The Under-Appreciated Holiday

Of all the holidays we celebrate, Thanksgiving is the stepchild.  Thanksgiving falls between Halloween and Christmas.  If you go by merchandise sold in conjunction with this holiday, Thanksgiving barely moves the needle. Everyone knows when we have Christmas (December 25th) and Halloween (October 31st), but Thanksgiving? It’s on a Thursday.

You see Halloween decorations go up in neighborhoods in late September and Christmas decorations going up around Thanksgiving.  I get the feeling that Thanksgiving is simply the kickoff for Christmas.  I’m writing this article on Veterans’ Day, another unappreciated holiday, but that’s another article.

Personally, I like Thanksgiving for many of the same reasons other people enjoy this holiday.  I like to eat, watch football, and eat some more.  What makes watching football and eating extra enjoyable is I’m with my family – both families.  Our usual Thanksgiving schedule goes like this:  We eat lunch with one family, hang out a few hours, go to a football game, eat Thanksgiving dinner #2 with the second family on Friday, then spend Saturday watching football in a stupor.

It sounds so cliché to talk about giving thanks on Thanksgiving, but that’s what I do.  I’m grateful for my family, my wife, Susan, my mother and father, who are about to turn 92 and 93 respectively, my brother and sister, and a growing tribe of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, nieces-in-law and nephews-in-law and nieces-in-law to be.

I think about grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles who are no longer with us, but I smile thinking of them – especially Aunt Trudy and Uncle Carter. Physically, they are not with us, but their legacy lives on.

During Thanksgiving, I realize how lucky I am.  No, my life isn’t perfect, but it takes longer to list things I am grateful for than it takes to list things I need.  Like the song says (and I paraphrase), “You can’t always get what you want; but if you have what you need you are really ahead of the game.”

Enjoy your families and let them enjoy you.  Laugh at your uncle’s jokes even if you have heard them before.  I apologize ahead of time to my nieces and nephews for saying for the umpteenth time as I plow into my dinner, “My body is a temple and I’m about to expand it.”  It really was funny in 1999.  My cats really like Thanksgiving.   After two solid days of eating, they have a bigger and fluffier lap to sleep on.

I hope all of you have a wonderful, stress-free, and happy Thanksgiving.

-- Joe Ray

Scary Influences on Our Kids and the Answers Camp Offers

Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, today’s kids are spending an inordinate amount of time in front of screens, including TVs, computers, tablets, and phones.   The other day, Brooklyn, Director Dan’s 2-year old daughter, was “talking” to Siri on the iPhone.  Dan wondered if she realized that the “person” she was talking to didn’t really have a personality.  It’s a wild concept to think that our children are comfortable interacting with a computer or phone like a person.  Further, it’s scary that a screen is part of their social interactions.  According to the Academy of Pediatrics, the average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly eight hours a day with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers spend more than 11 hours per day.

In a recent C.A.M.P. conference, Dr. David Welsh spoke on the negative effects of electronic media on our children’s lives, such as: inhibiting children’s ability to recognize emotions in others, becoming immune to violence, behaving more aggressively, arguing more with authority figures (e.g., parents, teachers), infringing on reading and studying time, promoting a sedentary lifestyle and contributing to the obesity epidemic, as well as losing the ability to focus on what is most important, deep thought, and problem-solving.  Technology is a poor substitute for personal interaction.

Camp is a powerful antidote for the many scary influences facing children today.  At camp, we are totally “unplugged.”  We require our campers and counselors to turn in their cell phones at the beginning of the camp day and they are not used again until the end of the day.   In addition, we have some parents who will not allow media use at the end of the day until they have dialogued with the camper about the day.  Camp promotes personal interaction between campers and counselors and encourages team-building.  Additionally, being physically active all day counteracts a sedentary lifestyle.  The type of activities and challenges at camp encourage focus, thought and problem-solving.  Camp provides campers with the opportunity to be outside in nature, breathing fresh air and enjoying the benefits of exercise and healthy activities.

This is why one of our core values is P.I.C.!!! – problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and creativity.  We strive at Doublecreek to be a safe, fun place for your camper.  But the ultimate benefits in today’s society can be broader than we comprehend.  Thank you for sending your kids to camp!!

-- Susu

Thank You DC Family

Thank you all for the kind words, the thoughtful messages and for being part of the Doublecreek family. Aunt Trudy left some mighty big shoes to fill, and a legacy that every child should feel special when they come into the gates of Camp Doublecreek.

Aunt Trudy -- You Have Left Handprints on Our Hearts

We are so blessed to have been a part of the world of Mrs.Trudy Lester. 
She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, motivator, and a legend. But to all of us that knew her, she was simply Aunt Trudy. We will miss her dearly.

Aunt Trudy -- Camp Legend

Saturday, September 12th, our camp legend, Aunt Trudy, joined Uncle Carter in Heaven. Mary Ann (Trudy) Lester was born in Pampa, Texas November 21, 1927 to Dr. D. H. and Clarice (Dodson) Truhitte. Her father was a pastor and the family moved to various churches in Missouri and Texas until 1942 when he was called to pastor Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin. Mary Ann graduated from Austin High School in 1944. She attended Mary Hardin-Baylor after high school where she became "Trudy" which was a shortened version of her maiden name; and "Trudy" she has been ever since. She married Carter Lester on December 22, 1945. They were married 68 years until his death in March 2013.

Trudy graduated from the University of Texas in 1966 with a degree in Elementary Education.  She taught at Dawson and Pillow Elementary Schools in the Austin ISD until 1971 when she and Carter bought a cotton farm southeast of Round Rock. Together they founded Camp Doublecreek.

Once Doublecreek started, they were known as Uncle Carter and Aunt Trudy.  The new nicknames suited them.  They were truly an aunt and uncle to all the campers who came to Doublecreek and to all the counselors who worked for them.  Under their guidance, the camp flourished and grew from a camp with 32 campers on the first day to a camp that routinely has over 300 campers each day.

Trudy had a special touch that made the ordinary become unique.  Aunt Trudy made a camper’s day brighter in every way – it didn’t matter if she was greeting campers as they got off the bus or leading Sing-Song.  Aunt Trudy loved the campers and they loved her back.  During the last three or four summers, Aunt Trudy needed assistance moving from her golf cart to her seat at Sing-Song.  There was never a shortage of counselors and campers waiting to help Aunt Trudy.

Aunt Trudy was a wonderful woman who would do everything she could for you.  Her legacy lives on through the lives of thousands of campers and counselors who will remember her fondly with wonderful memories and lots of smiles. Her amazing legacy will live on in the hearts of all of us impacted by her inspirational life.

 Joe Ray

Please watch a video about the impact Aunt Trudy has made on all our lives:

https://youtu.be/_vWABVZ3dZs

Reflections on an Amazing Summer!

Watch our video where Director Dan reflects upon all the great times we had this past summer at Camp Doublecreek.

Best of the Summer!

Watch our video from our final week of camp!!!  We brought back favorite activities, games, and crafts from the summer!  It was a blast!!!  Here's the link:

https://vimeo.com/137046236