A new year is here and we are officially beginning the camp countdown! The time leading up to January generally brings a slower pace for our year-round crew; the phones ring a little less in the office, and the days end a little bit earlier. Everyone has adjusted to the cold, dark evenings and it’s … Continued
Earlier this month, Gordon and I embarked on my “dream trip”- a journey to Kenya and Tanzania with fellow camp directors, Ann and Grant Bullard. We spent ten days in platform tents, waking before sunrise to explore different corners of the Serengeti. Expansive sunsets, varieties of birds and being close to herds of elephants, families … Continued
Camp Illahee families participated in a Youth Outcomes Study conducted by Clemson University and sponsored by the NCYCA. Illahee was one of nineteen private independent camps included and had the highest participation rate! 55% of our camp families took part in last summer’s survey. (The overall parent response was 24%). Thank you Illahee parents! Your … Continued
Cinco de Mayo has a special meaning at Camp Illahee! It marks our official summer countdown and it is quite a fiesta around here! Camp directors wear a variety of sombreros during the year and in May, it’s the paint, plant and clean hats. The office becomes the supply zone. We divide our days between … Continued
Had someone told me that I would be a camp director, I never would have believed it. I would have had difficulty imagining such an incredible job with its Peter Pan like existence. The counselors aren’t exactly the “lost boys,” but living for 25 years among college students and campers does lead to a prolonged … Continued
Yesterday I was opening the mail that had piled up last week while we were all away at the American Camp Association Conference in New Orleans. I opened a hand drawn Illahee pine branch with Thank You on the front. The letter from our 5th grade camper began, Dear Camp Illahee Staff…..Thank you…. Every day at … Continued
Laurie and Gretchen visited campers, counselors and even a few alumnae in 6 cities in the last week! Laurie enjoyed five flights on her tour (and four airlines) starting in Dallas on Sunday and then travelling to Houston, Tampa, and Mobile returning to camp on Saturday. Gretchen elected to drive the “bus-burban” across state making stops … Continued
Last week I was on the road with my last two camper shows – Richmond, VA and Charleston, SC before returning to Brevard to enjoy the start of the Christmas season. It’s been exciting to see campers and families throughout the past month and to relive memories of the summer through the 2012 highlights. In … Continued
Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day with the arrival of the 2012 camp staff ! After nine months of planning, the start of orientation is a welcome beginning to summer. I have to admit, that I always get butterflies with camp’s opening and the flurry of last minute preparations and projects, but after our first evening … Continued
The sounds of screen doors slamming…the occasional squeal, with the loud cacophony of crickets in the background are music to my ears. When I’m old and gray, I hope they have screen doors in the nursing home when they wheel me out into the hallway 🙂 Actually, maybe I won’t be a pain in the … Continued
