Each year during the summer we evaluate all of our activity areas around camp and analyze how and what we can improve on to give our campers the best summer of their life. The thing about camp is that you only have 6 weeks to live it, get all of the information that you possibly can, make the appropriate notes and then you have the other 46 weeks to take that information and make it happen. As we have grown we have never wanted to sacrifice the amount of participation in our program areas. How do you combat that? Keep building new facilities! More
As I sit at my desk in Florida I pause to think how quick the summer really goes by. You can ask any staff member around week 2 that the summer seems like it will go on forever and then poof, it’s over. There is a phrase that we use in orientation that sums it up best, “the days are long and the weeks are short”. They never get it when you tell them that but when they step foot on that bus to head to Newark airport, faces covered with tears, you better believe they get it. It can never be a job, it has to be a passion or it never will work. In the end, the staff, your counselors, can be such a huge influence in a camper’s life. More
It is hard to imagine that another summer has passed and that 2010 is now behind us. So many wonderful friendships have begun and memories made. What a great summer we all had!
It is always amazing to me to be a part of all of the wonderful things that happen each year. We plan for forty six weeks every year to make our camp the best that it can be. The amazing thing about that is so many of the memories, and part of what makes our camp great, is what all of our campers and staff do throughout the summer to make camp so special.
What are all of these things that make camp so special? Is it those nights when the bunk is sitting around playing cards or mafia? Is it when your division decides to dress up for the day in 80’s apparel? Is it when for the first time you were away from home and truly missed your parents and your counselor sat down next to you and just simply talked with you making you realize you are not alone? The truth is that each and everyone one of our campers has something that they remember that makes camp special to them. These are the memories that they hold onto and cherish. These are the things that make them go on the website each and every day to watch the countdown, see the new blogs, look at the pictures, and most importantly reminisce on all of the truly wonderful things that happened to them at camp.
Since camp has ended I have been up at camp working and preparing for next summer. Each and every day that I walk through camp I think about all of the memories that I have from camp. As I walk by the rock I smile remembering all of the kids that hung out there each and every day during free play. Moving the chairs in front of the canteen and thinking how did so many kids fit on these four chairs. Unplugging the ice cream freezer for the last time and shouting “PARTY CAKE” as loud as I could and thinking, why isn’t the train running!
Tomorrow Monica and I head back to Florida for the Winter. It is always hard to leave camp. It is the place that we met, the place that I proposed, and most importantly our home. We can’t wait to be back here next summer seeing all of you!
