WE LIVE FOR THIS!…Inspires, makes us think, makes us laugh, makes us cry, makes a difference in our lives. Gives us courage to try, to pick ourselves up after falling, to venture forward and follow our dreams and an adventure, to allow the story to unfold and love that we’re all in it together.

These emotions are all stirred and sweetened every year at the Oscar ceremony as we saw last week at the 85th annual Academy Awards.

If some of you thought I was referring to camp and not the Oscars, what if the leading movies were filmed at camp?  What if??  Well, they might have looked a bit like this……

Argo, a great Color War theme, whether in Blue, Red or Gray/Grey with terrific break possibilities.  Imagine as speeding trucks chase a plane trying to prevent its take-off, portraying courage, imagination and commitment to our camp brothers and sisters and never forgetting someone or leaving a friend out.

Life of Pi, a compelling drama with a young(er) Chuck Porazzo cast in the title role on a raft at the new CBR waterfront, with a whistle and a clipboard as he stargazes in 3-D at endless CBR summer skies.

The historical Lincoln, a three plus hour movie that plays like a seven week summer memorializes the struggles of the Presidency and the Congress. It depicts them coming to grips with historical differences recognizing every voice regardless of their perspective and viewpoint. Set in the Senior Quad overlooking the lake, the Blue and Grey uniforms of the Union and the Confederacy could be updated by Morton’s and Everything Camper.

Les Miserables, like EBR, is about transformation, singing and cheering.  Gavroche, the youngest child, soars with his rendition of Little People and help saves the moment with his valiance and courage.  The show stopper, One Day More, is the anthem for every PC and every Upper Senior for wanting one more summer. The themes of Les Mis and CECBR transcend generations and are kept alive through all of our voices.

Flight, with Steven Gelobter, aka “MCW”, playing the pilot as he inverts his damaged plane for an amazingly safe landing as Color War breaks and even more surprising, the sheets land perfectly on Lehrer Field.

Zero Dark Thirty, dramatizes one woman’s unyielding efforts and commitment to stand up and be counted while putting much at risk in order to follow and be true to her beliefs. This is a time honored Blue Ridge theme we see summer after summer.

Silver Linings Playbook’s Oscar winner, Jennifer Laurence, trips, falls and triumphs just like in the movie as she receives her award in Hollywood.  At CECBR, we know our friends and counselors are always there to help pick us up and cheer our next victory.

However, my recent Oscar-worthy favorite moment was from 2012, Moneyball. A towering baseball player is awkward, fearful and reluctant to go for the extra base. Finally, after summoning the courage to try after a big hit, he trips rounding first base and slowly crawls back untagged. The first baseman as well as his coach are laughing and clapping. They’re cheering him and encouraging him to get up and run because the ball he never saw traveled 100 feet over the fence for a homerun.

Like all the Academy Award nominated films, everyone at CECBR  makes our hearts grow bigger, gives us strength as they stand by our side, makes every day an adventure, every moment a precious laugh and every day an uplifting story.

So…. the homerun or the Oscar goes to the entire CECBR Family 2013!!!