In a few days…
In a few days camp will be over, and we’ll load the buses to make our way home. Home? That’s strange. Isn’t that where we are now? For us, sitting here together, Chenawah is our 2nd home. Some of us have known this for years, and call Baco & Chenawah the “best kept secret.” And others have found their 2nd home for the 1st time.
Some people think that the idea of Camp is a pretty simple thing…kids go away for the summer. They sleep in cabins, they sing songs and play games.
But we’re much more than that.
Camp is the reason we wear friendship bracelets or learn how to make a lanyard. It’s the reason that we make fashion out of garbage bags, do blind-rowing, and sing at every meal. It’s the reason why we love the sound of the frogs singing, the sound of the rain on the roof, and why we’d eat tofu with red sauce or a mashed up ice-cream sandwich.
Camp is watching the sun set over the mountains, watching the rain come across the lake, and laughing so hard that it hurts.
It’s about sitting on benches surrounding a campfire, and sing silly songs and imitate elephants.
Where did the summer go? You’ve grown in leaps and bounds, and discovered new things that you could have never imagined. You’ve handled the challenges, learned how to speak up for yourselves, and you’ve learned how to soar.
We read in the Torah about how the Children of Israel are moving forward. Seeing all of the their triumphs and accomplishments, it is time for them to cross over into a new stage in life.
So, on this Shabbat, I honor all of you…the Girls of Camp Chenawah.
I applaud you for how far you have come., and I am so proud of you.
Soon you’ll return to your other home. I want to hear about your successes and accomplishments—big or small.
I will be cheering you on from the sidelines, until the Summer of 2014, when I can cheer for you in person.
By: Barbara Wortman
