You're Never Too Old for New Beginnings. How Love was Found at Camp CONNRI

Jim Libby likes to joke that he first noticed Sherry because of her bright red hair.

"I told her she looked like a clown," he laughs.

It's not exactly the beginning you'd expect for a love story.

The two lived in the same apartment complex and occasionally crossed paths, but they barely knew one another. It wasn't until they both attended The Salvation Army's Senior Camp at Camp CONNRI in Ashford, Connecticut, that everything changed.

"Probably around the campfire the first night," Jim says, remembering where their story truly began.

Away from the noise and distractions of everyday life, they found something rare: time. Time to talk. Time to laugh. Time to get to know one another.

"It just progressed from there," Jim recalls.

For Sherry, there was something even deeper happening.

"I feel like God is here," she says. "And God brought us together."

The first item he made was a red scarf. “It was Christmas time, so I wanted to rock the red for The Salvation Army and 

Camp CONNRI gave them space to build a friendship that soon became something much more. They spent their days fishing, creating arts and crafts, enjoying bingo, taking boat rides, and gathering around evening campfires with s'mores. Surrounded by nature and a welcoming community, they discovered that camp wasn't just a vacation. It was a place where people connected.

"You build friendships," Jim says. "It's a nice, relaxed atmosphere."

Just two months after camp, on Sherry's birthday, Jim gave her a commitment ring.

"I do believe God worked everything out," he says.

Today, they're married.

For Jim, who had lived 68 years without ever marrying, it was a chapter he never imagined would be written.

"It's never too late," he says with a smile.

Their story has become an inspiration to other campers.

"We give people inspiration," Sherry says. "If we can do it, maybe they can too."

But Camp CONNRI Older Adult Ministries Camp gave them more than love.

"We've actually started going to church services at The Salvation Army in Hartford on Sundays," they share.

The experience renewed not only their relationship with each other, but also their relationship with God.

Many people don't even realize The Salvation Army offers a camp specifically for older adults.

"I was surprised," Sherry admits. "There aren't a lot of places seniors can go."

For many older adults, loneliness has become an epidemic. Days can blend together. Opportunities to socialize become fewer. Camp CONNRI offers something priceless that other places can’t, a sense of belonging.

"When you come here, you're family," Sherry says.

Returning campers greet one another like old friends. New friendships form over shared meals, campfires, games, and walks through the peaceful woods. The quiet beauty of God's creation provides a welcome escape from the stress and isolation many seniors experience.

"The peacefulness is what draws you," Jim says. "God created nature, and it helps bring you back."

Every summer, Camp CONNRI becomes a place where children discover confidence, families create memories, and seniors rediscover joy, friendship, purpose, and faith.

Sometimes, as Jim and Sherry's story reminds us, it even becomes the place where two hearts find each other.

Jim and Sherry came to Camp CONNRI expecting a few days away. What they found was love that will last a lifetime.