August 2022 Eliot Highlights
It’s hard to find an event other than August Eliot that would qualify as the highlight of summer 2022! One hundred ninety-six excited Elioteers—including 19 newcomers--crossed the rumbly bridge to immerse themselves in a week of community, music, and sunshine at Seabeck.
Our speaker, Matt Meyer, engaged campers with his program “Music Lessons & Rhythm Revelations”. As a drummer, community organizer, and director of operations for Sanctuary Boston, Matt brought us together through music and stories from his lived experiences, challenging us to live our UU values. We learned many new songs—many in a call-and-response format, and with drumming as the sole accompaniment—and basked in the message of the lyrics as well as the bonds our communal singing created.
Our deans Samaya Oakley and Xander Simmons brought a chill and competent tone to camp. This duo of long-time Eliot leader and first-time (and the youngest ever, to our knowledge) dean made running a camp seem effortless. Though we may have been rusty at being together after years of pandemic isolation, our August camp community practiced grace, thoughtfulness for one another, and boundless enthusiasm as Elioteers returning to community!
Music was the theme, and along with Matt’s heartful program, campers filled their days with song in choir, Moonstruck, talent show, youth coffeehouse, Inn porch singing, singing in the round, and probably more. Our accompanist Jim Francis shared factoids and a daily trivia contest featuring “This Day in Musical History.” The Craft Corner, organized by Kathy Masarie and Rosemary Dougall, transformed Rhododendron into an artistic wonderland, offering folks mini-classes to learn new crafts as well as unlimited access to a bounty of art and craft supplies. There was pickleball, PEP talks, and peace boats; curious conversations, capture the flag, and—fortunately—very little COVID! Kudos to the Eliot Health and Safety Committee for their hard work, and to all campers for following protocols that kept our community safe.
August Eliot 2022 was a week to open ourselves to new ways of doing things and to welcome new families into the Eliot community, as well as a return to familiar friendships and traditions. As our speaker Matt shared, “More than schedules and calendars, more than counting minutes and hours, our days and weeks can be measured by rituals - the small, often informal ceremonies - that we return to again and again for a sense of connection. Just as the ebb and flow of tension and release is what separates music from noise, the spiritual life should be a little like our favorite music, stretching and resolving, challenging as well as comforting.”
What joy it has been to connect again at August Eliot!
Linda Hardison, Board Representative