It’s safe to say the summer of 2020 (and the whole year, really) has not looked anything like what we thought it would. And while this has been a difficult season for us at camp, we know it’s been equally challenging for you, our camp family.
So, we reached out to our alumni and asked them to share any wisdom and encouragement they might have. Camp Highlander alumni are a special group of people. They can go years (sometimes decades!) without seeing or speaking with one another, yet their relationships pick right back up where they left off whenever they gather together once again. They are often separated from camp for quite a long time, yet they never forget even the most mundane memories from their time at Highlander. Quite simply, our alumni are living, breathing, smiling, singing, loving examples of the lifelong impact Camp Highlander can make on a person (and vice versa!)
If you’ve been feeling a bit down about missing camp this year, or if you’re worried about how a summer away might impact your Highlander friendships and experiences, here’s some encouragement for you - straight from our beloved alumni!
My heart broke when I heard the news that for the first time ever, Highlander made the difficult decision to cancel sessions for Summer 2020. My heart broke for ALL of the kids that are probably a lot like I was - counting down the days until camp (starting from the day I got home the summer before!) My heart especially broke for those campers who had planned on attending for the very first time, and those that were looking forward to their last year as a camper. BUT, at age 33, I can honestly say my camp friends are still some of the closest people to me. We even have an 18-person group chat called “Campkids” and talk EVERY DAY. Your camp family will be there after this pandemic, and we will ALL be back on our cherished mountain soon enough. Hang in there, listen to your campfire songs, go through pics, FaceTime your rival Color War friends and chant, and remember … Highlander is forever!
I went to camp from 1982-1986. I am still friends with someone I met at camp 38 years ago, even though we haven’t seen each other in person since we were last at camp. I’m so sorry that you all have to miss camp this year. I know it’s hard. But, your camp family will be there through all of this and you will once again be back on our mountain. Hang in there. Sending you all lots of love.
- Andrea Bennett
The memories you forge at Camp Highlander will last your entire life. You may miss this summer, but like the mighty Mills River, it will always be there to welcome you upon your return. I started at “the old camp” in 1974 and enjoyed my last full summer as staff in 1986. Last July 4th, a bunch of us from the 1979 HAWK program reunited with a hike to High Falls. It felt like a family reunion that brought us back together after four decades. We shared memories of that summer and how we carried those memories with us throughout our lives. We were 15-16 years old back then. Now in our late 50s, the memories of the mountain, our friendships, and our love for the wilderness has grown even stronger. Each time I return to Old Forge, I am warmed by the memories of the places I roamed. May all your memories of camp comfort you this summer as you prepare for the joy that awaits you in 2021!
So there you have it. Yes, the loss of this summer is a difficult and disappointing reality, for all of us. But our alumni are proof that the bonds formed at Camp Highlander can’t be broken by spending one year (or many, many more) apart from one another. Our camp family, quite simply, is much stronger than that!
As Suzanne Schmitz (a CH alum from the late ’60s to mid ’70s) puts it, “For me, and I’m sure a lot of you, Camp Highlander is not just a place, it’s also a state of mind. ‘There’s MORE to this mountain…”
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