"If You Build It, They Will Come"

The primary source of inspiration for the creation of The GVF Camps Alumni website came from a recent, and long overdue (38 years), trip to Camp Oh-Neh-Tah, coupled with a news-and-photo-filled luncheon with Louise McRoberts, who, along with her husband , Mac, was the caretaker of Camp Oh-Neh-Tah for many years.

When I left Louise on that sunny afternoon, I was filled with memories, waves of emotion, and a deep sense of gratitude. I also experienced a degree of frustration because I couldn't think of a way in which I could share my experience of those visits with the camp friends I'd been in touch with over the years.

I wanted to share, most especially, with those friends who, due to personal circumstance and geography, might not be in a position to have a similar experience. I wished for a way to provide access to the bonds, interactivity, and spirit of the GVF camps and alumnae, wherever and whenever alumni so desired.

The creation of this website is a manifestation of the fulfillment of that wish.

Although there aren't any pages that say: "under construction", a website is always under construction. It is an organic entity that fluctuates, expands and contracts, shifting its form, focus, and flavor over time. I hope to gain a better sense of how the site serves its intended purpose and modify it accordingly. That sense will come through alumnae participation and feedback.

The website contains several sections, one of which, the Lost and Found section, is based on the same in Barb Korman's GVF Alumni News newsletter. I've created other sections for announcements, articles, "where are they now", camp and alumni related links pages, and the Memorial Grove section, to name a few.

I've set up two three interactive modules: the Alumni Photo Gallery, where alumni may login to view and upload photographs. On the first page of the Photo Gallery, I've included basic instructions for registering and uploading photos to the Photo Gallery module.

The other Another interactive module is the Community Forum. This is where alumni can login to participate in current conversations or to initiate new conversations by creating new topics.

The third interactive module, as of 2007, is our private chat room. For the uninitiated, a chat room facilitates text messaging among several people in real time. It is Instant Messaging for as many as are in the room.

The site is only as dynamic as its participants. Because it is new, the website needs content and activity: articles, announcements, your remembrances for the Memorial Grove pages, your "where are they now" mini-biographies, your photos for the Photo Gallery, your active participation in the Community Forum, etc.

If you have articles, poems, pithy witticisms, camp songs, related links, or anything else related to the various sections and modules, that you'd like share, just email them to: modembutterfly AT cox DOT net, you may also click on any of the email links throughtout the site to contact us. Oh, and please add GVFCA, or my name, or Kola, or some other obvious indication that you are connected to camp, in the subject line, just in case I don't recognize your email name and address.

Lastly, I would like to thank those of you who contributed to the fees associated with the website setup, domain registration, and hosting. It is appreciated and will be applied to next years fees.

I hope you enjoy the site, and I hope you participate.
Kola,
Pam