Andy Bachmann stands in front of the Fire of Friendship during Kerchief Ceremony
Even though it represents the end of a camper’s summer at camp, the Kerchief Ceremonies are my favorite gatherings of the summer. I have fond memories of this ceremony during my time as a camper; darkness interrupted by a crackling fire, the smell of the smoke, Mike and Snow sharing friendly, thought provoking, words which prompt all campers to consider the less obvious but most important aspects of their summer. It was exciting to see the record of my achievements even though my accomplishments were not as numerous as those of many of my friends. The emphasis of the ceremony is one of recognizing accomplishments of all kinds and all campers share a sense of pride in recognizing how much they have grown in countless ways during the course of a camping session. There is a comforting sameness to this tradition that connects you to the Highlands family. You feel a sense of satisfaction in knowing that your friends, counselors and in many cases fathers and grandfathers have once sat in the same place and had this same experience. While many accomplishments are connected to activities, the bigger achievements are related to areas of personal growth such as gaining greater independence, overcoming fears and being considerate of others. I have been blessed with the chance to see all three of my sons’ progress from cabin 26 Cubs to staff members. Each time I saw my sons place their sticks on the fire of friendship I felt a great sense of pride at their growth. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the many camping seasons that I have had the opportunity to enjoy at Highlands. Campers of today will have similar memories to mine; darkness interrupted by a crackling fire, the smell of the smoke, Andy and Craig sharing friendly, thought provoking words… The tradition lives on!