Kicking off our 2011 Sprucelands camp season!

We're back!! ~ and so happy to be here.

The first opening day of our 2011 season happened yesterday. After weeks and days of preparation and planning, we opened our doors and our hearts to new faces and old. It feels so genuinely wonderful to hear voices on the hill again. I am even more thrilled with the smiles that greet me as I move around camp.

The Toy Story theme has created a colorful boost to the inside of our beloved camp lodge. Just look at what the staff has done. Combined with all kinds of Toy Story posters and novel characters, our imagination has been running wild with aliens, a giant etch-a-sketch, Buzz Lightyear and the Woody character. Everywhere you turn there is something from Toy Story. It's like living the movies.

Toy Story magic helps us keep silly fun in our camp experience.

After check-in yesterday, I wandered to the barn to see how riding evaluations were coming along. When I walked into the indoor arena, I had to smile. The riding staff was sitting at the far end of the arena screening one rider at a time. And the scene reminded me of a very natural and quite lovely equestrian version of American Idol, complete with horses and live trees in the background.

I do think it set the stage for the reality that riding is serious and very safe business here at Sprucelands. We are a unique camp in that we carefully assess and then match riders to horses. Then we move forward in 'camp-time' to work with rider skills, challenging them to expand their comfort level and discover the joy of connecting with a new and different equine friend. During the learning process, we all grow in some way, even me.

There is never a dull moment at evening program.

Evening program last night was interactive. I always enjoy watching the kids in our initial night of fun together. At first they are a bit stiff with each other and yet by the end of the evening, it appears everyone is best friends. Laughing and chatting, wonder and surprise keep us all on our toes.

One game that is always a hit is called Common Ground. Everyone stands in a circle on a piece of paper. This time they stood on a paper cloud because that appears to be part of the Toy Story atmosphere. However, there is one less paper than there are people. The person in the center shouts out "You have common ground with me if....." and that 'if' can lead to a statement about pets, siblings, likes or dislikes, and more.

I hear, "You have common ground with me if you have a silly younger brother." Then everyone with a younger brother switches places, but one person ends up in the center again. So the game continues and before you know it, the boundaries disappear. "You have common ground with me if you love horses," and everyone scrambles again. What fun.

Even our Counselors are in the Toy Story spirit.

Re-enacting a scene in Toy Story that involved 'the claw', counselors gathered everyone at the end of evening program to 'pick them'  for teams for this first session. Those teams work closely together on a number of goals and activities. They get to know each other well.

You can see the staff got into the fun themselves. Wearing alien headpieces and donning unique staff t-shirts, they play the part. Best part are their smiles. They are getting as much a kick out of this as anyone. And so I close for now with all kinds of warm thoughts and happy beginnings to the 2011 season. If you are reading this, then you're part of the adventure. I just know we're going to have a wonderful time. Glad you are along for the ride. Sprucelands forever! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Your comments are welcome. Go ahead. Make my day!