There is nothing like going to camp with your siblings.
Something special happens when brothers and sisters go away for seven weeks without their parents. Sibling relationships take a turn from bickering at home to having someone to lean on and look out for one another at camp. The relationship that transforms over the summer is truly heartwarming to watch.
Going to camp together presents so many positives for families. Siblings at Camp Starlight are able to see each other many times throughout the day where they can connect with family and feel a sense of home. From line up and meals to free play and evening activities, there are many times throughout the day for siblings to interact. Siblings meet twice a day at the flagpole to ask how their day is going, take a picture together, and share a warm embrace. I don’t know about you, but I never like taking a picture with my sibling at home! As a camp we all sit outside for lunch and older siblings have the opportunity to sit with younger siblings .
There is also an opportunity for campers at Starlight to choose their own activities which sometimes allows same sex siblings to be swim buddies at general swim, sign up to learn a dance together, make a project together in arts and crafts, or play a game of tennis.
There’s nothing like seeing a younger sibling’s face light up when their older sibling performs on the Starlight stage and whispers “that’s my brother” to the camper next to them, followed by the loudest cheer in the crowd for them.
Not to mention, you can’t forget the pre phone call check in- “do you want me to tell mom and dad anything for you?”
The last day of camp is met with tears and goodbyes and a long bus ride home. After the bus ride you finally get off the bus, wrap your arms around your parents, get in the car and turn to your sibling to pick up where camp left off! You immediately start singing all of your Olympic sing-songs,reminisce about the amazing summer you just had and generally spend the next few weeks sharing your camp stories and memories with your family.
For some, leadership is an inherent trait. For others, it is learned. However, all of our campers can learn and develop leadership skills. At Camp Starlight, our Leagues Program provides our campers with a great opportunity to hone their leadership skills.
As we celebrate the New Year, we can’t help but look back on all that was sweet last summer at Camp Starlight. We take this time to appreciate the beautiful gifts that camp gives all of us.
We envision the beauty of Camp Starlight. We recall the feeling of driving down the mile-long road, lined with trees on both sides and the feeling you get when you wrap around the corner and see the image of camp after waiting 10 months. The endless mountains and the reflection of the beautiful sunset over lake as the day nears the end are so clear in our minds. Finally, we picture the stars that twinkle above our summer home. We think about the wish we made on a shooting star, that will hopefully bring us all home next June.
Sunday night marked the fourth production in the Starlight Playhouse, The Jungle Book. This family-oriented musical tells the story of Mowgli (Simon B), and his journey through the jungle. He is guided by Bagheera the Panther (Mikayla T) and Baloo the Bear (Rory M) as he learns valuable lessons about life and about himself. Crowd favorite songs included the beloved classic, “The Bare Necessities” as well as “Trust in Me” and “Overture”. The hard work of the juniors surely showed when the audience was offering a standing ovation to congratulate them on a job well done. An honorable mention is also in order for the adorable elephants, played by our very own day campers!