"It's a 15 minute chore in the morning or you can pay $5."

One of the new, exciting things at Tecumseh this summer is a foot washing station at the Richard G Marsh Lake. But an even bigger change is the new Team CILT counselors for 2015. This weekend Tim, Liz, Alli and I all got to be together for the very first time. 

Alli and I were both able to come up Saturday afternoon to get started before our partners arrived. Together we went through old documents and changed/improved/added some things. Made approximately 2,500 copies. Stacked 130 sets of papers. Hole punched those papers and put them in binders. It was efficient and productive--two of our favorite things. Now we've got the paperwork ready for the whole summer.

Liz arrived at about 1:30am and greeted Alli and I with hugs and flashlights in our eyes. Tim joined us Sunday morning just after breakfast. Once all four of us were together the fun really began. 

In just one short day were able to accomplish so many things--

1. Brainstorm ideas for RFAJWD 2015
2. Go over the schedule and through all the paperwork in the CILT binders
3. Visit the newly revamped Green Cathedral
4. Come up with the new CILT Jar tasks
5. CILT counselor photo shoot
6. Teambuilding at the TLC with Christine

This is my 8th summer being part of the CILT Team and I think I just keep getting more excited each summer. By now I've learned that it will always be a new experience-- new campers, different counselors, improved activities, changes in camp as a whole and I'm a different person then I was a year ago. We know that improvement comes when we're willing to change and switch stuff up--being a static program wouldn't be a good thing. CILTs looks a whole lot different today than it did back in 2008 when I first got hired for this job.

Being part of a unit with so few counselors is an unique experience. At first it's weird to get used to but I've grown to love it. Now it's easiest to identify my different CILT summers by the counselors I worked with. Their names alone trigger a flood of memories--float trips, campers that still stick out, campfire themes, devotions, one on one talks, cheers and graduation songs.

I love that each year when people find out the counselors they say, "Wow, that's such an awesome group. Those kids are so lucky." And I think they're right. Each year has been a dream team in it's own way. I wonder which of these CILT counselor teams you remember.

2008 Eric Glanders and Sarah Fitzpatrick
2009 Eric Glanders and Sarah Delong
2010 Beef, Kaitlyn and Shelby (+10 extra girls and the Yurt)
2011 Krafty, Arielle and Mel
2012 Morph, Arielle, Jamie and Colleen (boys moved into the Brova)
2013 Alex Allison, Jamie and Smooney
2014 Mike, Smooney and Arielle (and Andy joined us for 2 and 3)
2015 Tim, Alli and Liz

Quite the line up over the years. And this summer is going to be a great one.

At this point, it feels like there is still so much time before summer really begins. But we've just got four weeks till staff training and then the CILTies will move in the Sunday after that. 40 kids who are eagerly expecting the best two weeks of their life. They signed up for this experience a year ago and filled all of the spots in less than 3 hours. To say they're excited is putting it lightly.

In five weeks we'll have a Longhouse filled with thirty girls and six girl counselors. We'll fall asleep to the sounds of fans whirring and stories from Love Does being read aloud. In the morning we'll run sleep from our eyes, twist our hair into messy buns and long braids and rush out the door to make it to flagpole on time with our backpacks, CILT hats and best friend necklaces on.

In five weeks the CILTs will be back in the Party Room. In this room we'll be screaming our cheer at lunch, circling up to debrief the Sherpa Walk, plotting things like Glitter Day and Random Acts of Kindness. In this room we'll sing, pray and talk together during devotions. In this room the CILTs will write their graduation song on the last day of their session.

In five weeks we'll be starting to build friendships with the 120 campers that will be members of Team CILT this summer. We'll learn names, hear stories and create a new kind of family. In five weeks we'll wear silly outfits, carry around two Indian carvings, laugh every single day, overuse I love you, sleep less than we should, hug campers, write Parent Letters and make every single day a celebration. Summer 2015-- we're ready.