We’re getting close to the finish line, but we’re not in a hurry — we’re taking the scenic route. Camp Timberlake, entering its 9th week of camp, is in its final session of the summer, and with so much behind us and only two weeks ahead of us, it’s natural to step back and reflect on the summer we’ve had and the special place God’s given us to call “camp.”

The Timberlake Property is a beautiful place. The last few weeks have been full of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets: you could swear someone was taking a watercolor brush to the sky and filling it with greens, oranges, and blues from their palette: seeing the sun dip below mountains in the distance from Spencer’s Green or Spyglass Hill is a treat that surpasses even s’mores. And when there’s no wind in the morning, the lake becomes a perfect mirror, doubling the panorama. But the enjoyment of natural splendor for campers doesn’t stop at Timberlake’s borders. The cabin of Huckleberry, our youngest campers, set off on an adventure today to Tom’s Creek Falls, a 3-tier waterfall — along the way, they learned the principle of Leave No Trace, ensuring that they would leave every natural place better than they found it.

Camp is known for its opportunities for feats of physical prowess and athleticism, but a different kind of prowess was on display today in Guitar. Two campers, Eli F. and Bennet J. played their way to a Bronze bar while Davis O. learned a few chords, picking up the instrument for his first time, and Declan Q. continued to improve. Maybe these campers will have a chance to show the whole camp their skills sometime soon.

Throughout all hours of the morning and afternoon, one can see campers arcing through the air before sending up a big splash at Diving, and they only seem to become more and more adept with time: during a special diving session at free time, Andrew S. mastered his double gainer off of the high dive.

It’s Sunday at camp, and every camper, current or former, knows what that means: cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Every boy was the grateful beneficiary of the kitchen staff’s culinary artistry at today’s meals, receiving the legendary lunch of Mac & Cheese and Mini Corn Dogs as well as Tortellini Casserole for dinner; cake for dessert provided a sweet ending.

The battle for the banner was fierce in 3A, and it rages on in 3B. The Black Bears secured victory in last night’s game of Battleball; tonight, the two tribes competed in El Presidente, but we won’t know who won until tomorrow. No matter how it shakes out, it was a fun, hard-fought game. Stay tuned for more updates as the race for the banner continues.

It’s true that camp is almost over, but these next two weeks promise to be full of amazing new memories for all of the campers and staff. As we press on, we’ll keep taking time to look back and be grateful for the beauty around us.

Cameron Haynes

Fencing Instructor

Proud Golden Eagle