Camp Green Lane First of the Summer Blog Post!!!!!

Hello again, friends!!

IT’S TIME FOR CAMP!!!

For those of us who haven’t “met,” my name is Kate Cohen, and I am an upper staff member here at Camp Green Lane. Last year was my very first summer ever at overnight camp, and, to be totally honest, I came so that I could prove to my husband (CGL Program Director Uncle Jesse) that camp was not for me. Long story short, it totally backfired and I fell in love with CGL, as have so many others who have spent their summers between the arches. In fact, I loved it so much that I’m here for another summer, and SO happy to be back writing the CGL blogs to keep you in the loop of what’s happening at camp!

But let me tell you…it’s the strangest thing.

Driving through the arches a few days ago, it was as if time had stopped and we had never even left Camp Green Lane. And I don’t mean in the simple, “nothing has changed” way – it felt as if we’d maybe stepped away for a long weekend of rest and creature comforts, only to return to our cabin a few days later.

Sure, there are some changes. There’s a new quad in the center of camp with shiny green shutters and white siding. New CGL signs have popped up on a few cabins and buildings, proudly advertising that this is Green Lane territory. A few trees have come down and new landscaping has been planted. But other than that, everything feels exactly the same.

Maybe it’s because, as teachers in Florida who have to leave camp at the end of July, last summer felt unfinished. Maybe it’s because we didn’t get to experience firsthand the rush of color war breaking or the tearful goodbyes of Firefly. It’s like we put a bookmark in the story of last summer, and have picked up the familiar novel again and opened to a fresh page midway through.

But the exciting thing is that it IS a new summer! It may feel the same, but there are so many new things to look forward to and so many new memories to be made. Yesterday was our first day of orientation with all of our counselors, and it’s wild to see that some of last year’s campers are now first-time counselors. We have over a dozen returning International counselors who fell in love with camp in the same way I did last summer, and of course, dozens of new faces who have no idea what lies ahead for them in the coming weeks (in the best way possible.)

Over the course of the next few days, our staff will be getting to know and trust one another through a variety of games and activities, while also learning about all of the ways we will keep our campers safe and happy all summer long. Bags are starting to arrive and will soon be unpacked in the cabins, all of the sports equipment is being put up and ready to go, and of course, we’re making sure the soft serve machine is in working order with plenty of taste-testing (you know, for the kids.)

Excitement in anticipation of the arrival of our campers will only continue to build in the coming days, and we can’t wait to keep you posted on all of the excitement happening here between the arches. 5 more days until summer at CGL!!!