Camp Memories Shine in School Assignment
We wanted to share with you a recent email we recieved from one of our campers:
Hi Andy & Wendy!
Miss all of you guys and camp soooo much!! I had an assignment at school in my AP Language class. We had to write about one moment in our life….and obviously the first thing that came to mind was camp! I wanted to share it with you so I attached it to this email. Hope you enjoy it!!!
Jolie L.
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The morning of June 21, 2003 changed my life forever. It was the first day I found my new home; a place full of love, laughter, and friendship. It was the first day I arrived at Tyler Hill Camp, a place that was so unfamiliar to me, and was about to become my home for the next two months. Many emotions were scrambling through my mind; joy, fear, excitement, and nervousness. The thought of not seeing my home friends and family was frightening, and living with complete strangers was a terrifying thought. On the other hand, spending my summer doing a plethora of activities and sports helped me gain a sense of enthusiasm and excitement.
Throughout the entire plane and bus ride up to camp, my body could not stop shaking because of my mixed emotions. On my way there, the feeling of loneliness created a pit inside my stomach. Not knowing anyone was extremely scary because I knew that I had to spend two months living with people I had never met before.
This all changed the moment we turned into the glistening white gates of Tyler Hill Camp. The first time I saw the sign, engraved with blue letters: “Tyler Hill Camp Boys and Girls” I was speechless. Pulling through the gate, I passed the canteen, the sports fields, Wayne Hall, and the boating lake through the clear glass window of the bus. Passing Arts and Crafts, then the waterski lake, boys and girls bunks, and then finally, a huge group of people that I have never seen before. They were cheering, holding up posters, and jumping around; the feeling of hospitality surpassed me. The moment I stepped off the bus my feelings of nervousness went away, I no longer felt alone, and the excitement and comfortability in the air took over. I knew from that moment of stepping off the bus, that this place would be my new home.
Now after ten years I can say that that moment, stepping off the bus for the first time, has been one of the most impactful moments of my life. I still remember that exact moment till this day and will not forget it. Tyler Hill has made a huge impact on my life and is now my family. It gives me the chills knowing that my camper years are over, but I know that I will still come back year after year and make my campers feel the same as me about camp. No one should take this place for granted; it really is a home away from home.
