Jul 06, 2018
Coming to a Close
Session 2, Day 11
In the last few days, campers have been having the times of their lives, first at Maccabiah, then Israel Day, and then the Fourth of July. In the coming days, campers will get to experience the second Ranch Camp Shabbat of the session. All of these things are full of fun, new experiences, and opportunities to learn and grow. However, this left today as the only “normal” day left in Session 2.
After the last action-filled days, everyone was happy to settle back into routine. Campers split up into their tracks for one of the last times, with Outdoor Adventure ready to go mountain biking, field sports ready for some soccer scrimmages, and Arts and Culture ready to put the finishing touches on the musical.
Lunch and menucha came and went quickly, and soon kids were back with their cabin for their daily cabin activity. This is the time of day when the campers get a taste of what sessions 1 and 3 would be like, traveling with their cabin instead of their tracks and experiencing activities that are not encompassed by their specific interests. Cabins spread across camp to play some sports, do some Israeli dancing, try archery, sing songs in music, explore teva, and go on hikes.
As the camp gathered once again in the Chad for dinner, storm clouds began to roll over the property, something that’s fairly common here in the latter half of the summer. Luckily, everyone’s used to this, and the cancellation of the planned evening program was barely a ripple in the pond. It took no time at all for the camp to pull out a rainy day program – Ranch Camp Idol!
After dinner, each cabin had half an hour to prepare a dance to a song of their choice. Once the time was up, everyone flocked to the Mo to watch each group perform. Programs like these are always the most memorable, as the majority of the night is not designed by the staff, but by the campers themselves. It’s always a treat to get to see what the kids come up with, each cabin unique and entertaining.
As campers went to bed, the atmosphere of camp seemed to have changed. Camp is coming to an end, and there is a certain sadness associated with that – but there is also satisfaction of all they have been able to accomplish, at everything they have done to learn and grow, and happiness at knowing that they have gained a second home that will stay with them the rest of their lives.