Thankfully, the temperature has cooled down a bit this week.  5 groups joined us in the fine weather for a day at Farrington, bringing another 180 campers and 20 teens out to Farrington.   One highlight of this week was Franklin IO’s  first ever overnight at Farrington, and our first overnight of the year.  With lots of extra time at Farrington, the group had plenty of opportunity to visit with the animals, go on hikes, play new games (see the Bat and Moth activity that we first tested as a preparatory game for our night hike) and stain their fingers with the juice from ripe and abundant black raspberries.  Word is still out on whether the campers got any sleep! Another highlight was the visit by B-SAFE’s St. Augustine and St. Martin groups, with volunteers from St. Elizabeth.  For many of our visitors, a trip to Farrington Nature Linc is often one of the, if not the, first opportunity they have had to spend time in the woods.  Many enjoy the experience, but some have their reservations.  This boy had the unpleasant experience of a gnat flying near his eye.  Unfamiliar with this, and quite shocked, he started crying, but his Camp Director Addie came over, offered to walk with him to “protect” him from the bugs, and suggested he use his sunglasses.  No one enjoys having bugs fly near their eyes, and it is the support and comfort of our visiting staff, along with our staff, that turn a hike from an unknown, scary experience, into one full of good memories.

Finally, after the group left on Friday, our staff took the opportunity to get to know the property and each other a little better with a photo scavenger hunt.  Cliff, the Leader of the Day, with support from our Program Director Brianne, created a list of riddles and challenges, and staff competed with a partner to solve the riddles and take creative photos of their answers.  See if you can solve the riddle that matches the pictures below:

I am always around you but often forgotten.  I am pure and clean most of the time, but occasionally rotten.  Find a way to take a picture of me.

The more you take of me, the more you leave behind.  Use 300 of me from where you are and take picture.