Campfire Tales | It’s Always Summer

By Aaron Selkow, Owner/Director

A few weeks ago, I got a message from the parent of one of our Varsity campers from last summer. It was short and straightforward — just a note she thought I’d appreciate. Her daughter and a few of her friends at school had started a fundraiser for SCOPE. This organization helps make camp possible for kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to go (our Varsity campers run SCOPE activities at camp as part of their leadership program). The teens had made posters, secured a table at their school’s Friday night event (where I happened to be as a coach for the same school’s girls’ soccer team), and were selling pizza to raise money. The mom wrote, “She wants me to tell you to come buy some pizza — she’s proud that the kids are so into SCOPE.” I stopped by. And sure enough, she was beaming. When she saw me, she shouted, “We’ve already raised $237!”

At that moment, I felt something that everyone who loves camp knows deep down: the best parts of summer don’t stay behind when the buses pull away. They follow us home.

A few days earlier, Sam Roberts — our Director of Staff & Camper Experience — told me about a conversation with one of our returning counselors. This staff member is back at college now, juggling classes and a part-time job. Some of his friends had been asking how he stays so calm under pressure — how he learned to lead and connect with people the way he does. He laughed and said, “Try being responsible for a cabin of ten eleven-year-olds for four weeks.” Then he paused and added, “I really do miss it — and I use it every day.”

These moments — a proud parent’s message, a counselor’s quiet reflection — are reminders of what I’ve been feeling since the summer ended. They’re proof that what we build together doesn’t fade when camp ends. It keeps showing up — in the choices, confidence, and compassion that our campers and staff carry into their everyday lives.

That’s what we mean when we say It’s Always Summer. It’s not about weather, or nostalgia, or pretending the season never ends. It’s about what lasts because of camp — the sense of belonging, purpose, and joy that sticks with us long after the last campfire.

For me, It’s Always Summer has become a promise — a reminder that our work as leaders, mentors, and friends continues year-round. When a Varsity camper raises money so that another child can go to camp… when a counselor uses what they learned at Chestnut Lake to lead with patience and heart… when a family tells us their child is still singing the alma mater at breakfast — those are the signs that the fire is still burning.

And if you look closely, you can see it everywhere. In the hoodie a camper wears to school. In the smile of a staff member walking into the Winter Reunion. In the plans, we’re already making for the summer of 2026. Because what happens at Chestnut Lake isn’t confined to a season. It starts here — but it belongs everywhere.

So as we look ahead, let’s carry that same warmth, the same belief in people, and the same spirit that fills our camp days. Because at Chestnut Lake — no matter the month, no matter the weather — It’s Always Summer.