Part 2
By Jennifer Cohen
In this series of stories about campers from different parts of the country, we’ll get to know a few campers from Dallas, Texas.
Adam Konig, age 15, is from Dallas. This summer is his sixth year at Blue Star and he’s in Teen Village.
“My brother and sister used to come to camp. My Brian is a counselor now for the Seniors,” said Adam. “I started coming here when I was 9-years-old.I feel that camp has given me the ability to deal with a lot of different and sometimes difficult situations. When my sister went to college she said that a lot of the other students were whining about the food and she noticed that the kids who had gone to summer camp were the ones who were better able to cope with things like that. I think camp has made me more tolerant.”
Adam enjoys being at an all-Jewish camp. “I feel more a part of the Jewish community and I’m proud to be with other Jewish kids. I definitely feel that bond.”
Adam is one of only a handful of campers who come from Texas. “I really only get to see my camp friends in the summer because it’s just too hard to get together during the year,” said Adam. “That’s frustrating but it does make me look more forward to camp each summer because every moment with my camp friends is all the more precious to me.”
Adam and fellow Blue Star Camper Olivia Gerard know each other from home. Olivia, 15, is also in Teen Village and this is her ninth summer at camp.
“My dad was a camper and then a counselor and all of my uncles came here. Then I started coming with my brother when I was about 6 or 7,” said Olivia. “My cousin Preston is also here. He’s a Pioneer Boy.”
Olivia’s camp friends are very special to her. “I have known so many of the kids here since we were all in Pioneer together. I only get to see them once a year for just one month and it’s so great to be able to reconnect. We do keep in touch during the year but it’s not the same. “
The best part of camp for Olivia is Friday night Shabbat services. “At home I’m not that religious and I don’t have time to go to services and I love that about camp. It is my time to connect with my religion,” said Olivia.
In the future, Olivia would like to come back and work as an Arts and crafts specialist.
“Camp Blue Star is a part of my family and a part of my life. It really is my second home.”
