Hey, Camp Fans!
The ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest is in full swing for this year. We’ve been announcing our seven lucky winners and sharing their stories right here on the Blog. Everyone who submitted receives a $15 gift certificate and seven lucky winners receive larger prizes of $25, $50, and the grand prize of $100. Today’s winner of the $50 gift certificate is….
Annie M.!
Congratulations on winning the second $50 prize, Annie! She wrote in about her summer stay from the previous year. The summer stay at Nellie Huckins obviously had a major impact on Annie. Camp has a tendency to do that—so much so that it might just squeeze the tears right out of you. Read Annie’s entry now:
Candle Light
“It was a peaceful night at the chapel and everybody from Camp Nellie Huckins was crowded there.
Jody Skelton, the exclusive director, was giving her speech. I could hear her voice quivering and I saw a tear shed down her face and at the same time I could feel one down mine as well.
My friend, Charlotte, was next to me and she whispered, “Are you okay?” I nodded and our eyes went back to Jody.
Before long, I heard myself singing “Love the Life you Live,” with everybody else, followed by “Pass it On.” As Jody lit her candle and passed it on to the staff who passed it on to the campers. One by one, everybody went back to our cabin.
Around me was silence. I could only hear the loons chirping and the booms of the fireworks. I could smell smoke surrounding me. One by one, everybody gave a compliment and a kiss to the person on their right. After giving a kiss you blew out your candle. When everyone blew out their candle except for Lindsey, everyone re-lighted their candle with Lindsey’s. Taps started with a big boom and went till the last note and, all at once, the circle lighted with candles around me became invisible.
As we entered the cabin, tears filled my eyes and I began sobbing. Everybody around me knew it, camp was over.
At the end of the night, my counselor, Courtney, said, “I will miss everybody here.” Camp was over and I knew it would be a long year till 2017 when it was time for camp.”
Thanks again for your submission, Annie. We’re happy to hear how much you love your time at Camp Nellie Huckins! Summer camp will often have an emotional impact on us because of how dear it is to us. Nellie Huckins must mean a whole lot to you! For anyone else interested in Nellie Huckins, you can check it out right here. And, as always, thanks for reading!
- John