I am sitting at home with my seven year old, Brooks, watching him create play-dough sculptures as I write from my couch. He has begun launching homemade cannonballs through the hall. We are on what seems to be his 100th Virtual Day of the school year. The threat of ice prompted Transylvania County to call … Continued
We have some Big News! Marie Armbruster and Turner Strayhorn will be joining the year-round Illahee director team in April. Marie will be Program Director and Turner will focus on the Facilities and Technology for camp. We are excited to see what this avid outdoors-loving couple will bring to Illahee. Marie completed her master’s in … Continued
On the eve of my first day of camp I would lie in bed fretting well into the night. This happened every year. I always stressed over the same thing, “What if I don’t make any friends?” It’s every girl’s nightmare, but rarely is that worry ever brought to fruition. I would bet that most … Continued
Gretchen and Laurie were having a conversation with a camp dad the other day. I overheard them laughing and tuned in to hear him say, “My girls have been in one zone all year, and it’s the comfort one!” They have been based in their living room (their virtual classroom) since August, and he has … Continued
If anyone had said to 2019 Gardner, “A year from now your trendiest outfit accessory will be an N-95 mask,” I would have stared blankly; little did I know my 2020 Google search history would frequently include “What’s the best mask with filter?” This year has been a year of unusual questions. Questions we never … Continued
Moving into the new year always brings excitement for the upcoming summer, and we are ecstatic about 2021! We will be reunited with many girls who we haven’t seen in two years, and we are eager to meet new campers who had to put off their first summer. Some of the counselors who missed last … Continued
Last week Gardner kicked off a Thankfulness campaign on camp’s Instagram and it’s been inspiring to see the messages of gratitude come in from Illahee girls. We’ve put together their thoughts in a Thanksgiving Video. This is a unique Thanksgiving with Zoom family reunions and smaller tables. Our family has been wrestling with Thanksgiving plans … Continued
We just returned from three weeks on the road covering twelve states and 3000 miles- a New England Road tour. This wasn’t our typical Camp Illahee fall road show which would include packed living rooms and campers gathered around to watch the most recent highlights video! We had the opportunity to go a different route … Continued
We all can use some good news during this season… we have a recent wedding and an engagement to tell you about! With large scale parties “on hold” for the near future, Turner and Marie tied the knot on a Colorado mountain top in June! While their event was a little different from the wedding … Continued
Today’s pleasant highlight was a McLeod porch visit with alums Ellis Pearce and Brevard resident Kitty Coleman Neff who chose Illahee as a spot to catch up, tell camp stories, and enjoy a picnic. Friends since the 1960’s when Ellis was a camper and Kitty a counselor, their camp experience spans generations and groups of … Continued
