Tonight, will be the last night of the summer for many of our campers, so please allow me a few moments to share a few thoughts.

First, thank you for having the confidence in your child and in us to let them come to camp this summer. You have allowed your young ones to spread their social-emotional wings and find resilience and strength. Sure, they have been having fun, but they have been growing as well. Throw in some excellent friendships and counselor heroes and you have a great couple of weeks.

Second, I know the last 17 months have been as strange as any of our lives. We long for normalcy, but know we are not quite there yet. We see evidence in the world (lumber prices, labor anomalies, cancelled flights), but we also feel them in our hearts. I am not sure what the ultimate effects will be, but I believe that we face them better when we are connected to people and not to devices – when we are in nature and not in our bedrooms. Your gift to your child will nudge them toward being happier, more centered.

Third, as I mentioned before, this year has been strange. But I choose to believe that our challenges make us stronger. They show us that we can face something hard or unusual and come out the other side more capable. As I wrote in a previous blog, I think of homesickness as a growth experience – you start by doubting your ability to survive away from your parents and you not only survive, but you thrive. If this summer had a few additional hiccups that came after months of pandemic disruption (shyness, diminished social skills, etc), then overcoming these hiccups makes our campers more ready for the Fall and beyond.

All of this makes me share the following wish for your child.

As they return to the classrooms and extracurriculars in the Fall, may they not only thrive, but be the source of strength to others. Their friends and peers will likely not have an experience like camp that has primed them for a return to normalcy. These friends will need love, kindness and confidence. May your child be the source of that.

Knowing that your kiddos will be sharing their gifts is a comforting, if not inspiring thought.

Steve Sir