Looking Back at Week #4
On Monday, we had the big hike. The camp walked an entire 14 joyous miles together. After the first half, we rested and ate delicious sandwiches that the volunteers prepared for us. Afterwards the campers were driven on a surprise trip to Megz Country Cheese Inc, a local ice-cream parlor in Davis, IL. The selection of ice cream was mind boggling and everyone enjoyed their cold tasty treats. Afterwards, the campers were given the opportunity to walk an extra 5 miles. The whole camp was excited to receive a hiking badge on the last day of camp for their hard work.
For Varka this week, there was a breakfast twist. This time, the cabins had to prepare a breakfast dish along with their soups. The counselors set up a table with ingredients and the cabins took what they needed. The dishes were amazing! Sausages, omelets, and other creative dishes were prepared. The soups were delicious as well, all the experience gained throughout the month allowed the cabins to make their best soups yet!
One highlight of this week was an activity called “Judgement Day” where campers were given silly judgements by the nachalstvo which they had to fulfill on the next day. The campers were giggling at the silliness of the event as they anticipated their names being called up next. This is the one event where each camper had something highlighted about them that would bring out their inner goofiness!
Let’s not forget the epic “loud raid” that happened this week, where the boys camp and the girls camp had a massive shaving cream fight in each camp. Spirits were high as each camp was working together to try and outsmart the opposite camp in their raid tactics that they were using. In the aftermath of the raid, the campers were all caked in shaving cream as they walked back to their respective camps.
On Friday, the winning cabins were announced and taken to town to enjoy the evening away from camp. They went bowling, had fresh oven baked pizza and ice-cream. That night, the campers had fun at the final dance. Although they were sad to say goodbye to their friends, they enjoyed dancing the night away in the barn. The memories they had here at camp will be with them forever.
As the flags lowered that Saturday evening, the campers sang the “Preobrazhensky March” one last time. The campers stood there respectively admiring the last parade of the year. Campers were awarded badges for their hard work and efforts by Archbishop Peter and the nachalnitsa for the week. As the camp marched off the peninsula and the last stroi was dismissed, everyone took a group photo, concluding the 57th annual camp session. There were tears and hugs as everyone begun to leave. The gates once again stood there symbolizing the barrier of camp and the outside world. The memories made here for the four weeks will be taken back and remembered for a lifetime. Until next year, the gates will stand and guard our precious camp.
