Greetings from Hilltop. It’s wonderful to have our First Session campers here at last. The counselors are full of welcoming energy and excitement, ready to help make camp a home away from home for the next few weeks. It’s always a privilege and a thrill to kick off another summer at Four Winds—like Christmas in June.
That’s not to say it wasn’t a long day to get here. The FAA delayed many flights into Seattle due to low cloud ceilings, and we experienced significant delays, especially on our two largest group flights—from Los Angeles (an hour late) and San Francisco (an hour and 45 minutes late).
That said, if you’d told me yesterday just how late those flights would be, I would have predicted a much rougher day than we had. But everyone—campers and staff alike—was patient and resilient. All the campers arrived safely, and we even managed to get their luggage on the original ferry as planned.
With everyone now on the island, we jumped right into the rhythm of camp life. After the boats arrived, we had our first flag circle, followed by a lovely dinner (on our newly expanded Lodge deck), then a quick meeting on the stairs for some celebration and orientation. From there, campers headed to their cabins and tents to begin settling in and getting to know one another. Tomorrow we’ll dive further into orientation and opening-day traditions, all leading up to our first full day of activities on Monday. We can’t wait to hit our stride.
Naturally, the start of a month-long session can bring some pangs of separation—for both campers and parents. At Four Winds, we see this separation as a valuable part of the camp experience. After all, independence comes eventually, and camp offers kids a chance to practice it in a safe, supportive, and joy-filled environment—preparing them for the larger transitions ahead, like college and beyond. That said, the benefits don’t make those pangs any less real, and having some insight into what your camper is doing can help ease the distance.
The best way to stay connected is through letter writing. It may feel old-fashioned, but that’s part of what makes it perfect for camp—the slower pace, the tangible connection, and the joy of receiving a letter all align beautifully with the rhythms of camp life. We encourage you to write often. Campers may not be used to writing letters and sometimes aren’t sure what to say. A great strategy is to ask them specific questions in your letters—“How was the swim test?” “Tell me about a new friend you’ve made.” “Where are your cabinmates from?” “What’s your favorite class?” Questions like these not only prompt responses but also keep the focus on camp rather than home, which is especially helpful for those feeling a little homesick.
Alongside letter writing, we’ll use a bit of technology to keep you informed throughout the summer. We’ll post daily updates on our Instagram Stories—the first one went up this evening—and we’ll continue posting one each day while campers are here. To make them easy to revisit, we’ll save all stories to a highlight (just below our bio). We’ll also continue our weekly tradition of Sunday blog posts, right here, with the next one on June 29th. And of course, if you ever want a more personal update, feel free to call the office—Daphne and her team are always happy to check in on your camper and get back to you.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your children with us. We’re looking forward to a fantastic session—one filled with songs, friendship, growth, and adventure. We can’t wait to see all that’s ahead.