Ahhhh, summer camp.

As a youth, I distinctly recall a memorable week at Holiquin Stables (near Waynesboro, PA) , where I learned all about horses and riding.  My brother and I spent seven glorious days and six nights learning riding techniques, horse anatomy, stable chores, and animal care.  We were also the only two people at camp who rode “western saddle”, like in the cowboy movies (this was at my grandfather’s insistence – everyone else at camp rode proper “English” style).  We had a LOT more saddle to polish, as I recall.  The days flew by, with morning and afternoon rides, time spent by the pool, camp food, and sleeping in bunkhouses.  It was also one of the first times my brother and I were away from home.

Great memories.

My youngest daughter just completed a week at her favorite summer camp, Camp Living Waters.  It is located in the rolling hills of southern Pennsylvania, just west of Bedford, PA.  Last week, she was dropped off with her sleeping bag, pillow, and plenty of clean clothes.  We picked her up a week later – tired, a little dirty, and smiling.

She spent the week doing things that youth campers do – sleeping in small bunkhouses (called “chicken coops”), wading in streams, practicing archery, and running around with flashlights at night (aka “night games”).  She talked about walking to the chow hall for great camp food (the kids even wrote a song about the camp cook and performed it for her), joining up with nearby campers that were mentally challenged (and having a blast with them), hiking, watching holiday fireworks from the nearby state park, and of course, late nights in the bunkhouse talking with friends – both new and old.

She loved it.

Summer camp teaches kids a lot of things, such as responsibility, independence, and cleanliness (or lack of).  It teaches interpersonal and relationship skills.  Most importantly, it shows them that there is more to life than a seven inch screen staring at them from two feet away.  There’s a big world out there to experience – if they would just peer up from their phones and take a look.  Once they realize what’s going on, most of them finally understand – if only for a fleeting week – the joys of being a kid in the great outdoors and in an “unplugged” world.

My daughter absolutely loves camp, and vows to go back every year for as long as they will let her – and even though she had her phone?  I never got a text from her all week.  That says a lot.

She slept the whole way home, but I think she was already dreaming of next year.

 

To help support Camp Living Waters, click here.

 

P.S.  This week marks the one year anniversary of thatfoodandtravelguy.com!  Thanks to all of you for subscribing, taking the time to read the blog, and for all of your comments.  Here’s to another year of travel and food adventures!