For our Meet A Camper series we’re interviewing returning campers to see why they’re coming back to Camp Bonfire, Real Summer Camp for Adults.
For our fourth installment meet Lauren from Philadelphia. She’s coming back for a third year!
What is a fun memory you have from Camp Bonfire?
A fun memory from camp is when my bunk-mate John announced to the cabin that he spent way too much money on makeup on his way to camp, and had no idea how to apply any of his new makeup for a drag performance he wanted to do at the talent show. He was reaching out for help, into a room of strangers, without realizing drag is my specialty. Instant friends! I explained how to trim the lace front of his new blond wig, showed him how to contour his foundation and shared my favorite liquid lipstick. John nailed his Madonna moment at the talent show that night.
Why did you decide to come back to Camp Bonfire?
I decided to come back this year because I feel very fortunate to have found an experience that my husband & I both love equally. We have opposite personalities; we balance each other out, and he is the Yin to my Yang, but for the most part our social interests don’t overlap. At Camp Bonfire, there is such a wide range of options and activities, that we both find happiness again and again, together and separately. This has already become our annual tradition and we look forward to the adventure.
What’s something you’re looking forward to at this summer’s Camp Bonfire?
I am looking forward to the option of silence. It is hard to find quiet in a major metropolis sometimes. I seek it out as soon as my foot hits the gravel entry path. Last year I found it along the water, the year before it was deep in the forest. I like to watch the games from a peaceful perch, and see the smiles from across the lake. Togetherness with no pressure. Warm fellowship without having to say much.
What do you do for work and/or play when you’re not at Camp Bonfire?
By trade, I am an architect, and I’ve been shaping this town one building at a time for the past decade. For fun, I read books on feminism and watch classic horror films.
Photo by Paul Gargagliano for Hazel Photo
