Category: camp

Well, it looks like NSS&F (my daughter, for new readers) isn’t going to camp after all. She had been scheduled to go to Hilltop (Session Noar)… but a month ago we discovered she is gluten-free like her mom. Hilltop will still be on the temporary kitchen after the fire last summer, and there is no way they can guarantee it will be safe for her to eat, and the kids come first.

Today, we went up to camp to talk to the camp director. He’s willing to listen about next summer, when the new kitchen will be in place. We think we should be able to work something out; Gerh, the asst. director at Hilltop, seems to agree. So we’ll talk to him more after the summer. We also got him to agree that NSS&F could go up for Noar next year–she’ll be too old grade-wise, but not age-wise, as she is the youngest in her class. This will still permit her to move from the 8 day session to the 14 day session, without having to make the leap right to a month session. We’re also going to go up for one Shabbat this summer, just to keep that camp feeling.

We may also explore renting the facility for a Celiac Camp (or at least get enough Celiac Jewish kids up there for the same session that they have to do something).

I think it will work out eventually, but at least we reached the point where NSS&F wanted to go to camp. Still, I hate for her to miss a summer, but at least we now all understand.

I don’t remember food sensitivites being this prevalent when I was young and going to camp (1969-1979). Everyone ate everything. Times are changing, and I’m not sure for the better.

[Crossposted to cahwyguy and ghc_for_life]

Today was reunion day up at camp. Some observations:

• It was eerie at Hilltop seeing the dining hall reduced to the chimney, the side pillars, and the slab. They have torn down the main part of the pavillion (but for some reason, some of the fire damaged storage area is still there), and construction should be starting shortly. According to one person I was talking to, the new Dining Hall should be slightly larger, but have basically the same style.
• Time removes the marks of history. The things we made and did as campers in the 1970s (at least with paint and ceramic) have faded away. All that is left is the benches, the occasional batik, and a song or two. Of course, the memories remain.
• This is true at both Hilltop and Kramer. The Jr. and Sr. Olympic plaques are still up, but appear forgotten. There’s almost no marks left of the contributions of the early campers: the trails built in the 1960s, the art work, the bridges, the steps. Time passes. Sometimes, I think the only true mark in this world are the memories and love you pass to your children.
• Speaking of children… It looks like it will be easier to convince my daughter to go this year, barring one issue. She’s having fun remembering her cabin, she had fun showing me the benches and ga-ga pit she painted last year. She’s having a ball with the Israeli Dance CD, especially remembering dances such as Turkish Kiss. She’s even talking about going for a month (well, 26 days) in 2007.
• The one issue, of course, is peanuts. She’s gotten more peanut sensitive over the year, and she’s worried about that. I think they should be able to accomodate her (even if she and friends eat separately, or if the new Dining Hall is constructed, just outside in the fresh air). However, we’ll talk to the camp nurse to make sure. If they can’t (here’s the amazing part) she still wants to go to Jewish summer camp… she knows they can make JCA Shalom peanut-free (at least for a weekend).