Behind every rock star camper is a rock star family! We have thousands of incredible campers and families all over the world who are an integral part of our extended Camp Pinnacle family. Each month, we will profile a family who has experienced the long-lasting, positive impact of camp and who continues to live out the 5 R’s at home.
First up is the Touchberry family from Summerville, SC. For them, Camp Pinnacle is a family tradition. Growing up, Jamie Touchberry spent numerous summers at Camp Pinnacle with her sister in the mid-90s. Now, with a family of her own, Jamie and her husband Russ decided to carry on the tradition of summer camp with their two children, Sage and Beckham. Both are looking forward to another amazing summer in 2019!
How many summers have your campers been Pinnacle kids?
We decided we would send both kids to camp when they turned 8 years old. Sage has attended camp for four summers and is now going into her fifth; Beckham, just a year younger, has been at CP for three summers and is looking forward to his fourth.
How have you seen your children grow from their camp experience?
While both had spent time away from us with family in the past, camp was their first time away without family or the comforts of a familiar place. For Sage and Beckham, there was some homesickness initially, but both have grown tremendously since those first few days. We have also seen growth in their independence and ability to take reasonable risks since their first summer at camp. Now, they are fine to do things independently; they want to try new things and are able to determine if those new challenges and adventures are a reasonable risk. Both Sage and Beckham are able to step outside their comfort zones and thrive when doing so.
How have you seen the 5 R’s come alive at home?
Two of the biggest ways we see the 5 R’s is in their ability to reach out and show resilience. Sage and Beckham know the importance of reaching out and making sure others are included in activities and feel welcome—even if it’s at their own personal inconvenience. Their resilience shows in the reality that while they do reach out, it does not always happen in return and things don’t always go their way—even when they have worked hard for something. They are continuously learning to be more resilient while reinforcing the importance of reaching out to others in their daily lives.
What do your children look forward to most about camp during the school year?
Sage always talks about and looks forward to making new friends! Beckham cannot wait to get back to camp for archery and hypetivity!
Describe Camp Pinnacle in three words.
Sage: fun, exciting, extreme. Beckham: fun, awesome, and exciting!