To get us started off, I’d like to share some of my own camp memories. My second last summer as a camper (just before I became a LIT) was in 1999. I started the summer at Girls Camp and ended the summer as one of the first-ever Pre-LITs. While at Girls Camp, my counsellors, Zazoo and Pyra, made everyone in my cabin a notebook so that we could write notes to each other and exchange addresses, emails and phone numbers. 11 years later, I still have my notebook. Here’s what it looks like:

It was an amazing week and although I no longer understand all the inside jokes written by my cabin-mates, I still remember most and find myself smiling when I read through them. Especially the parts about swing dancing. Karen and Holly taught us how to swing dance and I think that’s all we did that week. We had to be asked to stop swing dancing in the evenings because all the bouncing around in Whispering Pines kept other cabins up–even if we didn’t talk and only danced!

Later in the summer, when I returned for Pre-LIT, I brought this notebook along and asked my Pre-LIT pals to write notes in it, too. I also asked my Pre-LIT directors to write something. Here’s part of what Leaf wrote:

Interesting how what your counsellors say can absolutely come true… Thanks for the confidence, Leaf! And really, thanks to all of my past counsellors, cabin-mates, directors and campers; they’ve all helped guide me from Becky, the eight-year-old at camp for the first time, to Palais, the Cairn Co-Director. And I certainly cherish all the memories I’ve gathered along the way!

So, what are your camp memories? What have your counsellors said to you along the way that helped you out or made you more confident? When were those moments where you laughed so hard you cried or when everyone sang so sweetly it sent shivers up your spine? Let us know! Add your comment below.

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Being a Leader In Training at Cairn is a wonderful way to develop leadership skills that will benefit you at camp, at school, in programs and activities and within your communities.

As a LIT at Cairn, you can spend a month living at camp and learning hard skills, such as canoeing, tripping and belaying, as well as soft skills such as leading TLC, running camp programs and nurturing campers.

This is definitely one month of camp that you do not want to miss! Plus, being a LIT is an important and useful step to take before applying to be a staff member at Cairn.

If you’ll be 16 years of age by December 31, 2010, you are eligible to apply to Cairn’s Leader In Training programme. Applications can be found on our website, or by clicking here. Applications are due on Friday, March 19, 2010, so if you’re looking to experience the best summer of your life, apply now!

Please also note that there is a mandatory LIT Day for all LIT applicants on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Morningside-High Park Presbyterian Church in Toronto. Hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars! May 14-16 is our annual Work Weekend at Cairn’s Baysville site. This is a great way to come out and help camp while having a ton of fun! Come and meet new friends, work on new projects and even take some time to sit and sing by the campfire. No experience is necessary; we’ll find a job to suit your needs and abilities.

Bring yourself, your youth group, your choir, your friends, your mens’ groups, your ladies associations, your Sunday School teachers, your session, your elders, your family. . . join us to help make improvements to camp’s site. Some of our projects this year will include: woodchipping, canoe repairs, putting in the docks, fixing up the Thicket, building some kybos and painting the lodge.

Arrive when you can and we’ll hook you up with all your meals and a place to sleep. All you need to bring is yourself, your sleeping bag and, if you’d like, your tools; we’ll set you up with all the rest.

For more information, email Palais at palais@ilovecamp.org

Looking forward to seeing you there!

All of our staff for this coming spring and summer at Cairn have been hired! After an amazing Resource Hiring Day and an exciting Counsellor Hiring Day, we’re sure that Cairn has the best staff this side of Echo Lake.

Want to know who you’ll see where this summer? Click here to go to our blog and check out a list of our Cairn Staff of 2010!

Cairn is once again on the road and heading to a variety of churches in our Synod to lead congregations in worship, song and prayer, with a little camp spirit.

We still have spaces available, so if you’re interested in having us come to your church, drop us a line at admin@ilovecamp.org. This could be a great way to get involved and raise some money to help send kids from your church or community to camp with a special camp lunch or fundraiser after the service.

If you’d like to join us in worship, we’ll be at the following churches over the next couple months:

Sunday, March 28: Dixie Presbyterian, Brampton

Sunday, April 11: First Presbyterian, Collingwood

Sunday, April 18: St. John’s Milliken, Scarborough

Sunday, April 18: St. Andrew’s, Orillia

Sunday, April 25: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, Brampton

For those of you who couldn’t open it as an email, make sure to click and check it out!

And if you’re not on our newsletter email list, send an email off to palais@ilovecamp.org and she’ll be sure to add you!