A Time to Be Thankful!!

Halloween is behind us and Christmas is coming.  I’ve already seen Christmas ads all over television, but before Christmas, there’s Thanksgiving.  Sadly to some, Thanksgiving has been downgraded from a special day dedicated for giving thanks to simply the day before Black Friday.  I’ve always loved Thanksgiving.  For me, it was about the 3 F’s :  Family, Food and Football!  To most, it is a time to truly reflect and give thanks.

Sometimes the expression “giving thanks” becomes a worn out cliché. There have been times in my life when I gave a cursory thought to giving thanks before devouring the fabulous feast set before me.  This year is different.  My perspective on how much I have to be thankful for was crystallized on October 30th.  On that day I participated in an outreach program called “Church Under the Bridge.”  I have been participating in this program for several years and am part of a wonderful group of people who go to a location under I-35 and 7th Street in Austin to serve coffee and a meal to our homeless population.  I’m always humbled by this experience.

On this particular occasion I met two men I’ll always remember.  One man came through the coffee line right after we began serving.  His nose and lips were puffy and one eye was nearly swollen shut.  He went through the line several times and each time he was telling an acquaintance about the night before.  I heard enough to piece together what happened.  Watching this man walk away, cradling a cup of coffee with both of his shaking hands broke my heart.  Everything he had, he’d lost the night before.

Another man came through the line.  He had an open face, bright eyes and a genuine smile.  I asked him how things were going.  He couldn’t wait to tell me how great things were.  He was able to work two days that week.  He earned enough money to buy a sleeping bag.  The sleeping bag was slung over his shoulder.  He was pretty sure he would be working the next day.  That was enough for him to be excited about tomorrow.

Now, hearing these two men's stories, you might be proud of the second man most for his perspective on life.  However, for me, both these men give me a deeper perspective on all I have to be thankful for.  Family, friends, food and Camp Doublecreek.  I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue sharing the strong family values with all of our awesome campers that Uncle Carter and Aunt Trudy created many years ago.

Join me in giving deep thanks this Thanksgiving holiday!

--Joe Ray

I Love Halloween!

I love Halloween – always have!!  I really like the candy – all kinds of candy!  The only difference between now and when I was a kid, is the hard candy.  My teeth can’t handle jaw breakers anymore.  Oh, the trials of old age.

When I was young, I couldn’t wait to go trick-or-treating.  For me, trick-or-treating was all about the candy, with almost no thought to the costume.  I didn’t view the costume as an expression of myself – the costume was simply a license to get candy.  Have you seen children show up at your door wearing a cheap mask and holding out a pillow case?  Well, that was me.

Of course that attitude doesn’t fly with most children.  At school when children discuss Halloween, they’re not talking Butterfingers or lollipops; they’re talking about the costumes they will be wearing.  As I've gotten older, my attitude towards costumes has evolved.  In fact, after Susan I were married, we always managed to come home with some hardware from costume parties.  One year, we went as Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood.  The next year, Susan went as an elegant Victorian lady and I went as the Elephantman. Luckily for posterity, no photos survived.

Halloween is a time of superstition, which and be traced back to Celtic times when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.  The word “Halloween” dates from about 1745.  It comes from a Scottish term which means “All Hallows’ Eve.”  I generally don’t dwell on the deeper meaning of Halloween.  I simply enjoy it.  I watch old horror movies for the tenth time and buy lots of candy to hand out to all the cute ghosts, pirates, princesses, monsters, and superheroes that come to our door.

Halloween is a transitional holiday between Fall and Winter.  Halloween comes after the leaves turn and we get relief from the heat, but before trees go bare and a hard winter sets in.  Of course, here in central Texas, sometimes we don’t have dramatic season changes. But Halloween helps us to prepare for winter and the upcoming holiday seasons with new camp experiences around the corner.

Oh, by the way, if any Doublecreek campers come to my door, don’t be disappointed if I don’t recognize you.  Remember, you’re in costume!

-- Joe Ray

Why We Love Horseback Riding!

Horseback riding has always been an important part of Camp Doublecreek. When Uncle Carter and Aunt Trudy were creating the concept of Camp Doublecreek, the first activities they put in place were horseback riding and swimming. The initial design of the facilities had to include an arena, tack room and a pool. I love to think back about the first horses we purchased for camp, the riders the first years and how much fun we had! My desire to teach riding and work with horses stemmed from how much I enjoyed it. I wanted as many people as possible to experience that joy, too.  Out of that passion, the Doublecreek riding program was birthed. 

Now, 46 years later, my passion for teaching horseback riding at camp has a much broader base. Riders learn important life skills from their time on the horse. They learn natural cause and effect, focusing on the task at hand, patience, confidence, self-control as well as balance, coordination and body awareness. As a Physical Therapist and a Therapeutic Riding Instructor, I could go on and on about the benefits, but let’s just say ‘riding is good for you’. And the best thing is, it’s FUN!!!  

Doublecreek is fortunate to have a fantastic summer camp riding crew, headed by Rachel, teaching campers the basics of a balanced seat.  Then, Jan and her crew develop these basics into a higher level of riding during our offseason program.  We are very proud that horseback has always been a strong part of our DNA, and will continue to play a key role in developing your campers.

Jane Neal

Owner & Founder of Doublecreek Riding Program