SAVE THE DATE:
2nd Annual L.O.L. Weekend
Thursday, June 9 -Sunday, June 12, 2016
(Arrival time is 3-5pm Thursday or Friday; depart Sunday after lunch.)
Some of my fondest summer camp memories revolve around laughter among friends; the deep, rolling, full belly laughter which is so highly contagious that everyone is almost instantly buckled over in breathless giggles! Those laugh-out-loud moments characterize the uninhibited happiness and joy that permeate my Camp Alleghany summer memories! Couldn’t we all use a litttle more of that laughter in our lives?
Last summer, me and my besties from camp celebrated our 40th anniversary since the summer when we were all campers together for the last time, as 16s. After those camper days we each went on to serve camp as counselors, as department heads, as heads of camp, to run Family Camp, and even to send our daughters to camp. So where else would we choose to celebrate other than camp?
Fortunately this group was able to coordinate our celebration with the First Annual L.O.L. Alumni Weekend, where we once again found ourselves bunking together in tents, sharing Dining Hall meals together, and laughing out loud in the midst of our favorite West Virginia summer mountain home.
What to expect?
At last year’s L.O.L., we were joined by other Alleghany alumni, and one spouse, for a weekend during which we enjoyed uniquely private time in camp, with no campers or staff yet present. We reminisced and reveled in stories and songs of our camping days. In teams by day we tackled chores such as planting flowers, or painting the big stairs, tacking tents, and stringing tennis court screens.
These simple tasks created a context for us to reacquaint ourselves with one another while we worked cooperatively towards project goals. As we chatted over wonderful Dining Hall meals we marveled at how little the best things of camp had changed and how wonderful those elements that had been upgraded and changed were.
On Sunday as we all sat at the dock awaiting the departure barge we were reflective of the time we had shared which had passed so quickly. It was such a refreshing time, and we accomplished so much, yet we were convinced it had not been long enough. Isn’t that how it goes with camp?
Won’t you join us for this year’s Laugh Out Loud Weekend, Thursday, June 9 -Sunday, June 12, 2016? We’ll again work around camp (painting, planting, picking up) in preparation for the 95th summer season of girls making joyful camp memories. And in addition to our Labors Of Love, we’ll enjoy happy hour, campfires, river time, and friendly competitions (Go Grays! Go Blues!).
L.O.L. Weekend is open to all adult alumni, spouses, partners, and significant others. It’s a wonderful time of fellowship and fun, where participants can be proud of having a hand in completing pre-camp spruce up projects while enjoying plenty of reminiscing of Alleghany days gone by!
The L.O.L. event is sponsored by the Camp Alleghany Alumni Association, and is free of charge. Camp provides tent accommodations and home cooked Dining Hall meals. Participants provide linens (a suggested packing list is sent to participants after May 1).
Join us for a Laugh Out Loud Alumni Weekend at the camp we all love best! Participation is open to men and women 18 years of age and older. Space is limited. Sorry, no pets. Registration ends May 1st.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Hope to see you there!
— Beth Anne Clark-Thomas, Mini Camp Director, Camp Alleghany for Girls