I am writing over the loud hum of the leaf-blowers, one of the many sounds of summer. In years past I would have greeting that sound with an annoyed sigh, but lately I have found a sort of comfort in the familiarity of it. After a stormy and rain-heavy weekend, the maintenance guys are on … Continued
In April a parent from California emailed us a You Tube Video about an American family in South Korea returning to school. Her subject was “Camp with masks is better than no camp.” My reaction was “No Way…camp in masks?” On May 15th we had made the heart breaking decision to cancel our season. On … Continued
It is hard to fathom that we are nearing the end of June. Are we the only ones who feel like time is more blurry this summer? Usually in June, our days are perfectly orchestrated into a schedule dictated by the ringing of the bell signalling activities, rest hours, and evening programs. Adjusting to life … Continued
“A roller coaster of emotions” hardly describes our feelings since Friday’s announcement to cancel this summer. It is more accurately a typhoon or a super cyclone of emotions. We know you all can relate, after hearing from many of our families and their response to the news. If you “took to the bed” on Friday, … Continued
While we all continue to adjust to the “new normal”, something that has made us feel grounded and encouraged is hearing from camp families, campers, and staff. Last week we reached out to our staff members to check in and see how they were spending their time in quarantine. We asked them to share some … Continued
We had a Zoom gathering last night with some lifelong friends who we had taken a sailing trip with in January. One of their sons and daughter-in-law had led the trip and are now quarantined on their boat in St. John. They joined us each in our separate settings for a sunset Zoom. After initial … Continued
Happy Easter Weekend, Illahee family. It’s been a beautiful week at camp and at times felt strangely normal around here. Yesterday we took a break from our activity area cleaning spree and had our own egg hunt on the soccer field. Gardner raided the costume room to find an assortment of 1980’s era bridesmaid’s dresses … Continued
I’ve been spending more time in my living room re-reading Jesus Calling and Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, my “go to” devotional guides. Built in 1947,our big picture window overlooks the canoe lake, the red barn and the empty green pastures. At this time of year our neighbors use the area as their … Continued
What a week! When I watched Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show Home Edition, I could relate to his opening: “Welcome to day 83 of quarantine.” His wife interrupted with-“day six of quarantine.” I’ve been experiencing what a socially distanced extrovert can do via Iphone catching up with friends and family in the evenings and joining Lindsey … Continued
Is that hometown buddy a necessity for a great summer at camp? Some parents worry about their daughter coming to camp without a friend from home. While walking into a new cabin group might feel intimidating, having the opportunity to make brand new friends is one of the best parts of camp! A summer at … Continued
