Camp is forever

                I am not much of a Facebook user, but when I set up this blog I started getting people coming from Facebook to read the blog, so I went back.  I am intrigued that as I look at the Facebook pages of friends and acquaintances that I know from camp, I see camp pictures in their Facebook pages from camp that are 10, 20 and even 30 years old.  I see that as a strong statement about what Sylvan Acres is all about, and what makes Sylvan Acres so special.  I am pleased to see that Sylvan still lives in their hearts and minds, and that there are so many groups for Sylvan Acres campers and staff.

                Why does Sylvan have such strong emotional attachment to us?  I think it is because everyone who was at camp felt they belonged there.  Sylvan Acres wasn’t just where we spent our summers.  It’s where we met our friends, and for many of us, it is where we met our spouses.  But most of all, it is where we belonged.  We felt an emotional attachment to the other campers, and when we got to be old enough to apply to be on staff, there was little question about whether we would go back. 

                I am also happy to note how many staff and campers continue to stay in touch with each other years and years later.  How long has it been since you were at Sylvan?  How many of your friends from camp are you still in touch with?

                Camp makes life-long friendships.  Sharing a cabin for a summer with campers passing through week by week, or sharing a tent or trailer as program staff, makes for very strong bonds.  I had great friends in high school that I haven’t talked to since, but I have friends from camp staff who I have known longer, who I still keep in touch with.  More importantly, though I would feel uncomfortable getting reacquainted with someone from high school, I would feel different about meeting someone from camp, because we have more in common.  Is it the same for you? 

                I would encourage all Sylvan staff to keep tabs on what is happening with our camp.  A new director has been hired, and they are looking for new direction.  Follow the camp website at www.sylvanacres.org and send emails to offer encouragement and support.  If you can, support a camp in your area.  Don’t let your Sylvan experience go to waste.  Keep in touch with your friends, get reconnected with the ones you haven’t talked to lately, and share your stories.