Admit it. As soon as you see the words “summer loving” you immediately break into song and have a sudden transformation into Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen (because you obviously know all the words to both parts). And of course you can’t help but reminisce about one of the greatest movie romances.
However, on this Valentine’s Day we bring to you one of the greatest real-life summer love stories … dare we say… of all time?! At the heart of it all is CAMP. This epic love story started at camp, lead to a wedding that took place at camp, and a family that continues to grow at camp. For all you camp lovers, is your heart melting yet?
Meet Anna and Eric.
The two first met at camp in the Poconos. Eric remembers the first time he saw Anna. He was 11. He was being a conscientious brother, checking up on his younger sister, Jessica, then 8, who was spending her first summer at camp. The siblings arranged to meet at the Friendship Tree, the dividing point between the boys’ cabins and the girls’ cabins, and Jessica brought along her bunkmate, Anna.
They would continue to see each other every summer. Eric spent 8 years as a camper and was a total athlete and completely immersed in sports. Anna was at camp since the day she was born and was focused on arts and drama (she is the fourth generation of the Black Family and the daughter of the owners/directors of their camp as well as two other brother sister camps down the road) . “We were always friends but Eric was a little older than me and we were into different things,” said Anna. “But I always thought he was dreamy.”
Eric and Anna both climbed the ranks from campers to counselors to head staff (they are what we camp folks call “lifers”). It wasn’t until after a few years as counselors that there was any hint of reciprocal attraction and a little romantic spark. By then Eric had become as much a fixture at camp as the members of Anna’s family. Yet they were both cautious. “She was my boss’s daughter,” he said. “He and I couldn’t be more different on paper,” she said.
That little spark was set ablaze and after 2 years of dating and an undying love of camp and each other, Eric and Anna decided to get married. The venue of choice was obvious. The spot to exchange vows was a given. The wedding was at camp (so idyllic and dreamy) and the ceremony took place at the Friendship Tree (swoon!) where they first met and became such an iconic part of their story and camp experience.
Anna has not yet left camp! She works full time as the Director of the all girls camp her family owns. Eric is the the Associate Dean of Student Life at the University of Pennsylvania and, of course, visits camp throughout the summer while Anna is there. As the final cherry on top (as if this story needed that), almost a year ago Anna and Eric added a little gem to their family. Meet the beautiful little Ruby, who is the unofficial camp mascot and the official first member of the 5th generation of camp!
Happy Valentine’s Day summer lovers! xoxo
p.s. Do you have a great camp love story?? We want to hear it! Email [email protected] to share the deets and be featured in a post!
