After 34 years, the power of camp in general, and Robin Hood specifically, never ceases to amaze me. My focus in the first week, naturally, has been on our younger and newer campers on the boys’ side. Even in this short time I have seen incredible growth and progress, both individually and on a group basis. Many boys arrived on June 24th very apprehensive about this new and bewildering experience. Eight days in, they are fully integrated; not only having the time of their lives, but also becoming young men that we can all be proud of.

A couple of specific examples are worth mentioning:

I was privileged enough to spend the evening with the Squires on their camp-out at the outpost. It was all pretty routine stuff – set up the tents, get a fire going, cook delicious fajitas, play spud on the field, and back for a dessert of s’mores. By this time it was getting dark, and the mood mellowed out as a
beautiful starlit sky looked down on us. Then it was time for ‘campfire’. Now, at Robin Hood there is a distinct difference between ‘campfire’ and ‘Campfire’. A campfire is just a pile of burning sticks. ‘Campfire’ is when our campers and their group staff are given the opportunity to speak openly, and from the heart. Our younger campers often struggle with this alien concept –never having been given this unique chance to express their feelings. The rules are simple: one person speaks at a time, nobody judges or ridicules, but may show their empathy with a quiet click of the fingers. One by one these boys started to open up and talk about how special Robin Hood is to them; not just returners, but new campers who had been here a matter of days, spoke with a confidence and sincerity that defied their mere 9 or so years. I left with warm, fuzzy feeling of pride and satisfaction.

Then there was the Junior talent show. We witnessed about 20 acts – ranging from joke tellers, to jugglers, to singers, to dancers, to instrument players… and even a stilt walking unicorn! Would these kids have had the courage to get up in front of 300 people outside of camp? Maybe. Maybe not. But the main thing is they felt so comfortable and relaxed within our unique ethos, that being on stage wasn’t really a big deal, and that it was FUN!! It was a wonderful, and entertaining night.

One of my all-time favorite quotes:

“It isn’t about how well you dance. It isn’t about who you dance with. It’s all about feeling safe to dance.”

Doesn’t this sum up beautifully what we do here?

Good night! And sweet dreams!

Dick