Sharon Miles retires after 549 camp-filled days

Don't you wonder how many children, parents, and grandparents here in Big Canoe want to thank Sharon for her years of service as Director of Summer Day Camp. (Photo by Valerie Doll)

By Alice Eachus
Smoke Signals, August 2010

Rich and Sharon Miles were recognized at the Chapel at Stand Around on Sunday, July 15. Our thanks and best wishes, Sharon!

For the last 18 years, Sharon Miles has been a kid again, or at least very young at heart. Each May, Sharon and her husband Richard have packed up the family car in Hobe Sound, Florida, and headed north to their mountain home in Big Canoe.

Sharon just didn’t pack clothes, food, cameras and fishing gear. No indeed! Her mind was packed chockfull of ideas for great stuff to do with the hundreds of kids she would lead in Big Canoe’s summer camps. Sometimes challenging, but always exciting, Sharon was the Pied Piper of Big Canoe’s younger set for 18 years.

For those who ask, “What camp? I didn’t know we had a kids’ camp here,” Big Canoe’s camp runs from early June through the last week of July. Camp days are Tuesday–Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.; the daily fee is $15 per child. Camp meets in the Chapel area.

Kids ages 4–12 make up the roster. While many bounce in every single day for summer camp, others come for just a day or two— there’s no sign up, just show up. Many grandparents invite their whole brood of grandboys and grandgirls up for days of adventure.

Sharon gained experience volunteering in her own children’s schools so when the call went out for a Big Canoe day camp director almost two decades ago, Sharon raised her hand. She’s worn her whistle ever since. She’s now welcoming the offspring of the kids she directed in those early years. What has she learned most over the years?  Kids don’t ever change!

Kids loved the energized excitement Sharon brought to camp. Along with the usual arts and crafts, sing-a-longs, swimming and storytelling, Sharon made sure morning assemblies included outside “special effects” to keep kids entertained. She made camp days full of wonder for the kids, many of whom were hard to pry from video games. But, once they saw the great outdoors through Sharon’s eyes, couldn’t get enough of it.

Now it’s time for Sharon and Rich Miles to travel some miles of their own and see the world. During their winter months in Florida, Sharon keeps busy with her men’s sportswear clothing store at an indoor marketplace. Talk about a change of venue!

But, come next June, Sharon Miles just might be donning a counselor’s cap in lieu of her director’s whistle. Some good habits are just too hard to break!

Take a moment to see some of the summer fun Sharon has organized for children and grandchildren right here in Big Canoe!