At camp our goal is to foster lifelong friendships and encourage campers to reside in a community of which they can be apart. While the bonds between campers and counselors are visible during the summer months, it is truly special to see those friendships last over the years.

Four years ago, I shared a cabin in Oneida with Jena Rae Carabasi. We had been campers together and remained friends through our transitions from camper to CIT, and eventually staff.

Our kids arrived, and on that first day of session 2 we began a journey together that would last through what we thought would be only a two week session. Little did we know that this cabin would spark our growth as counselors, as well as the development of our campers. Our cabin consisted of six spunky thirteen year olds filled with energy and love for camp. We all learned a lot about each other; our likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, and our biggest fears and sorrows. Naturally, when it was time to go, we were devastated to leave one another. We “raised” six campers alongside the four core values as well as Camp Ockanickon’s mission and managed to have a wonderful time doing it.

It’s not easy to stay together as a cabin. Families spend the year together, but here at camp we only get two weeks. As counselors, we don’t really have a forum to communicate with the kids during the year to maintain those bonds, but somehow we managed to continue our friendships.

Four years later, I can proudly say that six of our the eight of us are currently on staff together. Not only are our past campers great counselors, but also they are great role models, as well. I can only hope that we played a crucial part in the development of their character as well as their decision to remain at Matollionequay and become a staff member.

This is just one example of the magic camp has.

Kayla Borden and Jena Rae Carabasi