“What do I love about being a ‘Ghany Girl?”
Long time campers, staff, and alumnae will recognize that now-famous first line of our beloved promotional video, “The Magic of ‘Ghany,” filmed in 2011. For those who haven’t seen it — go watch it now! — it begins with a handful of counselors asking themselves, “What do I love about being a ‘Ghany Girl?” and the final counselor says “Everything!”
As I’ve started to make those secret preparations for Valentine’s Day around my house, and as I help my boys get ready to share Valentines with their friends, I’ve also thought about all the people and things I love. I’ve especially reflected on what I love about Alleghany.
We have our fair share of love at camp, and many of our songs actually talk about love! From our song honoring a person (usually a Hopper) –
We love you {person’s name}, oh yes we do!
We love you {person’s name}, and we’ll be true.
When you’re not near us, we’re blue!
Oh {person’s name}, we love you (yes we do!)
To one of our counselor serenades on the first and last night of camp…
Love is everywhere, I see it.
You are all that you can be, go on and be it.
Life is perfect, I believe it.
Come and play the game with me.
And more!
And of course we love our friends, love our activities, love certain meals, love camp!
Love Is All You Need!
But what do I really love about Alleghany?
I love being outside all summer, and how rustic we are. I love that Mother Nature dictates our daily lives. I love our mission to empower females. I love our camaraderie and team work. I love how campers and counselors work really hard to achieve goals, and walk away from camp stronger, better, healthier.
I was recently interviewed by a journalist for a publication out of Washington DC for an article he’s writing about camps (mostly focused on Family Camps), and he asked me what makes Alleghany unique? What sets us apart?
When someone asks this, I always think of three big things:
- Our private and rustic space and place that’s across the river, and living in tents.
- Our No Gossip Policy.
- Our Fully Connected Community.
I was recently talking to a friend, having a rather deep conversation, and she said to me, “The things I love the most about myself are the things that make me different, that make me unique, that make me not like everyone else. That is what I value the most about myself.” I thought this was so beautiful, and could be applied personally, but also to camp.
The things that make us unique as an organization are the things I love most about us!
This Valentine’s Day as the many kinds of love swirl in the air — romantic, familial, friendship, of our ancestors, of our pets, of our daily lives and work and nature and places — let’s remember our love of Alleghany together, holding us and nurturing us for 100 years. And let’s remember our camp friends, maybe dropping them a Galentine to remind them of what they mean to us.
What do YOU love about being a ‘Ghany Girl? I’d love to hear about it in our comments below or in our social media!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
— Elizabeth Shreckhise, Director, Camp Alleghany for Girls
