Adolescence for girls is a roller coaster…and camp is an anchor. It’s not the only anchor, but it’s a powerful one in the tempest of teen years. It struck me on Father’s Day how important it is for dads to keep their head in the game when raising daughters…dads are key. You should be that … Continued
I wonder if everyone gets more nostalgic as they age? The last days of camp are pretty long for us on the leadership team, and by the time final campfire rolls around, my body is ready to put another log on the fire and head to the tent. Sometimes I wonder if my Apple Watch step counter wonders … Continued
Not much surprises me after 23 years of camp directing, but I am often touched by the kindness of others. Tonight it came in a small package at an unexpected time. We had just finished floating Wish Boats on the swim lake, when a Hillbrook Camper, probably around 8 or 9 came up to me … Continued
For some reason, two week final night is more dramatic than other sessions. By dramatic, I don’t mean dramatic in a derogatory sense. It is real. Maybe it’s that my gauge is Pineview…and right after a pretty sentimental closing campfire. It sounds like a “turkey farm” outside my window…girls arm and arm, some crying softly, … Continued
I’m listening to a chorus that I imagine is what it sounds like on a turkey farm. There are groups of Pineview campers who have wandered up from the canoe lake after floating their wishboats, and they are sobbing! Deep gutteral, catch your breath sobs. That’s a good sound from where I sit. These girls … Continued
This week, more than any in the summer, is the one we want to slow down. But, it goes by so fast. Too fast. I love the four-week session, and encourage any of you Mini 2 moms and dads out there considering a longer session to strongly consider this longer July session. Our vision, which … Continued
Final night is a pretty emotional time for our entire community. Illahee attracts great girls, but there are some really GREAT girls this session, and they love Illahee. The future is certainly bright for our heavenly world. I wrote at the start of the session that Laurie and I see our time here as stewardship … Continued
It seems like just a few short weeks ago that we were greeting counselors with an optimism that this would really be the Best Summer Ever. The reality is that there’s a lot that goes into that hope that is beyond all of the careful planning and screening that we do each year…and all of … Continued
The final night of camp is always such a symphony of emotion. This particular session’s end also means that many of our counselors who have been together for ten weeks now, are headed back to life outside the “bubble.” They have rekindled friendships and made some new ones, and it occurs to me (as it … Continued
The perfect end to a perfect session. There’s part of me that would love for this to go on forever. I think if I could reconcile the sleep thing, I’d be good to go. It’s true…the older I get, the less I need, so maybe in five or ten more years, we’ll just keep these … Continued
