"Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things - trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones...That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world."
~Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, The Silver Chair
I am proud and excited to be at the helm of this amazing new Narnian adventure! I began working at Camp Narnia in 1993 as a cabin cousellor and what an amazing experience it was! I remember feeling that I had truly found a place where the value of story and imagination was embraced and appreciated, where children and staff were encouraged to grow and explore their identities and independence, where the building of community was at the centre of what we did and where we found ourselves surrounded by the beauty of the Burgoyne Valley. This was a place that I knew, from that first raising of our yellow Camp flag, that I wanted to be part of for as long as possible.
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| My first cabin, Beaver's Lodge |
I worked at Camp Narnia through to its closing in 2006 and was Camp Director in its last season. Throughout those years I continued to believe in its philosophy and purpose and saw countless campers, Leaders In Progress and Staff go through the Wardrobe doors and experience this wonderful place. I remember especially when children that I had taken care of as a cabin counsellor grew up to be counsellors themselves - what a testimony to the power of summer camps!
As a teacher and storyteller in Victoria, BC I share my love of Narnia with as many children (and adults!) as I can. You may take the camper out of the camp but you can never quite take the camp out of the camper. Somehow those memories of starry night skies, woodsmoke, new friends, morning walks through the hay fields, dancing the Pata Pata and Thursday night plays never worked their way out of my system. So I found myself, last summer, deciding that it was time that I take the torch, or lamp-post as it were, and rekindle Camp. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to do this; to open Camp Narnia's doors to a whole new generation of campers and staff and to welcome back those who will be returning. It takes a true community to be a camp and I am so fortunate to have the support, help and encouragement of so many former staff and of Camp Narnia's founders.
I am going to stand by the play-world, as Puddleglum said; by a place that fosters the joys of childhood, a connection to Nature, and friendships that do last a lifetime. I look forward to seeing you in Narnia this summer!
Agnes Bartle,
Camp Director
