In the dining room of Wing Point Country Club, decorated with vases of spring tulips, glittering lights, and auction tables lined with Russian art, baskets of wine, sports tickets, vacation packages and more, it would have been easy to forget the children at the center of this outpouring of labor and generosity at the Camp Siberia auction last Saturday night.
Except that camp founder Janie Ekberg never lets anyone forget the Russian orphans who, for a few magical days every summer, leave their poverty and loneliness behind to attend a camp staffed with Bainbridge Island teenagers whose only goal is to shower them with love and undivided attention. Slides on a large screen near the Wing Point fireplace displayed pictures of past trips to Camp Siberia, where Janie and others have taken island high school students every summer since 2001.
After dinner, Janie took the microphone and told the crowd about the lives of some of the orphan “alums,” now young adults who, with the help of Camp Siberia scholarships, are attending university, and becoming teachers, learning trades and emerging from their desperate situations. The annual auction–which has raised as much as $90,000–pays for the scholarships, as well as the upkeep and staff for the Siberian dacha where the camps are held each summer and other program expenses.
From modest beginnings when Janie and her group of volunteers had to work hard to collect enough students to make the trip, the Camp Siberia program has become so popular with island kids that it receives three times as many counselor applications as the program can take each year.
Some highlights from Saturday’s event:
The 2008 Camp Siberia Counselors, back row: Josephine Wallace, Kyle Schneider, Chloe Dale, Lauren Greenawalt, Sam McAllister, Eliza Silverman, Kate McKenzie, Haley Allen, Jack Seidl, Gordon Taylor. Front row: Madison Brachvogel, Emily Barreca, Jake Mallove, Hannah Trageser, Chelsea Loken, Neil Griffey. Not pictured: Madeline Sheldon.
Counselors from 2007, l-r: Carly Olson, Alicen Matthews, Cheyne Clark, Jocelyn Maher and Hannah Crichton
Counselors Lizzie Scott, Jake Mallove and Eliza Silverman show off their red sweatshirts, traditionally presented as an honor to participating students.
Guests jostle each other to bid on silent auction items.
Camp Siberia founder, heart and soul, Janie Ekberg.
Russian art is a big draw at the Camp Siberia auctions.
The sold out crowd had great reviews for the dinner, the quality of auction items and the Wing Point venue.
BI has great opportunities for teens to reach beyond themselves (or get over themselves). Camp Siberia and BOSIA’s Ometepe delegations are two of the oldest. Recently, I met some kids selling coffee at T&C for a trip to Uganda. I’m sure there are more I don’t know about. I wonder if there is a central directory for pre-teens and parents to set goals.
Speaking of getting over oneself, the women’s locker room at the pool is a great reality check for those of us aging reluctantly or delusionally. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and ages.