When I was a kid, I liked school. But in late spring, I was ready for it to be over. I taped a paper link chain to my bedroom door and tore off one link every evening to count down the days. The main reason was that I could hardly wait to go to camp – Camp El Tesoro. 

On Sunday, the drive to camp used to seem so long – an eternity. Back then, for Sunday arrival, we wore white shirts and white shorts (that never stayed clean) … in addition to terribly embarrassing sunhats! But as soon as we turned in the gate, I forgot all about my awful hat (almost) and only wanted to see if I recognized any of the counselors from prior summers and if I knew any of the kids in my cabin.

Bye, mom and dad! Crossing the swinging bridge truly became like entering my second home. One that became so familiar, but held new adventures every year. The place where I found a mixture of peace, beauty, fun and adventure. I also found critters of various sizes that I didn’t see at home. (Be Calm.) I learned how to deal with that. I also learned to be resourceful and began the journey toward self-reliance and independence.

As campers, it was probably the first time we lived with others who were not our family members. Even as we were gaining self-reliance and a measure of independence, we also started learning how to get along with people who were not just like us. Camp is a community where young people can begin to develop the skill of consensus building, learning to settle differences in a positive manner, and, to work together toward accomplishing goals. Camp provides an informal course in life skills – life lessons that serve youth well at camp and in the “real” world.

Camp was a safe place to try new things – and fail, perhaps – to receive encouragement and try again. At El Tesoro, I learned how to ride a horse, swim, play tennis and shoot a bow and arrow – all great activities. But two of my most favorite were not found in a structured activity session. The first was singing – so many songs. We sang all the time … after meals, hiking down a trail or walking on the road. I used to think that I knew a camp song for every occasion. And as we got older, some people brought their guitars. Even better.

The next most favorite activity … spending the night in a hammock on Mt. Loma. It was a challenge to see if you could tie the hammocks one over the other like bunk beds. Armadillos were always rustling around in the middle of the night. We had to carry our food and equipment up from Main Lodge. We learned how to make a table top using tree branches and binder’s twine. We learned how to build campfires that would light with one match, cook a meal, and safely extinguish the blaze. We all smelled like smoke. At the end of the day, we watched the sunset, and then we could see the Milky Way and thousands of stars. And, we drifted off to sleep listening to the sound of the Chuck-will’s-widows. (Some would call it a whippoorwill, but I was told by my knowledgeable 9-year-old cabin buddy that it was, in fact, a Chuck-will’s-widow. And she was right!) It was a fairly primitive camping experience, and it was great.

Some of you who read this may identify closely with what I have written. You were there! Maybe not at El Tesoro, but you were somewhere, at some camp – building fires, singing songs, and becoming the you that you are today.

Others may be parents who are considering the idea of sending your child to camp for the first time. To you I would say, do it! Camp is a learning experience for parents also. My parents came to realize that I did not forget about them when I went to camp. It was just sometimes, I arrived back home before my letters did. They endured my singing of camp songs in the car all the way home. That drive probably seemed like an eternity to them, but hey – at least they were picking up a happy camper! And perhaps most significant, my mother learned to dump out my dirty clothes bag in the backyard rather than inside the house. 

After the first couple of summers, it became apparent to me and my parents that there was something special about this Camp El Tesoro that only increased with time. I eventually became a Counselor-in-Training and part of the summer camp staff. Those experiences helped to shape my interests, and influenced education and employment decisions. I’m sure I did not thank my parents enough for providing the El Tesoro opportunity when I was young, but I know they understood how much it meant to me. Camp was fun and an adventure; it was learning – new activities, skills, about people and the environment. I developed an appreciation for nature and all creatures. And, I made long-lasting friendships that continue to grow with the years.

The activities at camp are what you do. The intangible qualities of camp are what contribute to forming your inner self – the inner being that defines you. The value of that is immeasurable. My experiences at El Tesoro and in the Camp Fire program made an impact on my life that continues to this day, as El Tesoro is still my second home.

Lydia Goetz is the Camp El Tesoro Coordinator for Camp Fire First Texas. Lydia enjoys her work with Camp Fire because she believes Camp Fire programs truly make a positive impact on the lives of children and adults in many ways. She has been a part of Camp Fire since she became a Blue Bird in the second grade. Lydia was a camper at El Tesoro for seven summers, a CIT and a member of summer camp staff for seven summers. She still attends camp during the week-long, El Tesoro de la Vida program, a camp for grieving children. Lydia holds a Bachelor of Science in recreation, Master of Science in physical education from Baylor University and a Doctor of Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University.