Camp Hillard’s 89th Summer Comes to a close

It is hard to believe how quickly another summer has come and gone!  Camp Hillard’s 89th summer was another successful season, full of fun, friends and really fabulous weather.  This last week of Camp kicked off with a bang on Monday, with the Apache and Iroquois Visiting Evening performance.  The boys and girls took to the stage in their production of Hairspray.  They could not stop the beat, and what a production it was!

The fun continued on Tuesday, with the annual Camp Hillard Carnival.  This year’s Carnival theme was everything Disney; every group in Camp was responsible for creating a game booth with a Disney theme.  Moana’s Maui Tattoos, Star Wars Shootout, and Pin the Tail on the Minion,  just to name a few!  There were exciting inflatables on the Main Field for campers to enjoy; a Candy Land obstacle course, the Goofy Gator and the Sea Fun House, and an Amusement park Obstacle Course.  As an extra special sweet treat, every camper and counselor enjoyed one of the most popular refreshments of the summer; a sour, Lick-a-Color ice pop.  It was a truly spectacular day from start to finish.

On Wednesday, the Libman family was joined on stage by representatives from the Westchester Children’s Musuem for the presentation of a generous check of $14,583 to this worthwhile organization.  Thank you to all the campers and counselors who participated in this year’s Charity Event.  We also enjoyed a very special Camp show; where campers performed some popular tunes from their Visiting Day performance.

Thursday was Camp Hillard’s 89th Birthday.  Every camper and Counselor got to enjoy cake and punch, after lunch, in honor of this special day.  August 17th was also Hillard Libman’s actual birthday; he would have turned 87 years old this year!

Final Day Festivities on Friday included the traditional Moving Up Ceremony, where campers and counselors moved over or up to a different Tribal Assembly area.  This is always an exciting event for the Huron boys and Girls, who will be moving out of Junior Camp, and the Comanche boys and girls, both moving up to Senior Camp.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch of Chicken O’s, followed by an Ice Cream Sundae, before we gathered at the stage for one last time to give Special Recognition to counselors who really stood out this summer, followed by the ever-popular Counselor Talent Show.  The Cheyenne Boys taught the crowd how to Wobble, Jessie from the Creative Arts Staff led the Leadership Team in an energetic Zumba workout, and the Theater Staff delivered a touching performance of Waving Through a Window from Dear Evan Hansen. It was a very entertaining and spirited display of talent!

Jim Libman continued his father’s tradition of jumping into the pool in his clothing, much to the delight of campers and staff alike!  The day seemed to fly by, and before we knew it, Tribes were meeting for their Final Afternoon Assembly and refreshments, this time with lots of goodbye hugs and some tears.  When Lenny gave the word, campers took one last walk with their counselors to their buses, buckled up and rolled down Elizabeth Street for the last time, as The Libman Family and the Leadership Team waved goodbye.  The end of yet another successful Summer!

The 89th Summer was truly terrific. Camp Hillard is a special place, and a big part of what makes it so special is due in large part to that very special group of people, the Hillard Counselors.  What they did this summer was very special.  Our campers truly benefited from all of the care and attention they received from these dedicated and enthusiastic people.

We will shortly begin the cycle again and start getting ready for Summer 2018.  In the meantime, we wish all of you the very best for the rest of the summer and on into the school year.

Thank you again for a great summer!