By Ona Gordonson

This year during my time at camp, decided to try out the outpost program at Emily’s. I was at first unsure If I wanted to do it, but after seeing the slideshow again during 2nd session, I was convinced that it was definitely for me. Worried that maybe I would be missing out at camp’s activities or hanging out with friends, the outpost experience outweighed the entire week of camp that we missed. I was one of three girls on that trip, with a bunch of younger boys. I have to say, it was the most fun experience I’ve ever had because you develop a bond with everyone on your trip. I remember and miss it every day. We even have a group chat on iMessage that we text on every day to stay in touch. One counselor told me that she’s never seen a group of kids bond more.

When I returned home from camp, outpost was the first thing I told my parents about. I spoke of how I developed a “camp family” on the homestead, and how we all told each other that we were, “livin’ on the ranch pioneer style!” It was a very fun thing to say. I never learned how much I appreciated food until my friends and I had to cook it for everyone on a wood fired grill for everyone. You never learn how much you appreciate something until you really work for it. Before meals, our counselors always asked us if we wanted a moment of silence because every meal at main camp does it, and even though it was optional, we always said yes just to be in the moment and appreciate where we were, who we were with, and what we had to do to help each other out.

When we would go down to Emily’s swim hole everyday, we would always riverwalk upstream to discover other spots on the river and give them names. We even found new rocks to jump off of.  At night, we would all climb into our cots circling the old tree, look at the stars and listening to racoons. The memories of us all singing the Frozen soundtrack while riverwalking will always be in my heart.

Lastly, it was so much fun getting to know and bond with a different group of people that I may have never talked to at camp. I learned so much about the people on my trip. We share so many inside jokes and songs that we made up and sang together. And when we sing them in front of other people, they think we’re crazy because they just make no sense whatsoever. Once we all got back from the outpost, we all sat together at the swim hole reflecting on how great of a trip it was. If anyone were to ask the group on my outpost trip if they would want to relive it, everyone would say a million times, “yes.”