Once again, our Agawak dancers were the stars on the 4th of July which had many stellar moments, from chalk drawings to the dunk tank that left many a soaked counselor, to the Slip N Slide, to corn hole, to swimming, to an exciting and close staff-CIT softball game.And, of course, there was food and lots of it. Lunch was foot-long all-beef hotdogs, and campers snacked on Minocqua popcorn and Dan's Minocqua fudge while completing their Fourth of July banners, proudly displayed in front of their cabin. Though we could not stage our traditional Fourth of July parade dance through downtown Minocqua, your girls OUR girls, took to the tennis courts and ALL of them, dressed in matching 4th of July tanks, danced their hearts out to the passionate singing of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me”.That joining together of Agawak girls signified so much more than just a holiday dance; it was the beautiful coming together of friends who are now out of their pods, a united camp, under the bluest of skies as we were blessed with the sunniest of days.

Steak, twice baked potatoes and caesar salad hit the spot before the perfect day culminated in a fun-filled softball game and an hour of spectacular fireworks over Blue Lake, dazzling spurts of hot pink and turquoise and purple and all hues of the rainbow. As I walked to the waterfront from the tennis courts there was one message on the path written in pastel chalk that made me stop – and brought tears to my eyes: In bold letters, it read: “After 15 months of rain, it is time for us to have a rainbow”. And a rainbow it was this Fourth of July, and really every day since the buses pulled into Camp Agawak – finally! – after one long year of darkness and separation.Our camp is alive again, a rainbow of friendships and love and explosive energy and ambition, as girls are super-pumped to try new activities and perfect old ones, they left behind in 2019. I see them high-fiving each other as they make it to the top of Tango Tower, get up on salmon skis, and last night – when they hit a few home runs.

It was a flawless summer afternoon, bathed in sunlight though nothing shined brighter than your daughter. There is no precise formula to create a happy child, as every parent knows. But there is one quality we do know that contributes to those huge smiles and a sense of well-being. And that is, we make sure that each camper knows that Agawak is a safe place, a place where she is heard, a place where she is loved.

I promise you, parents – we will keep on dancing and pushing forward, Full Speed Ahead – into the best summer yet. Summer 2021 does not look like the rest of my 32 Agawak summers, though I can already see the bonds of our community are destined to be the tightest and most enduring yet.It is this unbreakable web of friendship and support that pulls our campers back to Agawak year after year. Thank you for sharing these extraordinary girls with us!

Smile on and full speed ahead!

Mary