I'm Getting Excited!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Daffodils always bring mixed emotions for me. The first sight of them peaking up from beneath the crusty leaf mattress always brings a moment of panic. It's too early for flowers! Flowers mean SPRING! And, spring can only mean one thing...camp is only a few short months away!
This will be my eighteenth summer as a camp director. Whew! That's hard to even put down on paper. I remember during a few of the first, I used to take great pains to don jacket and tie when I was out on the recruiting trail...anything to look old enough for parents to leave their children with us for a camp session. I can't help but notice lately that I don't look so young any more. Many parents who are dropping their girls off now are our contemporaries...many more are a few years younger. How did that happen? (and so QUICKLY?!)
This many years later, I still get excited this time of year the closer we get to opening day. There is a magic about it that transcends our chronological age. I love what I do. We spend months in the fall getting excited about celebrating the summer that has been. Applications come pouring in, and we take time to look at each smiling face in the upper right hand corner that accompanies each one. Many we know...campers, their moms and dads, brothers and younger sisters. We know that they love peanut butter, or will be a wee bit homesick the first day and a half of camp, even 8 years later! (We also know that it will be harder to leave than it is to come...girls who struggle with homesickness are just like that!) But, we get MORE excited about the summer to come, and this summer is going to be the BEST YET!
I noticed that it has been a while since I checked in on the website. In the past month, our year round crew has been to Austin for a week for the American Camp Association national conference. A great learning opportunity, there are sessions led by psychologists, other camp professionals, teachers, coaches, accountants, and authors. Topics include risk management and safety, new programming trends, adolescent studies, technology and activities. We always come back with heads full, eager to incorporate new ideas into an already great program.
Brian and James have been doing a great job in the kitchen. Those of you who have peaked in during past summers are not going to recognize every camper's favorite workshop! New ceilings and coolers, new tile and bathrooms...it is state of the art!
On th eother side of camp, we have a big dirt pile! Almost finished, the new pastures are ready for fencing! We have some additional exciting news that we will be ready to announce in a few weeks regarding the riding program...a hint...it is going to be better than ever over at the barn!
Counselors are signing up in droves for the best summer ever. We are glad that you will be a part of it! Keep checking back! Gordon.
