October Update

We are launching into the 2026 Summer season with a series of Sanborn Road Shows in various locations throughout the Midwest, Colorado and Texas. During the week of travel to Tulsa and Northwest Arkansas (a new market for us!), I have reflected on the power of place and its ability to reconnect us to our sense of wonder…even if it is somewhere where we have spent our whole lives.

We talk about the importance of the “People, Space & Time” at camp–with “space” incorporating the physical space and the place of camp as well as the space it provides campers and staff for personal and shared growth and development.

Often, outside of camp, when we talk about “place” it can engender something static: we put something back “in place,” we live in “a place,” we understand “our place” in social structures, and–occasionally–we are “running in place” when it feels like we aren’t getting anywhere.

Yet being on the road this week has reminded me that all of us ARE somewhere and those myriad places inform who we are, what is important and where we may want to go or where we may return to eventually. We carry learnings and lessons from all of the places we go and we are humbled and inspired by the experiences of others in those places. Which is where the wonder comes in.

Have you ever had friends or family in your home or hometown and felt a twinge of embarrassment leading you to apologize for things that you can’t control (“the neighbor’s dog barks,” “the traffic is really bad here,” “our guest room is a little small”)? For those of us who do that, I think we are trying to anticipate what our family members or friends might “see” and apologize for it in advance (which is also a strange behavior–but is a bit too much for a camp blog analysis).

My new revelation–being the recent friend and family member who has been welcomed into homes and communities–is what I actually see isn’t through a lens of judgment, but a lens of wonder. I am amazed by the moon over a pond or the pet ducks that run (hilarious!) to be fed in the morning. I am awed by the experiences, stories and lives of individuals who connect their lives to the natural world while also working in corporate spaces surrounded by a supportive community. I am moved by the secret nerd hobbies of and personal journeys of our campers: from racing in mountain bike criterions (and speaking eloquently about the pros and cons of 20k vs. 50k races), to rebuilding cars, to starting resale businesses, to playing tennis and soccer, to trying to determine their next “place” in college…each experience–as each individual–is unique, rare and wonderful.

As we continue to travel over the next month and on into the winter, I know we will continue to find architecture that will amaze, see sunrises that inspire, visit parks that are unusual, and be tourists in some of your hometowns–we will be as full of wonder and excitement as you are when you come to camp.

So this is the reminder for all of us: find the wonder around you, see where you live with eyes of joy and appreciation, experience your place with a lens of amazement and gratitude, and share your pride with your friends and family when they come to visit…they will already see it and are excited to share the wonder with you.

We can’t wait to share the wonder of Sanborn with campers, camp families, staff, alums in 2026–so we hope you can join us for one of our in-person or virtual Road Shows soon!

PS: This blog post is dedicated to longtime camper, staff member, camp parent and alum, Shane Matson, who has been impacted, informed and inspired by both his time at camp and in NW Arkansas…and who has been encouraging us to come build relationships in the region for quite some time. He is a wonder-full advocate of these places and we appreciate his friendship, connections and support very, very much.