Circle/Leaf

For those of you who don't know...Circle is the organization of people who have dedicated at least 3 summers on staff at Camp Louise. Once you make circle you are "a part of camp for life". Leaf is the Airy version of the same thing. Every year there is a circle weekend at Louise and a Leaf weekend at Airy. I spent a total of 8 summers as a camper and 3 as a counselor there and Mark spent 9 years as a camper and 5 as a counselor...14 years total! Needless to say, although we have drifted a bit from the whole camp thing, we both feel a big connection to the camps and the people who we know from camp and we hope that Max will go one day and have as great of an experience as we both did. The 2 reunions were on the same weekend this year. We decided to go to Airy and take Max just for dinner. I knew that none of the other 96 CITs were going to be at Louise but I still wanted to stop by there before we went to Airy. The camps are about 10 miles away from eachother. We walked around with Max for a little bit and saw a few people. The camp looks the same but alot has changed from what we heard...the biggest thing that I was shocked about is the whole camp only eats meals together for Shabbat. Every other meal is not with the whole camp and they don't do the blessings all together either. That made me kind of sad. There is also a new pool that looks like a water park and a louise radio station. The old white house is being completely renovated on the inside with all new wood floors. We went over to Airy after that and walked around. Mark talked to a bunch of people. There are alot of changes going on there too including taking down bunk row and putting up all new bunks! Bunk row was were all the bunks for the older kids were. I remember they would all sit out on the porches while the girls walked by to go to the shows at airy. Mark was pretty sentimental about it and I think thats why he wanted to go this year. Here are some pictures of Max's first time at camp Airy:

In the CIT bunk in front of the plaque that has Marks name on it from 1995. (all the CIT years have one in there)

Mark and Max on bunk row. It will be all different when max goes to camp there.
Me and Max on the dining hall porch overlooking Thurmont Maryland
Max with Uncle Josh in the dining hall

And if you are wondering why Mark is wearing that hideous shirt, its because he felt the obligation to wear a camp shirt. That was the "schedule maven's" shirt from like 10 years ago.