Letters home from camp

When I was younger, I attended a Jewish summer camp, Camp Tevya. I started going to camp when I was eight years old (the youngest age campers were allowed to be) because my brother Ben and I were never apart when we were younger. I spent eight summers at Tevya as a camper, then went back for one summer as a CIT and one summer as a counselor. As campers, we used to have to write home three times per week.

This morning, while cleaning out the basement, my parents found boxes of letters my brother and I wrote home during the summers of 1999 and 2000. I was 9 and 10 years old and Ben was 11 and 12 years old. 

The following are some of the letters we sent home. I spelled/punctuated everything the way it was spelled/punctuated in the letters.

From Arielle - Summer 1999 - 9 years old

"Hello! I finally got your letters. It is raining, thundering and lightning. The power is out so I'm writing by flashlight. Last night it was the same. Me and Ben have the same electives, tennis, field sports and basketball.
Love you,
Arielle"

"Dear mom,
I'm having an awesome time at camp. Yesterday we went to water country. I went on 4 rides! They were water slides and rides on the lazy river (a ride) I got stuck and my tube flipped over backwards. Can you go to newbury comics and get me six packs of poke'mon cards? Send them in a package. In a letter send 20 band aids with designs. DO NOT send them in a package. My bunk mates are really nice. Are you on medication for your bug? Do you feel better? I hope so. Did you go to the Cape? That's all for now.
Love,
Arielle
[drawing of person with a thermometer that says "don't look like this" next to a drawing of a girl stick figure smiling "look like this!!!!!"]"

"Dear mom and dad,
Hi. I'm having a great time. We're getting big sisters tomorrow. Send another package.
Love,
Arielle"

"Dear mom,
Hi. Send a package with poke'mon cards. I'm having a great time. It is shabbat. I'm happy.
Love,
Arielle"

"Dear mom,
I miss you very much. Camp is almost over. The Shira guy is weird. I will send you a birthday card tomorrow! Love you,
Arielle"

"Dear mom,
Do you have any spare toothpaste caps? Mine fell down the drain. I miss you very much. Tonight we are having a water fight against Yavneh.
Love ya,
Arielle"

From Ben - Summer 1999 - 11 years old

"Dear Mom and Dad.
Camp is great. I went on 4 different rides at water country. We went to roller land also. I threw up twice. I spent the night at the health center with Jake and Josh my 2 best friends. Kayla and Alana spent the night there too. I watched my cousin vinny home alone 2 and my best friends wedding. Today is Jakes birthday we had pizza (I did not eat it) I miss you a lot (since I'm sick).
Love,
Ben
P.S. can you send me some stamps?"

"Dear Mom,
Camp is great. I'm having the best time. I miss you more then Arielle. See you soon,
Ben"

"Dear mom,
Camp is great. I'm very scared of the thunder and lightning storms that keep happening this is the 2nd day in a row. I miss you a lot Reading you letters make me very Homesick. But my councilers have been so nice they are the best. Its thundering again.
Love,
Ben"


From Arielle - Summer 2000 - 10 years old

"Dear Mom,
I am 50/50. Camp is okay. I'm not breathing well. The food is bad. The weather is okay.
Love,
Arielle"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
I miss you. I don't want to stay 2 months. My stomach is not doing well and neither is my asthma. Also my wrist KILLS. I did not want to have to write bad news, but it is the truth. Good news: for electives I got cartooning and drawing, tennis and basketball. I am level 3/4 in swimming. Ben won't talk to me so you better write to him about it. I get headaches sometimes but they're very small. That's all for now.
Love,
Arielle"
 
"Dear Mom,
Remember to send AA batteries, like 20 of them anyway I miss you. Send 34 c stamps.
Love,
Arielle"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
This is my list to bring for visiting day:
A visor (A+F, Nike, or Adidas)
Gatorade: Blue, Red and yellow
Super Mario Deluxe, for color gameboy
Post it notes.
Gelly roll pens
3 more rolls of film for I-Zone and markers.
Guess what? Color War broke Monday night and I'm on Galil. Rachel is also on galil. Ben and I want to go home for visiting day.
Can you tell me how the all-star game was? Did Pedro pitch? How are you?
Also, can you bring the 4th Harry Potter book. There is so much time to read.
Love,
Arielle"

"There is 1 counselor that I dont like. It's Sharon she yells at us to get going but she just stays in bed and goes on dates with the maintince guys. When I was having an asthma attack it took her 10 minutes to figure out wether to ride with her boyfriend or go to the infirmary by foot.
Love,
Arielle"


From Ben - Summer 2000 - 12 years old

"Dear Mom,
Camp is great bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. By the way, can you send me a composition note book?
Love,
Ben"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
Camp is great. Today is July 4th it is also my counsolor Zack Sigel birthday. Wouldnt it be cool to be born on the fourth of July. Where is my clothes? If you havent sent my package of clothes yet please add 5 pairs of mess shorts. Thanks for writing.
In the envelope you see a peice of lather strap that says mom It is your Birthday present. Its a bookmark. I made in arts and crafts. I like to call it farts and craps.
There testing the fire works write now their really loud. Will you write to me about the pops 4th. Hows Mike.
Their was a big accident here with police and ambulances at least 3 cops. A kid was tubing and somehow his leg got caught in the motor of the boat and all of us had to go back to their bunks. I dont really remember if I told you that before.
The glass cover for the light and now theres glass all over the place. We just had a barbecue and I had the worst hot dog ever. Whats with arielle only staying 1 month. Why is she wearing a wrist guard on her arm for a brace.
I'm playing 4 square and writing this at the same time. So for this year is the best year ever. Do you know I'm writing whatever I think why I am writing so long. I'm yelling at kids for shooting me with water gun. Love,
Ben"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
I'm not in a very good mood write now. I just came back from lunch. First of all last night I got a chicken pattie with a sticker cooked on to it. Then at lunch I asked for PB&J and I got a jelly sandwich wich was cranberry sauce. Then my table counsolur who loves me :) made me bring it back. So I get one with peanut butter and jelly but the bread was stuck together so then we sent it back and the next one the bread was cold. I got to go.
Love,
Ben"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
Camp is great. Last night I got a bug in my ear and had to go to the informery. After you left I missed you a lot but now I'm ok. It is really hot hear. Is it hot there? How was the beach? Have you gon yet. I kind of need some more shorts so please send some.
Love,
Ben"

"Dear Mom and Dad,
Guess what I did at 5:30 am. I swam across lake Potanipo. It was a 2 mile swim and it took an hour. Their was 50 kids doing it and about 30 life gaurds like 10 of them were swiming 10 were funyaking and the rest were 2 motor boats with 5 people on them. Here is a diagram:
[rows of dots]"