In the past couple of weeks, birthday postcards and enrollment welcome notes have been flying out of the Runoia mailbox by the dozen . How fun it is to send them and hopefully they are received joyfully with a glimpse of a warm, camp summer accompanying them. In our virtual world it’s fun to get something tangible in the mail. It’s personal just for you and reminds each of us that we are being thought about even when we are not at camp. For new campers it may be their first connection to a person at camp soon to be followed by pen pal letters and begins their relationship with Runoia that is separate to their parents.

For alums and returning campers it’s part of the magic of Runoia. The notes don’t come from a particular person; they just come from camp. From the place you call your summer home, from the memories and magic that Camp Runoia holds for you.

I often wonder when the signing off of mail from camp as  ‘Aionur’ started. Maybe our Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization has some secret intel about the tradition and who instigated it. I chuckle a little thinking about new families scratching their heads trying to figure out who the note is from. Sometimes they get a clue, other times there’s a confused email saying they aren’t sure who this person is but they appreciated the note and will they meet them at camp?

When sending mail to camp friends, many campers may sign off with ‘Bobo’s’ a reminder of our camp cheer and that you are loved and appreciated by your camp family. Back when camp was a little smaller girls received a departing ‘bobo’ individually as they left camp at the end of the summer.

These traditions though seemingly small keep us connected to each other and to our summer home. We can’t wait to be back with all of our Camp Runoia family and hope to see many return for the reunion this summer, maybe we will get to the bottom of the Aionur history mystery then.

See you on Great Pond.

Love Aionur