We always say the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days, and how true that is as we reflect on the past four-week session.

Families dropped campers off on Opening Day – did a kiss and ride at the car and our CITs escorted them to their bunks…our international staff (from 13 different countries) taught us a little bit about their countries during International Show – which of course ended with the traditional Buttercup song (Why would we ever leave Camp Louise baby, ‘cuz we love it here!)…we had AirLou Afternoon where we got to see our Airy counterparts…we drank Gatorade on hot days…we had quality time with our bunkmates during storm procedures… we watched the 2026 CITs raise the flag on July 4^th… we celebrated the campers who demonstrated the Middah of the Week (teamwork, leadership, kindness, and friendship) and were honored by lighting candles on Shabbat…we ate frozen candy at canteen…we sang and danced with the Tzofim (Israeli Friendship Caravan)… we showed off camp to our families who attended Camper-In-Training Day…we wore our Crocs in sport mode…we bedazzled everything in Arts & Crafts…we got muddy during Outdoors Night…we cheered on our friends during performances of High School Musical, Folkdance Festival and Dance Concert… we ate Rocky’s pizza on Cab Night…

And we gathered around in Solarium last night, to hear the CAs sing their closing song I Knew It, I Knew You by Taylor Swift:

I knew you
Through the daze of the blades of the grass in summer
Parachutes
For the free fall of being younger
I memorized the sound of your bare footsteps
Running wild, it’s been a long time
Life has ways of leaving those days behind
But seeing you tonight

I remembered I loved you
Came back when it mattered, I saw you
Standing there in the light of the window
Wearing that same smile
Man, it’s been a while
But I knew it, I knew you
I knew it, I knew you

I knew you
All your blues like a mood ring changing colors
You did too
There were times we could fight like brothers
I watched you drive around the bend for
What I thought would be the last time I saw my friend
But love has ways of bringing things back to life
All you said was, “Hi”

And I remembered I loved you
Came back when it mattered, I saw you
Standing there in the light of the window
Wearing that same smile
Man, it’s been a while
But I knew it, I knew you (I knew, I knew)

I knew it, I knew you (I knew, I knew)
I knew it, I knew you (I knew, I knew)
Oh

Oh, the rivers I cried when we said goodbye
Wondering if I’d made it up in my mind
But now you look me in the eye

And you told me I loved you
Came back when it mattered, I saw you
Standing there in the light of the window
Wearing that same smile
Yeah, it’s been a while, oh
Wearing that same smile
Man, it’s been a while (man, it’s been a while)
Wearing that same smile
Man, it’s been a while
But I knew it, I knew you (ooh, I knew you, I knew)

I knew it, I knew you (ooh, I knew you, I knew)
Wearing that same smile (ooh, I)
I knew it, I knew you (I knew)
I knew it, I knew you (I knew, I knew)
I knew it

And we laughed and cried on Pick-Up Day as we remember our experiences from the summer and say goodbye to our friends and counselors.

L’hitraot – until we meet again…

Alicia