The Camp Echo Lake Trail

by Ally Begly (Inter Girls Head Counselor)

Another week has come and gone, this one rife with the excitement of special days, a storm or two, and a trip for all of the Inter Girls! Monday was Girls’ World Cup Day. This year, the theme was Harry Potter. The four houses competed against one another to see who would take the House Cup. It was a hot day, but everyone stayed well hydrated and enjoyed a swim in the pool following the big championship games.

We were treated to a late sleep on Tuesday so everyone could rest up for the hot week ahead. The bulk of the week was filled with electives and trips. Of particular note this week were two big TREK trips: The Finoe (fishing + canoeing) and The Claddle (climbing + paddling). We took sixteen total inter girls on these trips (The Finoe was for the Lower Inters and the Claddle was for the Upper Inters). Each girl came back with a huge smile on her face, new confidence in the outdoors, and a rave review of the entire experience. We’ll run two more of these trips at the end of the summer to give even more girls the chance to have this unique experience.

One of our mottos at camp is “flexible and adaptable” and this week we really put that in action. We had some rain come through on Wednesday and Thursday, and I was so impressed by the positive attitude of the campers. While waiting in the dining hall for the rain to pass with all of Girls’ Camp, the upper inters really stepped up and led all of the girls through some fun camp songs. I was so impressed by their leadership. It’s a really neat experience to see them rise to the occasion when it comes to being leaders on Girls’ Camp.

We had some fun off camp trips this week. On Tuesday, the Upper Inters went to putt-putt at Pirate’s Cove. We enjoyed some snacks, played a few rounds of golf, and had a great time overall. The Lower Inters went bowling last night. We played in the arcade, had a few games of bowling, and then returned to camp. Both groups were also treated to chipwiches upon their return! I was incredibly impressed by everyone’s behavior off camp. We represented Echo Lake well with consideration for others, politeness, and positive attitudes. That’s what we’re all about this year!

The excitement is palpable on camp today. All of the girls are excited to see their families tomorrow. They’re hard at work getting the bunks ready, picking activity areas to visit, and of course talking about all of the candy they’re excited to enjoy. I look forward to meeting each of you tomorrow (come find me around Bunk 2!). Safe travels, and we can’t wait for Visiting Day!