Greetings from Hilltop. Second Session has ended. Some campers are already with their parents, the rest are on their way. Our airport run crew reports smooth sailing so far. Back in Camp, things are eerily quiet. Our counselors are cleaning and organizing, getting Camp partly shut down, as there are some things we don’t use for Junior Session. After two months of caring for campers, and all of sudden relieved of that responsibility, the counselors aren’t quite sure what to do with themselves. The campers will need time to decompress from this big experience, and so will the staff.
The Session was fantastic throughout, and the end was no exception. I wrote last week about how the last week is usually my favorite, and it certainly delivered. Our four final evening activities did their job, reminding everyone of the shortness of our time together and providing opportunities for celebration and reflection. Throughout the week in Camp, there were moments of celebration. There were dozens of Gypsy Jewelry ceremonies, where we surprise the recipient, sing one of their favorites songs, and then tell them, one-by-one, why we value them so much. Carlyn returned to Camp, ebullient from their experience and enjoying their reunions with old friends who had spent the session in Camp. In the activity areas, there were accomplishments all around, whether it was joining the “Tens Club” (hitting the bullseye on the farthest target in archery) or finishing a cherished project in the Craft Courts. All of that positive energy filled Camp with a spirit which, if you could replicate it elsewhere, would change the world.
Your campers will come home to you today experiencing lots of great emotions. Most will be tired and happy. Some will immediately regale you with stories, others will take some time before sharing. I mentioned decompression earlier. It often takes kids a few days today readjust to the rhythms of the real world. The decompression period won’t be too long, and they’ll soon readjust. What won’t leave them is the memories, growth, and friendships they’ve created here.
I hope your camper is already talking about next summer, and you may be interested to know that registration for summer 2017 is already available. We reserve spots for returning campers until November 30, so there’s no real rush, but many families like to take care of it when Camp is at the front of mind. We will send out reminders and so forth, but we do encourage you to mind that November 30 deadline. This year, all three of our sessions filled on December 1, and we have no reason to believe it will be different next year. You can find that registration form by logging into your parent account at fourwindscamp.org/login, clicking on “Registration Form,” selecting the 2017 season, and filling out the form.
Thank you for sharing your children with us this month. I know what a sacrifice it is to let them go for that long. I know that the growth and memories created here will make it worth it. I hope to see them all back next year.