Tonight was one of the best closing council circles I’ve ever been to. The 21 year olds made me ball my eyes out. Their Presentation started at the beginning of council circle by them walking in after everyone else and creating their own tribe. They had their own song and yell and a funny stunt. That was the comical part. The tear jerker was when at the closing of the program they stood up with candles in hand and proceeded to the back of council circle. Sara Potter went down to the fire and lit her candle and then came back up the path to all the others and helped them light their candles. After lighting their candles all of them surrounded the outer edge of the council circle. Sara read something she had written. Included in this speech was something that made me see how special West Virginia truly is. She asked for all the 18, 19, and 20 year olds in camp to rise. As they all stood she told everyone to look around and realize that if we were in any other state than West Virginia that none of those people would be there. This really hit me as I sat there staring into the fire. For me at that very moment the tears began to fall. I think the reason for this was a realization had occured to me. These people that are aging out this year have been the people I have looked up to the most these past six years I have been coming to state camps, and especially the last three years I have attended OMC. It hit me that after tonight these people wouid not be back as campers after tonight. This could only mean one thing… If the people I had always looked up to were leaving, then it is my turn to take their place.
In the same sense I had three girls look at me in tribal meetings today and say that next year I had to take over the song committee. I have always been on the Song and Yell committee of my tribe and never anywhere else. It meant a lot to me that these girls were trusting me to carry on this responsibility, but it also freaked me out and made me very sad.
So, this is my tribute to my favorite group of 21 year olds EVER!!! I will miss them, as will everyone here at OMC, but I know they will never forget this place or these people. The reason I know this is because they have made 4-H and the West Virignia 4-H Camping Program such a big part of their life for the last seven years at least. And with a closing word about OMC I would just like to give a big How-How to everyone here that has made this camp possible this week. It wouldn’t have been the same without you!

Forever,
Caroline