“My own personal growth was tied to camp”, said Amy (1969-78). “Part of the beauty of an all-girls camp with women as counselors and directors was that girl power feminist thing. Our staff were like goddesses. We had no men telling us what to do. There was a ton of personal growth that was totally invaluable, because we desired to be like the counselors. We watched women who represented success and they were inspirational. They talked about what they were going to do with their lives and they were doing whatever they wanted. Being in that safe environment while still being able to explore out of our comfort zone was wonderful.”
“I think about how much positive energy there was with all the awards, working with our cabins as a unit, taking care of our belongings and working with other girls to win the Honor Cabin banner. I tell you no one could be lazy or the other type A’s would drag you up to take part in the cleanup. It was team building! Even playing capture the flag with the entire camp outside divided up into two groups was team building. Hiding the bandanas and then being told not to run to locate it, as we were busy racing all over camp, was one of my favorite evenings.”
Basically camp was “Nirvana” for Amy because the days were busy. “It was like going home. It was our summer home. When the “Y” had their spring event near St. Patrick’s Day, I started packing. From that day forward, it was all about camp. I packed and that was my whole social structure. I was always extremely independent, but camp was a huge in leadership formation for me. Betsy and I ended up at Alma College with the same homey family atmosphere as we left at Maqua. I studied International Business, but I minored in theatre and dance. We always had to create skits and perform and sing and I still do have a passion for community theatre. I was shy in the beginning but I became more extrovert and by the end of my camping days, I was leading in silly skits and songs.”
“Maybe due to the fact we didn’t have a large extended family, camp was that much more important to me,” said Betsy (1968-75). “It was my first experience with this large family of women. I didn’t care for high school or junior high. I was socially miserable from September to May. I never felt appreciated because I was straight, smart and conservative in most things. I was not wildly popular and I just never felt a part of school. I felt far more accepted at camp. It wasn’t about the makeup or the boys. I was smart and sarcastic, but my friends at school were not wildly popular either. If the popular girls went to camp, it was usually just one summer.”
“ I never got picked to be anything, but when about fourteen or fifteen girls applied for the kitchen aide job and I got picked, it was a big deal to me! It was the first time I had ever “won” anything. I was popular for grades and was the teacher’s pet, but this was ME they picked! I think I figured my pay for the summer worked out to be seven cents an hour, but that was $100 to wash dishes for the summer,” said Betsy.
“But, I do feel like camp influenced my choice of college. I chose a small college and I was active in my sorority and my major was history, but my minor was in music. Everyone was singing and playing guitars at camp, including me, so I was in a band in college. I think I am the only one I know with a liberal arts degree that has made it work in my life.”