A Solution to Embracing Childhood: Camp Huawni
Life sure has changed since I was a child (over 16 years ago). Cell phones were just coming into the everyday scene for adults, and kids didn’t spend their time in front of a television; instead, you could find me playing outdoors with my friends – often testing the weather with swimming in March. Today’s scene is a little different. I know children who have better phones than I do, and it’s a guarantee that any child could destroy me in the world of video games. Don’t get me wrong – these generations are the future work force of our society; their knowledge of technology at a young age will one day benefit them and us. But kids are only kids for a short while, and we need to let them embrace their childhood as much as possible.
Lauren King Liles is one of the hundreds of parents who stand behind this theory by sending her daughter, Ellory, to Camp Huawni every summer. Lauren spent her summers as a child in the East Texas woods building relationships that would last a lifetime. She was never in any doubt that she would share Camp Huawni with her children. This past Thursday, the Liles Family opened their home to their friends in the Dallas/Frisco to share the love of Huawni at the Camp Party/Film Festival.
Once the party started I was introduced to former Huawni camper, Chris Tuveny, who was so excited to share just a smidge of the Camp Huawni family and fun with his nephew, Drew. I also met Erin Eisemann, along with her brother, Evan, who were just a few that were also introduced to Huawni for the first time. With the energy and excitement for Camp to get here soon, two moments stood out in my mind from the party. As counselors trickled into the party, it was wonderful to see how excited Ellory was to see some of her favorite counselors from Camp – Lindsey Gabel, Katie Ballenger, and Phoebe Moyer. A special bond was clearly evident with these girls and Ellory. As the night continue, I witnessed an outpouring of love for Camp from both returning campers and those who were experiencing Huawni for the first time. It is a joy to see kids excited about a place they can (and do) call their “second home” – an escape where as a child, you can forget the busyness of everyday life and technology. Kick back and just be a kid – the way life is supposed to be for a child.
What’s one benefit you enjoy/would enjoy seeing your child come home with from summer camp?
A big THANK YOU to the Liles Family for hosting our last Camp Party/Huawni Film Festival!!
Ashley
