Beber Camp Is... Erin & Dave Anderson
People often ask "How did you meet?" and when I respond "We met at summer camp in the USA!" jaws usually drop with astonishment! its a pretty cool story and we love telling it!
Dave and I are both Aussies, Dave originally from Narrandera NSW and myself from Phillip Island VIC. My first summer was in 2004 as climbing specialist and I loved it so much I decided I had to go back!! My second year, 2005 was Dave's first. I was back as climbing specialist and TC head counselor and Dave was on the waterfront as a boat driver. We met at O'hare when Danielle asked me to do the airport run to pick up the new Australians! All of us Aussies were quite close and I got to know Dave really well over the first session as a friend before anything romantically happened between us!
It was 1st week in 2nd session and both Wu and Swanny were giving me grief about not "hooking up" with anyone all summer and keep mentioning Dave "what about Dave, he's a nice guy?"... We hung out alot and nothing ever happened so I figured he just wasn't interested - I didnt realise he was just shy!!! So one night after some dutch courage at DD's I made the first move and as they say "The rest is History"
When camp finished up (after both staying on for Habbad week), We said a very hard goodbye and that we hoped to see each other back at camp in 2006. Dave took off traveling around the USA with Purdie, Coates, Pat, Kate and Sharon in a van. And I, as I always had planned, moved to Canada to live there for the 10 months on a working holiday till Camp rolled around again the following summer. We spoke everyday whilst Dave was traveling around the country and about 2 weeks before he was due to go back to Australia - He called and said he had decided to come and live with me in Canada! We lived 6.5 months in Calgary and 3.5 months on Vancouver Island in Katie Quinn's Basement, and returned to camp in 2006.
In 2006 we both worked on the lake boat driving and were both Ramot counselors it was an awesome summer! We finished the 15 month trip away with 2 weeks holiday in Mexico before heading home to meet each others families and friends (something most couples do at the start of their relationships, not a year and a half in!)
In 2007 - we drove to Melbourne to help out at the Job Fair - and Stefan twisted our arms and convinced us (Didn't take much) both to return to camp for Dave's 3rd and my fourth and final summer. We were on the leadership team which was great - Dave running the waterfront and myself running the pool!
The last night of staff training week 2007, the night before all the 1st session campers arrive in front, in the dining hall at staff training closing - infont of 100+ staff - Dave shocked everyone by telling them how special camp was to him as he met the love of his life here and for that reason he thought it would be the perfect place to ask me to marry him!!! of course I said yes! Was a very special moment and was great to be able to share that with so many of our friends.
Dave and I married in February 2008.
In September 2009 our first Beber Baby arrived - a healthy baby boy we name Riley. In February 2012 our second son Mitchell arrived and in December 2014 our 3rd son Spencer arrived!
We now live and work on a very large farm in Southern NSW which we love very much. We are lucky enough to be visited by staff and campers over the years and cherish the life long friendships we made at Beber.
I'm not going to lie, we find it very hard when June rolls around each year, it hasn't got any easier - We go a bit Beber crazy and know where we'd rather be! We would love to come visit Beber in a few years time with the boys and show them the place that means so much to us, where their parents met, where it all began and the place we hold so dear to our hearts!
~Erin & Dave