February 1, 2012
A Rockbrook Weekend!
Frampton and Sofie spent a fun-filled weekend visiting with our beloved Rockbrook staff. On Friday, they met three of our equestrian program’s finest, Kara, Brittany, and Jess, for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Then, on Saturday, they enjoyed breakfast and a camp tour with one of the newest members of our staff, Keke, and Megan who drove all the way from Southern Wesleyan University for a visit.
We sure are a Grand Old Gang!
Keke and Megan
Equestrian Staff
January 26, 2012
SheHeroes
As an employee of Rockbrook, you are so much more than a cabin counselor. You’re a role model, best friend, leader, silly dancing partner, mentor, tetherball opponent, confidante…and the list goes on. The host of diverse roles you hold at camp is truly amazing, which is why the flexibility of your personhood is so important. Whether its through an invitation from a camper to make a friendship bracelet during Free Swim or a cabin-wide hair braiding session before a square dance, you’ll quickly find that campers, both in your cabin and outside of it, sincerely look up to depend on you.
Could you imagine a more important and fulfilling job? As women ages 18-mid 20s, we’ve all been well-versed on the modern cultural climate, and the harsh and often double standards it imposes on females. Everyday, girls (and boys!) are exposed to and internalize strong messages from a variety of sources that tell them how they ought to act, what they ought to eat, and ultimately, who they ought to be. At camp, girls are removed from their mainstreamed environments, and having no access to the standards and pressures of the outside world, they can really build a new sense of self–a sense of self that emulates their counselors in their cabin, not the celebrities in their magazines. You’re given an incredible gift as a counselor: the ability to set positive new standards for young girls. You’re a hero for young females. Better yet, you’re a SheHero, and you have a huge hand in the shift towards self-love, self-respect, and empowerment within and among young females. So, you go girl!
January 25, 2012
Coming soon to a website near you!
Who’s working this summer? Where do they go to school? Where do the they work during the year? What do they do for fun? Most importantly, what is their favorite Ice Cream flavor?!? Gone are the days when you have to wait until June to find out!
We have some very exciting news! In the coming months, take a look at the staff section of our website. You’ll get a sneak peek at the Rockbrook staff for this summer! Can you imagine your face on this page…
January 18, 2012
You Have Got To Be Kidding!
Our campers are talented! We have pianists, jugglers, gymnasts, singers, and actresses! Girls who can rub their belly and pat their heads, touch their tongue to their nose, and hula hoop! Girls who can whistle, snap, and click their tongue. Girls who make up hand-jives and dance ’til the cows come home!
Today, I feel honored to share one of my talents- when I was fifteen I wrote a few jokes of my own. Here’s a sampling- sure to impress all your friends!
Q: Why is Big Bird big, yellow, and feathery?
A: Because if he was small, yellow, and nuggety he would be a corn on the cob!
Q:What do you call a group a grizzlies cracking up together?
A: A BEARel of laughs!
Q: What do people who love to brag on themselves carry their papers in?
A: A GLOATbook!
Q: What is a UPS worker’s favorite sport?
A: Boxing!
Q: What type of chair goes to wild concerts?
A: A rocking chair!
Q: What vegetable do you eat when you want to be very fast?
A: Hustle sprouts!
Q: What’s a livestock’s favorite math tool?
A: A COWculator!
Q: What type of shoe stops up drains?
A: A clog!
Q: What type of chair is good at yoga?
A: A folding chair!
Q: What soothes a sick stomach and gives you neck support at night?
A: A PILL-ow
Q: What time is it when people are throwing pieces of bread at your head?
A: Time to DUCK!
Q: What is a builder’s favorite kind of paper?
A: Construction paper!
Q: When playing spades with The Donald, why did the dealer lose?
A: He handed Donald Trump!
Q: Why couldn’t the farmer find his way out of the corn field?
A: He was in the middle of a maize!
Q: Which medical professional likes to break things?
A: A DENTist!
Q: What do you call a cow who always takes your stuff?
A: A mooooocher!
Q: What MTV show do bass fishermen watch?
A: The Reel World!
Q: What do you call a wild dog that you can’t find?
A: A WHEREwolf!
Q: How would you describe the views a peppermint gets while looking at the Blue Ridge Mountains?
A: Breath Taking!
Q: How are reciprocals like gymnasts?
A: They flip!
Q: Who is Burt’s Bees wax’s roommate?
A: Ernie’s bees wax!
Q: What sport do people who listen to loud, deep music from their stereo play?
A: BASS Ball!
Q: Which island of the coast of Africa does Dale Ernhart Jr. like?
A: MadaNASCAR!
Q: What happened to the gun at work?
A: He got FIRED!
Q: What happened to the pottery at work?
A: He got fired!
Q: Why was the light bulb cold?
A: He was in the shade!
Q: What part of your body says one thing but does another?
A: A HIP-ocrit!
Q: Why do Grizzlies break their pencils?
A: They BEAR down too heard!
Q: What salad topping do you find at ACE hardware?
A: Wrench Dressing!
Q: What happened when the master detective closed the door behind him?
A: He Sherlocked himself out!
Q: Why was the pig red?
A: He was out all day BACON in the sun!
Q: Which relative chimes at you every hour?
A: A Grandfather Clock!
Q: Why was the painter hot?
A: He put on an extra coat!
Q: What kind of hug straitens your teeth?
A: EmBRACES!
Q: What food preservation container is lost?
A: A TuperWHERE!
Q: What type of pirate testifies in court?
A: An “Aye” “Aye” Witness!
Q: Which two months are dishonest?
A: FIBruary and JuLIE
Q: Which four months are cold?
A: Septmebrrrrrrrr, Octobrrrrrrrr, Novembrrrrrrr, and Decemberrrrrrrrr!
Q: Which coloring utensil makes you tired?
A: A craYAWN!
January 11, 2012
Fairy Godmothers
It happens on a single fallen eyelash… when the clock strikes 11:11…with every dandelion seed whisked off by the wind… on a heads-up penny…. on a shooting star…. after those birthday candles have lost their flame- a wish is made. A secret desire thrown out to the world with no certainty that it will ever be granted.
Every year girls wish for a magical place that they can call home. A place where muffins are served up warm and sweet every morning. A place to wear silly costumes and to belly laugh. A place filled with a lake to swim and rocks to climb. A place to find their best friend.
They wish for a moment when they can just be themselves. A time when all they have to think about is being a girl, playing, and outdoor living. A time when they can start and end their day with a big, bright smile.
Unlike the wishes set to shooting stars or dandelions, these come true every summer at Rockbrook. Counselors become fairy godmothers and say, “your wish is granted.”
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January 6, 2012
Our 5 Favorite New Year’s Resolutions
1. Be silly!
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2. Lend a helping hand.
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3. Set aside some time for relaxation.
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4. Pass along some positive encouragement.
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5. Keep it real.
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January 3, 2012
Summer Camp Jobs
Counselors come in every shape and size-
They all love a good Rockbrook surprise!
Some like to tie silk, ribbons, and lace-
Other prefer a more outdoorsy pace!
We have dancers and french braiders-
Rock climbers and friendship bracelet makers!
You can be short or tall-
Prefer spring or fall!
Write with your left hand or right-
It’s even ok if spiders give you a fright!
Yohooo, come on! We’re hoping you apply-
We have a lot to offer and our girls are sweet as pie!
Education, psychology, business majors alike-
We’d love for you to make s’mores or maybe lead a hike!
You’ll find the staff application on our website-
We hope that this summer you chose to wear the red and white!
December 21, 2011
Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain poked at the nation a bit. He elbowed us and said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” He encouraged us to get up and live!
As camp counselors we perfectly personify this assertion. Every summer we trade in air-conditioned rooms for mountain-chilled air, polished, made-up looks for muddy, natural complexions, and car wheels for cartwheels. We explore the splendor of the natural world. We dream of creating a world of beauty for our campers. We discover the sheer joy a child can bring to life.
Come June slow, sleepy mornings brought on by a sounding alarm clock transform into a rising bell, fresh fruit and songs sung between bites at breakfast. Hands normally busy texting and typing are suddenly paddling, french-braiding, and slipping snail mail into the post. We explore and desire the simple life. We dream in fairy parties and jungle breakfasts. We discover what summer means to us.
As the days grow longer and the weather warmer, we no longer flip a switch to fade the lights, but watch on as the sun’s gentle pinks and oranges settle under the horizon as we welcome twilight’s lightening bugs with open arms. Time typically spent choosing the day’s outfit and honing a particular outward appearance is devoted to studying the inside of a person; the real beauty and essence of them. We explore the depth of a real friendship. We dream and strive to be the best role model we can be for our campers. We discover that we are capable of things we never imagined possible.
Twenty years from now look back on a life well lived.
December 15, 2011
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A…
A seemingly simple act, smiling is something that we do casually, frequently, and sometimes involuntarily. You may not realize it, but humans smile regularly throughout the day. One person averages about 50 smiles per day, which translates to 1500 smiles per month, which means you smile around 18,250 smiles per year! And these numbers are definitely something to smile about, as grinning boosts your mood, relieves stress, and impacts those around you in a positive way. There’s more good news! With all of the fun we have at camp, you can bet that you’re well above that average! In fact, RBC is such a smily environment, we have several camp songs dedicated to grinning and giggling, such as “Smile, Pep” and ”Smile in the Morning”.
Featured on TEDTalks, Ron Gutman delivers a lighthearted and informative lecture on the many, and sometimes surprising, benefits of smiling. See his talk here, and don’t forget to flash those pearly whites!
December 14, 2011
Take our December Challenge
This week we sent out the second installment of our Rockbrook staff newsletter. Beyond including tricks of the trade (how to tell a proper joke- har har) and recipes for holiday treats (chocolaty brownies!), we coaxed our counselors to dive into the joys of the holiday season and take on a challenge that will keep their days merry and bright.
See if you can take on our December challenge.
Can you complete seven of the following tasks by the end of the month?
|  Join a sports team  Learn a new skill |
 Pay for a stranger's meal |  Reconnect with an old friend |  Sing in the shower |
 Plant a flower indoors |  Skip |  Roast a marshmallow |
 Turn off your TV |  Try a new recipe |  Treat a friend to a candy cane |
Dance
