Article
The countdown clock on our homepage is under 50 days, and our five campuses are beginning to hum as the summer of 2014 quickly approaches. While Hulbert Outdoor Center is in session throughout the year, the directors of Aloha, Hive, Lanakila, Horizons and Ohana are approaching their respective opening days. We caught up with our six program directors to ask them what they are most excited about for the coming summer.
Aloha Camp
Director MJ Parry mentioned the “facelift” given recently to the historic Aloha Wedding Ring. Aloha campers and counselors gather each Sunday evening after their unit cookouts for a gentle end to the week, in a lovely spot in the woods above the tent field. As the week and evening wind down, the camp gathers around a blazing fire, singing, reading letters sent in by alumnae and friends and reflecting on the week gone by, and anticipating the week to come. The summer of 2014 will find the Aloha community gathering in a lovingly spruced up Wedding Ring, carrying on the Sunday tradition of so many camp summers.
Kathy Plunkett, Director of Aloha Hive is beyond excited about the summer of 2014, Hive’s 100th! The campers and counselors of 2014 are centennials and are the bridge from the first 100 years of Aloha Hive into the second 100 years. Kathy has all sorts of ideas for celebrating this Hive birthday in style! Hive’s birthday gift to itself is the beginning of a network of trails on Hive property. This summer’s Hivers will be the first to explore the first trails cleared in this exciting new camp asset. Happy 100th Hive!
Lanakila
‘s Director Barnes Boffey explained that he is excited about the new Bonfire Camp that kicks off this summer. 2012 Lakeside graduates are invited to return to join Bridge 2014 in the construction and subsequent incineration of the 4th of July bonfire. Rather than limit bonfire building to Bridgers, the new Bonfire Camp ensures that all Lanakila Lakeside graduates can participate in one of the camp’s most beloved events. Barnes knows that allowing traditions to gently flex allows them to continue and to thrive for future generations. Skol!
Horizons Day Camp
Tracey McFadden, Horizons Director knows that her campers will be just as excited this summer as she is about the new Horizons Treehouse! She didn’t want to say much about (surprises are the best!) but concluded that it is quite magical and possibly constructed by the mysterious Kanaka fairies that abound in the Horizons woods. In addition, Tracey is thrilled that her 2014 staff will be working directly with Barnes Boffey on Success Counseling training. In particular, staff will be coached on how to give constructive feedback, to each other as well as to campers. Tracey is very proud of the leadership roles that her Kahuna staff will take this summer. Hooray for Horizons!
Ohana Family Camp kicks off its season this coming weekend with its annual spring Work Weekend. Stalwart Ohana fans will turn up with work gloves, rakes, paint brushes and dust-mops to help 
get Ohana ship-shape for the coming summer of family fun. Director Vanessa Riegler is excited for two fun, new aspects of Ohana 2014. Bill Shepherd, head of Ohana Woodworking will be installing two lathes. What’s particularly wonderful about these lathes is that they run on human, rather than electrical power. Check them out in the woodshed! New Ohana occupants include chicks of a hardy breed that will be strutting their stuff all summer. Returning Ohana stars include the unshakeable Peggy Grote and Ohana chefs Steve and Dan.
Hulbert Outdoor Center While the other directors are ramping up in June, Hulbert Outdoor Center Director Jason Knowles will be barely catching his breath from Hulbert’s busiest season ever! Jason couldn’t be more proud of his staff and of the programming they deliver to participants of their diverse programming. Hulbert continues to focus on the Foundation’s mission as they operate long-established programs like their School Programs, and add compelling new offerings like High School Leadership and the Northern Woodlands Writer’s Conference.
We are all so excited for the coming summer, what are you most looking forward to?
Laura Gillespie is the Director of Communications at The Aloha Foundation, an alumna of Aloha Hive and Aloha Camp, and has been a Horizons and Lanakila parent.
