Today was another beautiful day in Starrucca, PA! I have a surprise for you later in this blog, but first things first, details on today’s intercamp games. We hosted 2 Wayne County tournament games here at ILC this morning. Our 8th & 9th grade boys played in a basketball game and our 4th & 5th grade boys placed in a soccer match. We’re engaging a variety of our athletes of all ages to now play in a variety of sports against nearby camps.
At lunch today we were treated to a special “magic lunch”. Our magic department brings a large illusion trick into the dining room for our up and coming magicians to perform for all of their peers. Let’s just say, today’s trick had something to do with beheading and a guillotine.
Tonight’s evening activity is our big 1st session SOCIAL! An outside DJ comes to camp to spin some tunes in the gym and get our campers up and boogying all night long. Ok, perhaps they don’t call it “boogying”, but ya know what I mean. Our girls love to get dressed up and do their hair and make up for the socials. You should see how cute our little girls look! On the boys side, if we’re lucky they’ll shower, comb their hair, and put on a clean shirt. Our campers are literally going to put on their Sunday best!
And now for my big surprise,…I brought G24, our oldest girls, here into my office so they could blog for you!!! These campers have grown up with us here at Island Lake and some of them have been campers for what is now their 9th summer. They’ve earned their spot in the oldest girls bunk and they take great pride in being this summer’s Girls Bunk 24. With that said, here they are:
8 days, 11 hours, 3 minutes and 32 seconds and we can tell this is already going to be the summer of our lives. Camp is our home. Growing up here over the years have been the most amazing experiences of our lives. We love camp so much and when we are not here, we’re longing to be back at 50 Island Lake Road. Almost every summer we can remember has been spent at camp, we can’t imagine a summer without it. Not a day goes by throughout the year when we are not thinking about camp. Knowing throughout the year that we always have a place to go, where the people are absolutely amazing, where your bunk turns into your brother/sisters not just for the summer but, for a lifetime. Now that I’m in the oldest bunk, I know what it means to be an Island Laker. Camp has taught me to be kind, loyal, supportive, and respectful. The place, the people, the memories and everything in between has changed me forever. Island Lake will always have a piece of our hearts.
“From my first summer on the bus, looking up at all the oldest campers seeing how excited and how in love they had fallen with Island Lake made my curiosity reach to a new level. You wonder how can someone ever be so excited and amazed by coming to a camp. Well I have to admit, I have to admit, I have fallen madly and deeply for Island lake.” –Zoey Korogodsky
“Island Lake is such a wonderful camp and has given me an amazing five years. I am so sad that it’s already close to the end, but I’m so over the top grateful to have gone to Island Lake. Thank you to everyone for giving me a great experience.” –Lacie Foreht
“For the past nine years when someone asks me what my favorite memory is, I say Island Lake” –Alix Goldman
“Camp has taught me so much, especially to not be messy” –Ellie DeGeorges
“At home, every one of my conversations revolve around camp.” –Ryan Bell
“I can’t believe 7 years have gone by and every summer has been better than the last” –Audrey Flammang
“Dear ILC, I love you. Thank you for the best summers of my life” –Issi deCastro
Immediately after typing this blog, the girls had a fun, happy-go-lucky photo shoot out back behind my office. They are seriously the most respectful, sweet, fun, kind, genuine, bubbly, warm-hearted group of girls we’ve had here at Island Lake and I’m proud to have watched them grow up at camp with us.
I hope you enjoyed reading all that our Girls Bunk 24 had to say about their lives and experiences at ILC. Tomorrow, the 4th of July, is going to be SO MUCH FUN here at camp! From music lunch to a dinner cookout to a huge firework display, I may be biased but I have to say, our camp celebrates the 4th of July like no other! You’ll just have to wait to hear all about it. Until then, ILCUTHERE!!!!!
