 I had always said, “It'll be fun, but it's not like I'm going
to want to hang out and talk with these kids.” Then I met Nicky,
Margo, Ivy, Noah, Jenna, Ben, and Jesse and none of those kids were even
in my bunk. If you had tried to tell me what lay ahead of me that summer,
I wouldn't have believed you. I can't say which year was the best for
me because they were all so different and equally memorable. I loved doing
everything for the first time in my first year and loved knowing exactly
what to expect by my third year. I can't put into words how much I will
miss not being there this summer. Over the last three years, it has felt
more like home than anywhere and the people have become family. 
 – Keri M.
ILC is not a summer job; it's a way of life. Where else can you
get paid to have so much fun?
– David S.
…how the joys of seeing a kid overcome her fears and work
to achieve a goal outweigh the stress of getting 14 campers with a sugar
high to bed before lights out. How waking up at the crack of dawn to music
and an overly cheerful greeting is worth it when one of your kids holds
your hand on the way to breakfast and tells you that they are glad that
you are their counselor.
– Lindsey R.
…there's life post camp which is almost the biggest thing
of all. The daily e-mails and updates from people all over the country,
the weekly cards and letters in the mail, the phone calls that brighten
your day because every time it's someone from Island Lake I find a little
piece of myself back in Starrucca, PA.
– Eric M.
This past week I was in London visiting some friends from camp.
I was lying in bed one night saying to myself, “Who do I have to
thank for this?” I owe it all to ILC. I realized that all of the
people that I was visiting over there I met at camp. Who would have ever
thought that this country boy would end up going to London or to see a
bunch of Kiwis and Aussies and even a Welsh boy? I feel that I am a part
of a big family at ILC. I would not know what to do with myself if it
was not for camp. I love meeting new people and staying in touch with
the ones that have not returned. So again I can not say how much I appreciate
everything that ya'll have done for me.
– Chad A.
We must have been pretty lucky because we loved our kids. Yeah,
I am calling them "our kids" because it really felt like we
were their moms for the summer. We gave them piggy back rides, let them
play with our hair, sang "Walking on Sunshine" on our way to
breakfast, and tucked them in to bed, which at times was an adventure
in itself. We helped them through homesickness, girl fights, and the social
emergencies. No matter how tough my personal life was at various times,
I knew once I was around the kids I could keep my mind off of it. They
brought out the best in me, which is funny because normally you would
think how much we are doing for them, but if you take a second, just one
moment to think about it, you'll realize they do us wonders too!
I could go on and on forever about camp and the benefits of camp. The
things I'll miss the most though are meeting new friends, hanging out
with old friends, words of encouragement from every direction, hugs from
the kids, sitting on the porch staring up at the stars, constant laughing,
constant entertainment, and constant love. People here really cared about
me. You are important to the kids and to all of the friends you'll meet.
I can honestly say that I really became a better person just from Camp
Island Lake. If you put all of your wonderful energy and hearts into camp,
there's no end to what you will get out of it! Thank you for the very
best summers of my life! I'll really miss all of you!
– Melissa T.
Me, well I’m kind of sick. Sick with what I call the “ILC
fever.” It’s quite contagious and it’s full of nostalgia
for those times that we all spent laughing, smiling and living moments
that billions of people could not possibly ever know unless they lived
them first hand. It’s sad really, not to be able to see all those
smiling faces of campers, to listen to the morning announcements, and
to wake up to Charles' delicious breakfasts. At the same time, it’s
great to know that I was given this great opportunity to live, bleed,
and sweat ILC for so many years.
– Javier B.
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