As we approach the end of the typical school year and prepare for summer, I can’t help but reminisce on my days at summer camps. I was definitely a camp kid. I went to Woodward gymnastics camp most summers as well as some generic summer camps. I so looked forward to going out into the middle of nowhere with new and old friends and doing the whole camp thing.
It wasn’t until the summers of 2013 and 2014 when my best friend and I headed down to Lynchburg, Virginia to attend Liberty University’s Snowflex camp for our first ski/snowboard camp ever. Her car probably shouldn’t have made it, we were probably way too old for a summer camp, and we were probably way too stoked to not bathe for several days, but our trips together to Snowflex are some of my best memories I have from my high school days. We learned a lot of new tricks, acquired a lot of cool gear, tried new things that we probably would never have thought to try, met amazing people and had a freaking blast. It was entirely too much fun for a couple of 17 and 18 year olds but I would go back to being a camper any day.
Fast forward to college and I started working at Windells Ski Camp in Welches, OR. I wasn’t about to go without my best friend, so we drove from Buffalo, NY to Mt. Hood, Oregon together a couple weeks before the start of camp to experience the amazingness that is Mt. Hood together. Again, my car probably shouldn’t have made it – actually it barely made it home – and we were again way too stoked to not bathe for several days. We camped out at the airstrip, got nasty sunburns, and had a hell of a time in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Before camp even started I felt like I was a camper again which got me super inspired for arguably the best summer of my life.
The summers I worked at Windells were filled with a ton of great friendships, life lessons and memories that will never compare to anything else. You essentially work 24/7 leading up to camp, trying to make it perfect for arrival day. Although thoroughly exhausted, seeing your camper’s face light up as they get off their plane or unload from the vans on campus for the first time is the biggest “we did it” moment and so worth everything you put into that place. Then to watch your camper stomp a trick they've been working so hard for, to watch them make friends, and to see them grow as people are really such beautiful parts of camp. Every moment at camp seems to become better than the last and then, before you know it, it's departure day, all the campers leave and you're left with the empty campus you started with. Except this time it has a little bit more character. 2 days later, you start from the beginning and repeat, until you've somehow made it through 6 camp sessions.
Sittin on an empty campus, after all is said and done, it's amazing to see how much can happen over 8 weeks. I vividly remember reflecting on how many lives I had the chance to be apart of, how many people inspired me, all the work we accomplished, and then I come to this realization that next year we would get to start over to do it all again. For me, that was the ultimate "we did it" moment.
So now we are living during a weird time, where the COVID-19 pandemic is dictating our lives and camps across the world are preparing to make one of the most difficult and arguably the most important decision they've ever made. Can we safely have camp this summer? Can we open? Should we postpone a few weeks? Cancel all together? Who really fucking knows what to do.
Camp staff and campers alike are dealing with an enormous amount of uncertainty regarding the opening of camp and/or modifications to make camp safe. The thought of no summer camp would have left the camper in me heart broken. I feel for all the kids out there who are anxiously awaiting their arrival at Mt. Hood, Whistler, Snowflex, or the middle of nowhere, USA for their camp session to start. I feel for all the staff members who have worked tirelessly to make camp a reality for their campers. I’m so sad for everyone who will have to postpone these experiences until potentially next summer.
Every camp session I was part of came to an end, but always with the next one in sight. Even the end of summer we knew next year was going to come eventually. So here's to all the camps, camp staff and campers out there. Be patient. Keep your heads up. Keep your hopes high. And know that whatever you do this summer will be in the best interest of YOU. You are going to make your "we did it" moments and they are going to be so worth everything you've put into them! We don't know when, but the COVID-19 pandemic will to come to an end, camp will go on and we will be back doing what we as campers and staff members do best!
**This was originally written for a camp group I am a part of and modified for NS purposes. This does not reflect nor imply any decisions made by any camps mentioned - Windells, Snowflex, Woodward or any specific camp in general. I don't work for Windells anymore and have no clue where they stand on this decision except for what is made public via their website and social media!!!!**
It wasn’t until the summers of 2013 and 2014 when my best friend and I headed down to Lynchburg, Virginia to attend Liberty University’s Snowflex camp for our first ski/snowboard camp ever. Her car probably shouldn’t have made it, we were probably way too old for a summer camp, and we were probably way too stoked to not bathe for several days, but our trips together to Snowflex are some of my best memories I have from my high school days. We learned a lot of new tricks, acquired a lot of cool gear, tried new things that we probably would never have thought to try, met amazing people and had a freaking blast. It was entirely too much fun for a couple of 17 and 18 year olds but I would go back to being a camper any day.
Fast forward to college and I started working at Windells Ski Camp in Welches, OR. I wasn’t about to go without my best friend, so we drove from Buffalo, NY to Mt. Hood, Oregon together a couple weeks before the start of camp to experience the amazingness that is Mt. Hood together. Again, my car probably shouldn’t have made it – actually it barely made it home – and we were again way too stoked to not bathe for several days. We camped out at the airstrip, got nasty sunburns, and had a hell of a time in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Before camp even started I felt like I was a camper again which got me super inspired for arguably the best summer of my life.
The summers I worked at Windells were filled with a ton of great friendships, life lessons and memories that will never compare to anything else. You essentially work 24/7 leading up to camp, trying to make it perfect for arrival day. Although thoroughly exhausted, seeing your camper’s face light up as they get off their plane or unload from the vans on campus for the first time is the biggest “we did it” moment and so worth everything you put into that place. Then to watch your camper stomp a trick they've been working so hard for, to watch them make friends, and to see them grow as people are really such beautiful parts of camp. Every moment at camp seems to become better than the last and then, before you know it, it's departure day, all the campers leave and you're left with the empty campus you started with. Except this time it has a little bit more character. 2 days later, you start from the beginning and repeat, until you've somehow made it through 6 camp sessions.
Sittin on an empty campus, after all is said and done, it's amazing to see how much can happen over 8 weeks. I vividly remember reflecting on how many lives I had the chance to be apart of, how many people inspired me, all the work we accomplished, and then I come to this realization that next year we would get to start over to do it all again. For me, that was the ultimate "we did it" moment.
So now we are living during a weird time, where the COVID-19 pandemic is dictating our lives and camps across the world are preparing to make one of the most difficult and arguably the most important decision they've ever made. Can we safely have camp this summer? Can we open? Should we postpone a few weeks? Cancel all together? Who really fucking knows what to do.
Camp staff and campers alike are dealing with an enormous amount of uncertainty regarding the opening of camp and/or modifications to make camp safe. The thought of no summer camp would have left the camper in me heart broken. I feel for all the kids out there who are anxiously awaiting their arrival at Mt. Hood, Whistler, Snowflex, or the middle of nowhere, USA for their camp session to start. I feel for all the staff members who have worked tirelessly to make camp a reality for their campers. I’m so sad for everyone who will have to postpone these experiences until potentially next summer.
Every camp session I was part of came to an end, but always with the next one in sight. Even the end of summer we knew next year was going to come eventually. So here's to all the camps, camp staff and campers out there. Be patient. Keep your heads up. Keep your hopes high. And know that whatever you do this summer will be in the best interest of YOU. You are going to make your "we did it" moments and they are going to be so worth everything you've put into them! We don't know when, but the COVID-19 pandemic will to come to an end, camp will go on and we will be back doing what we as campers and staff members do best!
**This was originally written for a camp group I am a part of and modified for NS purposes. This does not reflect nor imply any decisions made by any camps mentioned - Windells, Snowflex, Woodward or any specific camp in general. I don't work for Windells anymore and have no clue where they stand on this decision except for what is made public via their website and social media!!!!**
