July 2022 Eliot Highlights
It was so wonderful to finally be back in person at July Eliot this year. As might be expected for a group that hadn’t gathered together for three years, there was some rust as we re-learned how to do camp and to be with each other again. Paul Blackburn and Skyler Kersten, our Deans for 2022, set the perfect tone during the first Saturday night meeting: it might not be everything we want it to be, but… lookit us, here we are, back at camp! Janelle Durham was the perfect Volunteer Coordinator for our first year back; her memory for how things worked in the “before times” and meticulous organizational skills ensured that the many events that happened through the course of the week went without a hitch. Speaking of Janelle, it was my honor to present the Hand and Hearts Award to Janelle and Peter Durham for all the work they did to make virtual Eliot camps happen in 2020 & 2021, keeping the Eliot flame alive until we could gather again in person.
A major curveball came Paul & Skyler’s way several weeks before camp when they learned that one of our two theme speakers had a family emergency and would not be able to attend camp. Aisha Hauser, the other speaker, stepped up to the plate and offered to do the program herself. She gave us four very stimulating days of discussion on a range of topics centered around multiculturalism in UU spaces before she needed to leave, and Tandi Rodgers (our Chaplain) and Samaya Oakley (our Small Group Coordinator) put together amazing programming for the final two days. I had a number of heartfelt conversations during the week that I don’t think would have happened in prior camps, and I was also really encouraged to see so many Young Adults participating in the morning program for the entire week.
Although COVID required us to rethink how we do camp, that rethinking also created opportunities to try new things. No Barn Dance? Fine; let’s do a trivia night instead (thank you, Alison Sturock & Dylan Gromen!). Uncomfortable eating unmasked indoors? Fine; let’s eat outside and watch nature do its thing (thank you, Seabeck!). No indoor Friday night rock band? Fine; let’s move it to the Pavilion with fancy lighting so everyone can dance outdoors while the sun sets over the Olympics (thank you, Michael & the Eliots, the Hot Flashes, Ward Ramsdell, & Seabeck!).
Final words of gratitude go to the Eliot Health and Safety Committee for their hard work during the year to come up with protocols for keeping camp as COVID-free as possible (only one case during camp!), and to all July Elioteers for following the protocols as well as you did. I am sooooo looking forward to next year!
Seth Moran, 2022 Board Representative