I woke up at 5 this morning to drop Gardner off at the Asheville airport for an early flight to NYC. She is spending the day with a group of young camp directors and Bob Ditter. The group meets monthly to develop leadership strategies and to discuss themes from books like Give and Take and The Power of Habit. I’d like to be a fly on the wall, but instead will settle for her summary when she gets back tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I’m listening to the beep beep beep of our new bright red dump truck and excavator outside my office window where the guys are reinforcing the foundation of the Dining Hall, camp’s original building from 1921. Dave has been shuttling in supplies for the project all week as we get Tilley Lodge ready for her 100th birthday- coming up in just a few summers!
In the office, we are immersed in Junior Counselor phone calls enjoying the process of seeing these girls develop from campers into our next generation of counselors. Gretchen and Lindsey have been catching up with several of our college staff encouraging them through exams. Turner finishes his exams today and will get home tonight He will head straight to the tree to see what is under it with his name. While the house is decorated, there are only two packages under the tree. Is it too late to order gifts online?
I was missing Newton last Saturday morning- our first weekend without him, but Brooks and Gardner popped over to help us with lights and to decorate. Brooks’ enthusiasm for climbing the ladder to decorate the fattest and biggest tree we have ever had, quickly brightened the house. Our own Christmas festivities began earlier this week hosting the staff and board from the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County -my favorite organization behind Camp Illahee for Girls! Our good friends, Don and Zoob, the directors of Camp High Rocks helped us serve mounds of mac and cheese and fried chicken to the group who are dedicated to serving many Brevard youth. It reminded me of our own Sundays at camp where Sunday dinner is fried chicken, wild rice, broccoli, Rich’s rolls, and scooped ice-cream- a tradition that Illahee girls look forward to each week during camp. We will all be gathering again in Tilley Lodge before we know it…. For the 96th camp season, sure to be The Best Summer Ever!
Merry Holidays!
Laurie