Well, here we are, just 30 days away from the start of ‘Camp’ Camp 2012 (according to our swell new countdown clock!)… I can’t believe it’s approaching so fast again – OR that this year will mark my 16th year at Camp. Egads! I am admittedly always a wee bit (or more) overwhelmed this time of year, running on fumes, and would practically sell my mother (not really… Yvonne totally rocks) for a few more hours of sleep each night. Yet, it still also amazes me how excited I still get about Camp – even after 16 years. And if you knew how easily I can get bored with things, you’d understand the significance of my commitment to something for 16 years…

I get most excited about seeing everyone again and just BEING at Camp – and I get excited when things all start falling into place, despite the fact that things are usually doing so while I’m seemingly putting out 100 (camp)fires a day. This week alone, we lost two staff people in as many days – then one of last year’s Staff IMs me asking if we might happen to have something for him, as he can swing the time off after all. Done! And, then – well… that’s probably just one of the (camp)fires I should even mention.

Then, there’s the excitement (or is it relief?) that comes from finding that seemingly illusive staff member out of the blue. This year, it was a Jewelry Instructor. Last year, for the first time in 15 years, we were unable to offer Jewelry classes because we couldn’t find an instructor. To make matters worse, it was our first-ever sold year, and with Jewelry always being a popular class, I knew there’d be some mightily disappointed Campers. I was starting to worry it was gonna happen again this year. Then – viola! – my 20 or so emails to art schools and studios this past Sunday paid off, and we received an email from a gay metalsmith/jewelry designer from Portland who had seen the posting from one of the studios I had emailed, checked out the website (and it was even our old outdated one), watched one of our videos, and was excited for the opportunity to be a part of Camp. It’s exciting to know the Campers will be happy – and exciting to have a new, experienced, enthusiastic person on our Staff.

So, I shall forge on through the next 30 long days at my law firm “survival” job on 5 hours of sleep, wishing I could be tackling all the Camp work that’s piling up – especially since I find it infinitely more rewarding. And because I can remember the end goal which always seemingly culminates during each year’s Tea Dance: Betsy and I inevitably run into each other on the dance floor, look around at all the laughing, sweaty, smiling, happy people dancing with abandon, then look back at each other and say, “Wow. Look. This is like Heaven on Earth, and we did this.”

Yup. Totally worth a month or more of too little sleep, for sure…

Camp on,
Kerry Riffle
Owner/Director