Camp Green Lane Blog Post–November 7th
It is amazing how quickly Halloween came and went. It was a little weird to be out in our own hometowns instead of dancing together on BB1. A few people were very jealous of the Pac-man costume the Upper Staff wore. The watermelons turned to pumpkins, the weather turned from sunny days to chilly afternoons. Yet, as these things change, we also get closer to our next time under the arches. Can you believe that we are already in November?
This past summer was without a doubt my favorite summer. It has very little to do with individual schedules or events, but more so with the feeling of family. As I walked around camp all summer, I was so enthralled with the amount of compassion, caring, happiness, and friendship that lit up the arches. Through our new Pal-Day groupings, we watched 16 year olds help 8 year olds tying their shoes, saw 7 year old girls giving make-overs to 14 year olds (some were more reminiscent of Halloween, but I digress.) While comparing this to my school (for those who don’t know, I am a Middle School Theater teacher in Orlando) this is just simply not something that happens. At Camp Green Lane, our campers are willing to let societal implications stop, and let happiness and fun fully take effect. During the school year, students find their group of friends and typically stay with them, but at camp, everyone in the arches has a connection that can never be broken. There is such a strong bond that is unlike anything else I have experienced in my life.
It is the feeling of community that I miss most about camp. When you are at home, it is a very specific schedule. You go from home, to school, to sports, to clubs and activities, to home, all with different groups of people. I think camp is unique because you have all of the same types of experiences, but with strangers who become family. I love seeing our kids from Florida fly up to New York to go to a Bar Mitzvah with their best friends. There are no limitations or obstacles too great to keep camp family apart.
As a teacher, I am never too far from camp. As a warm-up in my theatre classes, we do cheers, write songs, and play games all that I learned at camp. Even though my students do the Funky Chicken, it doesn’t have the same feel as it did just a few short months ago. They have also taught me new cheers and games which I will be bringing with me to the summer of 2017.
Things at the camp office are in full swing. New evening activities are being planned, trips set, new special events being scheduled, and a lot of other preparation for the 2017 summer. Of course, the favorites will stay, but we all are working hard to make this summer the best one ever. A lot of that discussion is guided through you! Any suggestions on things to change, add, or take out, please email them to me at Jesse@greenlane.com and we will be sure to look at them!
We only have 228 days left! It will be here before you know it!
Yours in camping,
Uncle Jesse Cohen