July 03, 2014

Summer Camp kicked off as the buses started rolling in at Chestnut Lake. Excited campers were greeted by Debbi and Paul as they stepped off the bus. Then they ran through the counselor tunnel where their counselors and friends were waiting for them on the other side!

The day was filled with fun activities as returning campers reunited with old friends and welcomed new campers into the CLC family.

The official start of 2014 was celebrated with Opening Campfire.  It’s always exciting to see the campers and counselors gathering at the Campfire Site.  CLC spirit was on full display as the campers and counselors laughed and sang together.  Chestnut Lake Camp has a very special tradition that signifies how the spirit of every camper carries on from summer to summer.

Each division contributes a plank of wood that every camper and counselor signs.  These planks are stacked on top of the campfire before it is lit.  The youngest campers (Ciqala had the honor this summer!) dig up the ashes from the previous summer’s Closing Campfire.  The ashes are sprinkled on the planks, and then the fire is lit.  At the end of this summer, the ashes from Closing Campfire will be collected and buried so that the spirit of CLC 2014 and every summer before will carry on to every future Chestnut Lake Camp summer.