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NGI Recipient: Sam Bemis

Session Attended: Royal Scottish Country Dance Society - Scottish Session I (2021)

As always, Pinewoods is magical. The camp, the campers, the music, and the dances are always the best of the best, without a doubt!
This was only my third year at pinewoods (Second-time Scottish session), and I wish I could say I’ve been 50 or 60 times, like some of the regular pinewoods goers can (but believe me, I plan on fixing that asap).
This year was special in many ways and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to experience it. COVID has been rough… extraordinarily rough in every way. But as we are seeing the life at the other end, Pinewoods came just as I needed it, with just what I needed. The scholarship this year was the reason why I was able to come and dance with all the fantastic people there. Without it, it would have been two years without Pinewoods, and that is not a happy plan. Through the dancing at camp, my happiness was found again. My social life was non-existent when I drove into camp, but WOAH, it was so weird talking with that many people in just one weekend! I loved dancing with everyone, then talking with them over all the delicious meals; getting to learn a little bit about everyone who was there was wonderful! In my most cherished memories of life, there will always be one of me, and 100 of my pinewoods friends, all beaming to the music as we dance the night away at C#!
Thank you all so much for this wonderful opportunity and I can not wait till its my time to give back to this camp!