Embedded Files
Friendship bracelets in the Walnut Grove, 2018.
"Space Balls theme weekend pic when I visited my sister who was on staff at the time." - Grace (right) visiting Camp with her older sister, Stephy (left).
A huge thank you to Camp Champion Grace R., who sent in a treasure trove of materials from her time at Camp. Grace was a camper from 2008-2013 and a staff member from 2014-2018. During her time at Camp from being a tiny eight year old new camper, to her last year on staff as a Senior Counselor, she took beautiful film photographs that capture the quintessential enchantment of a Camp Onas summer. Grace has shared these special photos with us, along with arts & crafts memorabilia that we think will transport you back to the pizza party with your bunk on the last night of Camp...
A huge thank you to Camp Champion Grace R., who sent in a treasure trove of materials from her time at Camp. Grace was a camper from 2008-2013 and a staff member from 2014-2018. During her time at Camp from being a tiny eight year old new camper, to her last year on staff as a Senior Counselor, she took beautiful film photographs that capture the quintessential enchantment of a Camp Onas summer. Grace has shared these special photos with us, along with arts & crafts memorabilia that we think will transport you back to the pizza party with your bunk on the last night of Camp...
Grace is still an artist today. She is now earning an M.F.A in Visual Art at Washington University in St. Louis (you can check out some of her art on her website). Her practice mostly focuses on painting but she’s been dabbling in sculpture. This summer, she’ll be attending an artist residency in Sardinia, Italy, and then will be going to Berlin and Venice with her MFA program. After, she'll go to Nice and Rome and then head back to NYC for the rest of the summer.
Grace is still an artist today. She is now earning an M.F.A in Visual Art at Washington University in St. Louis (you can check out some of her art on her website). Her practice mostly focuses on painting but she’s been dabbling in sculpture. This summer, she’ll be attending an artist residency in Sardinia, Italy, and then will be going to Berlin and Venice with her MFA program. After, she'll go to Nice and Rome and then head back to NYC for the rest of the summer.
What is your connection to Camp Onas?
I grew up watching my sisters go to Onas and couldn't wait until I was old enough to go. My sisters were both campers and Stephy was also a staff member for many years. Unfortunately, my first summer as a camper was my sister's first year not working on staff, and I would have loved to have the experience of being there at the same time as her. It was, however, really special to have that shared experience and throughout my entire time at Onas - as a camper and on staff - she always sent letters and was there to talk Camp whenever I was missing it during the year. Especially when I was on staff, it was so great to have someone to talk to who wasn't there, but still understood all the places, traditions and people I was referring to. I wanted to be a staff member because I wanted to give back to the community that gave me so, so much over the years. It was so important to me to be able to foster the same experiences I had and recreate them in my own ways, making new memories for campers. It could be a rainy day on the voyager spent dodging thunderstorms or something as simple as a handmade birthday card. These little special moments encompass the Camp experience for me.
Chicory, the youngest bunk on the Gold Side, (Formerly Lingohocken) Third Session 2008.
Left: First Half CITs at White House Dinner 2016. Center: Counselors in 2008. Right: Jamee on the bus to the roller rink during changeover.
Margaret on Geigel Hill Road, 2015
When you talk about Camp with friends and family, how do you describe the Onas experience? What stands out to you?
Whenever I talk about Onas to friends and family, I find that I have a hard time putting my experience into words. It's one of those things that you only truly understand if you've spent time there.
From left to right: Grace R., Margaret, Rowan.
2015 Staff Patch
"My favorite."
What kinds of skills and values did you learn at Camp, both as a camper and as a counselor?
Through being a camper and counselor, I learned how to work well with others and with a sense of urgency, but also how important it is to make time for yourself and get into nature whenever the opportunity arises. Camp made me a more compassionate and genuine person and taught me how to listen to others and internalize their feelings.
What did you feel when you found this treasure trove of Onas photos and memorabilia?
I am someone who keeps absolutely everything and am unable to throw anything out. I still have all the letters I received as a camper and all my Camp pictures. I love holding onto these kinds of things because I can look back at them and immediately be reimmersed in them. Even if it’s just an award I got when I was eleven or a note a friend wrote me on the last day, I treasure these things because they remind me of a place that meant so much to me. When I returned home after graduating college, I had to go through all of my belongings and was struck by all these little things I had held onto that I had no idea were still in my possession. I'm so happy I held onto them though, and I truly don't know if I'll ever be able to throw out my swim lesson certificates, bunk awards, clipboard, or terrible disposable camera photos. Looking through all these papers and photos I amassed was like reliving my Camp experience, and I'm so happy I held onto so much of it, so it can be shared with others through the Onas History Project.
"Iconic" Milo N. in 2008
Jackson D. in 2008
"I lost a tooth when I was in Tinnicum, in I want to say 2010, and this was under my pillow, and I was given a hershey's chocolate bar by head counselor Gracie C."
Why is Camp Onas important to you?
When I was growing up, Camp was so important to me because I felt like when I was there, I was able to be 100% myself. Having a place where I could be authentic helped me grow up and find out who I was as a person. Now, Camp remains important to me because of the life lessons I learned, the people I met, and the unforgettable experiences that shaped who I am today. Even as a staff member, I felt like Camp was a place where I got to be a kid again by singing loud, exploring nature, dressing up, and everything else in between. I truly believe I would be a completely different person if I had never gone to Onas and I'm incredibly grateful that I was given that opportunity. Giving to Camp is so important to me and my family because everyone deserves to have that experience, and every kid deserves to feel like they're a part of something as special as Onas.
Friendships made at Camp are truly unlike any other because they're created in such a magical place and there's this weird, inexplicable bond formed over the course of the few weeks or months spent there. I'm still in touch with so many people I grew up with and spent time with at Camp and I know that when we see each other, even if it's been a while, we can fall right back into a rhythm because we're so familiar with one another. I ended up at Kenyon for college because a really close friend from Onas told me to apply at the last minute, and through that, I found this other amazing community that felt like home in the same way Camp felt like home. I know that a lot of the people I met at Camp will be in my life for a really long time and I love watching these people I've known since we were 8, 10, or 13 years old growing up and doing amazing things in the world.
Top Left: Jamee and Grace before the camp dance in 2018. Bottom Left: Right: Grace with her co-counselor and bunk in 2016.
Left: Gold Side Staff before a camp dance 2015 or 2016. Top Right: 2018 Schedule. Bottom Right: A skit in 2018.
Left: Margaret on the highway that Camp Onas staff adopted and clean up every summer. Center: Prisoner's Base in the rain 2016. Top Right: Margaret with Donkeys, Winter Reunion 2015. Bottom Right: Polaris (formerly Cree) Fourth Session 2018.
Grace's Onas Awards Gallery
Grace's Onas Awards Gallery
Wood Sign Right: "Staff award from 2016 made for me by Ben Baker and I brought it to college with me to remind me of camp always."
Thank you so much for sharing your memories and touching reflections with us, Grace!
Do you have Onas photos or memorabilia you’d like to submit to the Onas History Project?
We're interested in any additions that help tell the story of Camp Onas and our community over the last century! Now's a great time to send us a picture, scan, or recording so we can include your memories as we prepare to make the Camp Onas History Project available online.
Some examples of memorabilia we hope you’ll send our way:
Letters from Camp
Awards given to campers or counselors
Graduate certificates
A&C (Arts & Crafts) Masterpieces
Photos from your time at Onas
Essays campers or staff have written about Onas
Some thoughts from you, today, reflecting on the Onas experience
Basically, any and all things Onas!
Email your submissions to history.project@camponas.org
Have more pictures than you have time to scan? Call or email us! We'll arrange a way for Onas staff to scan them, and return your items to you with a digital copy.
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