The Campfire Story of Glowing Toe

For many years I worked as a Volunteer at a summer Environmental Youth Camp named Wekiva, which is sponsored by The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. 

Our cabins are all named after some of the Indian Tribes of Florida. This is our way of honoring them because they were the original people of Conservation and Environmental concerns.

Some of us had Native American names given to us by others. My Native American name Brightfeather, was given to me by the Campers. Many Native Americans come by their names this way. I worked in the Primitive Camp Program which at that time was the seventh grade level.

We took our campers to a place in the deep woods away from the main camp and we camped in a primitive way. We cooked all of our meals over an open campfire for three days and nights. The only creature comforts were two flushing toilets and two outdoor cold spring water showers.

We had so much fun especially around the campfire circle at night telling camp stories. And a few times we had naming ceremonies for the campers and or councilors! All of our camps were wonderful, but once in awhile it was pure magic.

The summer camp of 2003 was one of these magical times and it is imprinted in my memory like a photograph forever! 

Photo Courtesy of Mike Shaw 

Mike Shaw one of the male councilors who also worked in the kitchen at the cafeteria in the main camp, had come down to visit for awhile. Our evening was about to come to a close.

There was a big log that none of us females could pick up. I had asked him earlier if he would put it on the fire. We waited awhile to let it burn down some and then it was time to stoke the fire for the last time of the evening before turning in.

We left our fire to smolder at night; the smoke helped to keep the bears away; they are shy creatures, and the smell of smoke means that humans are close by and they will usually go the other way.

Mike volunteered to do this for us before he left to go back to the main camp. After it was over he received his Native American name right then and there without any ceremony.

Instead of using the shovel he decided to use his foot. He was wearing a pair of water shoes that had a mesh of some sort covering the toe of them. We cautioned him to be careful and to use the shovel, but it fell on deaf ears.

The log slipped down into the fire from the pressure of his foot as he pushed down, and the toe of his water shoe caught on fire immediately.

He jumped back and danced and stomped and let out a couple of war hoops, and got the fire put out, but it kept on glowing and glowing and glowing!

We were all laughing so much that we couldn't help him; I was doubled over with laughter! The glowing of his toe finally stopped. He was not burned badly, but his shoe was ruined, and because he has such a great sense of humor he laughed too, as much as the rest of us did. He will always be known by many of us as Glowing Toe at Camp Wekiva!

Mike Shaw and Devon Villareal Dabbs
Volunteers at Camp Wekiva Youth Camp
Yes, he is the young man who just planted the Butterfly Garden at the home he purchased not long ago. 

Mike started at Camp as a camper and worked his way through all of the councilor positions, he now works as a Volunteer in the Ninth Grade Program with my granddaughter Devon.