After taking 5 days off from my daily Blog and judging 5 days of Ghost games, I’m back! (thank you to my Olympic news correspondents for their excellent coverage).
Now, where was I? Oh yes, Olympics ended a near tie and the we had a real honest to goodness Lazy Day….almost!
Monday started off with NO reveille and then an on campus porch breakfast; very relaxing…the kids got to catch up, mellow out and hang out after 5 incredible Olympic days… then we had lunch and planned a fun co-eding afternoon.
But the campers kind of OCCUPIED THE MESS HALL and had their presidents attempt to enforce a full morning and afternoon LAZY DAY. Well, after a sit in on the floor of the dining hall (no 5 second rule applied) and an impeachment of the Camp Presidents and 5 year club presidents; the lame duck former Presidents of 2011 rose from their retirement to negotiate a peaceful compromise for a great afternoon of more lazy day, canteen for everyone and a general swim!!!! The people of Towanda reunited and all was well. Monday evening was a nice, casual dance party.
Tuesday morning started with an HC hosted special early morning thank you breakfast for the Group Leaders; followed by an 8:45 AM reveille. Co-ed acxtivities in the morning along with bunk plaque signings (can you believe we are already signing the bunk plaques? where did the summer go?). The afternoon was the jubilant 90th annual logo awards (everyone gets something). Last night was one of the favorites: Bunk Feast and Fort Night! 
In the late hours of the evening, some secret late night campfires for the older groups as reflections, traditions and thoughts of next summer rested against the sounds of crickets during a relatively cool late summer night.
We wake up this morning and go to the Wayne County Fair….. deep fried Oreos, sheep shaving, dizzy rides, pig races and bbq chicken stuffed pretzels highlight the day! The whole camp is at the fair and it is fun to watch the older campers with the younger campers! We love this day, too! Pssst, the first time I will be off camp property since orientation!
As Stephanie and I continue to reflect on this summer, I wanted to share this wonderful letter we received today:
As you know, we have travelled the world and watched our children experience growth, love, hardship, beauty, amazement, devastation, enlightenment, struggle, challenge, adversity, uniqueness, diversity, perspective, and so much more. I would like to think that our travels have helped mold the kids they are today, and how they show up at camp.
But what I have witnessed from afar this summer outshines anything I have seen in both of them before and after our journeys around the world. Their attitudes and perseverance has surpassed anything I have seen at home. As sometimes reserved and/or private (shy) they both tend to be at school, it seems to have no existence in camp. From trying out for plays and sports teams, running for president, leading girls’ sing, letting ‘drama’ and fearful bunk placement roll off, excelling as leaders, and giving their all- both my son and daughter have soared above my expectations, which honestly tend to be quite high .
Camp is truly their happy place. Thank you for bringing out the best in both of them.
With so much gratitude,
We get many letters from parents on a daily basis and we appreciate it; thank you so much, we are truly honored, proud, humbled and take the responsibility seriously.
From the home office in Honesdale, PA…we’re off to the fair!!!!
Mitch
