Unfortunately, few things actually last forever. As time goes by, we may forget exactly how our favorite Camp meal tastes and it may become harder to remember all the words to the songs we once sang at mealtimes so many years ago. But we do remember how Camp Mohawk made us feel – joyful, excited, confident. Is there a way that we can make these feelings a little more tangible? Maybe turn it into something we can look at every day and be reminded of how Camp makes us feel? Many Mohawkers have, in the form of tattoos. These tattoos are composed of meaningful phrases or images that hold significance to their connection with Camp Mohawk, each unique to that person’s experience while representing the same summer camp we all love in our own way.
My friend Carly Collins and I met at Camp Mohawk when we were Oscadees in 2006. We then went on to be Seniors, CITs, Junior Counselors, and Counselors together. We both have so much love for Camp Mohawk, this little part of Connecticut was a significant part of our childhood and young adult lives. We both grew as individuals because of our experiences at Camp and we also made of lot of fun memories together as well. After attending our first Alumni Reunion in 2019 we had started thinking about the idea of getting tattoos that reflect how close we hold Mohawk to our hearts. Finally in January of this year, we did it!
We both knew that we wanted part of the Mohawk Creed incorporated into our tattoos. For my tattoo I chose “in unison with life and nature” overlaying a fern, which are bountiful in the Camp Mohawk landscape. Carly chose “to be loved, we must think love” above a bundle of wildflowers that are also found on the grounds. We couldn’t be happier with how they came out! The love we have for Mohawk has remained a constant in our lives for a long time, and now it will stay with us forever!
Do you have a Mohawk tattoo and want to share your story? You can always email the newsletter team at alumni@campmohawk.org to be included in future editions of The Ivy Twines!