Life Long Friends

"Keep me from going to sleep too soon. Or if I go to sleep too soon, come wake me up. Come whistling up the road. Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door. Make me get out of bed and come and let you in and light a light. Tell me the Northern Lights are on and make me look. Or tell me clouds are doing something to the moon they never did before, and show me. See that I see. Talk to me 'til I'm half as wide awake as you and start to dress wondering why I ever went to bed at all. Tell me that waking is superb. Not only tell me but persuade me. You know I'm not too hard to persuade." Robert Francis

This has to be one of my favorite quotes and it pops into my mind throughout the year. After having spent the weekend with one of my dearest friends, meeting up with another for dinner, and with Thanksgiving around the corner, I couldn't help but think about how grateful I am for friends who are there to wake me up.

My most cherished friends have come from spending summers dressing up in costumes, sleeping under the stars, hiking through the forests, cooking over a fire and living together in the outdoors. They are people I met at Sanborn who share the same interests and dreams. Camp lays the ground work for creating lasting, meaningful relationships, provides the space for those friendships to grow and develop, and a foundation for them to last a life time. Whether you are a camper or staff member you are surrounded by people who believe in you, share a passion for being in the outdoors, encourage you, support you, and care for you as an individual.

At camp we climb mountains, hike, swim, tube down the river, horseback ride, go camping, do arts & crafts and make s'mores. What makes these trips, activities, and programs so amazing, rewarding and memorable are the people standing next to you when you reach the summit, hit the bullseye or sing a camp song with you at the top of your lungs. Camp is a place where you have the opportunity to learn the art of friendship. To some it comes so easily and for others, those friendship skills and problem solving skills have to be developed and encouraged by an adult who is willing to invest themselves in teaching these valuable life skills.

This past summer I received a phone call at what seemed like the middle of the night. The person on the other end did just what Robert Frost suggests one should. She woke me up, convinced me to get out of bed and wrap a blanket around myself, to step outside on a crisp August night to look up at the same sky she was gazing up at and stand in awe watching the Perseid Meteor Shower. My hope is that our campers and staff will find friendships here that are created throughout the summer and last a lifetime.

End of Summer

I can't believe the summer is over! I find with each year, the two months with campers goes by more and more quickly. Both sessions were a blast this year! We had new programs and trips, great campers, good weather, and lots of good stories to tell. I hope you've been able to read some of the stories the campers have told on the posts below. I want to encourage campers or parents who have adventures and stories to share to send me an email, ashley@sanbornwesterncamps.com, and we can get them up on the blog!

Things are pretty quiet around here now. We are getting ready for school weeks to start in just a couple of weeks. Each camper that came through, returning or new, brought personal experiences, outlooks, and excitement to camp. These made this year a one-of-a-kind adventure with memories not to be forgotten soon!

I personally learned a lot from all the campers this summer. The Juniors kept me laughing and having fun. It was encouraging to see girls who had never ridden before and were slightly nervous, smiling from ear to ear on the final rides and talking about coming back to ride next year. The maturity with which the JCs worked with the younger campers and set an example for the rest of the camp went beyond any expectations I had. They are already planning their return as staff in three summers. I actually ran into a JC from first session yesterday and she excitedly told me about a mini reunion she and her camp friends are planning for this winter. It is great to watch friendships grow and develop during a month at camp, and continue far into the future!

I am already looking forward to next summer!

More Camper Posts

Again, this week we want to share some of the things our campers are doing and writing about!

Rain, Emily Burnham

On some day, we had an outdoor dance party in the rain with Cedar Lodge. It was fun! Then we all took hot showers. YAY!!

How to play Pass The Cup

1. Clap 2x

2. Tap the cup

3. Clap

4. Pick it up and set it down

5. Clap

6. Swipe your hand and set the open end against your hand

7. Set it down

8. Hand it to yourself

9. Put your hand down

10. Pass to the next person

First 2 Weeks, Alex Wyeth

My first two weeks at High Trails were fun and eventful. During the first week I rode a new horse, Justin, had a water fight, and learned where more states are (California). During the second week, We played a hardcore game of Capture the Flag, bonded with cabinmates, had fun in drama, saw deer, and heard coyotes. Overall, Sanborn has been amazing and super fun!

First 2 Weeks, Catherine Shepherd 

I just finished my first two weeks at High Trails. Since it doesn't rain very much in California, I love to see the rain. Here, it rains a lot. I love it when it thunders and lightnings! Yesterday, it hailed! A few days ago they picked us up in vans for dinner because there was a storm. It was really fun! I love the rain!

Overnight Trips, Mariah LeBeau

When we were on a horse overnight, we saw cows and rounded them up until they were on a hill. When we were on our cabinside overnight, my friend and I couldn't sleep, so we told each other stories. 

Riding, Gloria Deignan

I take riding lessons for my Saturday Special and I got to ride the most amazing horse! Usually, I ride a white mare called Cirrus. This Saturday I got to ride Tiny!! One of the biggest horses I know. He's supposed to be difficult to ride, but I loved him and requested him!!

Cabin Bonding, Jessie Foreman

Half way through the week, Ponderosa West lost a pet inch worm. Luckily, Cedar Lodge West had a kind heart to make them happy. Soon the girls in Ponderosa West were dancing! The next day Ponderosa West decided Cedar Lodge West were their bcffl (best camp friends for life)! One of the girls said, "Their awesome bcffl!" So now they always say, "hi," walk to each other's cabin, do make-up, and more! And now they are bfffffff (best friends forever forever forever forever forever forever)!

Charlotte's Web and Camp

I love reading children’s books. I enjoy their simplicity. I appreciate their genuine realness. I respect their innocence. I am amazed how much they say and how much they can affect and teach their readers.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White is a beautiful story of friendship, loyalty, and miracles that occur when people care for and believe in one another. As Mr. Zuckerman’s pig, Wilbur grows, it becomes evident that he’ll have a limited life expectancy – that is until Charlotte, a barn spider, declares that she’ll be his friend and create a way for Wilbur to become special to others. Charlotte accomplishes this by weaving messages about the “terrific” pig into her web. As all the other barnyard animals join in the plan, one realizes that amazing things really are happening. They believe, respect, and support each other. 

At summer camp, amazing things happen all the time. Just as with Wilber and Charlotte and the rest of their community, connections are made. Soon new friendships are formed – every camper is known, needed, and cared for. When someone makes you his or her friend, you soon become beautiful to everyone. Campers are special people: kind and patient, encouraging and loyal.  Sometimes we don’t know where to look, yet every day during a camp season, we realize that life gets better because each of us are in it.

Remembering My Camp Experience

My horse is 750 pounds. My saddle is 40 pounds. I am 85 pounds. My own skeleton barely supports me. Added to the 40 pounds of saddle, and transporting it 30 yards under my own power has become a daunting challenge. I think to myself, “a 200 pound wrangler would have to carry a saddle that weighs 95 pounds to match my ratio. My horse would have to carry 390 pounds to match it as well.” Luckily, this isn’t my first time carrying this saddle. See, this saddle belongs to my favorite horse, Thunder. I’ve carried this saddle numerous times to him and heaved it up on his back. By the way, his back is a good foot and a half taller than me.

I remember my first few days with Thunder and how he must have seen my wrestling matches with this saddle. I could barely carry it out the barn, let alone over to the hitching rack where he stands waiting, patiently. I could barely carry it then, but now, I toss it around like nothing. All I did that summer was climb rocky bluffs, walk up and down hills with my backpack, paddle my canoe across lakes, summit mountains, tube down rivers, and swim to the shore... all fun stuff. I didn’t lift the saddle every day, practice carrying it, or lift weights. Hmmm… I remember the carrying technique my wrangler suggested. He showed me the way that he did it and it seemed to make sense. He helped me the first week of camp and I gradually got the hang of it. The awkward shape and dangling pieces were much more manageable with his technique, and it became easier.

Now that I have overcome the saddle conundrum, Thunder is waiting for me. He’s patiently tied at the hitching rack, brushed and groomed, and ready for our final ride of the summer. I grab his saddle and walk, if not strut, to him. I gather my saddle pieces and toss it on his back. I know Thunder is impressed. He’s my favorite horse and we’ve become good friends. I started riding him when I first got to camp. Being from Chicago, I didn’t know much about horses, but it always excited me to be around them and to ride them. I started out learning to brush, saddle, and bridle my horse. My wranglers were great teachers. I looked up to them. I saw their confidence and it inspired me to do my best to learn and ask questions so that maybe I could be that confident with horses. As the repetition and practice of saddling and bridling became habit, we moved onto riding. Riding was spectacular. Little did I know that Thunder would be such a great teacher. Our first ride was too short in my opinion. I could have ridden for days. Thunder was strong and controlled. On our first overnight horse trip, we bonded. We rode all day to a sweet campsite; a great view, cool sunset, good food cooking on the fire, and all my friends around me. I wondered if my friends had the same feeling I did about my horse.

As I mentioned before, my other camp adventures took me to new places with new people to new heights, literally. I learned how to rock scramble, build survival shelters, identify animal tracks, and that I could climb 14,000 foot mountains. My confidence grew. I capped off my summer riding Thunder in the Gymkhana competition event against the girl’s camp. I can’t believe how much I learned in one summer, how much I learned from a horse. While I have since gone on to ride many more horses, Thunder will always hold a special place in my heart. 

The Importance of the Kitchen Table

My kids love to dance on the kitchen table. A different kind of energy is emitted when kitchen table dancing occurs. It's something unusual, exciting, taboo. It's great! I encourage everyone to dance on the kitchen table. 

There was a movement a while back promoting the idea that the federal government should supply every family in the U.S. with a kitchen table. It's a good idea. A lot happens around the kitchen table. It is a place to develop family value foundations. There are conversations, card games, craft projects, eating and cooking, being together, and slipping the family dog a treat. Homework and bills are done at the table. Holiday meals with family and friends make the kitchen table a hearthstone for family memories. It's a healthy place to be.

At High Trails Outdoor Education Center, the first meal we serve to school groups is always a mess. Many students don't have the chance to sit down with a family back home or have kitchen table norms to set expectations. It is loud, chaotic, messy, confusion over passing, and lots of refills. By the end of the week, students are working together at their tables like well-oiled machines (probably motivated by hunger). We hope students will be the impetus in their own homes to get everyone around the table for dinner or a little dance.

There is a great resource providing suggestions for how the kitchen table can influence child behavior and development.