Director's Corner, Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Build Me Up Buttercup

But I love you still
I need you (I need you)
More than anyone, darling
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart

Today started out bright and early here at Beber as we loaded campers onto their buses for destinations all over Wisconsin, kicking off their three-day trips! Our tripping program is a crucial aspect of summer camp for several key reasons:

Skill Development: Campers learn essential outdoor skills, including cooking, setting up camp, and environmental stewardship.
Personal Growth: Facing and overcoming challenges boosts campers' confidence and resilience. They learn to push their boundaries and discover their capabilities in a supportive environment.
Teamwork and Leadership: Trips foster cooperation and collaboration. Campers must work together to achieve common goals, enhancing their teamwork and leadership abilities.
Connection with Nature: Immersion in nature helps campers develop an appreciation for the environment, fostering a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Physical Health: Tripping programs involve physical activity, promoting fitness and health.
Mental Health: Being in nature and unplugged offers mental health benefits, including reduced stress and increased mindfulness.
Building Community: Shared experiences on trips strengthen bonds among campers and staff. The challenges and successes of a trip create lasting memories and deeper friendships.
Fun and Adventure: Trips add an exciting and memorable element to the overall camp experience.

Campers get to choose from many different skill-based trips, and it's our goal to give everyone their first or second choice from all these excellent adventures.

The Biking Trip

The biking trip follows the Elroy-Sparta and 400 State bike trails. Along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, darkness becomes an integral part of the landscape, complementing scenic vistas of rolling hills and farmland. This trail features three hand-dug railroad tunnels across its 33-mile stretch from Sparta to Elroy, renowned as the oldest rail-trail conversion in the United States.

Meanwhile, the 400 State Trail was established on a former Chicago - Northwestern Railroad route, named after the 400 passenger train that covered 400 miles from Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul in 400 minutes. Its smooth biking surface consists of packed limestone screenings and bridges with planked floors. The segment from Elroy to Wonewoc includes picturesque crossings of the Baraboo River.

Campers on this journey find accommodations in campgrounds adjacent to the trails, some even equipped with swimming pools for a refreshing end to a day of cycling.

The Climbing Trip

The climbing trip heads to picturesque Devil’s Lake State Park, where participants enjoy the unique opportunity to ascend actual rock faces, with Ramot campers also experiencing the thrill of rappelling. Apex Adventures organizes the climbs and equips our campers with full gear, including helmets and climbing shoes.

After a full day of climbing, campers unwind with a refreshing swim in the lake. A highlight of the trip includes bouldering to Devil's Doorway, situated high above Devil’s Lake. This natural formation is thought to have been shaped by the freezing and thawing of water within cracks in the quartzite. The views from this vantage point are breathtaking, often prompting early morning hikes to witness sunrise through the rock formation.

The Canoe Trip

For Ramot and Kesher, this is a 25-mile canoe trip down the beautiful Wisconsin River from Gotham to Bascobel. This trip will give campers a true sense of what it is like to be in nature. Sleeping at night on the sandbars under a starry sky makes for a real magical experience. Campers also learn new canoe skills while experiencing the flow of Wisconsin’s waterways.

The Fishing Trip

The fishing trip is a popular choice among our campers. In addition to fishing at local ponds and waterways, campers on this trip embark on a charter boat adventure on Lake Michigan, targeting sizable salmon. The salmon then gets filleted for them to prepare for dinner in the evening. Campers can become their own chefs as they prepare the salmon they caught that very afternoon!

Tomorrow, I'll share updates on the remaining trips. So far, every trip has reported in with glowing reviews of their first day!

Here are some other highlights from today: Kesher canoeing left an hour after Ramot this morning, yet they made great progress downriver to their overnight stop. They're having a fantastic time, enjoying the beautiful water. Fine Arts was at "The House on the Rock" museum, which I'd perfectly describe as quirky! They have an all-instruments room, "The City of Yesteryear" room, and more. Kesher fishing spent the day fishing and hanging out at the beach, eagerly awaiting their charter tomorrow. Meanwhile, the climbing trip has been busy hiking and bouldering today!

I can't wait to share even more exciting updates tomorrow, including tales of bountiful fish catches, thrilling rides through cool tunnels, and serene nights sleeping under the stars on sandbars!

Let's move on to Makor so I can tell you all about their amazing day today! For the three days that Ramot and Kesher are out on their trips, Makor has the run of camp and gets to enjoy special programming. It’s called Makor Mania! Think late wake-ups, waterfront takeovers, an overnight stay at "upper camp" complete with camper stew and s'mores, and special programs facilitated by our teen leadership campers. This is a really exciting time for our youngest age groups!

Today, they started the morning with a hot breakfast of French toast and fresh fruit. After a cabin cleanup, they had a fun car wash where the campers all washed the camp utility vehicles and even a couple of camp cars. I have to say they did a really nice job, but it was even more fun watching them have little water fights and laugh with their friends. They also got to have some runs around the aquapark during this rotation, and having it all to themselves felt great!

Today's other Meals:

Lunch: Taco Bar
Dinner: Camper's Stew

For the afternoon, Makor played staff trivia in the afternoon where the campers had to guess fun facts written down about the staff. The campers also played Name That Tune, Beber Trivia, and “Makor on the Shore” Trivia (water themed).

In the afternoon, Senior Makor packed up their gear for their overnight campout. All of Makor then enjoyed a dinner of make-your-own camper's stew—a personal favorite at Beber. Campers add meat, potatoes, veggies, and spices to a foil packet with their name on it, then cook it over the fire. Everyone has their favorite combination, and since this meal is only served on trips or overnights, it's a real treat! Followed by a snack of delicious s'mores, they practiced their "moo-offs" and handstands, all while enjoying a beautiful sunset on the island.

Our CITs are stepping up as junior counselors for our Taste of Beber program! Almost 50 campers arrived today for this exciting opportunity, giving our rising campers an in-person "taste" of what it's like to be a true Beber camper.

They'll be here for two nights, enjoying exclusive programming that showcases all the fun activities camp has to offer. Staying in the yurts and eating in the dining hall, they'll experience everything from the waterfront to the farm and much more. It's truly amazing to see our CITs embrace this "counselor" role, interacting with the kids, working hard to meet their needs, and supporting their experience.

As we reflect on a day where campers stretched their limits, from embarking on thrilling trips to embracing leadership roles and enjoying exclusive Makor adventures, it's clear that every experience at Beber helps "Build Me Up, Buttercup." We're fostering confidence, resilience, and a deep sense of belonging, ensuring that each camper feels supported and cherished. With our community growing stronger and friendships blossoming, we're building memories that won't break our hearts, but instead, fill them with the joy and camaraderie that only Beber can provide.

P.S. Congratulations to the following who knew that American Authors sang "Best Day Of My Life”

Stacy Levy

P.S. - Today’s question: Who sang “Build Me Up Buttercup?” Email your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a shoutout in tomorrow’s blog!