Meredith Wood

For the past ten years, Camp Silver Beach has played a role in both my life, and the lives of countless other children not only from around the country, but around the world. It's truly amazing how one camp can bring together and unify such a diverse group of people. Whether it's boys camp versus girls camp, or water versus land, at the end of the day it's always one big, unified group. It's always Camp Silver Beach.

To this day, I still remember my first time at Camp, ten years ago. At the age of seven, I was still a bit nervous to leave the camp where I normally went, so I merely went with my parents to drop my brother off. Driving through the gates the first time I fell in love with a camp, that at that point I had no clue would mean so much to me. I remember crying and pleading not because we were dropping off Jimmy, but because I wasn't staying too. The cabins were like gold compared to what I had stayed in, and the pool left me in awe. Leaving Silver Beach that day was only the first of many tear-filled car rides home.

I'm glad to say that over the next few summers I was always signed up and ready to be a camper at Camp Silver Beach. Over those few years, countless friendships blossomed, and thousands of memories were made. I feel like I spent half of my life out on the basketball court, trying to show the older kids that even I could play basketball, and I will never forget the same feeling of triumph I felt each year as I continued to reach the top of the Alpine Tower, only with the support from the Tower Staff.

Even as I came into my teen years, I was never too cool for Camp Silver Beach- you just couldn't be. Spending just three weeks in Teen Camp, I always came back to school with even more amazing stories than those of my friends that maybe went to Europe, or on a cruise. But not only did I come back with stories, I came back with friends. The friends I met in Teen Camp and I made a pact to always come back, and to be in a cabin together-and that's exactly what we did. The time spent kayaking out to the tower, and tubing through the bay made for the most memorable summers, and I am so lucky to have grown-up at a place like Camp Silver Beach.

I can honestly say that Camp Silver Beach helped me grow from a child into a teenager, and then into a young adult. Two summers ago, I was in the Counselor in Training Program, and the leadership skills I learned there I use in my day-to-day life. As the Vice President of both my high school and of the city- wide student council, I attend many leadership summits and retreats, but none of them were as real and as hands-on as the CIT program was.

Becoming a counselor this past summer was almost second nature to me. I felt like it wasn't even a choice, it was just something I knew I was going to do from day one ten years ago. I wanted to wear that red staff shirt that all of the counselors had on when I dropped my brother off, and I wanted to be the one acting as both a role-model, and as a friend to all of the kids. While I didn't get the red staff shirt, I did get a nice orange one, and just putting it on my first day, I felt like I was a part of something. Camp Silver Beach has always been a close-knit family, and as a main camper, a teen camper, a CIT, and as a counselor, I have always felt that Camp Silver Beach is truly my home away from home.

Friendships made at Camp Silver Beach cross even the international lines. On a family trip to the Netherlands, I met up with a few friends from camp who lived there, I have had friends from all over the world meet my family and stay at my house, and just a few days ago, I opened a package of treats from one of my best friends Alex, who happens to live in Australia. Camp Silver Beach may be located on the Eastern Shore, but its culture ranges from country to country, continent to continent.

Knowing what Camp has done for me over the past ten years, leaves me to only imagine what can be done over the next. Year after year they host thousands of children, and Camp treats them to some of the most wonderful times of their lives. As I grow up and go to college, and continue on in the world, I will always hold CSB close to my heart.

If I'm not still working there in ten or fifteen years, I know for sure I will be sending my kids there, because in all honesty, camp is where the heart is.

The tan lines or sun burns from camp will always fade, but the memories made there never will.

Happy Tenth Anniversary Camp Silver Beach, I look forward to seeing what the future holds. I wish you the best of luck for hundreds of more wonderful summers.

Last year my son Keith had the experience of a lifetime. As a single parent, of course I was a little reluctant to send him off to camp for a week without any contact. So with a lot of praying I put my faith in God and submitted the application to Camp Silver Beach and Keith was awarded a scholarship.

As we approached the camp I started to cry, but they were tears of joy and Keith was so excited I thought he was going to jump out of the car. From the very moment we entered the camp grounds everyone and I mean EVERYONE had a smile and made me feel so relaxed that I thanked God for answering my prayers that my son would be in good hands. As we walked toward Keith's cabin we got even more excited. I was glad that Keith's cousin Arren was staying in the cabin next door. We met the awesome counselors who took such great care of Keith while he was at camp. I gave him a hugh and a kiss and he was off, practically pushing me off the camp grounds.

Six days later, I returned to find Keith with a hoarse voice and panicked. He looked at me and said "Mommy can I stay another week? I had a blast - my voice is hoarse because I laughed, sung and cheered all week!"

I thank those who contributed to my son's scholarship. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing him a chance to have the ball of his life. I can't afford to give him two weeks at camp, like he wants but, one week has made him a happy little boy.