Cannon Report – Week 5 – 2019
BoomBoomBoomBoomBoom
Week 5 means it is time to settle in and sort out what it really means to be a part of Camp Leelanau for Boys.
HQ is well aware that parents send their kids to Camp for more than just a safe and enjoyable time on the Shores of Lake Michigan. Parents send their kids to Camp with the expectation that they will grow in grace, in character, and in their understanding of Christian Science.
Well…this week HQ had to explain that to the Campers too. It was a good week. A growing week. Filled with competition, hard play, weather extremes, and in the end a better understanding of our identity as a Child of God, but it’s the journey we are all most interested in.
Sunday afternoon we kicked off a brand new tradition for Camp Leelanau with the LBO: July Madness. A North/South Basketball Tournament. Both teams loaded the bus and headed to the Leelanau School Gym for an afternoon of Early Bird Competitive Drills, Backwoodsmen Half Court, and Pioneer Full Court Basketball. The noise, the fun, and the enthusiasm for good sport all carried the event into the record books as a certain hit that will return for many years in the future.
Monday the rains came. The best kind of rain at Camp. The soft, warm, non-threatening rain that allows us to play hard outside with the whole Camp. We gathered in the Lodge to learn the rules to Human Stratego, just like the old board game but totally different and with a whole lot of running and tagging to find the other team’s flag.
In the afternoon the skies cleared and normal afternoon activities resumed with Camo Dodgeball and Flag Football in the evening.
On Tuesday we finally began our morning activities and instruction and skill building began in earnest. Wednesday we immediately took a break from such things to send almost all of the cabins on Cabin Trips! Black Swan headed to the Cradle, Tortuga the Platte River, Barbados hiked the Platte Plains, Sea Hornet explored the Sand Lakes Quiet Area, Iroquois biked along the Heritage Trail, and Cherokee kayaked from Northport to Leelanau State Park. Six trips for six cabins and six young men working towards their Advanced Outdoorsman Award by executing the role of Instructor on these trips.
On Thursday we all reconvened at Camp and showered everybody off!
Friday evening the hallowed American pastime found Camp loading the bus with team shirts, baseballs and bats, hotdogs and soda pop, and heading to Glen Lake School for the Ole Ball Game. The North Team took the Game 15-10 while the South Team won the Homerun Derby. Excellent spirit was expressed by all through their cheering and good team play.
As one young camper mentioned the other day, “we have long days here at Camp, and short weeks.” We pack a lot into each day and boy, oh boy, those weeks just fly by.
With two weeks left we’ll be digging deeply into growing in grace and improving our character. Conveniently the activities planned lend themselves nicely to such things, (hint, hint flag trip.)
From the Desk of HQ
