As the sun rose this morning and the reveille trumpet started up to awake all the well-rested men of Camp Timberlake, excitement filled each cabin in anticipation of another great day. Directors, counselors, and campers alike seem to have gotten into the swing of things. For breakfast, the kitchen staff once again outdid themselves in making delicious oatmeal, coffee cake, seasoned apple slices, and sausage. At Chapel, Tom L. gave a talk to further solidify the topic of “Who is Man?” talking about man’s dependence and need for the love and salvation from Jesus. After Chapel, everybody did a near perfect job cleaning their cabins, and headed out for their first activities. In Rocketry, Hugh. S started his level 3 rocket and many others showed impressive hands on skills with the materials. In fencing, after much sparring and slashing, Ethan B. won! In Paintball, Thompson B. once again showed great leadership and maneuvering in his playing and now just needs to beat both Paintball instructors 1 vs. 2 in a match in order to earn his gold bar in the activity. A handful of campers took a water skiing trip this morning and had an exhilarating and rewarding time off the camp ground before arriving back at camp around lunch time. In particular, Reynolds J. got up on his first try and water skied very well throughout the whole adventure! At lunch, Timberlake enjoyed cheese and pepperoni pizza along with plenty of fruits and vegetables which made for a perfectly balanced and filling meal. Towards the end of lunch the announcement came that the Seminoles had emerged victorious from the previous nights’ fun filled game of Ninja Training! After rest time, everyone left their cabins to enjoy free time, which included open swimming, getting snacks from the Trading Post, and a few games of Airsoft. In Airsoft, Mateo J. and Scott K. showed bravery and quick thinking as they helped their teams win many of the rounds. In Swimming, everybody learned streamlining and flip turns. Hunter S. and Will C. both excelled in freestyle and Nate S. also did well in other areas. In Tennis, Wimbledon worthy performances were all around the courts as Houston J. in particular channeled his inner Federer in one hand hits. In pottery, Henry B. and Trey F. finished their very first pinch pots! For dinner, the men of Timberlake enjoyed lo mein noodles and egg rolls along with green beans. After dinner, everybody put on their tribe colors to engage in an intense game of Battle Ball in the Mike! As I sit here writing, a hard fought game of Battle Ball between the Iroquois and Seminoles is going on, soon to be followed by the famous Greybeard vs. Counselors matchup. Looking back, it was a near perfect day for Camp Timberlake. Everybody is getting used to their schedules and roles and are able to more and more enjoy all the fun and adventure this camp has to offer! I can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us!

Ian Webb
Little Piney Counselor
Seminole