I’ve spent the last several days thinking on the past twelve months. They’ve been among the most exciting and interesting I’ve enjoyed. It’s been a year marked with a lot of positive experiences, moments, and memories.
It’s also been a year marked with failures from which, I sincerely hope, I’ll learn.
The Positives
Lots of great new camp families joined along with a couple of amazing full-time staff – Scrappy and Maintenance Director Alex.
We created a brand-new program (and huge new building) for our Senior Campers. Based on the comments and the returning campers, it’s been very well received.
It looks like our our campers and staff enjoyed an amazing summer. This thought comes from enjoying the highest return rate on record for both campers and staff members. Wow – that’s pretty awesome! Thank you to all!
We also hit on a few new ideas at Weequahic that look to last:
- What will be your September Story?
- We either win or we learn.
- Don’t let the small rope hold you back.
Areas for Improvement
We want to be better at communicating with our camp families and our staff and will continue to work on ways to improve. Better systems and technology to support the fantastic people we have with us will make a positive difference.
We’ll continue to update the bunks. Inter and Senior Girls – you all get brand new bathrooms, siding and windows for Summer ’18. Gentlemen, you’ll be next. (Ladies first, after all!)
New ideas for activities, special events, and evening activities for our campers are high on the list as well. Thankfully, we have an amazing group of people thinking on this very subject. We can’t wait to watch everyone enjoy this coming summer!
Finally, we want to be better at staying in the moment and enjoying every aspect of the camp experience. The more we model this for our campers, the more they’ll do it themselves.
Welcome 2018
I enter 2018 with a full and grateful heart. Thank you to all who were a part of our community in 2017. We’ve learned so much from so many, it would take too long to list everyone. But, we certainly appreciate everything you’ve done to be alongside us.
It’s going to be an amazing year. Why? Because we’ll make it so… together!
As far as resolutions, I have two that I’ll share:
First, I want to know the people’s names who I see all the time at the grocery store, our UPS person at home, our dry cleaner, etc. Why? Because we interact often enough to know each other’s names.
It’s something we pride ourselves on at camp. I want to make it a bigger part of my home life, too. So, that’s one.
The second? Lay off the Canteen!
I hope you and your family has a wonderful end to 2017 and a safe start to the New Year. See you in 2018!
Can’t wait for camp,
Cole
