What is Camp?

Many people in my life know me because I was a camp director for 9 years of my life and also a camp staff member, camper etc. all with the Girl Scouts. I left the Girl Scouts for a new job and direction about two years ago. This week... I've been missing camp. I locked myself out of my house yesterday morning and while I was waiting on the porch for my roommate to rescue me I thought, wow if I were at camp I would have gone for a swim, put up the flag, sang some songs, ate breakfast, played with the campers and be in the camp office most likely joking around with the ad staff.

I also got word yesterday that the first camp I ever directed, Camp Tweedale, in Oxford, Pa is being sold. At first I was really sad but also understanding that the merge of councils and realignment that these things happen. This I'm sure was taken under much consideration and many decision makers took part in the process.

Then came the memories....

Tweedale is full of memories for me:

-at 22 I was an assistant camp director for the first time then director for the next two years
-crushed on my first girl, you know who you are :) and then also dated my first girl (and second, haha)
-had tan lines from the numerous friendship bracelets
-met people from all over the world which resulted in trips to Scotland, Holland and England and a post camp vacation in the Virgin Islands all with camp people.
-learned to play guitar
-dyed my hair purple
-lost the canoes in a storm... oops
-got a speeding ticket driving girls to the AT
-Jinx and I moved our offices outside for a day, yay for new office furniture being on wheels, haha
-late nights chilling in the Barn Circle with Kia (an instant summer best friend!)
-baby skunk getting stuck in the pool and spraying
-spider and ape building me an amphitheatre on my last day of camp, knowing that I was moving to another camp for full time employment
-screaming campers in the Forest Unit
-Jinx not wanting to call 911 with her accent
-taking the cook to the hospital
-tics

Oh soooo much more. This camp, Camp Tweedale taught me so much, how to be a leader, love, respect, more than I can put into words. But really these memories have nothing to do with the physical location of the camp... it has to do with the people.

And since it is my blog and I get to have my own soapbox here I want to say this. If we believe i camp so much and we are so sad to see this property disappear than what are we doing to keep what we do have? What are you doing to make sure your Girl Scout Camp experience is being continued for other girls? Are you volunteering? Are you donating money? Just because you love camp doesn't make it stay. Camps need money, volunteers, advocates, campers etc.

Here is my summary... camp is not just a location, it's the magic created by the community. It is simply the location we all met and where the magic was created. And, our memories won't keep the property running...

They may sell the property, but we'll always have our memories.