Laurie and Gretchen wrapped up some pre-holiday travel last week in Columbia, SC, Richmond and Alexandria, VA. There seemed to be added energy around the holiday festivities. Laurie enjoyed a multi-generational camp gathering in Richmond and visited with recent staff members who work in the city as well as current University of Richmond counselors taking a well deserved study break to attend the show. There were also several junior counselors and older campers who introduced the gathering by sharing their love for camp and what it was like to return summer after summer. The younger girls look at them like rock stars! Camp offers the opportunity for multigenerational friendships that inspires younger campers and brings out the best in the older campers.
Laurie visited long time Hillbrook counselor, Maddy, in her Richmond kindergarten classroom and was a reading buddy for the morning. Maddy has taken the Illahee spirit into her classroom as she and the girls sing back and forth from activity to activity! Now that’s a fun way to learn the days of the week and counting by fives!
Laurie is happy to be home now after a few adventurous travel experiences this fall including looping three times around the Dallas Fort Worth airport (which is the size of a small town!) before finding the interstate access, having a police escort lead her back to the interstate in Richmond (Siri just wasn’t very helpful that evening!) and nearly checking into a retirement home next door to the Hyatt Place hotel. She knew something was up when the “check in desk” was behind glass! Other than that, fall travels went quite well. It’s always encouraging to see our Illahee families in their communities! More Illahee gatherings will take place after the New Year!
