Carpe diem. Together, we made history. Reflecting on this summer at camp, I am reminded that Blue Star always has been about the people and the multi-generational relationships that form through sharing the Summer Magic together.
During the first few days of super session I was buoyed by the unbridled laughter and joy expressed by so many campers doing the most natural and simple of camp activities with their cabin family units. Playing in the pool. Climbing the rock wall tower. Practicing martial arts and fine arts. Seeing how excited so many of our cohorts got when it was their turn to play on the inflatables on the lake and go tubing on the cable park filled us with joy. Every day campers had opportunities for freedom and wonder in the mountains.
Moreover, campers were connecting meaningfully with their old friends and re-learning how to build new friendships. They looked up to and learned from our staff who became their mentors, teachers and coaches.
We practiced being kind to each other and to the planet. Our Teen Village Green Team continued our recent tradition of creatively educating and modeling for our younger campers how to be kind to the planet. They doubled down on our compost (boom!) efforts and personally ensured that our recycle bins were out all around camp and being emptied properly. This summer so many of us found a bit more time to truly appreciate and be stewards of the natural world.
So much of our time together was a real life PSA for following evidence based public health protocols, making them fun and abiding by them to maximize our time together in our safe “bubble.” Senior Boy campers wrote, directed and starred in a Washy Washy video that became part of one of our Saturday BSC TV installments. We couldn’t get enough of the Washy Washy; for sure, our staff and campers will be returning home with a deeper appreciation for hand washing. In camp’s authentic way it became catchy, cool and fun.
The only way forward through this pandemic is to do the right thing individually in service of our larger community. Our staff and your campers, with your unconditional support, showed how that is possible. All of us took a leap of faith, like the one at our ropes course, and made a commitment to one another. We are indebted to our core values staff who banded together to make it all happen. We feel immense gratitude to our camp families for their trust in us and we look forward to all being back together again at Blue Star in Summer 2021. Together, we made history.