Camp Diary

WEST GARDINER - Ah, the familiar sounds of camp. Old friends reuniting, registration papers shuffling and suitcases wheeling down the boardwalk.  Welcome to the highlight of my summer, Pilgrim Lodge. Situated on Cobbossee Lake and a mile into the woods from Neck Road in West Gardiner, Pilgrim Lodge, or "PL" to the veteran campers, has been my one-week haven for eight summers. Most campers in the senior high group are not newcomers either.

PL is an addictive place. Spend just one week here in the welcoming atmosphere with friendly staff and you are hooked for life. The camp facilities consist of a main lodge with a dining hall, camp store, an all-purpose room and a ping-pong porch. A long boardwalk connects the 13 camper cabins and the six staff cabins with the main lodge. A waterfront area features a few swimming docks and a boathouse for the canoes and rowboats.

The most memorable feature of camp is the outdoor chapel. Just off the boardwalk and overlooking the lake, the chapel is the most peaceful place in PL. A wooden staircase flanked on both sides by benches leads you down to the balcony, where a large birch cross stands proudly. Short, quiet chapel services are conducted here twice a day.

Sunday: As I drive up to the end of the boardwalk where I unload my luggage, I scan the many faces of campers who are milling around and realize that very few are familiar. I can tell that this week will be different from any other week I may have spent here.

Senior high week at PL is very different from other camp weeks. There is more social time, fewer traditions and more romantic relationships between campers. Although none of these changes are necessarily bad, they are cause for adaptations to a new style of an old camp. I feel lucky this year because I was assigned to Cabin 6 instead of Cabin 13, which has been my home for the last four years at camp and is a very long walk from the lodge. I eventually met all six girls with whom I would be sharing a cabin, and by Monday evening, we felt we had known each other forever.

I came to find out that one girl in my cabin, Abbie, lives in the same town as and is good friends with the only other Maine student in my grade, Kati. Kati and I attend a private school in Connecticut. It really is a small world. After orientation and a quick review of the camp rules, we had an outdoor dinner of pizza, followed by icebreakers and entertainment in the lodge.

That night after lights out, my cabin mates and I chatted for a few minutes, asking the typical questions: "Where are you from? Where do you go to school?" Around midnight, seven tired girls fell asleep.

Monday: Abbie remembered to bring an alarm with her. At 6:30 a.m., a loud series of beeps awakened Cabin 6. A 30-minute debate ensued concerning who was taking a shower. Around 7a.m., five sleepy-eyed girls trudged to the shower house, praying for warm water. The other two decided to remain dirty until afternoon free time, when the shower house was again open.

After breakfast and chapel came Morning Watch, a five-minute period of alone time. Then the bell rang and everyone hurried to family groups, randomly selected groups of campers who meet regularly throughout the week Each family group is responsible for putting on one chapel service during the week. They also engage in one hour of Challenges. Challenges are games that help build trust and communication between "family members." The games range from one camper leading another blindfolded through the woods to walking across wooden rods supported by the group.

At lunch - grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup - our table quickly polished off the Kool-Aid. But in order to receive more juice, we had to empty our water pitcher as well. Being the resourceful teens that we are, someone decided to empty the remaining bit of water into the soup container. We got more juice, and were very happy to find out that leftover soup is thrown away after each meal.

Following lunch is Bunk Time, an hour of rest and quiet. Not in my cabin. Julia and Sarah discovered that they share the same birthday and in the middle of the hour rushed across the cabin to hug and squeal over their new connection. After bunk time came Interest Groups, a one-hour block every afternoon where campers are directed to various previously selected activities, like basketmaking, sailing or basketball. Each camper engages in the "I Love PL"

Interest Group once during the week, performing various maintenance tasks around camp, and every camper has at least one free day. Today was my free day, and I used the time to start my summer reading.

The all-camp activity today was Trashbag Theater, a favorite PL pastime. Each cabin puts together a bag with seven items and gives their bag to another cabin. Then each group has five minutes to make up a skit using all of the items in the bag. The final results kept us rolling on the floor in laughter.

Dinner and free time followed Trashbag Theater. The man scheduled to speak for our evening program couldn't come, so a few counselors led us in songs. Bedtime was welcomed by all after our long, busy day.

Tuesday: Today the seven girls of Cabin 6 woke up at 7, and everyone was pleased with the extra sleep. We hustled to breakfast and then headed to chapel.

That morning a Bible-related version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" was hosted by Jordan. Derek played the role of God's Hispanic secretary, Carlos, and everyone agreed that Jordan and Derek could outdo Regis Philbin and his crew any day.

The rest of the morning was an ordinary PL morning. Our Family Group, named Proverbs, started planning the chapel service we were to conduct Wednesday night. We also spent a few minutes getting to know each other better. After lunch and a quiet bunk hour, we headed to Interest Groups. Today I had the pleasure of stacking wood in the "I Love PL" group. My arachnophobia hit a new height.

Today's all-camp activity was our own version of the game from the ABC TV show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" Between Parker playing a hunted pig and Erica portraying a tadpole turning into a frog, we had a pretty good time.

Every PL camp week has a mission, a specific cause for which the campers raise money. This year, money was raised for earthquake disaster relief in Turkey. To remind us, our evening program tonight was a mission-related version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Since Jordan did such a good job with his family group's rendition, the counselors asked him for a repeat performance.

The wild applause and cheering for the contestants wore everyone down and after lights out, all was quiet.

Wednesday: This morning at breakfast many realized that camp is half over. Our moods were slightly dampened, but the pancakes made up for it. Chapel and family groups went quickly and smoothly with discussions of our various backgrounds and how PL can bring so many different people together.

Lunch and bunk time flew by, then it was time for interest groups. Today several people chose music for tomorrow night's dance. Todd, a counselor, provided us with a pile of compact discs to choose from, and we ended up with four hours of music.

For an all-camp activity today, a man came to talk to us about handicapped accessibility in public places, or the lack thereof. One of PL's long-term goals is to make the entire camp fully accessible to people with disabilities, which is turning out to be a very challenging and costly endeavor, but one to which the camp is very committed.

The talent show was tonight's evening program. No one knew how much talent people had brought to PL. Alice sang to No Doubt's hit "Just A Girl," and Derek and Opie livened things up with their improvisational poetry. The night is open to all, and even the camp photographer's son, Chase, was in on the action, demonstrating his piano skills.

Just before our cabin went to bed, our counselor led us in a "popcorn prayer," where everyone has a chance to say something. Julia and Kayte prayed for everyone to look pretty at the formal dinner tomorrow night.

Julia wished to boogey down and have a great time at the dance, and Abbie prayed for manatees and her boss, who loves Jimmy Buffett.

Thursday: With the formal dinner and dance this evening, today was a very hyper day, so the morning went by quickly. Some interest groups were aimed towards setting up. A popular interest group today was the fingernail/body art group. Many people were busy applying fake tattoos and writing the names of their significant others on forearms.

Free time was mostly spent in the shower house and in cabins getting dressed. What a shock it was at dinner to see 100 people who for the last four days have worn nothing but dirty jeans and T-shirts suddenly transformed into the most stunning creatures on the planet. Girls wandered around looking like movie stars with guys in collared shirts and dress pants following closely behind.

Most people had "reservations" for who they preferred to sit with, and the counselors were our waiters. Staff member Ben played classical music for us, and the dining hall was almost unrecognizable with the fancy centerpieces, place cards and candles.

The evening chapel service after dinner included a popcorn prayer. Jordan, the Regis-impressionist, was thankful for his little brother, Sam, who was also at camp that week. Among the other sentiments expressed were "Thank you for first loves," "Thank you for only loves," and "Thank you for dances!"

Chapel ended on that note, and everyone headed to the lodge. Dressed in our best clubbing clothes, PL was ready for three of the hottest, loudest and most fun hours of camp. The last song of the dance was the designated PL sad song, "You've Got A Friend," which caused half of camp to break down in tears.

Afterward, boardwalk time was filled with tearful conversation. Hugs were exchanged then reluctantly PL settled down to bed.

Friday: This morning I had the privilege of "jumping" for my cabin. Jumpers arrive at the dining hall 15 minutes before a meal, set the table and clean up afterward. The entire camp looked half-dead from the excitement of the night before.

Today was a quiet day, with many people realizing that tomorrow we were leaving. The seniors were especially sad, because after senior year, you are out of the age range for PL camps. You can come back as a counselor, but for many it's not the same.

The beach party in the afternoon brightened everyone. A "crazy dive" contest was held, and the winner scored a 10 for his belly flop. A limbo contest took place on the boardwalk, accompanied by music and dancing.

Dinner was outdoors, then everyone headed to the chapel for the Senior's Communion service. The beautiful sunset was a perfect backdrop for the seniors' last chapel service.

The lodge was our next destination where traditional senior speeches were delivered. The 17 speeches took two hours to deliver, and those two hours were dubbed "Cryfest 2000." Seniors said their thank-yous and goodbyes, then camp continued to cry out onto the boardwalk. We were exhausted from all the crying and fell asleep easily.

Saturday: The entire camp was up and packing by 7 a.m. The cabins had to be completely emptied and cleaned before breakfast. Walking down the boardwalk was a chore, dodging trunks and group hugs. Breakfast was short and emotional, then campers started leaving.

For many, we only bid adieu until next summer, when PL will once again be filled with our smiling faces. But for the seniors, it is a sad time when you realize that PL is no longer in your future.