January, 2009
Dear Pembroke Families,
I am ignoring the snow that insists on falling so often this winter and I am thinking happy, warm thoughts of Camp Pembroke and summers on Lake Oldham instead! I have heard from many of last year’s staff members and from what they tell me, they are also counting the days until we can all be together again at camp. I am very pleased to be able to tell you that we will be welcoming back many veteran staff people, to both the administrative and counselor staffs for the summer of 2009! We are especially thrilled to welcome back several of our Israeli counselors from last summer who were inevitably “stung” with the “Brokie Spirit” and can’t wait to return for a second season.
Sue Callum, our Program Director, and I have been working on the programming for this summer, and we are confident that there will be some new and exciting events and activities awaiting our campers. As always, we will surprise you with all the details once camp is in session because we don’t like to divulge any secrets in advance! We have already replaced the filter system in our pool and updated it to a new state-of-the-art sand filtration system. This will automate much of the chemical adjustments that used to be made manually. We are also re-designing the sail house, which will be utilized this summer as a Nature Shed for our nature activities at camp. We are very excited to have this building, as it will allow us to broaden the nature program for our girls.
I am in the process of hiring some counselors and department heads and will be leaving for Ukraine, London, and Manchester, England soon in order to concentrate on hiring support staff for the kitchen and grounds at camp. I will also be looking for a limited number of counselors with specific skills. I am particularly looking forward to this trip because I will have the opportunity to visit with some of our returning staff while looking for some new people. Not unlike our campers, the relationships I make at camp are important to me, and I am very glad to have the chance to stay in touch with my friends from other countries!
I know that you are all looking forward to the summer of 2009 at Camp Pembroke, the summer of our very special 75th Anniversary. We are busily making plans for this momentous event, to be held during our second session of camp. The summer promises to be one of the best ones yet (I know, I say that every year – but it’s true!), and I can’t wait until it begins!
Warm Regards,
Ellen
