Our Favorite Memories with Marva

As you may know, the infamous Marvelous Marva will not be returning to camp this summer. We are all going to miss her SO much but we know that God will continue to do incredible things at camp and use Marva in different ways for His glory. Here in the office, we’ve been reminiscing on the good ole times and our favorite memories with Marva. What are your favorite memories with/of Marva?

“The first time I felt like I really got to know Marva was when I got to help her write the skit for the Chronicles of Narnia themed Sockwar. There were several of us in her office and we stayed up late into the night laughing, goofing off and finishing the story. I will never forget that moment!” – Sharon

“Every time Marva and Hobo were sitting on the porch curing homesickness one camper at a time.” – Katie

“Marva means so much to me, especially last summer as I transitioned into a completely new position as her assistant. Marva is absolutely hilarious and I think we maybe laughed more with each other than we talked. I remember on one of our Chippewa adventures together when we went into downtown Black Mountain with around 30 Chippewas to play in the water fountain and it started pouring rain. Marva did not let that “rain on her parade”. We played in the fountain with those Chippewas like it was sunny and 100 degrees outside.” – Maddie

“Since her birthday is during the summer, one time about 8 of us took cardboard boxes and turned them into birthday presents. Before she came down to the Bear Trap on her birthday, we hid in her office so we could surprise her. I’m not sure what she thought but those were probably the biggest presents she ever received!” – Sharon

“The times when Marva would come to staff meeting with her clip board and encourage the staff with all of the great things we were doing and challenge us in the things we could do better. ” – Katie

“I think Marva had a thing with water…specifically in making me get soaking wet. Another time in Chippewa adventure all the girls got on teams and made forts that they had to protect from water balloons, Marva made me make my own fort, and then proceeded to encourage all the Chippewas to attack only my fort. Needless to say, I went into lunch a little soggy that day.” – Maddie

“The many mornings you picked up trash outside of the Dining Hall and cleaned up around the benches. You took time to serve camp and were so humble about it.” – Sharon

“The time when Marva came on stage to do the Trekker/Belle Ceremony and her face was covered in war paint because she had just fearlessly lead the Chippewas on a wonderful adventure!” – Katie

“Marva and I had this fake spider that we used to hide in each others stuff. I hid it in Marva’s desk and she found it, so the ball was in her court. I didn’t see it for a while so I forgot about it. I found it in my water bottle. It had been in there for 3 days without me noticing.” – Maddie

“We were at her house for a planning weekend one Spring and we took the dogs on a walk in the woods around her house. I can’t remember every detail we talked about but just hiking with our dogs is a great memory!” – Sharon

“Every morning when she would introduce another sweet camper and lead prayer and a verse at breakfast.” – Katie

 

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Campers, Crestridge, Katie Greenwell, Maddie Michaud, Marva Rawlings, Memories, Night of Chaos, Sharon Aylestock | Leave a reply

A letter from Marva

Each year, as the opening of Camp Crestridge has approached, I’ve written a letter to the incoming summer staff introducing myself. Over the years, those introductory letters have helped to ground me before I entered the gates of camp.  This year, I write a different letter. After much prayer and consideration, I recently met with my friend and supervisor, Ron Springs, to let him know that it was time for me to step down as the Summer Director of Camp Crestridge.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3,
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:
​​a time to be born and a time to die,
​a time to plant and a time to uproot,
​​a time to kill and a time to heal,
​a time to tear down and a time to build,
​​a time to weep and a time to laugh,
​a time to mourn and a time to dance.

A dear friend of mine upon hearing of my decision sent me the following note:
“Odd isn’t it, how important decisions in our lives are unheralded, no trumpets sounding, just the ordinary, familiar cadence of minutes passing.”

She also perfectly described how I felt each year as I arrived at camp:
“I could exhale coming through the gates, knowing that the same faces would greet me, same arms would embrace me, same authority figures would hold me accountable, same Jesus would meet me in that familiar space and place.” 

I will forever love and cherish memories of my time at camp and will be indebted to Coach Peggy Birmingham for introducing me to Camp Crestridge, and to Johnnie Armstrong for mentoring me once I got there.  These women laid the ground work for my 32 life changing summers at Crestridge.

And as Hobo said in one of those introductory letters,
“See you soon and let’s go on a hike”.

With a thankful heart,
Marva

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Crestridge, Marva Rawlings, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Summer Director | Leave a reply

Marva is Ready for Summer 2013

The summer is almost here!  We’ve spent the last 9 months planning and preparing for you to have an awesome time at camp!  Marva is ready to get here and hopes you feel the same.  Here’s a little insight in to her excitement for summer 2013!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Crestridge, Marva, Marva Rawlings, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Summer 2013 | Leave a reply