Our opening day last weekend kicked off our 107th season at Keystone. We were thrilled to welcome both new and returning campers. It is truly a pleasure to have over 10% of this session being alumnae children, and we will be recognizing 20 5th-year campers and 6 10th-year campers at campfires over the session.
Our staff is a diverse group from across the world, from Hungary to Australia. Nearly 60% of our counselors are returning from previous summers as a staff member or as a former camper and leadership program graduate. We have all been impressed with the staff’s energy and enthusiasm throughout their training weeks. Our counselors were so eager to have your girls arrive at camp.
Being able to be a part of a summer camp is life-changing. We like to think we are one of the remaining opportunities to really exist in the here and now. The rapid pace of technology has allowed us to hide behind devices. It gives us endless opportunities for entertainment and distracts us from reality. We can create our own worlds, or technology may create one for us.
At camp, we are device free. Our conversations are face to face. We learn the impact of our words in real time. We are real people with real feelings, not characters who exist solely to provide entertainment. We are active participants in our activities; not watching them happen on a screen. We get to challenge ourselves physically, emotionally, and socially. Cabin living comes with responsibilities to others. We share space, and we share consideration. We each have a role to play in the success of our cabins and the camp community as a whole. Each person at Keystone brings value to the rest of us. We build a strong community because each person contributes a piece of themselves in laying our foundation for the session. Our goal for our girls is that they finish their session realizing their worth and value to something larger than themselves.
It’s been a busy week here with activities in full swing and great trips out of camp. We are so excited to be living in real time with your daughters. We look forward to learning from them just as we hope they will learn from us. Our friendships and our relationships provide the richness in our lives, and there is not a better place than camp. Thank you for your confidence and trust.
