for the staff morale

Fourth session. When I ask counselors how much gas they have left in the tank, they typically answer: "A quarter of a tank." Not bad, really. But this is grueling work. Up at 7:30 or so, outdoors and mostly running or moving fast all day, with a one-hour period off - and then after-dinner programs followed by devotions, followed sometimes by CQ duty. Curfew is at 1 am. Almost everyone is at least up - if not walking around - until 1 (it's the only time to enjoy the company of staff friends in other villages). So that's a long day. Sixteen-and-a-half hours! These are dedicated people, and right about now they can use all the treats they can get. Last night I threw a party for the Lakota staff starting at 11, at Turrell Lodge (which is empty now that the Lakota one-week campers have departed). Dan Weir drove over a grill for me to use, and I picked up fabulous "wood charcoal" (what's that?) from the kitchen, and supplied hamburgers, cheese, hot dogs, buns, Pellegrino water, chips, cookies, pudding, etc. etc. I grilled a round of cheeseburgers and next thing you know: let's have more. They gathered on the porch of Turrell, put on some music, and - of course - talked about their campers. Some counselors from other villages stopped by. They ate and talked and ate and talked. And expressed real gratitude. This morning I saw a bit of extra bounce in their steps. It was a pleasure to provide this for them (in, I might add, the Eric Blum tradition).