Sundays are all-camp days at Rockbrook. Instead of each camper following her individual activity schedule, or a cabin group sticking together for “cabin day,” we spend the day all together for several different events. It’s a refreshing change of pace, and often filled with surprises.

This morning we began by sleeping in a little extra, which felt especially good after our busy week at camp. For breakfast, Rick arranged for fresh Krispy Kreme donuts to be delivered, adding them to our regular breakfast fare of fruit, yogurt, and cereals. Then we had time to get cleaned up and change into our camp uniforms, for campers the white shirt, shorts and red tie, and for counselors their red polo staff shirt. The whole camp, now all sharp in our red and white, lined up around the flag pole on the hill for a short flag raising ceremony. The Hi-Ups raised both the American flag and our camp flag, and we all recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang “America the Beautiful.” These simple camp traditions settle everyone down before walking down to the chapel area of camp.

We call this area the “Chapel” because it’s a beautiful, quiet spot in the forest where we can gather as a community and reflect on some of the values that help make Rockbrook special. The program is not a religious ceremony, but instead a collection of short camper reflections, songs, and something by Sarah, often a children’s book— all revolving around a theme.

Today’s theme was “Simplicity.” The Middler Line campers shared how nice it was not having to bring fancy bathing products to camp, and using simple things instead. They also talked about enjoying being away from technology, appreciating friendships, nature, and even Felix, the camp dog.

We learned a new song called “Simple Joys,” with some campers leading it. Then we sang “Simple Gifts,” with six campers playing the ukulele and singing along. We also sang “Blue Skies,” learned the camp song, and “Heart of the Wooded Mountain,” another classic.

Sarah read a book called, Small Things Mended, by Casey W. Robinson. It’s about how taking care of little things leads to more joy. The story follows a man who starts fixing things for neighborhood kids, first a pocket watch, then a music box. Word spreads, and soon everyone begins bringing him things to fix. He decides to host weekly lunches with produce from his garden, fixes up his garden, and realizes how happy he is because he’s surrounded by friends. He discovers that even a broken heart can be fixed simply with friends.

Lately, some of us have started referring to our chapel as an acronym: Community, Happiness, Adventure, Peace, Earth, and Love. Chapel is a time to celebrate all of these things we enjoy at camp. It’s a time for us to slow down and appreciate the simple things that mean so much.

First session Rockbrook campers have been settling in for a few days now, and it’s just the start of camp! They have already had incredible experiences, including white water rafting, weaving, pottery, backpacking, and many more. One of the best parts of the week is cabin day, which takes place every Wednesday afternoon of the session. 

Camp provides the perfect environment for creativity and opportunities for counselors to have fun with their campers. This is especially true for cabin day, because the possibilities are endless! Counselors and programming team members spend hours each week planning special afternoon activities for campers by gathering supplies, workshopping group experiences, collaborating with other counselors, and finally executing plans. Each cabin has different activities tailored to their interests and personalities. When I was a counselor it was always fun to hear what my campers liked and then develop an afternoon where they could all have fun together. It is an amazing opportunity for campers to bond, especially since they aren’t all together as a group in activities during the day.

Counselors usually have the best luck balancing an “active” activity with a more relaxing, crafty activity. This way, there is something for everybody in the cabin that plays to the campers’ different temperaments. Counselors can also come up with themes for the day, including pirates, fairies, mermaids, detectives, animals, or anything that fits with their campers’ unique interests. Campers and counselors can hike to Castle Rock or Rockbrook Falls, go to the mermaid pools, use the lake, use our activity spaces to make crafts, and make special memorabilia to represent their cabin group that year. We are so lucky to live in this beautiful space at Rockbrook, so the possibilities are endless. Counselors and our programming team work extremely hard to pull this off every week, and campers always have so much fun!

The best part of cabin day, in my opinion, is the opportunity to spend time as a cabin group outside of the cabin. Beyond the day-to-day in-cabin routines, there are not many instances where everybody in the cabin is together at one time. Cabin day is one of the best ways to cultivate a positive cabin dynamic and strengthen the camp experience. Connection is the foundation of Rockbrook, and this is just one example of how we build it. 

Today, we woke up to a cool misty fog dulling the greens of the forest. It was only about 58 degrees, so as the girls made their way to the dining hall for breakfast bundled up in all sorts of fleecy long-sleeved things, they were clearly not at home. No climate controlled room, but instead the moist smell of crisp mountain air. No clatter or buzz from an alarm clock, but rather the ringing of Rockbrook’s 100-year-old bell. Conversation in the cabin, friendly calls of “good morning!” between cabin mates, spurred everyone along. No school, or swim practice, or carpool to reach on time, but instead a day with friends filled with different activities to look forward to. Today was when we would really dig in to camp life.

The first thing to notice about what we might call a “regular day” at camp is that it is packed with action, completely filled with girls busy doing things in the many activities. Out in nature, together with other girls of varying ages, they’re deeply involved being challenged in sports, being creative in the arts, and being thrilled by adventure. And the variety of these experiences is incredible. They’re riding horses, shooting arrows, and climbing our Alpine Tower. They’re weaving on looms, sawing through wood, and zipping along high among the trees. They’re hitting tennis balls, and rolling out balls of cool, moist clay. They’re learning too! Learning about some of the local birds, about how to aim a target rifle, about the parts of a whitewater kayak, and about how to do a cartwheel, for example.

But they’re also learning something else that could be even more important. They’re learning to relax into whatever they’re doing, even when they aren’t in a group activity (a “class” with a “teacher’). Our “regular days” have three dedicated blocks of free time for the girls when they are not in a scheduled activity: a “free swim” before lunch and dinner, and a chunk after dinner we call “Twilight.” These are true free times when they can be with friends, visit the lake, play a game like tennis or gagaball, or just relax on the hill. Different from the regimen of school where each minute is “on task” for the most part, camp life provides time (and space!) to explore, discover, connect and meander no matter what a camper’s inclination. Combine that with an almost endless supply of friendly companions and we’ve got something really special. It’s both relaxing and compelling at the same time. Hmmm… is that a definition of fun? Maybe. No matter what, I’d say it’s the perfect combination to help kids grow.

Camp is great like that. It fosters so many positive personal developments, from making friends to the kind of self-confidence that sprouts from new experiences in a supportive environment. There lots more to be said about that!

For now, I hope you’re enjoying the online photo gallery we update everyday. The photos provide just a glimpse into our days at Rockbrook, but they do convey some of the action, the delight, and the spirit we all enjoy. They’re fun to see, but I bet you’re jealous you can’t enjoy it too!

Welcome! Welcome, summer 2025! Welcome to everyone arriving at Rockbrook today for the start of their camp session. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve been planning for camp, packing for camp, setting up for camp, and dreaming about camp for weeks, some of us for months. As the opening day approached, you could feel the excitement building, the beautiful energy of it all. Something special was about to begin.

We all felt this too, not just the campers. Our staff had just finished their week long training and orientation, and they were ready to get started. Our maintenance and housekeeping staff were finishing their preparations all around the camp. Our nurses were reviewing the health histories of everyone arriving, as our kitchen staff was finalizing menus and restocking our pantry. Our office staff had been communicating and organizing stacks of paperwork, and our Directors were pleased that everything in this intentional community was coming together. We have all been looking forward to this day.

Of course, the campers were the most excited. For the girls returning to Rockbrook, today was a day to reunite with their camp friends. Hug after smiling hug, coming back together after a year of school was marvelous. New campers too: while perhaps mixed with some nervous energy, they also were excited to find their counselors waiting for them eager to introduce cabin mates and help everyone get oriented to camp life.

Our staggered arrival system again worked well. It allowed the queue to move along smoothly and the girls in the same cabin to arrive approximately at the same time. This is great because the girls can immediately get busy together: making beds, arranging trunks in the cabin, learning names, decorating name tags, and touring around the camp.

Once everyone arrived, the first event was to gather on the hill for a quick all-camp assembly before lunch. The morning misty weather had cleared completely by then making the view of the mountains fantastic. Sarah introduced the campers to the Hi-Ups and the other Directors, explained a few safety things (e.g., the camp boundaries, and the lightning warning system), and led the whole group in a couple of camp songs. Felix’s cameo appearance was another highlight.

It’s somehow become a tradition of sorts at Rockbrook for the opening day lunch to be Rick’s homemade baked Mac-n-Cheese and watermelon. With a crisp salad and steamed broccoli on the side, it’s a warm plate of comfort. It’s so melty and savory inside with crunchy breadcrumbs on top, it really is a hit. He also prepared today a gluten-free, vegan version, that was also delicious.

After a short rest hour, it was time for an introduction to the Rockbrook lake, our “refreshingly cool” mountain stream-fed swimming hole. At the beginning of every session we invite all of the campers to learn about the lake protocols, for example our “tag system,” and to demonstrate their swimming ability to the lifeguards. These “swim demos” involve jumping into the water from the dock, swimming out and back a short distance, and treading water for a minute. The guards classify swimming abilities into three levels with some being restricted to the shallow part of the lake and others requiring a lifejacket. No matter their level, though, every camper gets to enjoy cooling off in the lake in some way. Today’s warm and sunny afternoon weather made the lake quite inviting, encouraging the girls to jump right in and enjoy this classic camp experience.

Another assembly, this time in the gym, was devoted to the activity options available to the girls. The counselors and specialist instructors performed skits to introduce what each activity offered. Combining costumes and songs, and of course plenty of props (think kayaks, ropes, helmets, tennis rackets, and craft supplies), these skits were often pretty silly… entertaining too. Later in the evening, the campers would be selecting their first set of four activities, so these skits were a great way to spur ideas about what to try. The new music activity, “The Rockbrook Songbirds,” where the girls will learn to play the ukulele and dive deeper into the Rockbrook songbook, seemed to turn a few heads with interest. Since each camper chooses her own activity schedule, the activities are a great way for the girls to meet other friends at camp who are not necessarily in their cabin. Rockbrook is just the right size, not super small or too large, to meet almost everyone and feel a part of the whole community.

Tomorrow we’ll all scatter and launch into our first full day of camp activities. We’re ready!

Hurricane Helene in the Heart of a Wooded Mountain

We imagine you have all heard the news that western North Carolina experienced a very powerful hurricane that left quite a lot of damage in its wake. Because this area has many rivers and creeks and communities built near them, the rising waters affected a large number of towns and cities.

Many of you have reached out to find out how Rockbrook fared in this massive storm, and so we wanted to take a moment to give you an update. Overall, we feel very lucky that the damage was not as extensive as many places in our region. The most obvious damage has been to our roads and underground pipes and culverts. With the steep terrain of Rockbrook, and the two waterfalls, there were incredible amounts of water rushing down the hill and the driveway, digging up pipes and finding new ways of entering and exiting the lake. In a few places, the soil was so waterlogged that some mudslides occurred.

With so many trees on our property, there were a number that fell. Two buildings were affected by fallen trees – one of our newly renovated cabins and the red cottage at the base of our service driveway both ended up with trees on them. The stream that runs under the dining hall was so full that mud ended up inside the kitchen and dining room. The stream then continued under the dining hall, splashing up and over the bridge in front of Goodwill.

Down at the barn, all of the horses were moved up to the highest part of our riding center, doubling up in the stalls and in the arena. The water filled up the lower ring and reached the outer stalls in the lower barn and also covering the bridge to the pastures. Everyone and all of the animals at Rockbrook are safe. While we still don’t have power or water, the cleanup effort has begun, and we are assessing the repairs needed to all of the buildings.

As many of you have asked how you can help, we are including the link to donate to our Building Fund, and to help with relief for our wider area, please consider the World Central Kitchen. We are so grateful for our Rockbrook family, and we are happy to report that all of the damage will be fixable by the time our 2025 season begins. Please be patient as our communications from camp have been slowed by this event. We can’t wait to see you all again!

Now that we’ve finished up our last session of camp, and we find ourselves reflecting on the summer, it’s again a challenge to describe it all. Friends will ask, “How was the summer?” And, I’ll stumble through an attempt to describe it by saying “Great! So many happy people, wonderful!” That’s all true, but it barely scratches what it was really like at Rockbrook this summer. There’s so much more.

Camp was beautiful, beautiful to see children laughing and playing. Beautiful to witness girls relaxing into the rhythms of camp life, being free to explore, play, create, and discover. It was beautiful to see kindness, budding confidence, and willing enthusiasm color whatever we were doing. It was beautiful to hear easy silliness and laughter everywhere at camp. It was beautiful to feel so close to so many people.

The summer was magical too. It was full of delightful surprises, moments when we embraced the wonders of Nature. It was magical how the simplest things were fun, often hilarious, and ended up being a source of deep comfort. It was magical how everyday was both exciting and worry free, filled with new experiences.

Camp this summer was also refreshing. Our drier and cooler weather was refreshing, but so was the feeling of being a part of the Rockbrook community. It was refreshing to connect with the people so easily, to make almost instant friends with everyone, and to be embraced for our authentic selves. For many, it was refreshing to simply be away from the allure of their electronic devices.

Camp was emotional, packed with experiences that we felt deeply. We cheered for each other almost everyday. We were thrilled by all the novelty and adventure of the activities and trips. There were so many hugs, smiles, and sweet moments of affection. Sharing this much, being this open and genuine, made even the challenges we faced both manageable and meaningful.

The third session Spirit Fire brought all of this into focus. Dressed in our red and white uniforms and gathered around the blazing campfire, we couldn’t help but realize that the friendships we’d formed at camp, the experience of it all, were in a way miraculous. The speeches reflected this too. The girls talked about felling lucky to have been at camp, to have found Rockbrook. They expressed such heartfelt gratitude, and marveled at how they’d grown and “become who they are” at camp.

Yes, camp was beautiful, magical, refreshing and emotional —altogether miraculous. It was for everyone, campers, staff and directors alike, an experience that’s hard to describe, but one that we’ll cherish. We’ll remember it fondly, seek its spirit throughout our days, and yearn for its return sometime soon.

So thank you! Thank you for helping make this special experience possible, for your support, and for sending your girls. We miss everyone already. We look forward to seeing you next summer when we can come together at Rockbrook and rekindle the camp spirit we love.