Break out the anywhere chairs— it’s time for a cookout! Hearing their division called on the loudspeaker summons a crowd of hungry and eager campers to the cookout site. While the Seniors serve the chef’s best knishes, hot dogs, hamburgers, and watermelon, they also serve up some hilarious tactics to get the campers enticed by lettuce, pickles, and onions to top their burgers. From lower juniors to CA’s and staff, there is not a knish left to spare. Campers and staff laugh, eat, play games and throw footballs in front of the scenic Pocono mountains.
Not only is the food delicious and the view unbelievable, but like most things at camp, it’s clearly all about the people. Camp siblings, relatives, friends, counselors, department heads, key staff, and day-campers all join together to enjoy the meal. Starlight is truly one big family, and it shows. It’s almost impossible to find people by bunk at a cookout because everyone is together, interacting with all members of the Starlight family. At a Camp Starlight cookout, everyone is part of the empty-plate club and leaves with full stomachs and full hearts excited for the evening activity. Everyone loves a cookout!
The Rec Hall is a special place on camp that is home to both the Starlight Playhouse, known for its incredible performances, sing-alongs, and talent; and its newest creative spot: “The Basement”
It’s the second night of camp and Girls Side and Boys Side alike were already eager to meet their new camp sisters and brothers. As much as the campers are obsessed with the old friends they’ve waited ten months to hug, they also could not wait to make new ones. Just over 24 hours after arrival the kids stayed up late catching up, passed their swim tests together, and were onto the next new adventure asking left and right about the camp sister and brother reveal. To say that the campers were looking forward to tonight is an understatement. After a jam-packed first day including a pizza lunch, athletic evaluations, the first fruit call, polar bear plunge, and divisional meetings to kick off this season, the campers couldn’t wait to read the message and find out their camp sisters and brothers. Through the commotion of hugging, yelling, and running into each other’s arms, everyone found their siblings.
Bringing back amazing campfire traditions for the summer of 2018, the girls sang about a moose named Fred, the flowers and daffodils, and more, in various repeat-after-me campfire sing along favorites. Likewise, the boys cheered and showed off their divisional spirit showcasing one of the loudest HOORAH’s the inter division had ever seen.
Arrival day is finally here and every part of the camp is bubbling over with excitement. You can feel it in the air, you can see it in the smiles, you can hear it in the high-pitched voices that people get when they can’t contain this feeling and you can touch it in the warm embraces between friends old and new.
As the children tumble out of the buses there’s no stopping them. They run in all directions in search of their best friends, arms wide open for the bear hug that they’ve been waiting 10 months to give their fellow campers again. As the music blares, the boys and girls rush to their eagerly awaiting counselors and friends in their bunk for the summer. Cheers and laughter can be heard all around the campus as campers and counselors meet for the very first time and also reunite after months of missing each other. This blanket of happiness is so electrifying and comforting and this is only the beginning of the adventures as the Starlight family of 2018.
This summer, I’m heading off for a two month adventure of a lifetime. I’m packing my bags and heading off to…
I went to camp once when I was 8. Camp Summit in North Carolina. It was the best two weeks of my life. I always wanted to go back. Camp Summit no longer exists and life happens as it may. I never did return as a camper or counselor. Until now…I’m the 41 year old camper. This is my kids’ first sleep away camp experience and feelings range from “a little nervous” to “wishes she was already there”. What’s not lost on me, is the privilege to see and hear my own kids’ camp experience in real time and photograph it. It’s an incredible opportunity. But it’s not just my own children’s experiences, it’s the lives of 560 boys and girls. As a photographer at a summer camp, being a mom is the biggest role I’ll play. I’ll photograph each child as my own. As an artist, and a mom, I want the parents at home, who are hitting “refresh” on their computers to feel and see and hear the same things through my photographs. It’s a huge responsibility and I’m 100% up for the challenge.
I’ve spent the last week packing my three kids for the best summer of their lives. (BTW, packing three kids for 7 weeks away from home ain’t no joke!) Thank goodness for Excel spreadsheets and advice from experienced friends.