We are having extremely mild days here in central Colorado which remind us that winter is passing and summer will be here before we know it.
Mike, and Julie have enjoyed seeing many of you as they travel through the Midwest with our digital slide show program. They have appreciated their warm receptions and enthusiasm for the coming summer. They have a show in Santa Fe tonight and another in Boulder on February 8.
February is a busy month as we prepare for the summer of 2012. A major project throughout the winter is to hire the summer staff—counselors and wranglers, nurses and A.C.s. We are always so proud of the outstanding college men and women who spend their summers contributing enthusiasm, fun, and nurturing leadership for the young people who attend Big Spring, High Trails, and Sanborn Junior. We already have a great group of returning staff lined up and are making careful selections among new applicants now.
The National Convention of the American Camp Association will be held in Atlanta in mid-February, and we will be participating in full force. Executive Director, Jane Sanborn, is the Chairperson for this year’s conference and has been working on an outstanding educational program for many months. Chris, Ryan, Elizabeth, Ashley and Ariella will be leading educational sessions at the conference. Mike, as President of the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Camp Association, will be participating in all of the leadership events held at the conference. COEC Board member Rod Lucero will be presenting one of the keynote addresses. Julie, Carlotta, and David will also be attending the conference. This type of professional development helps us to stay on top of evolving issues and inspires us to continue to improve our program each summer.
We are happy to announce that we will be holding a second annual “Reconnect with Sanborn” event for alums in Denver on March 4. This event is also a benefit for the Sandy and Laura Sanborn Scholarship Fund. Denver area alums will be receiving all the details soon, and watch our Facebook page for more updates.
Maren, Scot, and Rosie are hard at work preparing the riding program for next summer and making sure the horses are all ready for their busy season. It won’t be long before we start having new calves at the Witcher Ranch.
Alums can look forward to a big news-filled edition of the Alum News in March, and camp families will receive our Getting Ready information early in March.
We are all excited about the community that is coming together for the summer of 2012 and can’t wait to begin the fun. We are rapidly filling many of our age groups, so we encourage you to enroll today! As an additional benefit to camp families, we have added the “Camp In Touch” app to our Facebook page. This will allow families to access their camp information, view photos from the summer, purchase “Camp Stamps” for our one-way email program and much more. We are happy to mail our brochure and DVD to anyone interested in camp and to provide references for new families.