by Michele Ozer
On November 14th, it is International Camp T-shirt Day. Across the country, campers and alumni from all sorts of summer camps will don their favorite summer swag, relics from warmer days at their summer homes.
There is something special about wearing camp clothing. Not only does it take me back to my favorite days of the year, but there is an amazing power in the community that camp creates.
On days when I wear my camp t-shirt, I run into many with ties to GFC. The cashier at the restaurant I go to lunch, a student working at my Hillel office, a nod from a passerby on a morning run. GFC alumni are everywhere – and I am reminded of our greater community more and more when I wear my camp t-shirt.
My favorite moments of the summer are when everyone is in the camp shirts – bunk day and closing days. There is no greater feeling of unity than our summer community in matching t-shirts. I love seeing campers throughout the year at camp presentations and year-round retreats that arrive in their favorite camp apparel.
Camp t-shirts become a part of camp history. Some of our older campers and alumni have collected so many camp and NFTY t-shirts over the years that they have quilts made from them. The designs through the years show a pattern of change in style that would fascinate any anthropologist.
I have one of the best jobs in the world – I get to design the summer t-shirts. Every year, I’m faced with a challenge. How can I make the shirts better, cuter, and campier than they were the year before? How can I make this something campers want to wear again and again?
I’m already hard at work at the shirt for Summer 2018 – trying to take the essence of camp and put it into a new style for our next summer. Register for Summer 2018 – spots are filling up, and our next Early Bird ends November 17th. We look forward to seeing you in our Summer 2018 apparel, ready to be worn proudly for years to come.
Michele Ozer is an Assistant Director at URJ Greene Family Camp. She is based in Austin.