Authentically Worthwhile

Did you know we have a Better Authentic Recipe™ for becoming a Worthwhile Man developed over 116 consecutive years of running camp?

Hanging behind my desk is a rough, hand-typed quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I’ve never noticed. Until this year after Andy and I watched Brené Brown’s “The Call to Courage” special on Netflix where this quote is a keystone to her presentation. Andy pointed out that Roosevelt’s words have been watching over me for years. It reads:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

There are many things I love about this quote as it applies to a summer at Highlands. Heck, it even uses the phrase “who spends himself in a worthy cause.” As a place that puts supreme value on being “Worthwhile,” this quote radiates the Highlands Way. 

At camp, boys are challenged at every stage. From the time they’re tearfully dropped off, to nervously waitering their first meal, to unsteadily playing basketball for the first time, boys are tested. They are inherent “doers of deeds, large and small.” 

The successes and failures of your boys at Highlands are their’s alone. He repelled blindfolded at the low-ropes course. That’s Tyler’s achievement. He shot a bullseye at archery and built a really cool shelf in the wood shop. Those are Leo’s wins alone. But the triumphs are easy. 

What about he “who errs, who comes short again and again”? When John drops the football during a scrimmage? Or Jacob loses his temper with his cabinmate and says something he’s not proud of? That’s all their defeat, too.

I’m guilty of it. Making life easy for my kids. I advocate for them, I attend all the things (well, mostly), I proofread vocabulary at 10:30 the night before it’s due (shakes fist at sky). But that’s what makes camp so important. You. Aren’t. Here. To. Help. Them. 

Boys and young men are desperate for ways to differentiate themselves, especially during adolescence. Individuation is critical to developing into a healthy adult. That’s why teenagers do all kinds of ill-advised things – they just want to prove they are NOT their parents. They’re looking for a unique community and for validation, but in order for it to work it has to be authentic. Enter all today’s ills: drugs, recklessness and the underbelly of the internet. Ugh.

But at Highlands, we’ve got a Better Authentic Recipe™. Our counseling staff (of whom exactly 100% are returning this year!) are expert facilitators of the ol’ individuation process, although, I doubt that’s what they’d call it. They allow your boys the space and opportunity to “fail while daring greatly” in the words of Roosevelt. And it’s not just by learning skills in baseball or canoeing. The real impact comes after persevering through tough days on the trail, overcoming homesickness, making new friends and being a little bit uncomfortable on a cold afternoon. When the days and activity credits (ACs) are counted up at the end of the season, your boys are a better, more worthwhile version of themselves.

Highlands Better Authentic Recipe™

1 part self-reliance
1 part courage
1 part willingness
1 part screen-free, pristine, north woods environment 

Mix together in a 116-year-old vessel lined with support, experience and leadership. Add a dash of a loon’s call. Dip in Plum Lake 2-3 times. Repeat.

Moms, dads and all the caregivers out there – don’t kid yourselves. You’re also daring greatly by letting your boys come to camp. It’s not easy to let them go for 3, 4 or even 7 weeks. But you do. And we thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the process on their path to manhood. 

We asked our Cub head counselor, Kent Overbey to do a rain ceremony to keep the weather at bay, and it worked. Yesterday’s predicted thunderstorms held off and today’s forecasted rainy drear has been replaced with a damp, warm, overcast day. 

The morning started off with our safety talks and general getting-to-know-you tours around camp, but by mid-morning, the boys were at their activities. We’ve already started snapping photos and are posting some goodies on our Instagram Story (grab your favorite millennial to help you if you don’t know what this means).

The first couple of days of camp are transitional – even for boys who have been here for years, they can be tricky – new friends, old friends, getting back into the swing of things. Lois makes this a little easier on all of us by stacking the deck when it comes to meals. Today’s menu consisted of pancakes for breakfast, chicken tenders for lunch and supper will be homemade turkey soup and sandwiches. Did you know Lois has cooked for us for more than 30 years? She’s in charge of all the meal planning this year and helping her out in the kitchen are Car, Becky, Becca and Caroline. We are so thankful for this team! 

Other things going on around camp:

• We have two resident eagles that are stalking a family of merganser ducks
  in the boating bay – stay strong mama and baby ducks!
• We’ll pass out shirts to the boys tonight so they’ll be ready for Sunday Assembly 
• Trips are already going out – hiking in the Porkies and more coming right up
• Wednesday afternoon is Division Day and we’ve cooked up some new things for this summer, stay tuned for updates on that stuff

I ?CH,

Tracy B.

 

Once Mike and I turned the pages of our December calendars, camp was almost always on our minds.
We wrote about, made calls about, and constantly thought about every detail of the coming summer. Who will be able to return? Who won’t be able to return? (Oh, shoot!) Possible new campers, and campers referred to us by our camp families were always so appreciated! Andy and Tracy are the ones that have camp on their minds. How lucky all we Bachmanns feel, to have camp be such an important part of our daily lives.
One of my jobs at camp is planning the menu and ordering the food for our meals. A favorite meal for everyone is our Sunday Dinner following our Sunday Morning Assembly. Turkey and all the trimmings are a tradition every Sunday at camp. Yum…!! It makes me hungry just to think about that! Most days, when you walk to the middle of Junior Hill, you can catch a whiff of the mouth-watering smell of turkey and freshly baked yeast rolls. That has everybody ready for the bugle to blow, and Lodge bell to ring for dinner.
People often ask me how many turkeys I order each week for that Sunday meal?
The answer is 8, 21 to 24-pound turkeys. The cooks put the turkeys in the ovens very late Saturday night. The next morning the Lodge family arrive at 9:00 AM, ready to pull the meat off the bones. Those turkeys are put in a warming oven and then separated into piles of white meat and dark meat and the broth is poured over the meat to keep it moist. Oh my….it is so good! We always make a little extra so that we can use the turkey in one of the other camp favorites…

Tracy, has asked that I share one of our favorite Camp Highlands recipes. This one is great for chicken or turkey that maybe you have leftover in your refrigerator or freezer. This recipe was given to me years ago by my dear Western Springs friend, Ann Shay. Her children and grandchildren came as campers and their family came for more than 13 years for Friends and Family camp. During camp, the campers and staff members when passing me on the path will say, “Sharon, when are we having turkey tetrazzini?” It is so good!
Easy Turkey Tetrazzini
I put this recipe in a 9 x13 pan, but you could also use a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
When I make this at home, I purchase a roasted chicken at the grocery store and put all the meat in my casserole. Bake it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until it is bubbly. It will serve 8 to 10 people.

8 oz. thin spaghetti, broken in half
Chicken broth
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 c. of milk
2/3 c. of mayonnaise
1/2 c. of celery diced small (optional)
2 c. of cooked chopped turkey or chicken
1 can diced mushrooms drained
2 T. of pimento (optional, for color)
2/3 c. of Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, divided
Cook the spaghetti in chicken broth. ( I add some water)Drain well. Mix the mushroom soup, milk and mayonnaise until well blended. Add celery, turkey or chicken, mushrooms, pimento and half of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Put the rest of the cheese over the top toward the end of the baking time.
Valentine’s Day is coming. Mmmm…this would be a great dish to try! I hope you will enjoy this. If you do, we’d love hearing from you on how it turns out.
I hope that your summer calendar includes a visit to Camp Highlands this summer. Maybe you will be driving your son to camp? Maybe you will be able to get away at the end of camp to come for the Family Picnic and the Program that follows. Maybe, you will come and stay at the Highlands Lodge during the camping season, or at the beginning or end of camp? Maybe your family will stay after camp is ending for a few days or a week of Friends and Family camp? Whatever you and your family can arrange…I hope Camp Highlands will be on your minds for your son, and your extended family and friends. I believe more than ever, a summer, or part of a summer at Camp Highlands is a wonderful place for a boy to be. I hope this day finds you and your family well and enjoying this unusually cold winter. I’m glad that I can be in Gainesville, FL for four months. It has been very cool here too, but no complaints from me, I love hearing the birds chirping away outside my bedroom window in the early morning, and…..oh my, it is SO NICE to feel the warmth of the sun, even on a chilly day!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your families!
Sending love from Gainesville,
Sharon Bachmann

I don’t know what I’m most excited about: a new pier and diving towers in Senior Row, new dugouts on the ball field or two new cabins. There’s a LOT to get psyched for in 2017!
Have you filled out your forms?
If you have enrolled, you’ve got forms to complete. Here’s a quick to-do list for you:

1. Schedule your child’s physical if necessary.
2. If your child takes medication, you must fill out the Personal Rx (formerly Camp Rx) forms. You’ll need copies of your child’s prescriptions for that.
3. Make your travel reservations. If your son is traveling by air, please forward us a copy of his itinerary.

Will you be staying at Camp during drop-off or pick-up?
Did you know you can make a reservation to stay in the CH Lodge? We’d love to have you!
Friends + Family Camp Registration is open!
“Man, I wish I could go to camp,” said every parent ever. YOU CAN! Arrange an alumni reunion with your camp buddies and their families, bring a future camper to CH to catch the vibe or just come by yourself to sit on the dock, paddle a kayak down Star Creek or jump off of Tower Three. Now’s a great time to reserve your favorite cabin!
Feel free to give us a call
We’d love to hear from you. If you have any questions at all, please give us a ring. Do you have a nervous first-timer or you have a question about shipping a trunk? Sometimes a quick call can make all the difference. We’re counting down…Let’s do this thing!

One of my absolute favorite things about camp is the laughter. I think I laugh harder and more often here than I do anywhere else.
We’ve reached that time of the season where the smiles come easy, the nods are affirming and everyone leans on the best of intentions in our interactions with one another. It’s a special time of year.
Today I was walking around and I was caught off guard by what I suddenly noticed. Friendship. All around. Everybody’s got a buddy. There are packs of boys lumbering and strutting around with the calm cool confidence of a boy surrounded by his pals. The little guys sprint as a posse to the next great thing. Whether it’s the last notes of the mess call at flag raising that mark the “GO!” of the sprint to the dining hall, or the bugle call announcing free time (and store time!), there is an urgency to EVERYTHING for pretty much all of them. And it’s awesome.
But what caught me off guard was when I realized that back home, there aren’t packs of pals. There may be a few if you’re lucky. Maybe one “best bud” to yuck around with. But not packs like this. Our guys are surrounded by fellows who will be their best friends their whole life long. And here, in this week, at this time of the season, they are so comfortable, so casual and so cool just hanging out. And when they do, they laugh. And that laughter is a beautiful thing to hear.
How lucky we are.
Better. Worthwhile. Highlands.
 

Who wouldn’t want their child to have a real-life adventure?
Your boys have arrived and the fun, challenges, self-discovery and friendships begin exactly…NOW.
The adventure starts the minute boys get off the bus and counselors and campers alike swoop in, grab trunks and bags and things are delivered to cabins in about 6 minutes flat. Boys who ride the bus will make their beds and head to the infirmary to check in with our two outstanding nursing team members Madi K. and Nathanial B. The bugle will blow (yes, we still use a real, live bugle at Highlands) for supper at 5:50 and then we’ll settle down to the traditional first night’s supper of spaghetti and meatballs. It’s a crowd pleaser!
Tonight the guys will play division games and get to know each other a little bit. Andy has a rule that boys can’t “throw balls at each other” until they know each other’s names. So the games tonight are all about FUN and team building. After games, they’ll get a lay-of-the-land and hear the basic rules of camp. We sweeten the deal with campfires and s’mores. At 9 o’clock, taps will play and the guys will head to bed.
I have to admit, the weather is a little glum (I’m from Florida, so I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to the temp!). But tomorrow we’re expecting 87° weather, so we’ll bundle up tonight and wake up to the best kind of camp weather. Warm and sunny!
You can find all the passwords you’ll need for the gallery and instructions for how to use the email system in the Highlands Handbook (or in one of the many emails you’ve probably gotten from me). You might also want to take a look at our Instagram account to take a peek at the hidden corners of Highlands. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us!
Andy and I are so thrilled to have your boys with us. They are each unique, creative, energetic, brilliant creatures – 130 of them – that will make second term amazing. Thank you for sharing them with the Highlands family!
I ♥ CH!
tracy b.

“If you surrender to the wind you can ride it.” – Toni Morrison

The 28-mile an hour winds have blown in a camp full of boys today. We are incredibly thankful for the energy and spirit they bring with them.
All the bus campers arrived before 5 p.m., beating Jim DiDomeninco’s predicted arrival time of 5:07 p.m. (Winning!) As tradition dictates, we’ll be eating spaghetti tonight – 20 lbs. of spaghetti, that is! Lois and Greg do an great job in the kitchen. Did you know Lois has been our head chef for more than 20 years? And Greg our awesome sous chef is joining us for his second season. We are psyched!
I wish you could see the scene when the busses arrive. In a matter of just a few moments all boys, duffels, trunks, lacrosse sticks, backpacks and tennis racquets are unloaded quickly and delivered to their cabins. As a mom, I watch the scene and think, “isn’t there some sort of system here?” Apparently you don’t need much of a system when you have 113 years of Highlands magic (and experience) in your pocket. In fact, nearly 100% of our staff has been here before, and of those returning, most of them have been campers here their whole life. They know how it goes! Check this time lapse from this afternoon out (note the end when a pick up soccer game starts!)

Tonight after supper, the boys will play games by division, get the lay of the land, hear some baseline rules and cap the evening off with s’mores. Yep. It’s a hard job but someone has to do it.
Because the camp gods are smiling down on us today, it’s WARM. But our guys will have to wait until tomorrow’s swim tests before they dip. By lunch tomorrow, every boy will be tested and given the low-down on how our buddy system works. We take our waterfront activities very seriously. As Andy always says, “You never walk alone when you walk with safety.” 
There’s a vibe in the atmosphere, and I think it’s more than these gale-force winds. It’s something bigger. 113 years of magic, excitement, heritage, tradition and love is in the air.
113 years. We’re ready for you.
And on that note…
I ♥ CH,
Tracy B.

We’re 29 days away from the start of our 113^th camping season. And we can’t wait!
We have an incredible array of campers and staff coming this season—and we have made some exciting improvements in our camp facilities to ensure that, while we’re still the oldest continuously-operated boys camp in the midwest, we’re still making the necessary improvements to keep camp awesome. Just wait until you see the TWO new cabins we’ve built!
Right now we’re starting to review travel plans, consider cabin assignments and order t-shirts. If you haven’t finished filling out your forms, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. We especially need to know if your son is going to be riding the bus by May 25. If your son will be taking prescription medication, you are required to register them with CampRx. Those directions can be found in the forms section of the website. We stock most over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benedryl, etc. at the infirmary to be distributed by our health staff.
If your son’s physical isn’t until closer to the start of camp, that’s OK! While we’d prefer to have them in as soon as possible, we understand the headaches joys of trying to get your kids into the doctor during this busy time. Please make sure to photo copy both front and back of your insurance card and to sign the bottom of that form. That is the medical release form.
Finally, we have two helpful resources that will be like gold to you—especially if you’re a first-time Highlands parent. That is the Highlands Handbook and the Packing List, both of which are located in the Forms and Documents section in the parent log in page. Almost any question you have can be answered in the Handbook. Mail, email, packages, homesickness, medication – you name it – it’s in there.
We are so excited for this upcoming season. We’ve got another incredible lineup on the staff, including a few new faces that I know are going to be awesome fits at Highlands. And we’ve still got a few spaces in our first term—so if you know some great young guy that would benefit from the Highlands experience, send them our way!
We can’t wait for another incredible season at Camp Highlands!
Better. Worthwhile. Highlands.
–Andy

Today marks the beginning of the end of the term (excuse me while I dry my eyes!). Here is what you need to know about this week.
Tuesday: Our final Division Day. The boys hang out as a division, cook out and our cooks enjoy a night off.
Wednesday: The evening brings us Stunt Night our infamously famous talent(less) show. 7:15 p.m.
Thursday: Kerchief ceremony in the evening.
Friday, August 7: Parents are invited to arrive at 3 p.m. to hang out, watch the football tournament, cheer for our 5K racers, meet your child’s counselor and bunkmates. New this year: Please sign in at the office to get your name tag when you get to camp, thank you! Picnic supper is at 6 p.m. followed by our final banquet festivities which conclude around 8:30 p.m.
You are free to take your son after the banquet, please communicate that with your son’s counselor and with the office.
Boys depart camp Saturday, at 8:45 a.m. on the bus back to Chicago. **If your child disembarks in Madison (1 p.m.) or Rockford (2:15 p.m.) PLEASE contact the CH office.
If you haven’t updated your travel information in your parent log in area, please take the time to do so. If you still need to RSVP to the final banquet, you can do that by emailing us at camp. THANK YOU!
It’s going to be a great week!

My kid has been working toward graduating from skiing for three, maybe four years. But what does that mean? And why is it taking such a long time? Here at Highlands we mark our progress through an activity by Achievement Credits (ACs). Each activity has a long list of measurable and achievable goals that boys work through. Week by week, over the years. Once a boy has made his way through all the ACs, there is usually some final piece of the puzzle to complete: a written test, teaching the activity or some other major hurdle to jump.
Our counselors take awarding ACs seriously. Boys really have to work for the credits. It’s not a gimme situation!
On Thursday before final banquet we have an event in the club house called the Kerchief Ceremony. Each camper is recognized for ACs earned over the summer and their achievements are memorialized forever when each boy upon leaving the club house places his stick into the Fire of Friendship. It’s a powerful marker for the hard work our boys have put in. But it marks not only the baskets shot, riflery scores made or whitecaps sailed. It marks the four weeks of living without the comforts of home! It marks the growth and independence each boy has exhibited. It marks the friendships forged through living the Honor Camper Qualities.
We are a week away from our final banquet, and rest assured, our sons are still thriving, growing, learning and challenging themselves! As the sun starts to lower in the sky and the days grow shorter, we are still running, playing and making memories. We will make the most of these last sweet days of summer.
On that note…
I <3 CH,
Tracy B.