Greetings, friends! Olive Oyl here with your staff training news on this warm and sunny day!

We’ve been quite busy here at Hidden Valley this week, with area trainings and counseling meetings underway. Counselors are getting trained in areas ranging from stained glass to mountain biking. We’re also learning about counseling challenges and how life on camp works. In the evenings we have time to bond and hang out with fun evening programs and red barn time.

Two nights ago we had cabin night, with many wacky activities going on, like painting from the Tipi Zip line, making mason jar terrariums, splatter painting from the Tree House, and poker night, just to name a few. The fun hasn’t stopped since, with a staff training favorite, Booth Night, taking place last night. Returners shared their camp knowledge with our new staff, explaining things like off time, evening programs, lazy days, interest groups, and teen programs in exciting ways. There was a fortune telling booth, a slumber party tent, a puppet show, and a dance floor. It was a very informative and fun night.

Today we have more priorities trainings, like darkroom photography and glass beads. We’ll reconvene for a yummy lunch followed by some more meetings this afternoon. Tonight is a special evening, with Big Circle Night happening in the Old Dance Studio. Big Circle Night is a time to reflect on our year’s accomplishments, what we’re looking forward to this summer, and share quirks about ourselves. It’s a great time both to introspect and to get to know our fellow counselors.

For now, we’re enjoying trainings and this beautiful (according to weather guy, a perfect 10) day! Be sure to check out lots of photos of area trainings! More to come soon!

Warmly,
Olive