Camp Green Lane Blog-August 2nd

I spent the summers of my childhood at overnight camp. It was my happy place – a place where I could be carefree, outside, and with friends. It was never a question that I would send my kids to overnight camp, but where they would go. I am Canadian, as is my husband and we wanted to send our kids a little closer to home in PA. The minute we walked into Camp Green Lane, we knew that it was a very special place.

It wasn’t a hard decision to send our oldest son here. He loves it and is clearly in his element. On visiting day, he told my middle son to “get ready for the best time of your life”. Simple and to the point.

My husband let me convince him to come to camp for week as the camp doctor. I mean, who would not want to come to camp for a week?! And what a week it is – color war broke the night before we got here. We arrived to the rush and excitement of arguably the best week in camp. Immediately, we were all greeted like old friends. My middle son was whisked into the Cubs where he was treated like he had been here the entire summer. Each of those boys made him feel happy, comfortable and part of the Green Lane family from the minute he stepped foot in camp. The campers are amazingly supportive of one another and display the best sportsmanship I have ever seen.

Monday night was the rope burn – an awesome display of hard work and skill. After the white team won, the victors walked over to the green team to help them burn their rope as the entire camp cheered together for the green team. As a parent it brought tears to my eyes to see such genuine love, support, and camaraderie even at the pinnacle of color war. I watched the kids walking arm in arm, hand in hand – boys and girls alike and I know there is nowhere else I would have my kids spend their summers.

I may not have grown up at this camp, but my kids will grow up here and they will be better people because of it. Next summer, we will be back and by then, we will be old friends.

Jackie Robins