Traditions, New and Old at Friday Night Campfire

Campfire is such a special time for everyone at Camp Carolina. Campers and Counselors have some down time with their friends and spend minutes reflecting on the week just gone and remembering and appreciating the good times they have had. Songs are sung, inspirational stories and poems are told, trip reports allow the campers to stand up in front of a supportive audience and speak and the old man of the mountain is awarded to those boys who have shown great citizenship over the week.

This year we have included a new "segment" to Friday night campfire called "He aint from around here". Mountaineering counselor, Guy Sloan from the Isle of Arran, Scotland was our first guest speaker who chatted with the crowd about traditions and culture from his home town. He told a few intertwining stories that began with the story of Robert the Bruce who famously led Scotland to independence against England. Robert the Bruce lost support from the Scottish Nobles and so fled to the Isle of Arran and hid in a cave called "Kings Cave".

Robert The Bruce was good friends with the Duke of Hamilton. The Hamilton clan owned Brodick Castle which is where Guy was working as a volunteer right before he came to camp! The Hamilton clan had several superstitions, one being if an Albino deer is born on the Isle of Arran that is a sign that the family lineage is ending and the deer must be killed. A few weeks before Guy was scheduled to fly out to the USA to begin his WFR training an albino deer was seen. And who was hired by Brodick castle to hunt it? Our very own Guy Sloan! Guy tramped (hiked) all over the Island but could not find the deer. The day after he flew out it was seen on a sports field and is still currently running free.

Also on Friday nights campfire, we had Head Counselor Conor Martin repeat the wise words "Don't judge those who try and fail. Judge only those who fail to try" and Newt, Tripp recite the poem "Courage" by Robert Service. We had several trip reports for mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, skating, climbing, horse riding, caving, and surfing which entertained the audience and got the campers excited for the upcoming week. Check out our website for pictures of Friday nights campfire and stay tuned for our next "He aint from round here" segment!