December is a festive month in the heavenly world. Apart from the usual holiday celebrations, there is lots of excitement around camp. We are wrapping up the travel season and have loved seeing Illahee girls in their hometowns. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the 2018 summer highlights video (it will be posted next week, so stay tuned!), and especially to our hosts for opening their homes! These gatherings remind us of Illahee’s positive impact, represented in so many states.
December is also the month that we jump into staff hiring, high gear as the reality of summer 2019 approaches! It has been so fun catching up with returning staff members, as well as new ones. A highlight has been interviewing our junior counselors- girls who are rising seniors in high-school who want to be back for their first summer as staff members. All of them have been campers and they are excited to give back to the community that did so much to shape who they are. I have been impressed by these interviews- the breadth of the resumes and the drive these young women have.They are so poised and inspiring, and will do a great job leading campers!
A common thread in these interviews is not the pre-med track they have been on since middle school, or the schools they volunteer in, or the engineering programs they attend, (although these are all amazing)- the common thread is Illahee. And when asked why they want to be back at camp, many of them have stated that camp has had the single most impact on defining who they are, and who they want to be.
So in this season of giving- we are humbled. By the young women who want to give back to this community, and by the way camp gives life to others through joy, discovery, failure, and friendships. Camp paves the way for success, as we have seen in so many great girls, and will continue to see summer after summer.
Summer feels far way as we are surrounded by the last remains of a heavy snowfall, temperatures hardly breaking the 30s. We spent the snowy weekend without power, which led us outside to hit the sledding hills. The beanstalk hill was camp’s best spot, as long as you are able to maneuver around the creek and miss the few protruding stumps, which add to the challenge.
If you find yourself missing camp amidst these winter months, click on the following links for last summer’s cabin shoutouts! June Session ; July Session; August Session
Enjoy reminiscing as the countdown to camp begins! We can’t wait for the next best summer ever.
Merry Christmas, Illahee family!