Sasha Thomas

It was a beautiful summer day. Birds were chirping and singing. Squirrels darted through the green grass. The sun shone brightly sharing its light. And Barny could hear the sound he loved most in the world – the kids of Camp Oochigeas laughing and playing all around him.

“You’re it!” said Julie.

“I’m going to get you,” cried Lisa.

“Can’t catch me!” shouted Kunaal.

Each morning Barny was the first to wake up. He watched Camp Counselor Andy greeting the kids as they poured out of the cabin, ready for a full day of fun. Every day was a new adventure. There were so many things to do and try and discover.

They swam and splashed and twirled in the river. They climbed up the ropes and scampered through the obstacle course. They canoed on the lake and played kickball on the field. And at night they roasted marshmallows around the roaring bonfire. Barny loved seeing the kids have so much fun.

Then it was fall and the kids only visited the camp for the weekend. They raked up the red and orange leaves and jumped on the piles. They donned colourful costumes and put on a play. They carved jack-o-lanterns and told ghost stories.

These were the happiest days of Barny’s whole week.

One day Barny noticed the kids were rather quiet.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Andy says it’s going to rain all next week,” explained Kunaal.

“Then it’s going to start to snow,” said Lisa, “which means we won’t be able to play outside.”

“And we won’t be able to see you anymore,” added Julie.

“Why don’t you play in my barn?” suggested Barny.

“We can’t, Barny,” the kids chimed.

“Your doors and floors are squeaky.”

“Your roof and walls are leaky.”

“Your beams and posts are creaky.”

Barny knew it was true. His floorboards were droopy. His hinges were weak. And his rooftop flapped in the breeze. “What can we do?” he wondered.

“I have an idea,” said Lisa. “Why don’t we fix up Barny?”

“That’s a great idea!” exclaimed Kunaal. And together the three kids chimed.

“Then your floors and doors won’t squeak.”

“Your roof and walls won’t leak.”

“And your beams and post won’t creak.”

“This is a big job,” said Julie. “We’re going to need some help.”

“We’ll tell all the kids and Andy and the other counsellors, and the nurses and cooks, and groundskeeper, and all the other Ooch helpers,” said Lisa.

“They’ll all want to pitch in. If we start right away we can finish before it starts to rain and snow.”

The word spread through the community. Everyone who heard about Barny wanted to lend a hand. And before long, all the volunteers and helpers and friends of Camp Ooch gathered around Barny, ready to make him the best barn ever.

Together, they hammered and sawed and painted and patched. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun too.

When it was all done, everyone gathered around to admire their brand new Barny.

“Thank you kids,” Barny beamed. “Now I can give you a nice warm place to play, rain or shine, all year around!”

“Let’s start playing in you right now!” said Kunaal.

And they did.