December 1, 2009
Riflery
Haley teaching riflery
Riflery is definitely one of the most popular activities at camp. There’s nothing like aiming for the bullseye and pulling the trigger! AND, let’s not forget the tournaments with Camp Carolina for Boys. To be an instructor, you don’t have to be an expert marksman yourself (although that’s great!) because there is a pre-camp training to learn the firing commands, important safety information, and how to take care of the equipment. Being able to clearly communicate and being safety-conscious are the most important traits of a riflery instructor.
Here’s a riflery song at RBC (to the tune of “Splish Splash I was Taking a Bath”):
“Bang! Bang! I was shooting a gun
On a sunny Rockbrook afternoon.
So c’mon everbody and give it a try,
Mayb you’ll get lucky and get a bullseye.
Bang! Bang! that’s using your aim
And that shows riflery is your game, BANG!”
November 25, 2009
Thanksgiving Jokes
In case you are looking to “campify” your family get-together, here’s a site that has Thanksgiving jokes and riddles:
http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/jokes.htm
November 23, 2009
Camp Pranks
What would camp be without some lighthearted pranks? There’s a long history of the prank war between the CA’s – the oldest Senior campers, and the Hi-Ups – The oldest age group of all. Think turning their dining hall table upside down, or wrapping bunks in cellophane, freezing the other cabin’s bras. Here’s Anna Alsobrook, 2009 Hi-Up counselor’s, favorite prank from this summer (Note: Hi-Ups take on special tasks like throwing “fairy parties,” which is when they wake up a whole age group and surprise them with a party in the lodge, complete with lots of treats and dancing):
“One night my girls went down to the CA cabins and woke them all up screaming ‘Fairy party! Fairy party!’ Well, all the CA’s went down to the lodge only to find out that there was no fairy party and they had woken up in the middle of the night for no reason!“
November 20, 2009
Harry Potter Loves Rockbrook
Tally Singer, long-time Rockbrook girl and assistant director this past summer, lives and works in LA during the off-season. She’s worked on movies like The DaVinci Code, and other Ron Howard productions. Recently, she saw Daniel Radcliffe and friends. Here’s the poster they signed for all us girls at Rockbrook!
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November 16, 2009
Rockbrook Role Models
Campers listen and watch everything their counselors do. Here are some sweet Carrier Pigeon (the camp’s yearbook) entries that some campers wrote this summer:
Written about counselor Paige Salsman
November 13, 2009
Gillian Scruggs Abroad in South America
The Gillian at Machu Picchu
One of RBC’s Go-Go Climbing Heroes is studying abroad in Chile and Argentina. She is a Spanish major at UNCA, and is also leads trips for their outdoors program. She’s known at camp for being hilarious, energetic and all-around great friend and counselor.
Here was her exciting itinerary as of July 2009:
Sweet pants
You can keep up with her on her own insightful blog at:
http://ayeardownsouth.blogspot.com
Snowboarding in the Andes
November 12, 2009
First-Time Counselor’s Camp Reflection
At the end of each camp session, select counselors and campers speak about their camp experience. Here’s what Kara Morris, a 2009 first-time counselor of the Junior line and archery instructor, said about her summer at Rockbrook:
Hello, I’m Kara Morris and this is my first year at Rockbrook. Being from the west where sleepaway camps are uncommon, I expected Rockbrook to be your typical Parent Trap style camp, where you pierce your ears, cut your hair, learn complex handshakes, and of course, find your long-lost twin. What I did not expect was this remarkable program enabling girls to constantly try new things, have endless amounts of fun, create life-long friendships, to grow, mature and learn life’s lessons with each passing day. I had no idea how intricate Rockbrook is, and how much work and effort goes into each and every single day. What’s remarkable is the resulting experience people receive by coming as a camper or a staff member.
making a hat
What experience is that? It’s all of the chances we’ve had to enjoy ourselves, have our patience tested, a cold shower because you can’t get to Brad fast enough, it’s trial and error, attempting to catch-and-release a ginormous black widow instead of just killing him to be considered a “Bug Rescuer.” The personal thoughts you’ve collected while hiking miles or swimming that 440. Teaching someone how to make a cool design for a friendship bracelet. It’s the friendships you’ve made. It’s the laughs, the tears, the knowledge that you and a group of girls just got through a difficult situation, The battle scars from falling down the senior steps or the hill…Writing a handwritten letter. Watching the rain fall, listening to the thunder. Hauling trunk after trunk up the hill. Spending time in nature away from electronics and cares of the world. Finishing a great book. Encouraging another person. It’s Rockbrook camp. Young or Old, whether you know it or not, each of you have gained experience here over the past few weeks. You come as one person and leave a better person because of it.
I want S'more!
My experience at Rockbrook has not only been these thing, but more. Camp has taught me to be a better person, more patient with others and myself; it has helped me be more forgiving and less judgmental. It has enabled me to contemplate who I am and why I do the things I do. It has drawn me closer to my beliefs. It has been a growth-promoting experience…
To my fabulous juniors, I love you girls. No matter where you are, every time I eat pudding I will think of your bright smiling faces. And I will hear little voices in my mind saying, “What about my pudding??” Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from you. As the Broadway Musical “Wicked” states, “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”
Tubing down the Davidson River
November 10, 2009
Flight of the Vampire 5K
On Halloween, directors Jessi Nixon and Mandy Horton ran in the local Flight of the Vampire Race, along with Rockbrook girls Leah Emory and her mother, Lynn.
At the Finish Line with Leah and Lynn Emory
November 9, 2009
Kelsie Rae Johnson is Getting Married!
Former counselor Kelsie Rea is “getting hitched” next week. A well-rounded counselor, she taught both needlecraft and WHOA in 2008. She currently attends Utah Valley University. Congratulations, Kelsie!
October 27, 2009
Guest Blogger: Ambher Casebolt
“Why I Like Working with Campers” – By Ambher Casebolt, 2009 counselor, Florida.
Miss RBC
From the start of opening day, you quickly realize that every camper has a different personality. Getting to know each and every one of them and experiencing camp with them not only impacts my life but I hope theirs as well. As a counselor, it is our responsibility to make sure the campers are having the best time possible here at camp. This might consist of going crazy at an ’80′s dance, racing them on the moon bounce at the Wild West Carnival, or dressing up for Medieval Restaurant Night! Participating in theme events is all part of the camp experience and the girls seem to really enjoy dressing up. All of these reasons are why I love working with campers. It is the fact that you never know what might happen from day to day and that’s what makes it exciting!
