D session is our last camper-only session of the summer. It always fills the fastest every fall, and it’s always full of lots of young kids, and also lots of first-year campers. This year we have 135 kids in D session, and 56 of them are 1st years! Plus, D session kids have waited ALL SUMMER to finally be able to come to camp. The inevitable result is so much energy and excitement that it explodes out of every aspect of camp…the bus ride, the dining hall, rules meetings. Kids are psyched to be here and the energy is palpable.

Breakfast this morning was scrambled eggs, sausage, and hash browns. Lunch was chicken tenders and fries. Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs. We had about 25 kids who arrived by car today, starting at 9am. They were put in temporary activity groups by age, doing activities throughout the day like crafts, biking, volleyball, and sproutball. (our favorite version of dodgeball) As kids arrived, they joined in those activities.

But the big event of the day was around 3:00, with the arrival of the buses from Chicago. This session we had 96 kids come up on three buses, which may be a new camp record! We had five loads of luggage in Big Green, our very old truck that is only used for baggage, and kids settled into their koogees. Next up, it was time for their swim tests. swim tests took most of the afternoon, and lasted until about 5:30, and then we had a quick staff intro meeting at the campfire ring.

After dinner, the even koogees took on the odd koogees in a game of all-camp Capture the Flag. We ended this first day at Deerhorn as we always do, with milkline, when kids go through the lodge with their koogee and get a cookie and milk. We know it’s not going to be a quiet bedtime in koogee row tonight, as kids are super excited to finally be at camp! I posted some of the bus arrival pictures on our Facebook and Instagram pages, but you can find all photos from this session on our Shutterfly site.