I’m just back from evening program- a concert in the Woodland Chapel with Admiral Radio. Coty Hoover and Becca Smith are married musicians in Columbia, SC and got to know Gardner and Lucas through Downtown Church where Lucas was associate pastor. They are taking a few weeks to tour in North Carolina and have had … Continued
This morning Lucas jostled me awake after way too many minutes of violins and harp choruses going off, as Enya sang Only Time (I really need to change my alarm). I begrudgingly threw my tennis shoes on. It took about ten minutes of heavy breathing to settle into an easy pace on my Illahee Road … Continued
I’ll make a bold prediction. Tomorrow you will notice a difference in your girls. It may be subtle. It may not all be flowers and fairytales…though there will be a lot of them. The magic of camp comes from the daily navigation through the ups and downs of living in a fishbowl. Most of us … Continued
Sundays are filled with singing at Illahee. Granted, most days have their fair share of music, but our Sundays are overflowing. We begin with a slow morning and buffet breakfast in PJ’s. And then we’re off to worship at the Woodland Chapel. The counselors and campers of Pineview led us in a wonderful service this … Continued
The pace seemed to pick up this past weekend starting with Saturday night’s trip out to Hannah Ford Farm to enjoy a BBQ picnic and a big game of Capture the Flag in the wide open field. The farm has been an outpost for Illahee for the past 12 years and its rolling hills and … Continued
I spent a good bit of my afternoon at the canoe lake today. Some campers lovingly refer to as the “cake,” because I guess “canoe lake” was just too/two many syllables. I’ll confess that I’m biased from my own love of paddling, but I have a soft spot for the water sports at camp. The … Continued
I grew up at Illahee and spent many years mostly unaware of how lucky I was that this place was my backyard. After moving away in 2021, spending two years in Columbia, SC, my family is settling back in to camp life. While so much is familiar, I am also finding myself getting reacquainted with … Continued
The first day of activities brings a collective sigh of relief for directors, counselors and the campers. I think we all like some routine after opening day. Last week’s orientation and staff training included settling in horses that were shipped in from south Florida and eastern North Carolina lesson barns. The riding staff worked on … Continued
Today felt oddly familiar. I guess that should be no surprise. Laurie and I have watched summers evolve as directors for 34 years. I told somebody that the other day, and her reply was “that’s a long time for anything.” It sort of caught me off guard. It doesn’t really seem that long. “Odd” because … Continued
