What a wonderful 9th annual LOL weekend we have just enjoyed! Such a labor of love, loads of laughing out loud, and some little little ladies…a fabulous combination! Twenty-five alumni/ spouses came together from June 6-9 for a volunteer weekend at the camp we all love best. This annual event, sponsored by the Camp Alleghany Alumni Association, is filled with projects by day, sprucing up camp and prepping for another fabulous season. Evenings are filled with loads of laughter and fun, campfire games and conversations. All the while we live in tents, enjoy fabulous food in the dining hall, sleep under the stars at night, and listen to the sound of the Crow in the morning. It’s a lovely way to launch the season, imagining the hundreds of giggling, handholding, joyful Ghany girls who will come after us this 102nd season of Camp Alleghany!
After breakfast each morning, the alumni gathered for the delegation of duties for various projects. There was no shortage of enthusiasm for tasks this summer which included:
- Painting the archery and swim huts
- Building shelves for the swim huts -securing both target racks for the rifle range
- Securing the backdrop curtains on the stage
- Planting flowers in the Jr Camp fairy garden, J Camp entrance, riverfront, dining hall and hanging flower baskets around camp
- Cleaning and opening the counselor lodge
- Hanging historical pictures of Camp throughout the Camp office
- Setting up a “free cycle” clothing and Camp necessities exchange for international staff.
- Securing screens at the dining hall and building shelves for the swim hut
- Cutting templates for woodworking projects at arts and crafts
- Writing postcards to be sent to all first-time turn campers so they get mail at camp.
- Last summer‘s big project was the completion of a major makeover for the counselor lodge. This summer we completed phase 2 of that project which included the creation of an exercise/fitness area behind the counselor lodge on the covered porch out back for all staff
Each evening before dinner, we gathered for happy hour on the Dorch- that’s the deck/porch, which hangs over the river at the former site of the Jr Craft Lodge. We gathered after dinner each night at the campfire site in junior camp for fun, silly games, and delightful conversation. An annual favorite event was enjoyed Saturday evening as everyone gathered in camp for cookout style meal. This included camp directors, alumni, green team, housekeeping and kitchen staff, etc. Everyone got to meet one another, share the meal, and celebrate kicking off this new summer season together. Rousing nine square were enjoyed. It really felt like one big, joyfully diverse camp family!
Of the 23 LOL weekend attendees several have been here for every one of the nine years it has been hosted. For some it was their first year, while for others they’ve returned for several of the years. For all it was thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommended to those who have not yet experienced the joys of giving back to camp at LOL weekend. For several of alumni, it was her first trip back in over 40 years. We even enjoyed an equal number of blues and grays, which made for some good-natured competition and cheering throughout the weekend. (Authors note: Grays RULE!)
So save the date for LOL weekend 2025, tentatively slated for two weekends before Father’s Day. LOL weekend participants enjoy the weekend free of charge, although attendees must be at least 18 years of age, and men are welcome. For more information please contact ba@campalleghany.com
