I sat at the Final Night campfire tonight under the canopy of a centuries-old white pine (Dohivi Noche) astonished. I am astonished at the strangeness of camp, and I don’t know if our campers and counselors realize fully just how strange it is. I say the word “strange” not in a bad way which has … Continued
Last week I taught the Sparks during their “Campfire 101” class the seven principles of Leave No Trace. We discussed the importance of leaving places in which we go with as little impact as possible. These places could be the pristine wilderness of Linville Gorge, a far-off national park like Zion or Glacier, or even … Continued
Can you remember when you learned how to operate a drill press safely? How about cornering a berm on a mountain bike? Or when you first learned how to belay or even hammer in a nail? I can’t recall the exact day when I developed these skills, but I know that I wasn’t as young … Continued
Opening day is LONGGGG day. It begins before most of us are awake with last minute leaf blowing, sweeping, and cabin decorating in the wee hours of the morning. It concludes, in what seems like many days later, with a closing campfire full of songs, silly skits, and camaraderie as we watch the sun set … Continued
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
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
“He’s not here.” It’s a phrase simultaneously simple and earth shattering; Frightening and hopeful. It’s spoken by an angel to a stunned group: Women who were terrified, mourning, exhausted, and now confused as to what has happened to the body of their rabbi and friend. For an Illahee Girl, this would be even more shocking … Continued
At Illahee we offer a ton of different activities, and if you’re attending any of our two, three, or four-week sessions then you, YES YOU get the chance to choose your activities! I love activities. It’s where we get to see campers find their groove and discover new life long passions. In preparation for the … Continued
Last friday I spent a good part of my day cleaning up my office. Anyone on our year round team can attest that my office needed it most. Spring cleaning might be the norm for most folks, but in the camp world, December is when we are able to catch our breath, so I chose … Continued
For millennia, our histories have been passed down through stories. These “Oral Traditions” are powerful in the meaning and wisdom that are communicated. We all love a good story, right? But occasionally, as new information is gleaned, in hindsight we find some inaccuracies. We at Camp Illahee have been told and told others that the … Continued
