There’s an old tradition at camp that was among those brought back in recent years. I hope some of you will remember it yourself, and delight in the magic of reviving it.
It’s the Fairy Garden.
On gossamer wings
A very special and magical place, the Fairy Garden is a whimsical oasis in the middle of Junior Camp where, of course, fairies live! 😉 .
It’s very convenient — and enchanting — to have our own denizens of the fairy world taking up residence right in the middle of camp! It lends a certain mixture of quiet reverence and pixie dust possibility to all of our every day matters to consider those wee people who inhabit our camp with us.
And, as an added service to Camp Alleghany, when campers write letters to the fairies, the fairies write back! We think the fairies are trying to “earn their keep” this way — you know, payment for dwelling in our flowers, drinking our morning dew, dressing themselves up in our clover hats and lily skirts and flying around on our honey bees’ and dragonflies’ backs. I mean, these things are precious to us, too! But, it’s an arrangement that works out for us as well since a letter from a fairy is a pretty special camp keepsake!
And the letters offer a certain kind of therapeutic value for those moments — rare moments, but they do happen — when a girl is feeling like she wants a little distraction. Maybe she’s missing home, or feeling ready to be reflective, or just wants to tune way in to her inner imagination for some respite from all the action. When this happens, writing a letter to a fairy can soothe the soul.
Well, this letter was just too good to only let the fairies see, so I thought I’d share it on the blog.
Dear Fairy Princess Isabel Katherine Lilly,
I want to tell you how much I love camp and all of my classes! The Fairy Garden is so pretty and I want to thank Maddy for setting it up! It’s so pretty here and even if fairies aren’t real, this place is still magical. Being here makes me wish I could spend my whole life here. I hope God blesses this camp and anyone who has ever contributed to its wonder, beauty, and find nature, and I hope this camp, with the fairy garden, continues to be a safe place for girls all around the world where you can tell anyone anything. Stay perfect, Camp Alleghany.
Always,
A strong believer in real magic, the kind found in the hearts of Camp Alleghany girls.
I’ll let this letter speak for itself. Meantime, I have to run. If fairies aren’t real, then what just flitted past my desk wearing an acorn cap and and a daisy skirt?
–Elizabeth Dawson Shreckhise, Assistant Director, Camp Alleghany for Girls
