Dear Sertoma Deaf Camp Committee Member:
The 2008 Sertoma Deaf Camp is now in the record book. By any measure, it was a rousing success. Approximately 80 children enjoyed a marvelous experience this past week, and you’ll learn more about it at our next meeting in September. Thank you to everyone on the committee for the roles you played in making it happen.
Many, many thanks to Maggie Blehm, the Summer Camp Director, for all of the long hours and hard work she put into planning the camp. Her thorough preparation was clearly evident during this past week as everything ran smoothly. The children just adore her and it’s not hard to understand why. She truly has a gift for working with youth. We’re very fortunate to have her working for “our” kids.
Maggie assembled a wonderful and talented staff of counselors this year. All of them possessed tremendous enthusiasm and intellect. All of them demonstrated a love of working with children. How else does one explain their wlllingness to carry children piggyback up and down the trail to Hanging Rock?
Thank you, also, to Michael Hoffman for hiring outstanding interpretive counselors and sign language interpreters. He must be doing something right to persuade an interpreter to drive all the way from Atlanta just to work a half week. Michael was also busy doing whatever was needed — whether interpreting, driving a van, taking care of the needs of a child.
Thank you to Sandy Waterman for the long hours she expended in receiving registrations and assuring all of the paperwork was completed for each camper. Sandy also volunteered during camp week teaching the children proper horsemanship.
Thank you to Ray Clarke for an excellent job of supervising the transportation of the campers, and to the volunteer drivers who made it happen. I can say that for the first time ever, in all of my years of transporting children to and from the camp, this year was the first time I actually had to wait for the parents at the last delivery stop, instead of running as much as an hour behind schedule. Credit also goes to Maggie and her staff in helping to make this possible by giving priority checkout to the children riding back on the vans.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered in whatever capacity this past week. I will not name names for fear of forgetting someone.
Last, but not least, let’s thank Sertoma 4-H Center Director Keith Russell for his overall leadership and to North Carolina 4-H for providing us with an excellent facility, top notch kitchen and maintenance staff, and an outstanding educational and recreational program.
Sincerely,
John Kelly
Chair, Sertoma Deaf Camp Committee
