We often note that the building of lasting friendships is one of the most important outcomes of the Camp Speers-Eljabar YMCA experience. Yesterday, I spent the day with an extraordinary group of adults who bear witness to this. The CSEY Alumni Committee sponsored the first "Eljabarbeque" at the Watchung Reservation in Mountainside NJ. Over a dozen people joined together for good food, fun and great conversations.
Most of those in attendance were campers during the 90s and became staff in the early 2000s. They with a number of other CSEY Alumni who have settled in the NYC/NJ area continue to get together frequently - meeting for sushi, attending each other's life celebrations (weddings, birthdays, new jobs...) and staying in touch through Facebook & cell phones.
What began for them as a week or two away from home - confronting homesickness, learning to canoe, and hearing about the lives of kids different from their own has evolved into deep, supportive and permanent relationships amongst a group of caring and responsible adults. All because of Camp!
As I turned on my computer this morning I noted that there are 20 days left until we open for this summer's camp season. While it is normal for me at this point to begin envisioning the lake filled with boaters and swimmers, climbers scaling the towers, mountain bikers whizzing by, and the dining halls filled with laughing, cheering and singing campers & staff - after yesterday I am also envisioning those same kids 15 years from now as young professionals joining together to share their camp memories and continuing their friendships - I hope that they will invite me to the picnic!
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I am sorry I had to miss it! I know I am like many who did not know how camp and its memories would be a BIG part of my "adult" life. Thank you for helping us stay connected!
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