Greetings from Hilltop. It’s our first Sunday of Second Session here on Orcas Island, and while the campers have only been with us for five days, they’re already settling into the rhythm of camp life.
After arrival day, we kicked things off with Rotation Day, where we got oriented to camp and took care of various beginning-of-camp tasks. Friday brought our first full day of classes, so by today the campers have had two full days of classes under their belts.
Today is the first camp Sunday, and on Sundays we take things a bit slower and follow a different schedule. We sleep in for an extra hour, have a leisurely breakfast, and then head off to a special spot in camp for Sunday Assembly, where a cabin or tent group leads us in reflecting on a topic important to camp. Today we had Sunday Assembly inside the Lodge, and Top Gallant led us in a discussion about service.
After Sunday Assembly, we head into work projects, one of the ways we give back to the community here. These aren’t just chores; they’re a meaningful part of camp life, because in a community, it’s essential that everyone gives and receives. This Sunday, everyone is picking up garbage in preparation for the Garbage Auction later this week, and cabins are earning points for their effort that they’ll use to bid on prizes throughout the rest of the session.
After work projects, we have lunch, an extra-long rest hour, and then a fun Sunday afternoon activity. Today’s activity is the Barden Fair. a country fair kind of afternoon, with games centered around the barn and the garden (hence the name). We’ve had some rain today, which is a bit unusual for us this deep into summer. Most Second Sessions I’ve been part of see none at all, but it hasn’t dampened anything that matters. If anything, it’s been a good early test of this group, and they’ve passed with flying colors. This is an enthusiastic bunch of campers, quick to laugh, quick to jump in, and already embracing camp in a way that makes you excited for the three-plus weeks still ahead.
In the evening, we’ll change into our uniforms for dinner, and then close the day with one of our most beloved traditions: Evening Fire. We gather in the lodge to share music and poetry, the same way that campers have since 1927, and it’s often one of the most powerful community moments of the summer.
Sundays are different at camp for a reason. Taking a day each week to slow down, reflect, serve, and connect helps ground the whole experience. It’s not just tradition. It’s a necessary rhythm in a month-long session. Which, by the way, is when our traditions are at their best: when they reinforce the type of community that we’re trying to create here.
We’re only five days in, and it already feels like we’ve found our footing. The campers are joyful, a little goofy, and completely at home, which is about the best sign there is this early in a session.
Thank you for sharing your children with us. Be sure to check out our Instagram stories for daily updates on what’s happening at camp, keep those letters coming for your campers, and I’ll post here again each Sunday throughout the session.