Here’s a little video from our recent trips down the Nantahala. Whitewater rafting adventure at Rockbrook!
Here’s a little video from our recent trips down the Nantahala. Whitewater rafting adventure at Rockbrook!
One of the ways we often describe Rockbrook is to call it a “forest camp,” a summer camp in the woods, immersed in nature. It has an organic, rustic feeling with lots of big rocks, ancient trees, rushing water, and a healthy population of small plants and animals ripe for discovery by the girls who live here. Instead of crisp landscaped lines, we are happy to allow tree roots to grow across our path, or moss to cover rocks near the lake. We want our experience at camp to include, not be too sheltered from, the textures and patterns of the natural world. Part of our mission is to bring our campers closer to nature, to learn about its complexity, and experience its beauty and wonder. This is a photo of our “Nature Nook,” a small outdoor forest classroom located just down the path to Rockbrook Falls, the largest of the waterfalls on the property. It is home to the activity we simply call “Nature.” For campers who choose it as one their activity periods, counselors lead them on explorations of different trees, leaf collections, creek walks, insect identification, salamander hunts and bird watching. There’s so much to explore too! The 214 acres of Rockbrook are home to incredible natural features, like the cliffs of Castle Rock and Dunn’s Rock for example, but also a few very rare species, like the endangered green salamander.
Another example of an unusual creature found here at camp is the “Blue Ghost” firefly (Phausis reticulata). It’s a small brown beetle, that like other fireflies emits a bioluminescent glow, but unlike the blinking of other species, this firefly lives in the forest and emits a steady greenish light. A few campers have noticed these magical dots of light in the dark woods around camp. They are like shy fairies who glow when undisturbed, but stop quickly when approached. All around us, the natural setting of Rockbrook proves how our “heart of a wooded mountain” is also a magical “fairyland of beauty.”
Today the weavers of Curosty turned their attention to reed, and gathered at the creek to weave baskets. Soaking the reeds in water is an important first step to soften them enough so they can be gently bent and woven. In addition to the standard “under and over” pattern made by the “spokes” (upright strands) and “weavers” (horizontal strands), there are patterns with twists, double strands, and alternating weaves to make more unusual designs. Like many of the other craft activities at camp, weaving baskets is a social event as well as a creative endeavor. It’s a chance to sit with friends and talk while working on a project. In this case, basketry is also an opportunity to soak your feet in a cool mountain stream.
Just before lunch today, the drama instructors held their first rehearsal for this session’s musical, the play the campers perform at the end of the session. The cast is still evolving, and will certainly grow when our mini session campers arrive on Sunday, but we already have plenty of enthusiastic singers, dancers and actors ready to become African animals because the play is “The Jungle Book.” Throughout the session the cast will be learning the songs, practicing the choreography, and memorizing their lines for the show which will be presented on Wednesday afternoon before the closing day of the session. Parents are welcome to attend the show, and we will contact you if your daughter will be performing.
Finally, I wanted to mention the amazing dinner Rick and his team prepared for our “International Day” dinner tonight. He made a Jamaican meal of Jerk Chicken/Tempeh, Samosas (remember that a cabin of juniors helped assemble these!), rice, tomato chutney, pineapple and fried plantains. For dessert he had coconut lime bread with a key lime glaze. Wow! So good!
Less than a week! Rockbrook will open in just 5 short days, and boy are we excited! (Have you seen the countdown timer on the sidebar lately?). Throughout the spring as we’ve planned and prepared for our 2013 summer season, as we’ve finished building projects, organized activities and special events, we’ve gotten more and more eager to get started. This past Sunday was the start of our week-long staff training session. There are about 60 of these college-aged women who are now at camp because this summer they will be cabin counselors, outdoor adventure guides, equestrian instructors, craft specialists, and sports coaches. Add to that several nurses, the entire kitchen crew, and maintenance staff, and you can imagine the buzz of activity suddenly energizing the camp.
In addition to the directors and the staff members, we’re hearing from campers too, many of the girls who are bursting with glee to finally get to camp. Here is a collage, made by Eva, that conveys this feeling of excitement. It’s impossible to not feel excited when Rockbrook is so much fun “it’s like a rocket,” and is “addicting” like the “sweet and spicy” taste of “cinnamon.” Whether in 1962 or 2001, or this year, Rockbrook is a place to make new friends and do new things.
Can you feel it? Are you ready for camp?
Camp is fun. There are shaving cream fights, muffin breaks, kayaking trips, Dolly’s visits, hiking overnights, funny skits, and so much more. However, camp is about way more than just the fun. The entire Rockbrook experience is meant to matter in very meaningful ways. It is about building character traits that will help us later in life— confidence, independence, individuality. It is about being with nature. Camp is about making friends who last. The spontaneity, the adventure, the laughter and the FUN found at camp will stay with us long after we leave the Heart of the Wooded Mountain.
At Rockbrook, our mission is:
To provide a haven for girls, a place of their own, where they can explore the beauty of nature, try new things, enjoy carefree summer living, and make some of their very best friends.
One of the most appealing things about Rockbrook is the opportunity to try new things. Many times you’ll be able to try activities that you wouldn’t be able to do at home for one reason or another. For example, you may want to learn how to roll a kayak, but you don’t have one at home. Try it at camp. You may have always wanted to climb a rock, but who has access to a rock face and a professionally trained outdoors crew on a regular basis? Climb one (or two, or three) at camp. You get the idea — camp is the perfect place to try new things!
This could be the reason that one of the most appreciated Rockbrook activities is archery. Who has the resources/equipment to try an activity like archery on their own? Not many, that’s for sure. For years, Archery has been one of the most sought after activities at camp. That esteem has only increased thanks to the fact that the most celebrated book-turned-movie series out right now is The Hunger Games, a story in which the main character, Katniss Everdeen, is depicted as an underdog, then champion, then heroine. And, as we all know by now, the skill that sets Katniss apart from the rest — she’s a magician with a bow and arrow. Katniss with a bow and arrow is like Michael Jordan with the basketball as time expires during the playoffs: GOLDEN. So, it’s only fitting that archery’s popularity as an activity at camp has soared. Suddenly we find ourselves thinking: I want to be like Katniss.
This is where Rockbrook and Katniss collide. Longtime Rockbrook girl, Marston, decided early on that archery was one of her favorite activities at camp. It didn’t take us long to see how much Marston enjoyed archery, and bullseye after bullseye proved that she was pretty good at it too. Besides loving archery, Marston’s also a pretty big Hunger Games fan. Check out the photos below of Marston, on the left, and Katniss, on the right. I’m no expert when it comes to archery technique, but I think Katniss could take a few tips from Marston. Such focus, such form!
So Marston’s a super archer and she likes The Hunger Games. Cool coincidence? Here’s another awesome addition to the saga: Jennifer Lawrence, the Oscar award winning actress who plays Katniss, seems pretty hip by any standards, and Marston met her!!!!!!!!!!!! Exciting, huh? Archery, Katniss, Marston, and Rockbrook all coming together. I wonder if Jennifer got any good shooting tips from Marston? Maybe the two can set up a meeting on the range. I have my money on the Rockbrook girl, our very own version of Katniss!
What is it about Rockbrook that makes it so special? That’s a pretty loaded question- certainly one that has no right or wrong answer. Some of us may say that it’s the beautiful mountain scenery, others may agree it’s the fabulous counselors, and many may decide that muffin break separates Rockbrook from the rest. However, we think that the friendships made at Rockbrook are a good place to start when discussing what makes camp so wonderful. Though we may only spend a few weeks each year with our camp pals, none of us would hesitate to call them some of our best friends. Sarah and Evie, two Rockbrook girls who met last summer, are a perfect example of ‘true friendship born to last’.
Just last month, Sarah flew from Florida to Maryland to visit Evie and to celebrate her birthday with her. According to her mom, who wrote to tell us about the trip, Sarah’s winter break was “full of firsts that wouldn’t have happened if she had not attended camp this past summer.” Sarah and Evie spent a week together and had lots of fun along the way. The girls saw Les Miserables, played in the snow, went skiing, and counted down to 2013. What a fun trip! Check out some pictures of Sarah and Evie during their trip below, and be sure to let us know about any adventures you have with camp friends during the year- you might just make the blog!
An interesting article written on the Tennessee Today webpage sheds light on the importance of playing outside. A University of Tennessee research team recently conducted a study to determine whether children who play on traditional playgrounds or children who play in natural settings are more active and/or more creative. It turns out that children who play in a natural setting are both more active and use their imagination more than they do while playing on traditional playground equipment. In fact, the children who participated in the study played nearly twice as much in the ‘natural playscape’ than they did on the regular playground. This came as no surprise to us at Rockbrook. We love playing in nature!
So what is it about nature that inspires us to play more than we would on a playground set? Maybe it’s the freedom that we have to use our imagination and get creative. Maybe it’s being able to decide what to do on our own. Maybe it’s the excitement of the unknown. Whatever it may be, we believe that the landscape that surrounds us fosters Rockbrook’s mission to allow girls to explore the beauty of nature and to try new things.
Playgrounds are great and all, but who is ready to ditch the swing set and monkey bars and head into a fairyland of beauty? We can’t wait to play outside with you all this summer!
“I have tears in my eyes about how lucky my daughter has been to get to go to this amazing camp. I grew up going to summer camp and also have been a summer camp counselor in Maine. This is an amazing experience and it has shaped her into a wonderful girl. She will always remember these years!”
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Howdy All!
Charlotte and I recently returned from a Rockbrook Roadtrip, and I wanted to share some of our highlights with you. We traveled far and wide looking for RBC girls. In just seven days we landed in five different cities, spent time with six awesome host families, met eight new canine friends, filled the gas tank close to ten times, saw nearly 150 slices of pizza be devoured, and laughed with countless Rockbrook campers, alumnae, and new pals. Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
On day one, we headed south from Brevard and made it to Atlanta where we had a Rockbrook party at camper Kate’s house. Kate hosted the party with her mom, Betsy, a RBC alumna. We had so much fun! We weren’t ready to leave Georgia after we had such a great time in Atlanta, so we made stops in Columbus and Macon. In Columbus, we laughed all night with Emma, our host camper, and her brother Cam. We fell in love with their new puppy, Tank, but Emma wouldn’t let us take him home.
Tank wasn’t the only furry friend that we wanted to take home with us. We had a party at Anna Kate’s house in Macon where I was introduced to her sweet dog, Ollie. I had heard rumors that Ollie was one of the best dogs I would ever meet. Let me assure you, THE RUMORS ARE TRUE. We saw lots of Rockbrook campers at the party in Macon, and Anna Kate’s mom Kathleen, a former camper herself, built a fire so we could all make s’mores. Yum- talk about a crowd pleaser!
We visited Charlotte’s mom’s house in Georgia before heading North for our last two shows. It’s only necessary that I mention this because I was able to snap a picture of LITTLE CHARLOTTE that I feel I must share with you. Enjoy.
After three fabulous shows in Georgia we made the eight hour drive to Charlottesville to catch up with camper Hannah Margaret and her parents, Wendy and Ed. We loved seeing so many Rockbrook girls in Virginia, and a couple of loyal counselors, Lyndsey and Greer, made appearances also. However, it was Hannah Margaret and her dog, Freckles, who stole the show in Charlottesville. Freckles, a show dog in his own right, has won ribbons in a couple of local dog shows with Hannah Margaret as his trainer. Go Freckles, Go!!!
We were sad to leave Charlottesville, but excited to make it to DC where campers Tia, Wiley and Sarah were waiting for us! The DC party, hosted by Alison and Jill, was such a blast! The energy was amazing, and everyone was so excited to hear about camp. We gave all the girls some RBC shades, and they rocked them To wrap our trip up, we had dinner with some of our favorite Rockbrook counselors in DC. Elizabeth, Katie, Christine, Jane, Kendal, Charlotte and I laughed all night long. It was great to catch up! We had such a great time out on the open road, and we loved seeing so many Rockbrook faces- new and old! Thanks for coming out, y’all! We hope to see you all again soon!