Hooray for Summer Camp!
As August arrives we celebrate the end of VeryVera Cooking Camp
with mixed emotion! Much like the feeling you have when Christmas
is over and you move the furniture to the right place and get
back to normal while at the same time wishing it wasn’t
over, that’s basically how we feel about the end of the
Cooking Camp season. The hustle and bustle of the eager students,
the change in our physical plant to accommodate the cooking and
the crafts and the staff that is hired to carry out the leadership
of managing all of this, will all change back to routine this
month. We’ve always said that VeryVera operates like a
school and so beginning preparation for the “New Year” actually
starts in August for us.
As you can see on Graduation Day, there are many smiling faces
and certainly astounded parents as each budding chef showcases
their new culinary and serving skills. The closing banquet is
the highlight of the week and we just couldn’t resist the
celebration that you see below. There has been so much accomplished
this summer through our program and honestly, cooking is just
part of what each student learns. This is where I feel that my
abilities as a former Home Economics teacher are brought full
circle as I interact with each camper. I surprise myself sometimes
at the attachments to these young people and how I look forward
to each day and what we will learn together.
As we grow as a Company and a Brand, Cooking Camp is part of
the foundation. At the fifth-year mark, we have mastered the
five year longevity test that any new business venture must reach
to bridge the survival gap. We feel that the success can be attributed
to our attention to detail, passion, enthusiasm and creativity
and each camper that chooses to return the following summer has
made that decision without parental prompting. This is a bonus
to our camp and its ability to become part of our brand name.
We hope this year that you will continue to hear more and more
about Cooking Camp on our website.
As I move forward to planning the remainder for the year, I
send my congratulations to Kerry Moses, our Camp Director for
another successful summer. I also acknowledge Ashley, Kristin
and Tiffany who have been outstanding counselors and mentors
for these students and to Jamie for helping with recruitment,
sales & marketing for Camp. I look ahead to being involved
in taking VeryVera in new directions that you will be privileged
to learn about soon. I happily introduce Annie Cobetto as our
new Vice President for Sales & Marketing and Amy DeBolt as
Director of Commissary Operations as I leap forward once again
to build more value into the VeryVera Brand. Annie eagerly moves
ahead with her strength in marketing to work with the continued
promotion of VeryVera and Amy brings her expertise in baking,
culinary, food safety and sanitation and leadership to take over
the everyday management of our Commissary. I am delighted to
be working very closely with both of these women but most importantly
allowing them to help us reach our next stage of development.
Tune in next month as things are going to be “popping” at
VeryVera.
I always remember my mother in August as this was her birthday
month. I continue to recognize her as the strength of my character
and I thank her every day of my life for having the fortitude
to always see to it that I “did it right.” I love
you, Mama.
Fondly,
Vera
(08.2008)
