Summer Camp

I’m working on summer camp plans right now. Not because I am going to send my kids to summer camp and need to figure out when and where and how much, but because I am the camp director. Yes, for over thirty-five years now I have spent my spring preparing for other children to come to camp and for over fifty years I have lived a good portion of my summer at a summer camp. 

It’s kind of crazy to think of the number of years I have been at camp but it’s true. I started as a camper in 1967, attending for my first year. I was as nervous as cat on a hot tin roof, but I did it. To this day, I am shocked that I did because I was an extremely shy little girl. My older sister was outgoing and outspoken. Me, on the other hand, not so much. In fact, my nickname at home was “me too” because whatever my sister said, I just said, “Me too”. 

This is why I want to challenge you to think about summer camp for your kids and grandkids. Going to Camp Ch-Yo-Ca in 1967 changed the trajectory of my life. Camp was a place where I could be me and be accepted as me. It was a small enough community that I could be “bigger in” than the public school I went to. Not “bigger in” as in a way to bully or be “better than”, but in way that showed me I was needed and valuable. 

For all people, when we are thrown into a “big” scene with lots of people and lots of ideas, ours gets pushed to the back, especially if you are more introverted by nature. Exposing kids to a smaller setting gives them a space to share and show their talents and interests. Even for adults this is true. Think about it like this. Not many people will win American Idol. In fact, just one will win. But there are millions of other great singers out there who want to share their talents, so they look for smaller venues like church, local talent shows or local little theaters. Letting your kids be exposed to a “smaller community” helps them see that they can be leaders too. Camp did that for me. In a cabin of sixteen girls, I saw that I could be a leader. I learned that I could make new friends by smiling and talking to girl with a bunk beside mine. I realized I could swim better than some in my cabin and not as good as others, but with both I felt comfortable. I noticed I could contribute to the discussion in bible class and others listened to me when I spoke. 

One of the best things about a Christian summer camp is not only are children getting to experience new things in a smaller environment, but they are also surrounded my people who love Jesus. This means the accolades a camper receives come with a purpose to give God the glory. Bible teachers and counselors did that for me as well. I began to understand that all my gifts and talents are from the Lord but it was up to me to use them and develop them. 

I could write pages about summer camp and the benefits, but I won’t. I just wanted to leave you with a little bit about my experience and encourage you to let your child experience the same. 

If you are grandparent, summer camp makes a great Christmas or birthday gift. Giving an experience that could possibly change a child’s life is the best gift ever.

Hugs, Chrys