Director's Corner, Thursday, July 9, 2026
Thursday, July 9, 2026
All my bags are packed
Ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
As I sit down to write my final Director's Blog of First Session, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful.
A number of years ago, someone introduced me to a book called The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. One of the ideas that has always stayed with me is that happiness isn't something we earn after everything goes right. Instead, when we choose gratitude, when we focus on the people around us and appreciate the moments we're living in, happiness has a way of finding us first.
As I think back on these past four weeks, I realize that's exactly what I've witnessed here at Beber. I've seen campers cheering louder for their friends than for themselves. I've watched counselors pour their hearts into creating magical moments from sunrise until long after sunset. I've seen kitchen staff, maintenance staff, healthcare professionals, office staff, activity specialists, and every member of our community working together because they genuinely care about making camp extraordinary for our campers. Those moments of kindness, connection, and gratitude are what make Beber feel different.
To our campers, thank you for your laughter, your curiosity, your courage, and the joy you bring to camp every single day. To our staff, thank you for choosing to spend your summer investing in children. The work is demanding, but the impact you make will last far beyond these four weeks. And to our parents, thank you for trusting us with the people you love most. We never take that responsibility for granted.
As buses pull away tomorrow and camp becomes a little quieter, I know the sounds of this session, the laughter across the lake, the cheers on Hobby Wheel Field, the songs in Crown Hall, and the conversations in cabins, will stay with me. They are reminders that happiness isn't found in one big moment. It's built through thousands of small ones shared together.
Thank you for making First Session 2026 one I'll never forget.
Today was a day of laughter, hugs, nostalgia, and gratitude. Following a French toast breakfast and cabin cleanup, we celebrated Beber Fest! Beber Fest is an opportunity for campers to spend their final hours of the session exactly as they choose. Some eagerly returned to hobbies that have become part of their camp identity over the past four weeks. Others took a leap and experienced something they had never tried before, determined to not let the summer end with any "what ifs."
There is something fitting about ending camp this way. After weeks of growing in confidence, discovering new interests, and learning more about themselves, our campers are empowered to choose what matters most to them.
After enjoying a lunch of loaded baked potatoes and nachos, campers spent one final rest hour with their cabins before turning their attention to packing for the journey home. (During this rest hour, some campers participated in the Beber Cup Sailing Regatta and Windy Cup Windsurfing Competition!) Whether they're traveling by car, bus, or plane tomorrow, everyone packed up their luggage this afternoon, carefully setting aside just the overnight essentials and the items they'll need for the morning. As duffel bags filled and cabins slowly emptied, the reality of departure began to set in—a bittersweet reminder that another unforgettable session is coming to a close.
Once each cabin was packed, campers enjoyed a well-earned extended shower hour and an extra special late afternoon GA, where inflatables on Lower Camp brought laughter, friendly competition, and one more opportunity to simply enjoy being together. As evening approached, our entire camp family gathered for one final dinner flagpole; a meaningful tradition that carries a little extra emotion on the last night of the session. From there, everyone came together for an indoor barbecue, sharing a meal, swapping favorite memories, and soaking in the final hours of a summer that has been filled with growth, friendship, and unforgettable moments.
Our final moment together as a camp community was our Closing Ceremony, a tradition that beautifully captures the spirit of the summer. Campers and staff celebrating 10, 15, 20, 30, and even 45 years at Beber shared heartfelt speeches, offering stories, gratitude, and the lessons they've carried with them through their camp journeys.
We also recognized campers and staff who have gone exceptionally above and beyond this session in a variety of ways. Our Jane Beber Abramson Camper Service Award was granted to two campers, Seth G. and Lula D., in recognition of their extraordinary leadership throughout the session. We recognized Jafet T., our kitchen Purchasing Lead, with the Floyd Abramson Operational Staff Award, granted to one operational staff member each session who exemplifies kindness, helpfulness, and inclusion in everything they do. Lucy R., one of our Ramot counselors, was recognized for the prestigious Ron Kaplan Staff of the Session Award, presented to the counselor who best embodies the inspirational values Ron himself lived by. Congratulations as well to all of our campers who received awards from their various hobby areas, as well as our staff who earned Beber Belief awards!
During our Closing Ceremony, I found myself thinking about something. Every session, before an out-of-camp trip, we make an announcement to our campers: Everyone needs to return to camp looking the same as they did when they left. This means no haircuts or anything else that could permanently or lengthily alter the appearance of any child.
The same rule applies to camp—it is important that we return your camper looking as they did when they arrived at Beber on that first day four weeks ago.
But today, I found myself thinking about that announcement a little differently. The truth is, tomorrow, we won’t be sending the exact same campers home.
They may have a few more freckles from afternoons in the sun, a couple of bug bites, or a scrape on a knee from a game played all out. But those things will heal. What won't fade are the changes that matter most.
Your camper is heading home a little more confident than when they arrived. They know more names, have deeper friendships, and have discovered they can do hard things, try something new, and belong in a community that cheered them on every step of the way. They've laughed until their stomach hurt, challenged themselves, cared for others, and grown in ways that are impossible to measure in photos alone.
So while we promise not to send home a camper with a surprise haircut, we are incredibly grateful that we can't keep our promise to return them exactly as they came. The most meaningful changes are the ones you can't immediately see, and they're exactly what summer camp is meant to create. The mosquito bites will fade, but the memories will last a lifetime.
I am so grateful to each and every person reading this blog. Thank you for your trust and support this session and beyond, and I look forward to seeing your camper back here next year! See you soon.
For the last time in First Session 2026,
Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael
Yesterday's song was "Summer Nights" from the musical Grease, originally recorded by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. Congratulations to our correct answers:
- Andy Whitman
- The Millers
- Becky Becker
- Shari Graham
Can you name the artist behind “Leaving on a Jet Plane?” Send your guess to trivia@bebercamp.com, and I'll reveal the answer in Sunday’s blog.
