We Love it When We're Cruisin' Together!

We Love it When We're Cruisin' Together!

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

This past weekend, we all headed south to catch a cruise ship into the Bahamas. It gave us a chance to do some pre-camp planning and enjoy some time together. Kris, Carol and Gretchen shared a camp-style cabin, complete with pull down bunk beds. Most of our "meetings" were held around the pool and on the beach in Nassau. One of our goals for the weekend was to test the effectiveness of different types of sunscreen. Can you guess which ones of us got the sunscreen that didn't work?

On Saturday night, we pulled out our "fancy clothes," put away the camp clothes and went out on the ship for formal night. Gordon drew lots of stares as the lone escort for the four of us. On Sunday, we were reminded of camp when rain and rough seas prevented the captain from docking at Coco Cay. The cruise director scrambled to plan alternate activities on board like endless Bingo, a belly-flop contest, and game show trivia. We were relieved not to be in his shoes and we didn't mind the extended rest hour one bit.

This week we are happy to be home at camp and cruisin' into the summer! The office is mail room central as we get the Parent Handbooks and packets ready to send out to all the campers. Gretchen and Laurie have been talking with lots of counselors and are putting together a terrific staff. Kris spent the day at ASU in Boone at a staff fair where she enjoyed seeing Libby Hunter and new bride Kat Ellison Lyle and with her mother Janet. James and Gareth have been working over on Pineview getting Pine Branch and Pine View Lodge spruced up and ready for the summer. With the daffodils popping up through the ground, we are reminded that camp is coming soon. We can't wait to see you!

Camp Illahee Comes to New Orleans!

Camp Illahee Comes to New Orleans!

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Director Laurie Strayhorn took a quick trip down to New Orleans over the weekend to check in with some of our favorite Illahee friends and to see how everyone is settling back in to life after Katrina. "New Orleans is one of those great 'camp cities,' where spending summers at camp is just in the culture, so we were anxious to get down there and check in on everyone," she said. Hosted by camp representative Nancy Ellis and her husband Parke, along with current camper Meg, Laurie was treated to a great camper showing, a staff interview or two, and a reunion with some current and former campers and alumnae. Like most campers, our New Orleans girls can't wait for the summer!

Despite some of the devestation in the ninth ward and other low-lying communities, Laurie was again relieved to see so many of the great old New Orleans communities bouncing back. We had gone overnight during Christmas and stayed in the French Quarter, and encourage everyone to support NOLA by doing the same. It was almost more fun than most trips as everyone was so appreciative that we had come. Of course, no trip for Laurie (she is from Fairhope in South Alabama) would be complete without a dozen oysters at Felix's. "It was so great to see everyone settling back in to their lives in New Orleans, and we can't wait to see these girls at camp this summer," said Laurie.

This week, Carol will be in Furman and Kris is going to Chapel Hill for staff interviews. Laurie was in Lexington Virginia last week and saw Elizabeth Robinson, Jean Rose Clawater, Betsy Ellis, and Melissa Poorman at Washington and Lee, and Emily Frost at Hollins (who is riding a good bit.We have a great line-up of staff returning for 2006. Gretchen is doing a great job or coordinating this effort. It seems that camp-aged girls are not the only ones who want to spend a summer inthe Heavenly World!

Gordon has been busy in the office "teching" out in anticipation of activity sign-ups and "forms season," which is right around the corner. We use proprietary (an S.A.T. word-look it up!) software to make sure that we keep up with all that boring data stuff so that we can have a blast at camp. This year, we are adding online forms submission and activity sign-ups. That should help us prevent a lot of re-keying of information and make the entire process go more smoothly. He has also been seen lately with Al practicing the Big Fig dance!

A number of our campers up east got dumped on this past weekend, but we just got a smattering of snow. It was wet and beautiful though! It's hard to believe that it will be summer and sunny before we know it! Who can't wait for camp?! We can't wait for camp! Yippeee and Happy Valentine's Day to all of our dear ones out there!

How 'Bout them Dawgs!?

How 'Bout them Dawgs!?

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

We are on the road again and it has been so much FUN! Last week, Carol (Konkle) Sundheimer headed to the great mid-west and met some great staff propsects at her alma mater Indiana University in Bloomington. She also dropped by Miami of Ohio and Purdue University before returning to the Heavenly World. Director Laurie Strayhorn dropped down the mountain to Athens, GA and treated a number of our staff there to some pizza and wings. They took a little time to pose in front of the Georgia "dawg." Laurie also spent some time meeting tripping staff prospects at nearby Brevard College, where Professor Robert Dye steered some great candidates our way. Robert will be running the trips program this summer for his second at camp. This morning, Laurie awoke early and will head up through the Shenendoah Valley to interview some candidates at Roanoke College, Hollins University and then Washington and Lee in Lexington. It is so much fun to see all of our terrific staffers in these places and to see how excited they are for the summer of '06, the BEST SUMMER EVER!Kris Bush will head west this week to go meet some "heels," Tarheels at UNC-Chapel Hill, that is! We are in full swing and are lining up the BEST STAFF EVER!

We've also heard from a number of trip staff folks and that is lining up to be one of the best ever as well. Gareth Tate just returned from a month of skiing in Crested Butte and is helping James and Gordon start to get things in shape for camp. We have been speaking to Lauren Bennett, Sarah Ruzic, and Kirk Bjorling from the climbing staff, all who hope to return in '06. Parker is on tap to return to lead the kayaking staff along with Gareth and a a few new faces who are well-known in regional kayaking circles! Gordon has been busy unpacking lots of new gear...brand new paddling jackets, Shred Ready helmets, Astral PFDs, new lake canoes, and new kayaks to come.

Three of the new tennis courts on the dining hall side of camp are paved and ready for surfacing, and two are graded and ready for paving. It is going ot look GREAT and be so convenient to play! We are getting ready to start on a new overnight shelter at White Pine and looking forward to putting some new roofs on some of those Pineview cabins. Lots of new paint, and little touches will make camp look better than EVER! Can you tell we are getting EXCITED? Get ready for the summer of your LIFE!