Changing of the Guard
Thursday, July 16th, 2026
CHESS GROVE circa 2:52pm—The kitchen radio softly radiates a world music playlist. The whir of the fan muffles the vocals and most of the instruments except for the claves which pierce through with their syncopated ‘dinks.’ A crow squawks, the spigot hisses into someone’s water bottle, the Camp truck squishes gravel as it turns along the road.
Here in the Chess Grove I’m facing off against the preeminent purveyor of chess at Camp, Juggling Instructor Memo Gosnell.
1. d4 f5
2. Bf4 e6
3. e3 Nf6
“You’re doing the London System, aren’t you?” observes Memo, carefully bringing his knight into play.
A white, dust-covered Kia Sedona comes to a stop at the parking log that lies between us and the kitchen.
“Memo! J-Pizzle!” shouts Sheena from the lake shuttle minivan.
“Yo, Sheena!” I respond.
“Do you really have a black belt in karate?” quips Memo, referring to the lyrics of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1” which we’re singing in the song circles this session.
“I’ve got a black belt in everything!” claims Sheena, hopping out of the driver’s seat and walking over. “Who’s giving you trouble, Memo? I’ll take care of them.”
“Thanks,” laughs Memo.
Memo first came to Camp circa 2004, and has always kept a keen focus on chess and juggling. Many of us counselors owe our chess bonafides to Memo’s encouragement, and many more campers have learned to juggle because of his beginning juggling class which he offers every class period without fail.
“These campers are looking for some yarn,” inquires a young counselor tailed by two children.
“Puppet Grove, left cabinet.”
The heat today is significant, though nothing that a wet t-shirt can’t neutralize. A pair of teen staff stroll through, one with a portable speaker dangling from their backpack playing Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work”. Announcements from the Rainbow Theater’s PA can be heard in the distance, urging campers to sign up for tonight’s Tornado of Talent. The kitchen radio has switched to an interminable series of hipster bluegrass pop song covers.
Art Instructor Sada Linn has arrived in the adjacent Art Grove in anticipation of Afternoon Art. She sits alone at one of the large craft tables braiding a friendship bracelet tethered to her water bottle. The afternoon supervision of this southern end of campus is split between chess (1:45-3:35) and art (3:45-5:45). Similar zone defense stations keep Camp evenly supervised throughout the 4-hour stretch of free-time.
“Someone said you could tune this guitar,” says Isambard, 13, presenting me with an acoustic Yamaha. “Tonight I’m singing ‘1-800-WORSHIP’ by Clarence Clarity. I’m also doing an avant-rock improvisation with Lexi and a singer, yet to be determined.” I hand back the tuned Yamaha and they rush off toward downtown.
Art Instructor Adelina Babbit arrives right at the stroke of 3:45 along with a number of eager young artists. I inquire one girl holding a found stick covered in orange paint about her new creation.
“Everyone in the tipi was talking over each other so I’m making a talking stick,” says E, 10. “I also made a talking rock. I painted them orange for Orange Tipi. The stick is a back-up in case we can’t find the rock. You can also use them at the same time to have two conversations, but they should be on opposite sides of the tipi so that people don’t have to shout across each other.”
“I’m making a friendship bracelet for the talking stick,” says Sophia, 11.
“It infers that everyone in the tipi should be friends, ” adds E.
“I’m using three shades of orange thread,” continues Sophia. “My dad taught me how to braid. I’m not sure how he learned; I think maybe he used to have long hair, like when he was in college.”
The Camp Winnarainbow Blog was unable to verify these claims.
Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor