Wow, former Ocky Director, Chris Morris, gets 2 blogs in 1 week! Chris was my boss for my first few years on staff (and my Ranger Head before that along with Rick Worrell and Bobby Sempsey). At the end of my AC summer, Chris gave all of the staff a framed poem that, to this day, is still the best thing I have ever read about Camp. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did in 1994 and still do to this day.
To and Old Camper
You may think, my dear, when you grow quite old
You have left camp days behind,
But I know the scent of wood smoke
Will always call to mind
Little fires at twilight
And trails, you used to find.
You may think some day you have quite grown up,
And feel so worldly wise,
But suddenly from out of the past
A vision will arise,
Of merry folk with brown, bare knees
And laughter in their eyes.
You may live in a house built to your taste
In the nicest part of town,
But some day for your old camp togs
You’d change your latest gown,
And trade it all for a balsam bed
Where the stars all night look down.
You may find yourself grown wealthy,—
Have all that gold can buy,
But you’d toss aside a fortune
For days ‘neath an open sky,
With sunlight on blue water
And white clouds sailing high.
For once you have been a camper
Then something has come to stay
Deep in your heart forever
Which nothing can take away,
And heaven can only be heaven
With a camp in which to play.
by Mary S. Edgar from Woodfire and Candle-Light
Brent Birchler
Boys Camp Director