As our week in CTL came to an end last week, we look back at all of the memories and are beyond excited to continue with summer camp for another four weeks! Our campers fearlessly took on a whole week of overnight camp with our summer staff and some of their best friends!
Overnight camp allows our campers to experience new thrills such as ziplining, rock climbing, and having a week-long sleepover with your best friends! It’s a moment for parents to relax for the week while their campers get to have the time of their life. Let’s take a dive into all of the incredible adventures our campers had last week!
If You Blow a Fish a Kiss, it’ll Blow One Back!
Austin, a familiar face to ESP, has been coming to summer camp for as long as our summer staff can remember. He’s always coming to camp in a good mood and loves to embark on adventures with his buddy and close friends that he’s made while coming to camp throughout the years. CTL was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for him to explore and be one with nature (which he definitely did).
This past week, Austin was thrilled about fishing from the moment he stepped foot out of his parents car in the dropoff line. He told his buddy he “would catch the biggest fish if it took him all day.” That determination is exactly what we admire about all of our campers, and you could see it in Austin’s eyes as he picked up the fishing rod the next day. He did not only catch one fish, but he ended up catching five fish which he explained were “bigger than his buddy’s head!” One of the staff members told him to pucker up, so he owned it and blew the fish a kiss, and he swears it blew one back at him! These adventures are what CTL is all about!
Young and Sweet and the Zipline Queen
Kailey Lynn, this zip lining queen, conquered her fears and happily screamed the whole way down the line at CTL this past week! She was worried at first about how fast the zip line would go, and whether she’d be able to slow down in time. If she could do it a thousand times, she would!
This is What Dreams are Made of
Mariah, one of our long-time campers, has always been enamored with horses, but has never had the chance to ride one. For the very first time, Mariah was able to ride a horse and feel connected to an animal she has for so long dreamed about. Her wheelchair was left to the side of the horse, and she was so excited to be able to ride a horse alongside all of her friends. Everyone encouraged her and chanted her name as she got on!
Ella the Archer
Ella was ready to take on any adventure thrown her way at camp. She went swimming, performed in the talent show, and learned a new skill: how to shoot a bow and arrow!
On the day of archery, Ella’s buddy set up the bow and before long, Ella became a professional at shooting the arrow all on her own! All of her closest friends gathered around and empowered her to keep going. It was a sight to see, and that is truly what camp is all about. It facilitates growth and empowerment to people of all abilities.
More S’mores Please!
One of the absolute best parts of CTL overnight camp is getting to bond and form lifelong friendships with campers in your unit. Almost every night after dinner, the campers would gather around the campfire and roast marshmallows and sing songs in unison.
The campers laughed and ate many marshmallows in the process. It was a chance to giggle and feel free of any worries from the outside world. Overnight camp gives people of all ages and abilities a moment of time away from their parents where they can grow and experience independence and freedom.
Week 5 Looks Mighty Fine, Join us in Paradise for More Adventures!
As our campers get ready for another fantastic week filled with even more adventure, we can’t help but to think overnight camp gave our youngest campers new skills, friends, and exciting adventures! Are you prepared for week five in paradise? We’re kicking our shoes off and enjoying paradise while we have it.
