My First Camp Experience (By Callie Partridge, Age 11)

Have you ever been to camp? It’s a lot of fun. In June, I went to my very first overnight camp. I went to Twin Lakes Christian Camp. To tell you the truth, I was more than excited. I was exploding. I’d never been to camp before in my life. I had two super-nice counselors who made it a blast- and nine new friends. That week, I got scared in High Advanced Ropes Course and Rock Wall, ziplined into the lake, slid into the pool, held baby ducks and little rabbits at Wild Wilderness Adventure (WWA), Slip’n’Slid, had superfun at superfun games, rode a disobedient but fun horse, and kayaked around. It was a blast!

My new friends and I came up with new, more accurate names for “Happy Hill,” like “Happy Top-of the-Hill,” “Happy We’re Suffering Here Hill,” and “Happy Done-With-It Hill.” I even learned firsthand what it was like to be Elijah—Ahab and Jezebel insisting Baal was God, fasting for so long, causing a drought. But he also taught Elisha about God, helped the widow and her son live, brought life back to the son, and was taken up to Heaven as reward. I was nervous about making friends, but I want to acknowledge Emilee, Emma, Jimmie Grace, Ginny, Shelby, Kelsey, Chrysten, Gracie, and Sarah Bess for a super fun week—and don’t let me forget our counselors, Anne and Anna Kristen! The LITs (Leaders in Training) were also a lot of fun, joking with younger kids, especially if they were scared. But girls’ night was one of the best.

Girls’ Night is when all the girls get together and have a blast at the pavilion and eat snowcones and cotton candy and decorate the counselors in tissue paper. Our counselor, Anne, got a super-pretty dress like a wedding dress, and a bouquet! The other counselor got more of a bold outfit—a Viking suit, it looked like. But they were both beautiful. Again, I want to thank everyone for a fantastic week, and I can’t wait to see everyone! I recommend this very highly, so consider going—it’s the chance of a lifetime!

Twin Lakes is the place to be this 2012 summer. See you there!!!