SpringHill Experiences,  Summer Camp

Is it “Burger Island” or “the Island”?

It’s the last week of summer camp and Sunday evening I indulged in my last meal at “the Island” or, as so many people now call it, “Burger Island”. As I sat there enjoying my burger (and brat), beans and great fellowship with our resident staff and volunteers, I couldn’t help but wonder “how did the name of this sacred place so inadvertently, so unintentionally (or maybe it was purposefully and maliciously) changed over the years?”

It’s like the name of the White House slowing changing to the POTUS’ Crib, or The Rose Bowl becoming PAC 12 Field, or Saint Peter’s Basilica becoming simply Pete’s Crash Pad. Sacred and important places shouldn’t have their names change slowly over time without some forethought, right?

(And yes, you can tell, it’s the last week of camp because I’ve drifted into thinking such “high level and strategic” thoughts, all of which will have serious implications for the future of …. uh, well, such things as t-shirts and property maps)

So what’s a leader to do in such a situation? How does one undo years of slow creep? How does the popular name get change back to the right and proper title? Should nature take its course or should one fight to maintain what’s right? (OK, maybe I should be asking myself “why would a leader spend more than a minute on such things?”)

My course of action? I’ll do what so often happens in leadership today – I’ll take a poll and find out what’s the most popular name for this sacred place, and then I’ll make that name the one I endorse.

So tell me is it “The Island” or “Burger Island”?

One Comment

  • Denise Perry

    So in 1082 when on summer staff, there was only one dining hall. For those who were in the wagons (present location would be Trapper Outpost) the walk to the dining hall 3 times a day could be taxing on the little ones. The option was to go to THE ISLAND. We would enjoy a pancake breakfast right over the fire (sand and all) once a week and a picnic lunch once a week. We would sing as we MARCHED TO THE ISLAND for that was the name of this wonderful location that provided a unique experience that was rustic and smack in the middle of God’s creation. Then…we would all brush our teeth in the spit pit. How is that for history

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: