Remembering the Younger Years at East Freetown’s Cathedral Camp

I've recently caught myself thinking about the warmer weather the other day and the thought of going camping and the great outdoors sparked some nostalgia.

My younger years were simpler and summertime was pure bliss.

Honestly, can we find a way to go back in time to relive those worry-free summer days? One particular memory in mind was the years spent at Cathedral Camp in East Freetown. This was not only my first camp getaway, but it was also my last.

Every morning, before the day's planned curriculum of activities began, we all gathered down by the shoreline of Long Pond where we would join in prayer, pledge our allegiance to the flag, and then go over daily announcements.

From kayaking and canoeing out on Long Pond to hustling gimp to make "Chinese Staircases," there was an activity for everyone and as a kid who had way too much energy for his own good, this place was perfect for me.

I'll never forget the day I graduated to "Level 5" during swimming class, which allowed the camper to access the deep end of the swimming area, where a floating dock could be climbed upon to practice diving and, of course, the world's best cannonballs.

We tested our skill on the archery field and dance class meant choreography to Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time." We practiced and performed our talents with a show for our camping peers and when lunchtime came around and you were the kid who ordered chicken nuggets and waffle fries, you knew it was going to be a good day.

It was quite possibly the last time I got to play the game "Manhunt" in any set of woods, but it was incredible to venture out (within the perimeter) in search of the best hiding spot, if you weren't the "hunter" in charge of finding people.

These are the good old days and thankfully, for the kids of the SouthCoast's sake, Cathedral Camp recently announced that it was opening back up for the summer with proper protocol to make sure the campers are safe and protected against COVID-19.

In the meantime, here are a few things I enjoyed the most from my time at Cathedral Camp, and if you're looking to send your kid anywhere, speaking from experience, this camp has my stamp of approval.