And Now…!

The 7:00 AM bugle roused our campers this morning, the distant Tuck bell led them to a delicious breakfast of biscuits and eggs. Right after the meal, the camp’s first-ever bike/swim/fun trip departed, and it was a huge success! Then it was time to head outside for the Morning Yell, followed by a few favorite tunes at the chapel. This morning, however, the men of Timberlake were interrupted before their journey to cabin cleanup by the arrival of the Gamemasters. The campers knew exactly what this meant: Tribalpalooza! Regular classes were put on hold as the boys spent the entire day playing evening activities and earning points toward the ultimate prize…the banner!

In the morning, the senior campers were scattered throughout campus, attempting to earn slips of paper for the mighty men of Greybeard as they prepared for the Timberlake Hunger Games. Each challenge, be it physical or mental, was a huge contribution to the survival of each tribute. The junior camp, meanwhile, engaged in the beautifully chaotic evening activity, Bandits Rancheros. 

Once the points had been collected and spent on food, supplies, and (foam) weapons for the tributes, the entire camp gathered on the chapel hill to watch the beginning of the game. The Greybearders circled the cornucopia, waited for the countdown, and the games began! Some fought, some fled, but all sought victory in the grueling day-long Hunger Games. 

As if the excitement of Tribalpalooza wasn’t enough, the incredible Timberlake kitchen staff exceeded our expectations with a lunch of chicken caesar wraps and fries! The boys fueled up for an exhausting afternoon and got the necessary recuperation during the best HOUR…rest hour! 

After that, it was off to Trading Post for some delicious and nutritious candy and Gatorade during free time. Several counselors opened up their activities to give the campers a chance to work on their bars. At the archery range, Thomas M., Grant S., Caleb D., and Hudson S. all earned their bronze. In canoeing, Percy M. and Henry P. earned their bronze, and Ford B. and Elliot S. managed to achieve their gold!

Junior and senior camp split up for the first hour of afternoon games. While the tribes in junior camp battled it out in the camp classic, Sock War, the senior campers tried their hand at Bandits Rancheros. Both games earned a victory for the Black Bears. The camp then reconvened at the Outback to play Search and Destroy, which went to the Golden Eagles! Henry O. in particular pulled more flags than the camp has seen in a long time. Many a banner has been decided by Tribalpalooza, but after today the race still seems to be tighter than ever…

Wiped out from a full day of tribal games, the young men sat down to another dinner favorite, Hawaiian meatballs. With the end of dinner came the announcement of, you guessed it, another evening activity! Junior camp went back to their cabins where their counselors had planned an awesome cabin night for them, while senior camp went to their version of the Olympics, in the spirit of the season. They put their skills in all of their daily activities to the test, completing challenges and attempting to finish them more quickly than the other tribe. Time will tell which one will be victorious. 

It has been another amazing day at camp. Everyone, from campers to staff, enjoyed a break from the normal routine and the opportunity to tip the balance in the race for the banner. The young men of Camp Timberlake spent a day building up their teammates, winning with humility, and losing with grace. It’s hard to believe session 3A is already about to draw to a close, but there are still two full days of awesome camp memories left to be made!

Until next time,

Bennett K.

Little Slaty Counselor

Proud Golden Eagle