By Lauren Fishman, Summer Assistant Director & Staff Member for 10 Years
In May 2021, I started planting the garden up for camp on weekends and after work on sunny afternoons. Not a very glamorous job as I was always covered in dirt and kept forgetting to wear sunscreen. Ryan didn’t seem to care though because he kept coming around the garden to chat when he had a free moment from getting the property ready for the summer.
Once I moved up to camp for the summer along with everyone else, we weren’t allowed to leave as it was the first Covid summer. We were all just happy to be home! There were staff events to keep us entertained and I just wanted to spend more time with Ryan so I kept inviting him to the events. Our first date (which he didn’t realize was a date) was a cookout dinner and a campfire. Our second date was learning to Salsa dance from one of the staff members. We had so much fun getting to know one another in a place we both loved.
As time went on, we called it official and dated for over a year. Summer 2022 came along and we were going to be spending our first dating anniversary the night before the rest of the staff arrived. Rabbi Ilana, Jena, Jessica, Claire, and Megan were already at camp. I kept trying to go to the art center to grab some supplies but everyone was holding me hostage for some reason in the office! It turns out Ryan was setting up an elaborate way to propose to me! He posted pictures of us around camp that were important to us and then took me on a walk. He proposed to me on the exact same bench that we had had our first date on! Such a special memory!
This September, Ryan and I will be getting married at camp and Rabbi Ilana will be officiating our wedding. I have worked at camp for ten summers, and Ryan for 5 full years. The ceremony will be on the low ropes course, overlooking the beautiful mountains where our love began. Camp has been a special place for us and we are excited to begin the next part of our lives in such a wonderful place that has brought strong and happy memories.
Shabbat Shalom!