Pre Camp gets a guest photographer!

One of our awesome adult volunteers, Ellen Coleman, is also an amazing photographer who is journeying to art school in the fall to study photography. She blogged about Pre-Camp on her personal blog. Check it out!

Here's some pics she took:

Pre-Camp: Day Four (Departure)

Sunday brings departure for Pre-Camp. Today we sent home 26 members of the Camp Gailor Maxon community and their parents. To say that this weekend was amazing would be an understatement. The presence of the Lord was felt in so many ways this weekend and words cannot even begin to describe the experiences we had. The combination of old and new friends, old and new traditions, was a powerful one for us all. 

This morning we had our breakfast and then took a tour of the grounds so that the pre-campers who are "graduating" to big camp could see where they'd stay next year. We then had a final service, said our goodbyes, and went on our separate ways. 

Pre-Camp: Day Three

Day Three (Saturday) of Pre-Camp was blessed with beautiful weather. After breakfast, the campers learned about Ordinary Time on our Liturgical Calendars and decorated pillowcases with a camp design. Since we had such clear skies, we decided to take the kids back to the playground (they were clamoring over it still) and then have a free swim session. 

The afternoon brought an off-campus trip to Abbo's Alley on the campus of Sewanee. 

After a short walk through the woods, we arrived at the clearing with the stream. Some of the kids elected to hunt for creatures in the creek, while others played in the field. 

 We then headed on to All Saints, the chapel on the campus of the University of the South. This chapel is gorgeous and we all took in its beauty. 

 After coming back and having one more swim (much needed after a hot, sticky hike), we cleaned up for our traditional Banquet and Eucharist. 

 Father Mark led us in a children's Eucharist that was lovely. The kids all enjoyed how hands on it was and how they got to be right up close. 

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We ended the night with a bonfire and stories before heading to bed. 

Pre Camp: Day Two afternoon

After a delicious lunch and a siesta, the pre-campers arrived in the Art Barn to begin their afternoon activities. We split into two groups - one group did tie-dye t-shirts and one group went on a bug hunt with Miss Jen the Park Ranger. 

In addition to leading the bug hunt, Miss Jen the Park Ranger taught the Pre-Campers the life stages of a butterfly and they made mobiles. 

After a chapel activity, we had some fun pool time before heading in to dinner. 

Fun with Photoshop at Camp Gailor Maxon

Here at Camp Gailor Maxon we love to have fun. While editing the camp picture for Pre-Camp, Alex played around a bit in PhotoShop with the picture we posted last night. For your entertainment, here's our boss, doing what he does - running the show:

 

Pre Camp: Day Two (Morning)

The theme for chapel this year is "BEST YEAR EVER!", focusing on the liturgical calendar and how we use it as a guide in our lives as Christians. For the Pre-Campers, we started out this morning learning about the season of Advent and Christmas, singing some fun Christmas songs, decorating a tree, and talking about preparing for the birth of Jesus. We then learned about the liturgical wheel and made our own!

We sang some more songs and played a few games as well. 

 There are a lot of new faces at Pre-Camp this year, but some of those new faces are actually very familiar to Camp Gailor Maxon! We've got camp alums who have brought back their children to introduce them to the camp experience. 

 After chapel, we took our group picture before heading over to the Monteagle Playground. This playground is awesome. We love it!

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We've got a busy afternoon planned as well - tie dying, a bug hunt, swimming, and more. 

Pre Camp: Day One

After most of the day spent organizing crafts, creating carnival games, making signs, and other assorted activities, the staff took a break before the arrival of the Pre-campers! Our Pre-Camp serves families with children rising 1st through 3rd grade and they come with one or both parents. 

Campers registered in the Pavilion before playing four-square, making room signs, decorating their nametags, and greeting old friends.

Oh and we got to debut the new camp logo on our camp t-shirts! We had an awesome logo designed for us to update the CGM look. Here's a few counselors with our t's on:

 After a lot of greeting, playing, and reminiscing, we ended the night with a evening prayer service and snack:

Pre-Camp is huge this year and the kids are already proving to be quite adorable. Tomorrow is going to be a full day!

Staff Week: A little humor

Captured while creating placemats for the Pre-Camp Banquet later this weekend - Phil making a placemat based on Twitter. A Dubose twitter page. A little camp humor for you.

Staff Week: Compline

During staff week, we stay pretty busy. We plan a lot, play a lot, and pray a lot. Today we had a candlelight compline service in St. Andrew's Chapel that was beautiful. It is little moments like this that we need the most during staff week. And CPR training. That helps too.

Two.

Our staff has arrived! After spending the last few days on the mountain preparing for staff week, the leadership team (myself, CHB, and Gracie) are so excited to have our staff on the mountain. We've got two days until the Pre-campers arrive and we start the 2010 camping season!!

Now off to train the staff.. more later!

Five.

Five days until Pre-Camp starts and the beginning of the 2010 camp season! Leadership team arrives today, staff arrives Tuesday to begin training, and then the Mini-Maxons and their parents arrive Thursday night!!!

Six.

Six days until Pre-Camp and the start of the 2010 camp season!

Seven.

Seven days until Pre-Camp and the start of the 2010 season!

Eight.

Eight Days until Pre-Camp and the start of the 2010 Camp Season!

9.

Nine days until Pre-Camp and the beginning of Camp Gailor Maxon's 2010 season!

10.

Countdown to Pre-Camp and the beginning of Camp Gailor Maxon's 2010 season: 10 days!

 

Camp Gailor Maxon slideshow - Are you ready for camp??

One of our awesome counselors, Lizzy Holt, made this amazing slideshow of past camp pictures. It sure got me in the camp spirit now that school is out, the air is warm, the sun is shining, and the sky is blue. Have you turned in your form yet?

View the video on Youtube here

or watch a small version here:

Introducing the Staff... Julia Gardial

We are so excited to introduce our next staff member. Julia Gardial is a wonderful person who will be joining us for her first year on staff. Here's what Julia has to say:

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"I am a freshman at the University of Alabama. My major is Public Relations with a double minor in English and Creative Writing. In my free time, I like to read, watch movies, and knit. I'm very excited about going to camp because it has always been such a wonderful experience for me, and now I'll have a chance to give back in a small way to the place that has changed my life so much. Also, I'm pumped about our ballin' staff!"

And speaking of "ballin' staff," here's a pic of Julia with another awesome staff member, Jillian:

Introducing the Staff: Cody Hawks

The next member of staff that we are delighted to share with you is none other than Cody Hawks. Here's Cody to tell you a bit about himself:

"Howdy! My name is Cody Hawks and I will be laying down the jams this summer.  I am a rising sophomore at Middle Tennessee State University, where my major is Recording Industry with a concentration in Music Business.  My hometown is Gallatin, Tennessee, just 30 miles northeast of Nashville.  I cannot wait to enjoy this summer worshiping the Holy Spirit through music and just plain FUN.  This summer will be the best the mountain has ever seen!!"

Introducing the Staff: Hans Bauer

In our newest installment of Introducing the Staff, we're pleased to bring you the one and only Hans Bauer:

 

Hans says..."What's up CGMers? My name is Hans Bauer and I will be on the Camp Gailor-Maxon staff for this upcoming summer 2010, which is going to be "the best year ever!" I grew up in Memphis, TN where I attend Calvary Episcopal Church. Currently, I am a rising sophomore at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville studying to be a geography major and loving every minute of it. My main interests include playing lacrosse, watching college football (of course cheering on the VOLS), hiking, camping, or doing anything outside and adventurous. I have served the past three years as a JC and cant wait to get on the mountain as a full time staff member. See everyone Soon!"


And just in case the skiing picture didn't give you a good idea of who this masked man is, here's a good one of our Hans at the counselor hunt - 

Introducing the Staff... Jani Sarratt

Next on the list for staff intros is Ms. Jani Sarratt! Here are two pictures of her with fellow staff members.

 And now, for a little bit about Jani:

"Hey everyone! My name is Jani Sarratt and I am so excited about being on staff at Camp Gailor Maxon this summer. I am a freshman at Auburn University majoring in Civil Engineering and I love being down here on the plains! I am from Franklin, TN and at home I attend St. George’s Episcopal Church, but at school I attend Holy Trinity Episcopal where I love to handout with the youth group! While on the mountain I love to play guitar, go to the cross, hike, hang out in the art barn, participate in Compline, and of course, have the time of my life with all my favorite people. I absolutely cannot wait until June and Camp Gailor Maxon! "

Introducing the Staff.... Director Charles Houston Beaumont, III

Camp Director Charles Houston Beaumont is a life-long resident of Monteagle Mountain. He attends Christ Church, Tracy City and grew up in the Episcopal tradition. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Middle School Education from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and now works as a special education teacher in Grundy County. When not teaching or working on camp, Charles Houston spends his leisure time fishing, hiking, reading, and making art.

Charles Houston has a long relationship to Dubose and Camp Gailor Maxon. He attended camp as a camper in the late ‘80s through the mid 90’s. He served on staff for three summers during college. This is his second summer as director. His goals for camp are to see it grow, add meaningful community service, and help the youth and children of Tennessee find their place in the Episcopal community.