight!  It is an optional activity for any one who wants to participate.  We all put on our bathing suits and head down to the sports field for a fun twilight event! We will be back tomorrow with all of the news of the slide!

Space Carnival Welcome

Today was an exciting day as we welcomed our second group of July mini session campers to Rockbrook. The majority of these campers are returning to Rockbrook from last summer (about 80% of them), but even the new girls seemed wide-eyed with anticipation and excitement. Part of the fun of opening day is seeing camp friends reunite. As a car drives up the hill and Mandy announces over the PA the name of the camper arriving, the squeals from the other girls on the hill can be deafening, and the subsequent bear-hugging tackles between two friends even a little scary. Still, it’s a great moment to see the emotion of that kind of friendship.

As everyone finished arriving and checking in with the nurses, the morning clouds cleared to blue skies and the whole camp assembled on the hill. This was the first event where everyone is together, mini- and full-session girls alike. Each cabin sitting with their counselors, crazy creek chairs deployed, the Hi-Ups led us in the line songs and a couple of RBC favorites (“Rockbrook Camp Forever”). Several of the activity counselors performed skits and songs about their activities to help everyone, especially the new campers, know what they were planning— the games, the craft projects, the challenges —that will make this week special. We also took our state pictures, a quick photo of the campers and counselors sorted into groups by the home state. FL, NC, GA and SC are the big ones this session, but check the online photo gallery to see some surprising other states being represented.

After a double helping of Rick’s homemade mac-n-cheese and some cool watermelon, the mini session campers were off on camp tours, having cabin meetings and rotating down to the lake for their swimming demonstrations. Every year we check everyone’s (campers’ and counselors’) swimming ability and issue them a buddy tag. This year they also receive a bright green armband that indicates they swim well enough to go down the new water slide. Today most of the campers did great. Plenty of bright warm sunshine nicely balanced the chilly water of the lake making the tests quick and easy.

Around 3 o’clock, we rang bell for everyone to come down to the gym for a “space carnival.” A group of 16 counselors, with some help from the Hi-Ups (our 10th graders) put on the event with different games both inside the gym and outside on the archery field. They had “Cosmic Bowling,” “Cream the Alien,” “Shuttle Races,” as well as face painting, cotton candy and ribbon dancing. There was also two giant inflated attractions: a 2-person obstacle course and a velcro anti-gravity bouncy wall. For the wall, you first put on a red, yellow and blue velcro suit, which was pretty funny because they were so hugely over-sized.  Then each person took a turn bouncing a couple of times and flinging herself against the wall.  With arms stretched out, you would stick there dangling by the velcro.  Sometimes, the campers would stick so well, they would need help getting down!  It was pretty funny to watch.

Overall, it was a great first day of the mini session—excellent weather, and plenty of fun all around.  Be sure to check the photo gallery each day.  We’re adding photos all the time.  And thanks for reading the blog.  Did you know you can follow these posts on facebook too?  Head on over and “like” that page!

Living at the Lake

That’s what we’ve been doing these days— really enjoying the Rockbrook lake. Even here in the mountains, the high temperatures have been knocking on 90 by the afternoon making everything at the lake all that more attractive. All day long, in fact, there have been campers and counselors splashing around, making up goofy jumps from the diving board, or just floating around on a tube. The kayakers have been happily getting wet as they practice their rolls, and the canoers, after paddling around a bit, didn’t hesitate to flip into the water. It’s great fun, by the way, to then try to stand up on the bottom of the canoe as it floats upside down. During the free swim periods, the water slide added even more excitement as girls climbed the 30-foot tower and slid (screaming!) down to plunge into the cool water. Classic summer fun!

Today was a day of regular, in-camp activities for everyone, but as I watched the girls confidently go from activity to activity, dash to the dining hall for meals after hearing the bell, check their mailboxes after lunch, and decide how to spend their free time, I thought about how great it is to see them being so independent. After this short week, this place is infused with focused energy, with self-directed ideas about what to do next, where to go and (easily) whom do be with. That’s really neat because it means the girls are making all these decisions on their own and learning to trust themselves as they navigate all the options. Of course, around every corner we’ve got caring adults trained to guide and encourage this kind of independence, and the choices available (the activities, people, and general environment) are carefully selected to be safe and positive, but all of this makes camp a perfect place for girls to grow more self-confident and independent. It’s clear here at camp, and I suspect you’ll notice it back at home too.

Today for lunch our awesome kitchen crew, led by Eulogia, hit a home run. It was a taco fiesta with fresh, secretly spiced, ground beef, black beans, Mexican rice, diced tomatoes, homemade guacamole, cheese and salsa. Each table had a plate of taco shells and bowls with all the different ingredients. And the shells kept on coming. One camper yelled proudly, “this is my eighth one!” The peanut butter and jelly station and the salad bars saw some action, but not much really.

The evening program tonight was the return of a special all-camp event hosted by our old friend Bill Grimsley, Game Show Mania. Using his podiums and scoring system, Bill put on a funny question and answer game that involved groups of campers, but also kept the whole audience involved in the show. After randomly selecting contestants, who then represented their cabins, he played sound bites and asked questions about pop music, movies and TV shows, but also about Rockbrook trivia. Bill was particularly good at making sure all of the contestants scored some points, not leaving anyone out. Prizes, like a giant red, white and blue cookie, went to cabin groups, and at times when the panelists were stumped and the audience knew an answer, the whole crowd was awarded a sweet treat.  The audience of campers was really into the game, cheering on their friends.  This was especially true during the staff round as the campers got to root for their favorite counselor and see them come up with some pretty funny answers.  With costumes and silly antics part of the mix, it was even better.