Author Archives: rbc

If I had to define the gist of this blog, I’d say its goal is both to describe what happens at camp, and to explain why Rockbrook is what is, does what it does, and makes a difference for the people here. If you ask anyone who attends camp to convey what’s so special about it, they’re bound to struggle, and finally throw up their hands and say, “you just don’t get it.” I’ve been working at this task for almost 20 years, and I still feel there’s more to say. If discussing camp was a simple thing, you’d think I would have figured it out by now, but I haven’t! Sure, I have my theories, but they’re certainly incomplete.

Let me today interpret a few recent photos you’ve seen in the online gallery.

Muffins! You may have heard of our famous muffin break, that special time between morning activity periods (around 11am) when we serve a freshly baked muffin to all the campers and staff members. When the bell rings to change morning activities, everyone detours toward the dining hall porch where the Hi-Ups pass out the day’s muffin. Everyday it’s a surprise flavor too! It could be “cherry white chocolate,” “pumpkin chocolate chip,” “funfetti sprinkles,” or classic “blueberry,” for example. The baker sometimes creates amazing unique flavors, like when she made “key lime pie” muffins, and the legendary “cookie dough” muffins that where topped with a small dollop of cookie dough. Realizing that the girls could use a mid-morning snack, and loving fresh baked goods herself, Sarah invented the idea of muffin break. Ever since, and probably forever more, we all enjoy muffins at Rockbrook.

Woodworking! It’s our newest activity addition at Rockbrook and is quickly becoming one of the most popular. In the wood shop, located behind the lower pottery studio, the girls are measuring, cutting, shaping, gluing, drilling and sanding pieces of wood. They’re learning these basic woodworking skills while they make wooden journal covers, cutting boards, sculpted candle holders, or secret boxes. Along the way, they are using true woodworking tools like pull saws, block planes, chisels, rasps, tape measures, drills, and clamps. This is an activity that really empowers the girls and gives them a great sense of accomplishment when they have a finished project to take home. It’s a great example of camp proving to them they are more powerful than they think. No wonder it’s popular!

Gaga ball! You may not have heard of this group game, but it’s always a big attraction at camp. During any block of free time, there’ll be a dozen or more girls crowded around our gaga ball “pit.” The game is a form of dodgeball and was invented in Israel in the 1970s. All of the players start in the pit and then swat a small rubber ball around trying to hit other players with the ball. If hit, a player is “out” and must hop out and over the wall to wait until the game is over— when only one player remains. Each game only takes a few minutes to play, so even if you’re out, you’ll be back in to play another game shortly. One variation allows players who are out to reach over the wall and hit the ball. If they hit it and get someone else out of the game, they get to go back in. Gaga ball is a fast paced game that’s easy to learn and fun to play, especially with a large group.

Horseback riding! Rockbrook is known for its riding program and, as you might guess, attracts girls who love riding. This is why we have so much of it going on. During the 4 activity periods each day, we’ll have up to 6 different mounted lessons occurring simultaneously— girls on horses learning to walk their horse through a course, to find the right posting rhythm while trotting their horse, and to canter over cross rails and jumps. There are lessons for all skill levels. The girls learn to tack up their horses and how to take care of their stalls. For those really excited about horses, there is our “stable club” which gives girls a chance to work even more with the Rockbrook horses— washing them, feeding and watering them, and taking care of their feet. With 32 horses currently at the riding center, there’s always plenty to do…. and usually plenty of girls eager to help.

Rain! This afternoon, like many afternoons around here, we had a brief thunderstorm pass over camp. In a way, these are welcome breaks from the heat, but they can also include lightning. To help us be safe during these storms, we have a lightning warning system that automatically sends out a loud horn-like sound whenever lightning is detected near camp. The campers and staff know that when they hear this sound, they should immediately take shelter in a building. The lifeguards clear the lake. Riders dismount from their horses. Tennis players, and everyone outside, moves inside. This lightning system continually monitors the storm, and when there has been no additional lightning in the area for 20 minutes, sounds an “all clear” horn signaling everyone that it’s now OK to resume their regular activities. The system works great, usually giving us plenty of notice before a rainstorm is upon us. Today that storm lasted about 45 minutes, just long enough to play a quick card game in the dining hall or ballgame the gym before heading back out.

Camp is so many things. These blog posts can only give a hint as to its depth, just like the photo gallery can only capture a handful of brief moments among millions each day. There’s cool grey fog in the mornings and golden sunsets at dusk, but in between there are Rockbrook girls woven into the textures of camp life. It’s a full life, rich with new experiences, a good life, for sure.

There’s a certain power to kids being kids. Especially when together and when fully involved with some kind of real world activity, when actually doing something physical with other kids. You might just call that “play,” but it can be more than that. Today at camp was rife with that power. It was our first full day of camp activities and we saw it everywhere.

After a yummy breakfast of Rick’s homemade oatmeal, fresh cut fruit, granola, yogurts and cereal, everyone at camp fanned out all over to get started with the whole range of camp activities. Each camper had chosen their activity schedule the night before, and now it was time to begin with the first of the four today.

All ten of the craft activities sprang to life. Girls were soon weaving colorful yarns on looms in Curosty with Lucy. They were pinching and rolling clay in one of the 2 pottery studios. They were learning to tie special knots to make their first friendship bracelet. They were twisting t-shirts and dripping dye on them, sticking scraps of paper to “memory boxes,” weaving wet reeds to make baskets, sewing pillows, dipping brushes into watercolor paints, and carefully measuring thin planks of wood before making their first cuts in woodworking. Many art projects had begun!

Sports too! The campers shot rifles and bows with .22 caliber bullets and arrows hitting their paper targets. They balanced on the beam after stretching in the gymnastics area of the gym. The tennis courts saw various tennis drills and short games. The gaga ball pit also was stirred up by game after game, with girls jumping and swatting as the ball bounced in their direction. For something more relaxed, there were yoga classes being held in the hillside lodge. Of course the lake, which (after to the dining hall!) is probably the most popular place in camp, was humming with fun as the girls zipped down the water slide, invented silly poses while jumping off the diving board, and just played around on different floating toys. As the weather was perfectly warm and sunny throughout the day, the lake was a great place to be.

The first riding lessons also took place today, with the campers who wanted to ride meeting new horses. There were riders in every ring walking, trotting and cantering their way around. The outdoor adventure staff offered climbing on the Alpine tower, trips through the zip line course here at camp, a hiking trip to High Falls in the Dupont State Forest, and chances to begin learning the basics of whitewater kayaking down at the lake.

Dinner was a hotdog picnic on the hill— dogs (and veggie dogs), buns and regular “fixins,” homemade coleslaw, salad and potato chips. We also had freshly baked cookie bars for dessert. With ideal, almost cool, evening weather, we all enjoyed a breezy feeling dinner that was just the right balance of hanging out and silliness.

Tonight’s evening program was an all-camp campfire we call “Jug Band.” This is a silly program of traditional Appalachian songs and stories that the counselors, Hi-Ups and other directors present. Sarah dresses up like an old woman named “Sayree” and brings her fiddle to play. Tonight a guitar and ukelele joined in to play “She’ll be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountian,” “Mountain Dew,” and “Little Cabin in the Woods,” which were clear favorites with the campers. This was classic camp fun, and an excellent way to end the day.

It was wonderful to feel the energy of kids being kids at camp. Everyone seemed happy and excited, and nicely settled in. These camper are already feeling comfortable and enjoying camp life. My hunch is that it’ll soon be even better!

As closing day of this session creeps closer and closer, there is a noticeable buzz around camp as campers begin to check off everything they want to do before they go home. Craft projects are carefully completed, as each camper’s collection of creations grows bigger and bigger. The art studios are buzzing with laughter and camaraderie as masterpieces are meticulously completed. Through the process of creating and finishing craft projects, campers learn to embrace their uniqueness, overcome challenges, and celebrate their new-found talents.

As the campers bid farewell to their beloved Rockbrook experience, they will carry with them not only the tangible craft projects they’ve lovingly created but also a newfound confidence in their creative abilities and the enduring memories of a summer filled with art, big exciting fun, and the best relax-in-your-lap friends.

On the more athletic side of things, camp-long goals such as Rockbrook Runners, Mermaid Laps, and The Bounce Club are wrapping up, with campers hurriedly spending as much free time as they can to achieve this. It’s a whirlwind of swimming, running, and bouncing tennis balls, with campers giving their all to achieve these epic milestones before the ultimate reward: a visit to Dolly’s, a legendary treat that’s worth every effort.

For our talented athletes, the anticipation builds as the team for the Camp Carolina tournament is announced. Girls with special talent in Archery, Riflery, and Tennis are picked by the counselors to create a select team to travel to Camp Carolina to take on the boys in a half-day long tournament. Girls who are picked excitedly receive an invitation, and start perfecting their skills in free times, practicing until the big day. 

With the end of the camp session, comes special traditions that the girls have looked forward to the whole session. The highly anticipated camp play, “Matilda,” is mere days away, and the cast is on a mission to dazzle the audience. With impressive dedication, they perfect dance routines, don fantastic costumes, and polish their acting chops, creating a theatrical marvel that defies the clock. It is truly remarkable that the camp play is always so amazing, considering that it is organized in just 3 and a half weeks!

In this flurry of activity and celebration, the bond among campers grows stronger. The friendships forged and memories made will forever hold a special place in their hearts. As they begin to prepare to bid farewell to Rockbrook, they carry not just the tangible tokens of their creative brilliance but a newfound belief in their abilities and the indelible mark of a summer filled with joy, growth, and unforgettable experiences.

Instead of following our regular afternoon schedule of activity periods, the girls stayed together in their cabin groups and enjoyed different special events planned by their counselors. This is an afternoon we call “Cabin Day.” It’s a long tradition at Rockbrook and is a nice change of pace that allows cabin groups to bond a bit more while doing something unusual. The variety of activities today was impressive, many tailored for the personalities and ages of the groups.

The entire upper line of cabins held a “Block Party.” These Middlers, 5th and 6th graders, were first given a scavenger hunt task that sent them into the upper line cabins looking for a dozen different hidden items. One was to find the name of a camper written inside from 1943! They played music on the line, did face painting and hair braiding while enjoying popsicles too. One funny game was to use their feet to find a squirt gun in a pool of squishy beads, and once found use it to squirt the other players. Pretty silly, but also hilarious fun.

The weather this afternoon was full on summer— bright, almost blinding, sunshine, a little humidity and temperatures around 86 degrees. This led several groups to find one of the many water spots at camp to hang out and cool off. A group of Juniors played in one end of the creek near Curosity, racing small boats they made from Rhododendron leaves and other found bits and pieces. At the other end of the creek, a cabin of Seniors did facial treatments and fairy hair, hanging out, reading with their feet in the cool running water.

Of course a couple of groups headed to the lake to play there, doing tricks off the diving board, and goofing around on the floats and tubes. Another cabin of Juniors hiked to Rockbrook falls, one of the waterfalls on the camp property, to wade in the pool below. Nearby, a cabin took a dip in “the Cove,” a secret forest swimming spot, also on the camp property. It’s a magical place where a creek forms a deep, sandy-bottomed pool after splashing down a small waterfall. With a large rock face on one side and lush forest on the other, it’s a really unique place to take a dip.

A cabin group of Senior girls decided to spend their time sunbathing on the hill after making snow-cones. Still another group headed down to the lower pottery building to draw and paint self portraits, while yet another group had a fairy tea party on the dining hall porch, complete with tea, cookies, fairy hair and beaded bracelet making. Down on the land sports field, two cabins had a wild “color battle” using paint bombs and squirt guns of (washable!) tempura paint.

A few cabins of Juniors took their trip to the Pucker Up Berry farm and later to Dolly’s for ice cream. The beautiful weather made playing with the rabbits and chickens at the farm, exploring its many plants, and assembling cut flower arrangements even more enjoyable.

The big outing happened in the evening when we took all of the second mini session Middlers and Seniors, 90 people in all, to Sliding Rock. This experience of accelerating down a natural waterside and splashing into the pool below never fails to thrill the girls. Since we go in the late evening, the fading light adds to the excitement of the crowd cheering each pair of girls as they sat in the brisk 55-degree water. When we were done sliding and driving our convoy of buses out of the forest, we stopped at Dolly’s for our favorite ice cream treat. Dolly’s ice cream is so good, we take every camper there at least once. It’s become a fixture of everyone’s camp experience that they look forward to each summer. You should definitely plan to stop by on closing day after picking up your daughter. You’ll love it too!

It’s hard not to notice the weather when you essentially live outside like we do at camp. We’re cool in the mornings and hot in the early afternoons, at least until a late afternoon thunderstorm cools everything down again. Today, this pattern matched perfectly with our low of 63 and high of 81 degrees, and a brief shower at 7pm. There’s no need to control the climate or condition the air here. Instead we are immersed in whatever the weather brings, up close to the early morning fog, warming in the sun all day, running through the rain, and filling our lungs with the cool nighttime smells of the forest. There’s plenty of shade at Rockbrook too, from the mature trees all around, to the covered arena at the riding center. Even when other areas are baking in the summer heat, we ordinarily have ideal weather for camp.

Today was no exception, as we launched into a new rotation of camp activities. All of the girls scurried off to their activity areas to begin exploring a new craft, sport or adventure activity. The riding center hosted 5 different lesson groups simultaneously. Boots and saddles were moving! Out in the woods behind the gym, other groups of girls were snapping on different helmets to go climbing on our Alpine Tower. This 50-foot challenge course tower has dozens of routes to the top, each with a different climbing puzzle to solve. The girls were shooting archery, and taking aim down at the riflery range. They were hitting tennis balls on the courts, and cutting wood in the woodshop. Both pottery studios kept girls busy with clay, the Curosty weaving cabin with yarns, and the Hobby Nook cabin with paints and brushes. High above, girls zoomed by on the zipline course screaming with delight.

A day at camp is like that. Groups of girls are doing things together, counselors and instructors by their side, everyone chatting and enjoying each other’s company. They’re active! They’re concentrating and paying attention to new things. They’re challenging themselves physically. They’re exploring their own creativity. They’re outside! They’re smiling and laughing! They’re sharing experiences and building friendships. Taken together, it’s astonishing how much goes on.

Several trips left camp today as well. There was a day hike to a waterfall in the Pisgah Forest where the girls could splash around in the pool below. A group of kayakers ran a section of the French Broad River, and another group hiked to a high-altitude fire tower to catch the amazing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains up there. This week there will be a backpacking trip, whitewater rafting trips, and canoeing overnight trip, and a rock climbing trip as well. There’s adventure in the mix too!

Sunny Days like this also inspire more girls to take advantage of the lake during their free times before lunch and dinner. We open the lake for these “free swim” periods, and while there’s always a few girls who “love the lake,” nice weather bring more of a crowd. The water slide, which is also open during free swim times, is a wild thrill that for some becomes a habit. “I have to ride the slide everyday!” one camper claimed. The new lakeside dock has become a popular sunny hang out spot, just as the many floating tubes are ways to catch some rays at the lake. Some girls will be swimming “Mermaid Laps” (swim enough and win a trip to Dolly’s!), while others do tricks off the diving board. The lake is a social place offering just the right balance of relaxation and active fun.

With this wonderful day at camp, we’re off to a splendid start of the week. The girls are finding their way, learning and growing with each step, all while having a great time together.

Just down the road from Rockbrook is a wonderful family farm called the Pucker Up Berry Farm, also known as the “PUB Farm.” It’s owned and cared for by our friends Wendy and Eric Manner. The farm specializes in high antioxidant fruits and berries like elderberries, blueberries and blackberries. It also grows all sorts of flowers and vegetables.

The Rockbrook Juniors take a trip to the PUB Farm during their session of camp. It’s a chance to learn about the plants and animals there and to enjoy the environment. Counselor Lauren Plowden went with a recent group and wrote this account.

“When my campers heard the announcement that we would be skipping rest hour and taking a trip off campus, screams filled the room. As a Junior Counselor at RBC, I have the privilege of taking my cabin to Pucker Up Berry Farm.

This farm is located at the bottom of Becky Mountain and is home to lots of chickens, bunnies, exotic wildflowers, and berry orchards. It’s essential that our campers have the opportunity to explore nature in ways they maybe wouldn’t be able to at home. At the farm, campers can choose to hold the animals such as bunnies or chickens, sample some growing blueberries and enjoy the wildlife the heart of the wooded mountain has to offer.

Every child has the chance to build their own bouquet of wildflowers which we then bring back to camp and use as centerpieces in our dining hall. Bouquet making is a wonderful part of the trip and allows me and the juniors to dive into creativity, colors, and gardening.

My favorite part of the trip was exploring nature with my awesome campers in Junior 5 and seeing them try new things. Of course this trip wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Dolly’s Dairy Bar. We filled our stomachs up with yummy ice cream and sang camp songs all the way home on our hot 80 degree July day. Days at camp are never the same and you never quite know what surprises are in store for our campers!”

Horses in the middle of camp? This was clearly no ordinary morning, nor an ordinary day. It was the 4th of July! On this day, it’s been a long tradition at Rockbrook— we’re not sure how it started— for the campers to be awakened by the sounds of hooves and shouts of “The British are coming! The British are coming!” With the horses groomed and decorated with flag-patterned ribbons, and all manner of red, white and blue, the riding staff rode up and down the cabin lines yelling for the girls to wake up. Despite rubbing their sleepy eyes, the girls made their way through the morning fog to gather around the flagpole on the hill. The Hi-Ups raised the flag, and everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang “America the Beautiful.”

The British staff members we have at camp this summer found this a little amusing. One said, “uh, we’re already here!” To prove it, they all jumped in the lake holding a tea bag. Hmmm, perhaps as a show of solidarity in the face of all this American patriotism…?

This patriotic spirit extended beyond the horses; red, white, and blue decorations could be seen all around camp. The dining hall was adorned with table decorations reflecting the theme, and campers wore hats, headbands, beaded necklaces, t-shirts, and other items in patriotic colors. The girls joyfully sang their favorite patriotic songs during meals, such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” adding to the usual lively camp songs. There was no doubt that these girls were ready to celebrate the 4th!

We kept our regular Tuesday activity schedule, but with the addition of patriotic colors. American flags fluttered in the wind as girls participated in various activities— zipping through the woods on the zipline course, and sporting stars and stripes as archers, potters, weavers, tennis players, and climbers. The campers even brought the patriotic colors with them on a hike to Rockbrook Falls and to the barns for their riding lessons. Likewise for the group of girls who took a climbing trip to Looking Glass Rock.

During the dinner hour we had a rainstorm come through so we moved inside the dining hall for our 4th of July burgers, fries, and all the fixin’s like lettuce, cheese, tomato, etc. There was also plenty of watermelon to go around, and homemade coleslaw. For dessert, the baker made red, white a blue, swirl cheesecake bars, which we very popular.

The rain stopped just in time for everyone to gather on the hill for an event of silly games. All of the age groups and the counselors gave each game a try. One involved blowing up a balloon and using the air to try and blow three paper cones off the table. Another challenged the contestants to move pingpong balls from one bowl to another using a spoon, but not their hands. There was also a game that involved tossing a pingpong ball and bouncing it off a clipboard and into a bucket. The final challenge was to break open a watermelon using only rubber bands. It takes a lot of rubber bands before the melon explodes! The games involved everyone in a way, as the girls cheered for their friends participating.

As darkness fell, the highlight of the day was our very own Rockbrook fireworks show. We gave out glow sticks to all the girls, and cranked up some dance music to make it even more of a celebration. For the next 25 minutes or so, everyone enjoyed a sing-along dance party, with the girls twirling their glow sticks and cheering with each sparkling blast in the sky. It was an exhilarating way to end a great 4th of July at camp.

The Sunday schedule at Rockbrook begins with a welcome chance to sleep in. Everyone arrives at the dining hall around 9am, where we enjoy a special treat of donuts along with our breakfast. Later in the morning, everyone changes into their camp uniforms for a flag raising ceremony that includes reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing “America the Beautiful.” We all line up around the flagpole on the hill where the Hi-Ups present the flag and raise it. Then, the whole camp silently walks down the lower line to a special area of the camp with rows of benches for everyone to sit. This area we call “Chapel.”

The chapel gathering is not a religious service, despite the name implying that. Instead it’s a celebration of our camp values, camp goals, and more general themes we can all embrace. It provides a chance for us all to slow down and reflect a bit on what’s important about our camp experience. Each week a different age group of campers presents the Chapel program, selecting a theme. Past themes have included, community, adventure, kindness, respect, happiness, and nature, for example. Today’s Chapel theme was “Individuality.” The Middler campers sang songs related to the theme; “This is Me,” by Demi Lovato, was one today. They also take turns speaking about the theme and its importance. One camper today said it was good to celebrate each individual, but “that doesn’t mean any one person is better than another.”

Each Chapel gathering is also a chance for Sarah to talk about the theme. She ordinarily does that by reading a children’s book that is somehow related. Today she read, Weslandia, by Paul Fleischman. This is a story about a boy named Wesley who creates his own civilization in his backyard using a mysterious plant. It’s really a story about the power of imagination and the importance of being true to oneself even if it means being different. The story illustrates how it can sometimes be difficult for kids to be proud of their individuality, but community and cooperation help make it easier. All great themes for Rockbrook!

A little rain during rest hour helped cool things off before the main event of the day: an afternoon color scavenger hunt followed by a color blast shaving cream fight and slip-n-slide! That’s right, three events in one! The first had cabin groups dashing about camp looking for counselors hiding. The groups had to collect “colors.” Each counselor hiding was wearing a specific color, and once found the girls collected that color.

The shaving cream fight that came next was a hilarious blast. Wearing swimsuits, everyone met down at the grassy landsports field. With cans of shaving cream ready, and counselors stationed with colored powder, the girls arrived and immediately knew what to do. Spray those cans and smear liberally on anyone nearby! This quickly turns into a mad, chaotic scrum of splattering shaving cream, squirting foam, and slippery white coatings slowing growing on everyone. Specks of green, pink and blue color added to the scene.

This is less of a fight than a collective event. The girls “helped” each other empty their cans of shaving cream, helped each other with their new foaming hairstyles, and helped each other cover even more of themselves with the spray. Cooperation to make the whole event more fun!

There was fun pop dance music blasting, but you could barely hear it over the shrieks of laughter and chattering go on. This is messy camp fun, the kind of deep affirming silliness that feels great to embrace.

With water hoses spraying, it only made sense to slide down a big sheet of plastic. Everyone was already slippery, so even better! Take a look at the photo gallery to get a sense of just how much crazy fun we all had.

Once again, the secret to all of this, the “special sauce” that makes this so much fun, is the friendship that permeates this community. It’s a widespread kind of feeling too, something that goes beyond your “best friend.” Everyone’s friendly at camp, so everyone’s receiving the positivity of being among friends. You could see it today, as there was no holding back who you sprayed. When you can laugh with anyone, anyone can get sprayed with shaving cream. All so good, and so much better here at camp.