From The Mailbag - Billy Carriere

During a recent trip to camp with my 7yr old, it rained.  It rained on the way up to camp.  It rained all the time at camp.  It rained all the way home.  It's even raining now, seven days later!! Most people would say "aaawwwww, it's too bad it rained", but think about it, when it rains at Camp Hale is there anything more beautiful than the sound of rain on the tin roofs of the lodges, whether it was rest period or two in the morning?

When it rained at camp most likely we'd end up in the Rec Hall playing Bacon or Floor Hockey, (I'd swear I was Bobby Orr).  Anyway, I was just thinking that for the past 100+ years anyone who has been at camp for some reason or other has had the opportunity to share in this wonderful, magical place called Camp Hale.  A place so wonderful that a normal rainy day is transformed into a mesmerizingly symphonic experience.  A place so magical that the minute you step out of your car and onto the courtyard, you can almost close your eyes and "bammm" you're eleven getting off a big yellow school bus.  I don't know about you but usually the first sight of Squam Lake off Bean Road still gets me excited.

We should all be so grateful to share a common bond in Camp Hale, whether you are 7 or 70.  I have no regrets that it rained on my recent trip.  I'm sure my little guy would have preferred sun and fishing, but hey, anytime at camp is a good time at camp.  It's always good to see old friends and look smack dab into the eyes of yesterday, and for a moment relive my childhood days at camp.  For every face tells a story, and it's all good.

 I urge any of you who haven't been at camp for a long time to mark your calendars, the next season's coming up soon.  I'm sure some of you still have unused sick days, come join us for Old Homes Day, we could always use the help in the Tug o' War.  If you want to be a camper again, come to Alumni Weekend, sleep in a bunk, eat in the Dining Hall, or warm up by the fire in the Rec Hall, ... and who knows, it just might rain.

See you this summer.

 Billy Carierre

Send us your memories of Camp. This section of the CHAA web site functions as a focal point for all Alumni members to share their experience of Camp with others. We're looking for pictures and memories of Camp to collect and store here. Additionally, each month we'll be choosing a letter to post on the web site. The letter can contain a tale of an adventure, an event that became a defining point, a song that you remember, or a quick line to say hello. And don't worry, we are adamant in our pledge to get all your items on the web site, whenever possible. If you do not see your item this month, stay tuned, you're likely to see it soon.

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