Our first Shabbat of the summer was spectacular. Our theme for services for this first week of camp was “We are one family.” On Friday night in the Elmore Solomon Chapel, we welcomed new campers and staff into our Blue Star family and reflected on our connectedness not only as a camp community but also as one human family. We came together to pray, sing and share a joyful and peaceful Shabbat spirit that resonated from the Chapel all throughout camp. When we unveiled the names we had added to the memorial board in our camp chapel this summer, I shared the following quote from Buddha with our campers and staff…“To those in whom love dwells, the whole world is but one family.” Our Blue Star family seems to share a unique heart, one that spans generations, wishes the best for all humanity, stays connected to each other and to the spark of magic that we hope each of us finds in ourselves from the time we spend at camp.

Making this first weekend of our 2016 camp season even more special was that we were joined by an illustrious (think: BSC all stars!) group of camp alumni. All former long time campers and staff (most whom have been members of our leadership team in various capacities over the years), this close knit group of camp best friends returned to Blue Star to celebrate the upcoming marriage of two camp sweethearts, Susanna (Susu) Fried and David Cohen. Susu and David actually got engaged the day after camp ended last summer on the black top! Another couple in the group, Allie Weprin and Eric Rosenberg, are also engaged to be married. At Saturday morning services, Eric shared the following “original thoughts,” a Blue Star tradition, at our camp services.

Original Thoughts by Eric Rosenberg

Shabbat shalom

Last night’s service ended with a quote from Buddha. To build upon those thoughts and continue this summers theme of “We are One” I thought it would be appropriate to share these words from another spiritual leader…One Direction – “One band, one dream, one direction.”

I was a camper from 2000 to 2005 and on staff from 2009 to 2011. Many times I stood right here and looked out to a crowd full of faces where I knew nearly everyone, but today I only recognize a few. While part of me misses my own camp days it makes me even happier to know that Blue Star will always continue on with new generations of campers and counselors who will create some of their life’s most meaningful relationships here.

Something people will tell you a lot out there in the real world is that the only constant in life is change. Those people have never been to Blue Star. Here always smells the same, feels the same. The brunch bagels never get softer, Evan and Sosna never leave, and the Blue Star magic doesn’t stop once you turn out of camp.

I came here this weekend with a large group of friends. From youngest to oldest we span 6 Blue Star units. For you Senior 3’s, that means coming back to camp in 2029 and hanging out with a bunch of Pioneer 1’s. While that probably sounds impossible today, Blue Star makes it possible. You may have met someone 6 days ago who will be the best man or maid of honor at your wedding. Your future boss may be at Juniors waterfront right now forgetting who their buddy is.

David and Susu will have gone from awkward Pioneer coeds to having children and grandchildren together. I met my future wife Allie in 2010 as counselors. We were a unit apart for 5 summers as campers and never once crossed paths. Senior Girls – that means the short boy across the aisle with the mismatching socks, who is too nervous to talk to you today, will be someone you spend your entire life with.

As you all grow up and move away from this place – going to different schools, having different experiences, falling out of contact with some camp friends and reconnecting with others you never knew before –  there will always be ONE Blue Star. Blue Star will always continue long after we are all and maybe even this place, is gone. It is a state of mind you can tap into, it’s a foundation for any relationship you’ll have. It will be your family forever.

One camp, one dream, one direction

Happy April to our campers, staff, alums and camp families! With camp just around the corner, we are excited to tell you more about what is “new and exciting” at Blue Star in Summer 2016! You can expect Blue Star to look more beautiful than ever this year as we have been ticking away since the Fall on various capital improvement projects across camp to make this upcoming camp season extra special for our camp community.

Making Blue Star even more beautiful…
Pioneer Boy hill is looking better than ever…with extensive interior and exterior updates, brand new beautiful front porches/decks, interior paneling and some extra love and attention to the general landscape and look of the hill. Globally, more attention has been paid across camp to various natural and landscaped areas, creating a more aesthetic and “villagey” feel in those spaces. Senior Boy hill got a fresh coat of paint and many cabins in our younger camps will be getting new beautifully handcrafted cubbies!

Riding Rings, Tennis & Basketball Courts and renovated spaces for new activity offerings…

We built an incredible new riding arena to support our fabulous Equestrian program and our growing Horseback Skills Camp. Our new arena is situated in a lovely spot where campers can enjoy the surrounding natural beauty of our camp setting. It is the biggest ring we have ever had (200 x 125 feet!) with a special viewing area for camp friends and families to watch their friends at our camp “Equestrian shows.”

Our main tennis courts and outdoor basketball court are both being resurfaced and repainted. They will look clean and fresh for Summer 2016 at camp, not to mention will make for better matches and games for our camp athletics programs!

Perhaps the most exciting news to share is about our new program offerings! Last year, our new Cooking Option was an incredible success…campers loved the space we created for them to learn and hone their culinary skills. Our new Blue Star Dance Option was also an amazing and well-loved addition to our Blue Star Options (“electives”). Campers genuinely enjoyed these new BSC Options, and this year we are continuing to devote our energies to expanding and enhancing our already robust Arts program which includes theater arts, photography, video/film, arts & crafts, pottery, dance, culinary and ancient arts.

This year, we will be creating a separate activity space for a full-scale Fine Arts Option! Our campers that are bourgeoning young visual artists will receive instruction through participation in various projects and instructional sessions led by our highly skilled art specialist, Ambre. We are very excited to have a new fine arts space where campers can explore their creativity, use new mediums and materials and find new ways to express themselves through artistic endeavors.

Additionally, for our young musicians at camp, we are starting a full on Music Option! Led by our very popular camp DJ, Theo, it will include instruction in guitar, piano and other instrumentation as well as DJ, song writing and performing. A mini “band camp” at Blue Star will surely be a hit for those of our campers that already show an interest in and affinity for music and those that are hoping to explore their musicality at camp this summer!

Our love for camp and dedication to making Blue Star the best it can be is unwavering! We can’t wait for opening day of Summer 2016 and to share the next “best Blue Star summer ever” with all of you…We are One!

Our horses are doing it all this winter! They’ve been participating in lessons and shows, winning trophies and ribbons, helping kids with disabilities, and a few have even been featured in magazines and newspapers! We are so proud of all of their accomplishments, but we can’t help but to reminisce about the truly unique camp experience that we all had at Horseback Skills Camp last summer! Our campers (and horses!) developed friendships and embraced adventure in the ring and on the trail.

We wanted to share some highlights from this fun-filled week with all of our camp families because we can’t wait to do it again in 2015!

The days were filled with lessons from CHA certified instructors that provided advancement in riding skills; with ratios of no more than 2 campers to 1 instructor, we could provide concentrated instruction all day that goes well beyond what is possible in a normal camp session.

The beautiful Hendersonville weather created the opportune afternoons to go on adventures with our horses. We went on trail rides all throughout Blue Star’s 500 acres, we met with Blue Star’s Equine Dentist and Farrier to have a well-rounded education about equine care, and we got to participate in many aspects of barn management and natural horsemanship. We even took the horses swimming the New Lake (but, no, they did not get to go down the Zip Line)!

You better believe that our traditional Blue Star Magic was sprinkled throughout this week as well! The campers were the first of the summer to play on the Blue Mat in the lake, and had an awesome time participating in evening programs. We even went on a few off-camp trips with all of the Horseback Instructors! It’s not every week at camp that you get to go bowling and get ice cream at Dolly’s Dairy Bar with the whole horseback gang!

We capped the week off with an exhibition of all the campers had learned by participating in an in-camp Horse Show complete with judges and an awards ceremony. Parents who came to watch the show were so proud of the culmination of all of the rider’s accomplishments throughout the week!

If you are interested in learning more or in joining us for an incredible 7 day, sleep away Horseback Skills Camp, click the link below!

We can’t wait to see all you Horseback campers in 2015, but for now, enjoy the slideshow of all of the happy campers and instructors learning lots and having the time of their lives during the 2014 Horseback Skills Camp!

Click here to learn more about Horseback Skills camp for Summer 2015!

Click here to see our 2014 Horseback Skills Camp Slideshow

Check out this amazing slideshow documenting the art projects made by our campers and staff this past summer as part of our participation as the pilot camp for the Conservation Generation program! Read on to learn more about these art projects, which highlight water conservation and speak to our camp’s deep commitment to environmental stewardship.

This summer at Blue Star, our campers created….

Rain barrels –Senior Girl campers designed and painted rain barrels to be used for rain water collection at camp.

Rain chains – Andrew “Pottery” made collection pots out of clay and our Pioneer Girl campers painted and glazed the items. Members of our staff purchased chain material, connected the pots together and hung them.

Two of the barrels were used with the rain chain to collect water for the purpose of watering our camp’s living wall. 

Water Colors Paintings – Campers used collected rain water to do abstract and landscape paintings of our camp’s beautiful scenery.

Photo-collage triptych – Jaime “Photography” and campers in her option took pictures of water on camp and then photo-collaged them on wooden boards.

Screen print water drop tees with corresponding personal statement piece (Multi-media collage).

Teen Village campers screen-printed tees (a single rain drop design) with the help of a visiting artist, Lia Naor. Campers also wrote their own personal “statement” about water conservation (why it is important, what it means to them, ways to conserve, etc). The drop on the tee is the symbol of that statement; when they wear the shirts, they represent that idea to the world. Statements were documented in a collage piece (on wood) that is currently hanging in Joe’s Place.

Art Installation…Water drops and Umbrellas

An interactive “public art” installation was created by campers with help of visiting artist, Lia Naor and members of our staff. The goal was to create a beautiful and thought-provoking, “statement piece” that would grab the attention of our camp community, encourage all of us to see the world from a different perspective and to feel inspired and empowered about conserving our natural resources.

PB Public Service Announcement about Water Conservation (video project), created by Pioneer Boys. Pioneer Boy campers made wonderfully funny and cute “PSA’s” to encourage good practices regarding water conservation at camp and at home.

Our campers and staff can and do make the world a better place, a core value of the Conservation Generation program and Blue Star. We are so proud of our Blue Star family for helping to “heal the world” with these acts of conservation and creativity!