A Nalgene Full of Gratitude

I remember watching a TED Talk once where the expert presented how her research has shown a simple and effective way to improve happiness and joy in our daily lives. Leaning forward with the anticipation of uncovering this magic pill to improve my life, I was surprised to hear that all we had to do … Continued

Whose hands?

“He’s Got the Whole World, In His Hands” While standing precariously on the back of Illahee’s Dodge Dump Truck, balanced atop four 300-gallon IBC water containers, I heard in the distance the strumming of a guitar and the soft singing of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Anyone who has grown up in … Continued

Pop-up Camp and Outpouring of Support!

Happy news from our house and the farm: power was restored late Saturday! 9 days without power will make you appreciate it. I had ventured over to camp to check on some things and turn on our cooler. When I got back, I noticed the fuse on the pole serving the farm was back in … Continued

Helene Relief!

For those of you who have seen the horrific images from our area, you can imagine our surprise when the power came back on at camp Wednesday evening late. My wheels started spinning, and I immediately went to the kitchen and fired up our walk-in cooler and freezer and the ice machines. By yesterday, we … Continued

Hurricane Helene Aftermath

Helene was some storm. I measured 20.75 inches of rain over a 3-day period at the farm. The big fields along the river where we play Capture the Flag were completely under water and moving fast and all roads were under water too. As any camper who has been on a trip out of camp … Continued

NEW Older Camper Activities!!!

Illahee is the perfect place for girls of all ages. Whether it’s your first step on our beautiful campus or your thousandth, “you are an Illahee Girl!” However, during our three- and four-week sessions, we’re excited to introduce several activities exclusively open to our oldest campers, rising 8th grade and above! We’re stoked to expand … Continued

Awesome Staff, Apply NOW!

Camp Illahee is looking for awesome staff. Or should I say AWE-some staff? Because when we say “awesome” we mean staff who are capable of experiencing and generating that remarkable feeling of awe. “Awe” makes me think of camp. I think of our campers and our staff. My favorite definition is: “an emotion we experience … Continued

A Summer of Growth

This time of year, I admire the resiliency of trees. I respect and hope to emulate how they emerge from a dark winter, bigger and brighter than ever. Stepping out of Curtis (the camp office) you can’t help but stand in awe as you’re surrounded by these decades, even centuries-old behemoths. One of my favorites … Continued

Potential Energy

There was a short-lived time when I thought I wanted to be a physicist. I sat in IB Physics during my Junior year of high school completely enthralled with all the talk of energy, gravity, force, and more. If I were to try and describe camp in one word (impossible I know), I might use … Continued

Preparing for Camp-Insider Tips!

Camper forms, activity sign-ups, and store orders have been submitted!  THANK YOU to everyone who completed them on time. It makes planning for camp much easier. After reading through responses and talking with families over the last few weeks, we thought we would address some of our top-asked questions and offer some “tips” for our … Continued