Where Are They Now...Catching up with Emily (Carpenter) Mabry

Ever since I was a little girl, Camp Thunderbird has held such a special place in my heart. Every summer, I looked forward to my favorite two summer camp events - the “Thunder Open” (the session tennis tournament) and the Camp Dance. I loved getting to sign up for my favorite activities and try new things, too - like the high ropes course at the challenge course, horseback riding, archery, and more. Camp Thunderbird instilled in me a confidence that I could do anything I set my mind too - and for that, I am so grateful. After a few years of missing camp due to my competitive tennis summer tournament schedule, I came right back to Thunderbird after my freshman year of college to work as a counselor. Those two summers during college were the most fun, rewarding experiences in the world! Not only did I get to work with children (which
was perfect, since I was studying to be an elementary school teacher), but I also made some of my very best friends!

After I graduated from Clemson University in May of 2016, I moved to Greenville, SC and taught Kindergarten and Pre-K at Meeting Street Academy (a school for under-resourced students in nearby Spartanburg, SC). I truly believe that my experiences working with children of all ages as a counselor, tennis coach, and lifeguard during my time at Camp Thunderbird prepared me for teaching in the public school classroom. I learned how to not only teach my students academically, but how to help them develop character and bring out their unique personalities and strengths. After my first year of teaching, I spent that following summer overseas in Jinja, Uganda working with a Christian ministry that served vulnerable and abandoned women and children. I absolutely fell in love with the people there, and ended up committing to come back after I finished my second year of teaching. Almost immediately after returning from my first trip to Uganda, I ended up meeting the love of my life (and now husband) - Wesley Mabry. We dated throughout that school year and got engaged (7 months after we met!) shortly before I left to go back to Uganda to serve that following summer/fall. I was working in the preschool classrooms with amazing local teachers there and loved getting to be back with my precious students from the previous summer. When I got back from Uganda, I started a little business called “Light to the Lambs” as a way to create and sell artwork and handmade greeting cards while giving half of all profit back to Uganda.

Just a couple of weeks ago, on March 30th, I married my sweet husband and it was the most beautiful day of our lives! Wesley has been my biggest cheerleader from day one - whether it was my decision to go overseas to Uganda, start “Light to the Lambs” to give back, and must recently, to create my own new business - called “Emily Mabry Creative.” Through starting “Light to the Lambs,” not only did I realize how much I loved creating encouraging art and greeting cards for others, but I also discovered my niche and love for social media branding, design, photography and all things creative! And boom...the idea of @emilymabrycreative was born! The dream behind this business is to encourage others to see the beauty and joy of life all around us through photography, branding, design and all things creative. You can find me and learn more about “Emily Mabry Creative” on Instagram and Facebook @emilymabrycreative. As I mentioned earlier, all of this would

not have been possible without the confidence, character lessons, and courage that I learned during my time as both a camper and counselor at Camp Thunderbird. I learned the beauty and joy that life has to offer, and most importantly, that God loves me and has great plans for our lives!