GEMS 1 Camp at Mountain Shepherd Adventure Camp in Craig County is always a special time of growing and experimenting with personal limits for Dina Imbriani and a group of young teen-aged girls. This year it contained an unexpected and inspirational treat: a visit from international tennis star Venus Williams.
Williams was playing in a doubles tournament at the Greenbrier Hotel, near Mountain Shepherd, this week and took a break to paddle the Jackson River with Alleghany Outdoors, a Mountain Shepherd partner.
Says Imbriani, “Monday afternoon we had just finished setting up our campsite when Venus and her coach, Eric Heightman, finished their kayak trip.
“They took out about 100 yards short and walked right past us. I invited them to camp with us. It was the only thing that came to my star struck mind. Venus wanted to know what we were doing. She asked the girls a lot of questions about the camp and what things they had done over the years.
“These are GEMS 1 year 4/5-year girls. She did the GEMS 1 chant with us. Then she asked me if I could teach her how to make a fire. I gave a short lesson and it was exhilarating.”
Because of COVID-19, they’ve had to change a lot around this summer to include GEMS 1 activities that provided COVID-safe adventures.
“Venus she spoke to the girls about confidence and making decisions from a good place. She suggested they ‘always ask yourself if you make the same decision if you were feeling your best self.’”
Venus spent more than 30 minutes with the campers and invited them to watch her play in the tournament. “She took care of the tickets for us, then had us move to better seats,” says Imbriani.
Williams “spoke to us before the match for a few minutes to see how our adventures were going. Then again after match and she talked about winning and losing. She won her women’s doubles but lost to mixed doubles and the team lost the match.”
Imbriani recalls that “World Team Tennis is quick moving. Venus practiced social distancing and wore a mask. One of the African-American GEMS girls who is soft spoken wanted to talk to her so Venus moved a row of seats closer to hear. The camper thanked her for inspiring women and girls particularly black girls. And Venus said every time she wins it a win for all of us.
“We are all still thrilled to have met her. I don’t think I could have asked for a more inspiring woman for GEMS 1 campers to meet. In GEMS 1 camp, one of the activities is to read about accomplished women and find one who ‘speaks’ to the camper. Every year one of the girls picks Venus. It was perfect.”
“I’m still lacking words to describe the experience. It was exhilarating for all of us. Jeez, I remember watching her win her first Grand Slam titles with my dad.”
About the Writer:
Dan Smith is an award-winning Roanoke-based writer/author/photographer and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). His blog, fromtheeditr.com, is widely read and he has authored seven books, including the novel CLOG! He is founding editor of a Roanoke-based business magazine and a former Virginia Small Business Journalist of the Year (2005).
