I was a counselor on Indian at Zoar Valley in 1964, the summer between high school graduation and my freshman year at college. And then five years later, the summer between my college graduation and my marriage and move to Boston, I was the unit director on Pioneer.
Camp staff spent a week at Zoar Valley at the beginning of the summer, before the campers arrived. During that week, we lived as campers -- followed the camp schedule, sang grace before meals, learned the flag ceremony, practiced rusty camping skills (or learned them for the first time!), had campfires every night. We bonded. And a day or three into that week, we were asked to choose our camp name - Skipper, Bo, Windy, Sunshine, Eddie, Speedy, Crafty, Happy. My camp name was "Dee." Once we all had names, we used only those names - so we became really comfortable using them and responding to them.
Did I mention how much this was a bonding experience? That week with the staff was one of the best parts of being at camp!
Over the weeks of camp, we would sometimes spend nights off just hanging out together somewhere at camp. Sometimes we would venture out... I think Burt's (a burgers place not too far from camp) served beer.
Looking back, I have no idea why I was not a counselor every summer. I loved it there so much!
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