As we approach Thanksgiving Day, I have been reflecting on gratitude, what it is, and what it means to me specifically. I have been incredibly fortunate to fall into a career that became my life’s passion. Growing up, I never imagined I would one day run Keystone Camp. I always thought I would become a doctor. Luckily, I married one, and now I have a daughter in medical school. Life is funny that way…
I am truly grateful for the 40 years I have led Keystone. I am not going away. I am stepping back from the day-to-day operations. I have an incredible team leading Keystone, and I trust them completely. They are energetic, thoughtful, kind, and intentional. We have invested considerable time this fall into a strategic plan, and now we are in the deep-dive phase. We are taking apart each component of our program, acknowledging the successes and the areas for improvement. We come out of these sessions with action plans and deliverable results.
The first several years I ran Keystone, the operation was myself and a part-time administrative assistant. I also operated out of a spare bedroom in my house. How times have changed! Not only has Keystone grown in size; it has also grown in complexity. You will never get bored running a summer camp. There is always something new and different to learn or consider.
As I grew up, my dad never told me I couldn’t do something. When I wanted to do a project, he would tell me what tools I needed to get the job done. I grew up watching him build cabins and other projects, so I had a basic understanding of maintenance. This served me so well when I bought my first house and redid it room by room. When I was the first single woman to have a charge account at the local lumber store, I felt I had arrived!
I am most proud of how Keystone empowers young women. I delight in sharing what I have learned over time with our staff and campers. We build our own fires (one match, anyone?), we know about water stops under sinks, we can reset our breakers, and we know how to unclog a toilet (hint: it’s not “broken”). If we don’t know how to do something, we work to figure it out. We learn how to solve our own problems, be it something technical or with an interpersonal relationship. We own our feelings and our actions.
If I ever doubt that we are doing a good job, I look at our alumnae. Their continued support means so much to me and to Keystone. We have alums who are leaders in their chosen fields. So many remain in touch with me through correspondence, visits back to camp, and our reunions. The gift of a small camp is that I remember most all of them, and even many from my parents’ era! I have been a camp director long enough that I now have many of my alums’ daughters attending Keystone. I believe that is one of the highest honors I can enjoy in my lifetime.
Keystone is entering its 5th generation of family management. My daughter, Catherine, has always dreamed of running camp. Our tremendous team of Jazz, Izzy, Catherine, Jessica, Stacey, and Nurse Eleanor are looking forward to our 108th summer in 2024. I am looking forward to this next summer as well. My view will be from the sidelines instead of on the field.
I am thankful for the opportunity to watch Keystone continue to thrive.
