Reflecting on the 2024 Season at Camp Earth Connection

I imagine I am not alone, when at this time, I reflect on the past year and start making goals and plans for the upcoming year. A great place to start is with the old gratitude list. So, here I go.

I am so grateful for Kam and Charlie who spent 3 months at CEC as camper helpers. We shared values about community and diversity and all worked hard together to provide a clean, safe environment for all our guests. We prepared and shared community meals regularly, and included our friends and family when they visited. We took a field trip to a local farm (thanks Beth & Karl) and to a local Earthship (thanks Chad.) We held a couple of special events which included an Open-house with guest speakers from the BIPOC and LGBTQ community. Thank you, Shay, Sherron and Phoebe who spoke on the value, of having safe, inclusive spaces like Camp Earth Connection for marginalized communities. We also offered an LGBTQ+ camping weekend for folks from around upstate, NY. We enjoyed being a part of a local organic veggies CSA, (thank you, Dee at Fort Baptist Farm,) and learned to cook veggies in new ways. And we worked on our own little garden, learning from the land.

I am also very grateful to my new and old friends who joined me for adventures and walks in the forest. Thank you, Karen T, my long-time outdoor friend, for all the sailing adventures and for joining me on backpacking trips on the FLT and in the ADK. And much gratitude to Brenda, Ann and Lynn who took time to come out to the camp to enjoy evening campfires, food and card-playing. I am also grateful for all the daily quiet walks that I took with Druid on the trails of Hammond Hill. This time in the forest helped me stay grounded and on course.

Family has been such an important part of my life, and I have so much gratitude for my children and grandchildren, my siblings and my nephew who took time to visit me at the camp during the summer season, when it’s hard for me to get away much to see them. I would name each of them, but there are over 20. You all know who you are and how much I love you! And much gratitude to Kippy, my Mom, who is now a part of the Camp Earth Connection community, living on the land, after choosing to move back to NY from Taos, NM to be closer to family.

And last but not least, thank you so much to all my guests who choose to spend their vacations, or weekend getaways, or even a single evening in the forest at Camp Earth Connection. I hope you felt the connection and peace that this space offers. As a dear friend from my recovery community use to say to those of us struggling to find sobriety and peace, “You are as welcome as the flowers in Spring.”

As I end my gratitude reflection, I think of my beloved family and friends who are no longer with us, and am so grateful for my time with them. During our walks and talks in the forest, my friend Steph use to say, “How lucky are we?” always reminding me to be grateful for this amazing life that I have.

With Peace and Gratitude,

Eshay and Druid