FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 26, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 53
Love fest of a weekend
Addy Addy climbing climbing the the rock rock wall
that I took another chance and
turned off the road — hooray! —
there it was tucked inside a gas
station minimart. Victory! I felt
giddy as I ran through the store
with just washed floors and got
his drink and favorite snack, too.
We quickly got back on the
road and got to camp a few minutes
late, yet just in time to see
9-year-old Morgan in her dance
performance.
I was amazed that in a few
short weeks, her group had
learned the dance routine. With
huge smiles on their faces, they
performed perfectly, even when
the recorded music suddenly
stopped for a moment. Like true
professionals, they knew their
steps and carried on without the
music. They were great!
Addy is getting ready to go to sleep away camp next summer, and when she
does, she will have her “gang” to watch over her !
I went on to see Jonah water
ski on the lake near his bunk.
I remembered last summer my
daughter Elizabeth had laughed
hysterically when she had gone
on a rubber tube, loving every
second. I had hopes Jonah would
feel the same.
I joined her and 7-year-old
Addy in the boat to watch Jonah
riding a water board, holding onto
the rope attached to the speedboat
with all his strength as the boat
t
shot off from the dock.
He held on and made it
t
around the lake as I looked on,n,
my heart bursting with pride
e
and joy. His smile as he came
e
back onto the dock competed
d
in size with the Grand Canyon.
Then he, along with his mom
m
and sister, were off to the pool
l
to play water basketball and
d
kept their laughing faces.
The dining hall offered lunch
h
to all of us. Guests, campers
and staff enjoyed a seemingly
endless buffet of salads, lox,
bagels, whitefish, hummus,
knishes, sliced cheese, tofu,
vegetable platters and a chocolate
s-,
,,-
d
m
fountain for pretzels, cookies
and marshmallows. I looked
but couldn't bring myself to
indulge. I did fill my plate from
the cutout watermelons overflowing
with fresh fruit salad.
The camp fed over 1,500 people
effortlessly — very impressive.
Blake, my 12-year-old camper
who had spent the last five summers
at camp, seemed so much
taller and thinner. He told me
how much fun he had as a defensive
soccer player, even playing
another camp to a 10-0 victory.
He was in his glory, and deservedly
so.
This summer, the camp added
a music recording studio, and
both Blake and Jonah had already
written and recorded songs. I
was impressed with the computers
graphics to create T-shirts and
also learn how to use and make
objects at the three-dimensional
printer.
I now know my kids are
designers, musicians and dancers
the gymnastics classes, baseball,
and (everyone's favorite activity)
kid again!
During the week, I also visited
camp in Glen Cove. I got there
in time for her rock climbing
class that included a trek way
up the vertical wall, then transferring
balance beam, then went down
a zip line all while tethered to a
rope. My stomach was in knots
as I watched her fearlessly and
joyously accomplishing the tasks
while cheering on her bunkmate,
who was frightened. Addy, who
lives with me, is constantly amazing
me.
There was a photographer,
Noah, a student at the Fashion
Institute of Technology, who
was assigned to take pictures
of the kids in their activities.
The parents can access the photos
Addy with Samantha and Elizabeth after her to
Addy with Samantha and Elizabeth after her
climb
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SCHNEPS-
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m
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When I was getting
married at the age of
20 and still in college,
my husband joked, "I don't know
if I should take you on a honeymoon
or to camp!"
That's because I had spent 10
summers in camp, and my marriage
ended my camping days. I
did go on a honeymoon, but I've
always loved the carefree memories
of my camp days.
My children spent their summers
in camp, and now my
grandchildren are doing the
same. This past weekend was
visiting day at their day camp
and sleepaway camps. What a
love fest it was!
Three of my grandchildren
spend seven weeks at a sleepaway
camp in Pennsylvania, a
three-hour trip away. As I made
my way through Bear Mountain
and onto single-lane roads
through the countryside, I felt
like I'd never get there.
We had, however, a quest
to bring 9-year-old Jonah his
favorite Subway sandwich: salami
and cheese on whole wheat
bread with lettuce and black
olives on the side, and red
Gatorade and Doritos. But there
were problems. We left at 8 a.m.,
and the three Subways near my
house, each of which were supposed
to be up and running at 8
a.m., weren't open.
We hit the road and began
looking for a Subway sign. We
took the food exits twice, only
to find that the Subway stores we
were looking for had been closed
and were now Dunkin’ Donuts
locations.
By the fifth try, and minutes
ticking away from our 11 a.m.
arrival time, I texted my daughter
Elizabeth that we had failed.
I'd bring Munchkins instead.
But just minutes from the camp,
there was another Subway sign
on the road. I so badly wanted to
bring him his favorite sandwich
where the kids designed
— and that's in between all
basketball, golf, soccer,
rock climbing. Oh, to be a
7-year-old Addy’s day
and walking on a tightrope.
She proceeded to scale a
from home. Noah shared
I
w
o
Tht
wi
npf
with me how Addy loved having
her photo taken, then organizing
the kids in her group for
photos even positioning them
for a fun shot. Being a leader
seems to be in her DNA!
When I said my goodbyes to
the kids at camp, I squeezed
them with all my might and
held back tears, remembering
how I cried so hard when
s
t
t
h
in
my parents left after visiting
day. But I must admit that my
grandkids were joyful and
anticipating the water fight
they would be having after the
last parent left the campus.
What a wonderful world
to be young and joyful and
innocent.
mdgat
la
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