The Power of Empathy
This past year has been hard on the Deerhorn Family. We lost Rooster, and then Derek, and in November we lost Gabe. And now Andrew. All of those things left me feeling cracked wide open. I felt deeply their losses, not only for myself, but for their parents and families, and the Deerhorn Family, especially […]
Goodbye to a Friend
It is with heavy hearts that we once again have to share news of the passing of one of our own. Andrew Block, who was a longtime camper and then counselor, passed away in his sleep two days ago. As a camper, he was well loved by staff and peers alike, a kind and hilarious […]
Camp: The Ultimate Internship
Every summer, we are lucky enough to be able to work with some of the best young men and women out there. We are blessed that more than 90% are returning staff or former campers. However, there are always guys who were incredible campers, leaders among their peers, who loved camp but don’t return to […]
The Stretch Zone
A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about the importance of connection, and I discussed an article that had run in the Chicago Tribune. It talked about a camp for adults, called Fireside, which was started by two men who had been campers at Camp Walden. One of the lines from the article […]
Light in the Darkness
I just finished reading a book called “Everything Happens for a Reason-(and other lies I’ve loved)” by Kate Bowler. She was diagnosed a few years ago with stage 4 colon cancer, and her book is frank and honest and beautifully puts words to things that are hard to talk about. One quote from the book […]
Just Show Up
On Tuesday, the Deerhorn Family said goodbye, once again, to one of our own. The service was beautiful, the church was packed, and there were quite a few Deerhorn staff and campers in attendance. I would expect nothing less. Gabe Deely had a smile that could light up the room, and we will miss that […]
Connection
At the end of September, the Chicago Tribune ran an article in the business section called “Camp Allows Adults to Connect, Without Cell Coverage.” It talked about a conference called Fireside, which describes itself as an off-the-grid retreat for entrepreneurs in the Canadian wilderness. One of their promo videos says, “It’s not virtual reality. It’s […]
Problem Solving
Last Friday, I shared an article on our social media sites entitled, “Lawnmower Parents are the New Helicopter Parents.” I shared it not to accuse or label. The article simply hit home for me. I think that all of us, at one point or another, have probably been guilty of being “lawnmower parents,” parents who […]
True and Beautiful
Yesterday was one of the hardest, most powerful, most beautiful days of my life, yet another day when I was overwhelmingly grateful to be a part of the Deerhorn Family. Of the over 500 people who attended Derek’s service, at least a third of them were Deerhorn people, parents, staff, and kids of all ages. […]
Understanding Boys
Our kids are now 9 and 11, in third grade and sixth grade. I have friends who are just starting out and who have littles who are potty training, not sleeping, throwing tantrums. They have asked me, “Does it get easier?” I never know how to answer that question. I want to say “Yes! Everything […]