Carpe diem. Hope everyone had a sweet Memorial Day Weekend. Lauren and I are settled in at camp with Eli now. As we have navigated the journey up to camp, I have tried to “step up to the balcony” and remind myself of the bigger picture. My mind has taken me back more often than not to the nitty gritty details of what to pack, how to organize the car with all of Eli’s toys (and some clothes), and then where to fit all of our stuff in our summer log cabin. Once in a while I am able to stay present and realize that all of this movement is naturally part of transition.

Our small family’s transition flows together with the larger transition from off-season to summer camp. Being part of this “pre-camp” process is exhilarating, eye-opening, and sometimes a little daunting. Every day there are so many moving parts, all working harmoniously as part of the greater whole (even if it doesn’t always sound like a symphony). For example, our long-time caretakers—Uzi & Wayne—assemble as many summer staff as they can to transform this spot into the beautiful camp we all know it as. At the same time, we are hosting and running various staff training programs.

Not only do we have all of our outdoor adventure and waterfront activity specialists go through the most rigorous courses in their fields, but we also host our very own Blue Star Training Institute where we host staff members from other camps who want to take the classes. More broadly, we are laying the foundation for the safest, most fun, and greatest skill developing summer.

Lauren and I can never say too much how much we deeply appreciate all of the work and thoughtfulness that all of our team pour into pre-camp. It is amazing to be part of the transition. For sure, it’s beginning to look a lot like Camp…

Announcing our Summer Theme…

Carved into the Elmore Solomon Chapel is one of “Uncle Herman’s” favorite Biblical proverbs from the Prophet Micah.
“What does the Lord Require of Thee? Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with God.”

As we honor our past and look to the future, we have adapted that expression to guide our campers’ summer experience at Blue Star in 2013…

FIND MAGIC * DO GOOD * LIVE HUMBLY

Magic has always been at the core of the Blue Star experience. Something beyond explanation happens when campers connect with one another, our beautiful natural setting and their own spirituality. For every person at camp this summer the “spirit” that we call Blue Star magic will be discovered and expressed in unique ways.

Doing good provides an active balance to the part of camp that is all about pure fun. We encourage all of our campers and staff to look at their planet with new and understanding eyes. We challenge our campers to develop into what Uncle Herman called “good people” that are committed to making the world a better place.

Living humbly requires us to see the big picture, how we fit into the whole. As our belief in ourselves and our abilities is affirmed by forming new friendships and developing new skills, we must be mindful of how we use that power. Finding that balance between feeling good about ourselves and helping others to do the same is an important part of the shared camp experience. Living humbly also gives us a venue for which to feel and experience gratitude. Every day spent at Blue Star should be appreciated to the fullest!

These three messages come together to represent a more complete ideal but all together, really speak to what Blue Star strives to be about each and every summer. We can’t wait to welcome our campers and staff to Find the Magic, Do Good and Live Humbly together in 2013!