As we take a deep breath and wrap up another amazing summer, we’re left with incredible memories of all our campers and staff – evenings in the Council Ring singing “Pinnacle Kids” across the lake, cold plunges into the Nantahala River on rafting days, and starting the day with our Good Morning song led by head counselors at Lakeside. We have memories of first and last days, and will treasure the changes we saw in each camper from the day they arrived to the morning they made their way back home.
We hear from parents at the end of each summer about the things they see in their campers during the weeks and months post-camp: a newfound sense of independence and confidence in school or social environments, greater responsibility for their actions and how those can affect others, and a respectful approach to their relationships. We are a camp filled with amazing activities and trips, but the real magic of Camp Pinnacle is found in the growth of our campers.
This summer I was reminded, not only of how influential this place is for campers, but how impactful our campers are on our staff. During orientation we encourage counselors to invest as much as they can in this place, and in each of their campers, because what you give you receive tenfold. Being away for the last two summers left me with a feeling of something missing, and I found that piece of myself in our community. Your campers reminded me of important Camp Pinnacle lessons: how to be more compassionate, how to take on new challenges and fail safely, and how to laugh at yourself.
Thank you for trusting us with your campers this summer. Thank you for having the confidence in our staff to shape your campers into better versions of themselves. And perhaps most importantly, thank you for giving your campers space to grow in new ways during their time at Camp Pinnacle.
These days, the office is much quieter, as the spirit of this place is our campers and staff. We all come alive during the summer months to learn, to grow, and to experience moments of magic together. I can clearly hear the voices of camp singing the words of “Linger” as we close each campfire – “This is goodnight and not goodbye, goodnight.” See you next summer… we can’t wait!