An Open Letter to Father Foley

 

Dear Father Foley,

I often walk around camp and think about what your reaction would be to the Camp Foley that exists today. Are you surprised little Marie Schmid, who would make you your favorite burnt toast, is now The Director of Camp Foley along with her own daughter? There are so many things Marie and Alli would love to be able to show you. 

Lets start with some positive changes I am excited to share. Girls can come to Camp Foley now! It's the reason I have a job at all, as the girls assistant director, my job is to help all the female staffers be as successful as possible. Girls started coming in 1974, and they actually hold a campfire every session at your old cabin. They roast marshmallows and give out a very special award. 

We also use the old ice house as something totally different. It is now "The Lego Room" where kids can go and build things and have a nice safe place to play. We have paintball now! A sport that involves campers trying to hit each other with paint, using markers and hiding behind different obstacles. 

Some things have also stayed pretty much the same, we still eat soda bread and have mass in the "Our Lady of Snows" chapel. All the cabins still bear the names you gave them, even if a few have been remodeled over the years. I think you would find that Mic Mac and Sacajawea look very different from what you remember. 

The most important thing that has stayed the same is the joy Camp Foley brings to each individual. You started Camp to get children outside and into nature to learn to socialize, gain new skills, and become leaders in their own right. Our mission is still very much the same today. We partner with parents to drive campers to grow, gain grit, investigate, and build independence. 

The reason I and so many other people keep coming back to camp is because of the community built here and the skills that shape us into the people we become. So I think the biggest thing I want to say to you, Father Foley, is thank you. Thank you for creating a place that feels like home no matter what else is going on in the rest of the world. Thank you for creating a place that challenges us to be the best people we can be. The lessons we learn and the peole we meet here will never be forgotten. 

Love,

Ally Daily