The Test of Time

Last weekend was the leadership staff retreat for the day camp that I am working at this summer. It was great to meet everyone that I'll be working with and to start to find out some of the details of what this summer will be like, but for me, the best part of the retreat was getting to learn a little bit of the history of the camp. To wrap up our retreat, we had the opportunity to have brunch with the original director, and two of the staff who were around at the beginning--25 years ago.

Hearing their memories and stories of camp definitely got me excited for the summer, and it was great to start to understand the culture and background of FDC. The thing that struck me the most, though, was how clearly camp was impressed on these three people who worked there before I was born. They still had such a clear understanding of their vision, their purpose, and the impact that camp has both on campers and staff. Talking to them, you'd think that they'd worked at camp last summer, not 25 years ago.

One thing that our conversation touched on several times was how well working at summer camp had prepared them for their future. Again and again, they came back to how the things they had learned as camp staff had affected the rest of their lives--whether a teacher, a minister, or a stay at home mom, the experience had impacted them long beyond the time they were spending their summers in the woods, cheering 'til they had no voice, and leading kids in all kinds of crazy activities.

One of the greatest things about summer camp (day or resident), for whoever participates (camper or staff), is what an impact it can have on your life. Camp touches some peoples lives more than others, but for those of us who really fall in love with it... our lives will never be the same!