The next time we send out a summer blog, we will be celebrating Camp Airy’s 100th anniversary.

That’s an amazing realization. It’s an accomplishment that is largely attributable to this week’s middah / value – kindness. Without kindness as a cornerstone of what we do and who we are at camp, campers and staff might not return summer after summer. Newcomers might not feel connected and begin their own camp stories.

Even over the past few days in the midsts of Airy Olympic competition, (congrats to both teams – the White team emerged victorious), kindness remained a constant. It shone through brightly in moments of sportsmanship and respect. The applause and cheering went in both directions – we were happy for our team earning points, and also happy at seeing friends on the opposite side succeed. No matter what team you were on, it was hard not to get chills listening to each camp song during songfest, or to cheer with excitement as both the STs and CAs engaged in a dance battle.

At the end of Olympics, both Generals were as complimentary about the opposing team as they were about their own. And when we gathered for Shabbat on Friday night after dinner – two teams reunited as one camp – it felt good to all be back on the same team.

It was bittersweet to celebrate the final bunch of “Mensch on a Bench” honorees. While it’s awesome to recognize these great campers and staff, it does mean that we’re moving closer to saying goodbye to Summer 2023.

On a personal note, thank you for your kindness while being fans and supporters of Camps Airy & Louise. Thank you for being part of our camp family. Summer 2024 will be here before we know it.

Marty