COVID has taken a toll on all of us.

While life begins to look more and more like something approaching normalcy for many people, we’re constantly reminded that this beast has a long tail. So many of our island neighbors, businesses, and institutions continue to struggle.

As detailed in an article in this week’s Beachcomber, the latest island institution to feel this pinch is Camp Burton.

Why should we care? That is a fair question and that is up to each of us to decide. Here are three reasons why we should care.

First, Camp Burton provides exactly what so many of us were missing during the pandemic and continue to miss in today’s world – community. The camp offers the chance to gather together and trade stories over a campfire, to share a meal and make new friends while surrounded by the beauty of our island, or to find a space to decompress and reconnect with the roots of life. These are the very things that make this island so special in the first place. We need to work hard to preserve these spaces.

Second, the camp provides jobs and helps bring groups of people to the island that appreciate its beauty. Tourism can be a controversial subject—we like peace and quiet. We can all agree though, that visitors coming from off-island to Camp Burton provide a benefit that extends well beyond the camp itself. And the tourism that Camp Burton attracts is exactly the kind of tourism we can appreciate and should be eager to welcome. Imagine for a moment a large hotel chain coming in and turning the property into a resort. That would be controversial.

Finally, the camp helps provide us with an important connection to our past. When you drive by on the Burton Loop and look into the camp, you can’t help but feel like you’re looking back in time. Back into the island’s past.

Camp Burton has over 100 years of history on Vashon. Also back in time into each of our own pasts. Back to a happy time in our life spent surrounded by nature, good friends, and good times. Let’s help make sure we’re preserving these spaces so that future generations can create some of those same memories.

One of the things that makes Vashon so special is its heart: the heart of the land and also the heart of the people that call it home. We’ve rallied so many times and it’s time for us to rally again to come to the aid of Camp Burton.

Whether it’s by planning an event at Camp Burton, referring new business their way, or making a donation, please consider supporting this valuable island institution.

A fundraising campaign can be found at gofundme.com/f/pandemic-relief-for-camp-burton.

Eric Odegard is a Vashon resident and the President of the Burton Beach Rowing Club. The club rows out of Camp Burton.