Tales of Takodah: Anne Dente

By Anne Dente

Takodah Week got me thinking about Camp Takodah and the impact it has had on me.  I rethought “Tales of Takodah” to thinking about what my life would be like without Camp Takodah.  I honestly couldn’t begin to imagine it as Camp Takodah has had such a vital impact on me.

When I first traveled the dirt road to Camp Takodah, in 1970 at the age of 12, I was considered a “dork” in my home community and school.  I was not popular – meaning I did not wear makeup, dress in cool clothes, and was not obsessed with boys.  I was also not beautiful or athletic.  I was very shy and would have been picked on (or bullied) if I had not learned the art of being invisible at school.  I had a few friends who were also not part of the “in” crowd.  At camp I was always accepted for me and that is where I learned to fully embrace myself and to grow as an individual.

Some of the key things that I got from Camp are:

Friendships 

I met my best friend of over 50 years at Camp.  She knows the ups and downs of my life story and has been a key part of all of it.  I have made many other camp friends over the years, and I still enjoy getting together with them and catching up on our lives.  They have always embraced me for who I am and I have always felt valued and accepted with them.

Skills – I did not consider myself an athlete and team sports were my nemesis.  At camp, I discovered that I was really good at swimming.  I got certified in Lifesaving and as a Water Safety Aide while at camp.  I would continue my swim training while in college and would go on to have a very rewarding career at the local YMCA as a Lifeguard Training and Swim Instructor.

Confidence 

 I had learned to play classical piano and although I never got very good at it, it was a great activity for an introvert to do after school since I didn’t hang out with friends.  My first year as an assistant leader at camp, the camp director heard me playing during leader orientation and told me that I would be playing in the dining hall at the start of each meal!  (In those days, the pianist would play popular tunes – which I had to learn – as the campers filed in, and then play the song that was sung for that meal.)  I had never played piano in public (or done anything else in public, for that matter) but since the director clearly had the confidence that I could do it, I did.  Did I make many mistakes?  Yes, of course I did, but I learned to keep going and get past my nerves and the voice in my head that wanted me to quit or disappear.  Did I become a great pianist?  Definitely not – but I learned to have the confidence in myself to be able to handle situations in public.

Leadership 

At camp I learned how to be a leader.  First through the LIT program, and then as a member of the staff.  In my second year as a leader, I was asked to be a division head.  Clearly the camp director saw skills in me that I had not seen in myself.  After two years as a division head, I joined the top staff (as the full time summer staff was called then) first as Arts and Crafts Director, and then as the Office Assistant.  For a very shy individual who was used to being a follower, this was huge for me and my development.  Having individuals who supported me through that journey was crucial in my successes.

I have continued to return to Camp Takodah over the years to experience the programs (Family Camp, Reunions, Retreats) and reconnect with camp friends.  And what I learned at Camp has impacted every part of my life.  I had the confidence to spend a year abroad in Germany, and learn to speak another language while in college.  I met my husband while working at the local YMCA, a job I would not have had if not for Camp.  We were married at Camp Takodah in 1985 and went on to enjoy vacations at Family Camp with our children.  Our daughter also attended girls’+ camp.  I would use the teaching and leadership skills I learned at camp first as a swim instructor and then as the director of a preschool program.  I would later have a career as a non-profit accountant where I would eventually rise to the director level.  I was able to use my teaching and leadership skills to train and mentor younger accountants.  I also had the confidence to speak in public and to train non-profit directors and board members on reading and understanding their financial statements in order to make sound financial decisions for their organizations. 

 I am now retired and am happily playing pickleball (I am still not terribly athletic but have found a great group of senior players) and taking care of my grandson whom I plan to introduce to Takodah soon….

Anne Dente is a life-long Takodian who spent 10 years between 1970 and 1982 as a camper, LIT, cabin leader, division head, a top staff member. She has also been a family camper for 26 years, starting in the late 80s, and continuing to this day.