Carry On: The Summer of 2023 Comes to a Close
What an incredible summer it has been, and it couldn’t have been more obvious watching yesterday evening. Our final night at camp is an emotional one and it never gets old listening to the emotion in our closing Keylog ceremony. The love that these campers and staff have for each other is inspiring. The pride these campers and staff have in their camp is inspiring. And the comfort and confidence that they feel in themselves at camp is inspiring.
The keylog ceremony itself lasted nearly 90 minutes as we watched the sunset over Clear Lake for our final night at the Council Ring. The Camper Chorus sang Leaving on a Jet Plane and the Staff Chorus sang All My Life’s a Circle. We proceeded to the tennis courts where Sam R gave a beautiful Camper Farewell about the growth we all experience at camp and Jared Marcus gave a heartfelt Counselor Farewell about mistakes, learning, and friendship. He described camp friends by saying, “This is what true friendships are about, all different ages and backgrounds and interests, yet all one powerful community.” There were a lot of tears shed last night, especially from our graduating Pine Manor campers, and with each one you could feel the love they had for each other and for camp.
The nighttime tears turned into morning raindrops as the buses arrived at camp. The buses left on cue and we are anticipating on time arrivals at all of their destinations. We are going to miss your boys up here but are so thankful for a great summer.
Thank you for trusting us with your boys!
There is a destiny that makes us brothers,
– Edwin Markham
None goes his way alone,
All that we give into the lives of others,
Comes back into our own,
I care not what his caste or creeds,
One thing holds firm and fast
That into the days and deeds gone by,
The soul of a man is cast.
