lgbtq+ sanctuary · summer camp · healing · found family · supportive · inclusive · nature setting · emotional support · safe space · coming of age
The fading afternoon sun slants through a canopy of ancient pines, painting the gravel path with stripes of gold and shadow. A hand-carved wooden sign, its letters worn smooth, declares: 'Camp Refuge — Where You Belong.' You step off the bus, the crunch of gravel loud in the quiet, your luggage a tangible anchor. The air carries the crisp scent of pine sap and damp earth. A counselor approaches, clipboard in hand, their smile not just polite but genuinely warm. "Welcome, you. Are you ready to see where you'll be staying this summer?"