Walking through the cabin area, I can hear the wind in the trees. This is the last post of the summer. Some of you may not even read this because you have been reunited with your reason for reading – your child. I mainly wanted to thank everyone for a fantastic summer. Whether you are a member of the F&W community or a parent or a supporter, a whole lot of magic happened here during these last seven weeks.
Closing days are always a good measure of how the summer went. And yesterday’s was a perfect indication. It was a sorrowful, tearful affair, and yet there was a mixture of real hope. I got the sense that the campers are going to continue to develop the relationships they forged here. This was not just a summer experience for many of them and I could feel the love flowing between them all. In today’s era of social networking, it is easier and easier to stay connected and having a strong person-to-person basis for those connections means that even potentially vapid Facebook notes carry heft. I find that important in terms of the support they can lend each other.
So, I feel good about the state of their friendships. Our last week leading up to Fair pulled everyone even closer together. The word “tenderness” comes to mind when I think back on that week. It was apparent that people were being very intentional about taking care of each other. Fair can be a stressful event to work toward and it takes a lot of teamwork to pull off. I was impressed with the degree to which the community rose (and far exceeded) the challenge. And Fair was a great day and it lead into a moving candle ceremony to close out the summer.
So, I thank everyone for a fantastic summer. I’ve been around for more than my share by now and I can honestly say that this was a very special one. We had an amazing group of staff and campers. I will certainly cherish the memories of Tamarack Farm 2011.
My Best,
Medicine Shield Dancer