Summer Camp

Like many Texas children, summer camp in the Hill Country was an annual two-week getaway for me. At 7 years old, I went to Camp La Jita, a Girl Scout camp near Utopia, Texas. I loved sitting around the campfire in the dark, roasting marshmallows, learning the names of all the constellations, so bright and visible in the dark country sky. At Camp La Jita we swam in the Sabinal River, where you could see dinosaur tracks embedded in the ancient limestone river bottom. Our tent cabin, with a wood floor and canvas roof, was big enough to sleep 4, and when we climbed into our bunks at bedtime the tent tops would be covered with Daddy Long Legs spiders, settling in for their own restful night.

There were often snakes in the river and we were taught a chant of which ones to avoid—'Red and Yella Kill a Fella; Red and Black Venom Lack’. The ones in the water were usually Water Moccasins, big and dark brown, not venomous. Along the trail back to our cabin we sometimes saw Coral snakes, with bright bands of red, yellow and black, so we knew to keep away from them. Even with the snakes and the spiders, my memories of those summers are idyllic and cherished. While there was danger, the fear of flooding was not one of them for us. It was all the fun kids, the cool counselors, the campfires and rivers that made each day special. My nickname was JoJo.

When I was 13, the counselors at Camp La Jita told me that if I came back the next year, they would give me a hatchet, and I would have to chop some wood to build my own tent structure. This news prompted me to switch to Camp Capers, a coed Episcopal Church Camp, also in the hill country but along the Guadalupe River, rather than the Sabinal. The camp’s Saint Francis Chapel was a beautiful open-air pavilion where we gathered to worship every day. I loved the Mexican priest who led our services, his melodic accent making the liturgy soar even higher. There was some truth to the name Camp Capers, as we did caper around a bit. It was during those summers I got my first boyfriend, and my first kiss.

Today, over half a century later, I cannot imagine that those cherished memories of mine would instead be the horror of a devastating flood, a massive loss of life, hundreds of children missing. The more I remember those magical years of summer camp in Texas, the more my heart breaks for those who are experiencing this horrific and ongoing tragedy. Thankfully Camp La Jita was not in the flood zone and Camp Capers, while in the zone, had no campers on site when the floods occurred. A small silver lining. I wish there was a way to turn that silver lining into a safe, protective shield for all of these families. But at least I can pray for them, as I learned to do next to the river, in the St. Francis Chapel.*

*If you are looking for other ways to help, here are a few organizations where your donations could make a meaningful difference.

 Verified Donation Sites:

Kerr County Flood Relief - Monetary Donations

UFCU - Non-Monetary Donations 

American Red Cross - Monetary Donations

TENGA Texas Flood Relief Fund - Monetary Donations

HEB - At the register or curbside and online order donations