Lauren’s Letter Week 2 – 2022
Hello Parents,
I often hear the saying that “camp is a magical place” and everyone here readily agrees, but what does that really mean? I’m hoping to share a little insight of the amazing camp magic that we get to witness here every day!
After just over a week together, there are many moments that come to mind. We had our big and little brother pizza party – where we had a late night pizza party for all of our new campers and their camp “big brothers”. We asked the big brothers to reflect on the time when they were at this same pizza party, but as the little brothers. One of our CITs when recalling his pizza party looked across the room to see his camp big brother who is still on staff with us now. They both remarked that although it was 8 years ago it felt just like yesterday. Now he’s in the role of the big brother making these new memories for another camper. It was a magical full circle moment that made everyone stop and realize how special it is to be at Kawaga.
During one of our evening programs, the whole camp headed out to Diamond 2 to play Electro – think of 6 capture the flag games going on at once with tennis balls instead of flags! It was a beautiful evening, the sun was out, and kids were running around with their team. Some clouds rolled in and suddenly out of nowhere, there was a downpour. What did we do, we played in the rain! Kids formed teams to played an impromptu game of Voccer (a combination of volleyball and soccer with multiple balls). Kids were dancing, laughing, and having so much fun. As we wrapped up the activity and were heading back to cabins we looked back at an incredible double rainbow over the field on Diamond 2. The campers all stopped on the bridge into camp to appreciate the awe of nature mixed with the spontaneity that makes camp so incredible. It will absolutely be a memory that sticks for everyone.
At our outdoor dinners, campers pick up dinner and eat with their friends in groups around Diamond 1. This past week, one of our campers was sharing some magic tricks with other campers. Kids were gathering around to watch as he revealed the card that had been picked. The other campers oohed and aahed over him finding the card.They were supportive, interested, and having a great time together. The traditional magic lead to Kawaga magic of kids connecting over something new and becoming friends in an instant.
There is magic in the moments when a camper tries something new for the first time. I often see this down at the ski docks. A kid comes in from the water who just completed their first skiing miracle – where they ski around the bay for the first time. When a kid accomplishes something like this, they have an incredible look that exudes confidence and accomplishment. In the challenging times that we are all facing, that instant shift feels like magic to me as well!
All of us at Camp Kawaga know this place is special. It’s our honor and responsibility to share that with our campers so that the traditions of camp lives are passed down from generation to generation. Magic happens everyday at Kawaga. These magical memories last individuals a lifetime, and become stories that are passed down making up the history of our camp.
Thank you for being a part of our story,
Lauren