A Summer Camp Bond Turns Into a Lifetime Together
Molly and Baxter met at YMCA Camp High Harbour at Lake Burton in 1989, when summers were filled with mix tapes, handwritten notes tucked into mailboxes, and long days that ended with campfire songs under the North Georgia sky. Molly had just arrived as a leader in training, still learning the rhythms of camp life. Baxter was already a counselor and seemed to know everyone from the dock to the dining hall.
Camp was smaller then, which meant the same faces at breakfast, on the waterfront, and in cabin circles that stretched well past sunset. Counselors and trainees spent nearly every waking hour together, leading activities, cheering through competitions, and collapsing into laughter after lights out. Molly remembers thinking Baxter was funny and easy to talk to, someone she admired and trusted in that tight knit world. Whether she called it a crush at the time is up for debate, but in a place where your whole summer fit inside a few cabins and a lakeshore, she definitely noticed him.
Both remained connected to the Y through their teenage years. Molly returned to High Harbour the summer after her senior year of high school, while Baxter continued as a camp counselor through college. They briefly crossed paths again in the early 1990s at a college-era party, a moment preserved in a photo they still laugh about today. After that summer, their lives moved in different directions and they lost touch.
In the years that followed, each built a full life. Baxter married, had two children and later faced significant health challenges as a two-time survivor of hairy cell leukemia. Molly pursued her career and became a mother to two daughters through IVF, choosing single parenthood because she wanted to start a family. By the time they reconnected, both had experienced major milestones and challenges.
That reconnection came in 2017 through a dating app. Molly recognized Baxter immediately, not just his face, but the version of him she remembered from long days at Camp High Harbour. She reached out, and he responded right away. As they began talking regularly, they found it surprisingly easy to pick up where they left off. The foundation built during those formative summers at the Y camp, shared memories, inside jokes and a sense of trust formed in teenage years, made the distance of decades feel smaller.
Baxter later shared that he was in the hospital receiving treatment at the time and appreciated having a familiar face to reconnect with. What started as friendly conversation quickly became something more. They went on their first date that spring and moved forward with intention. Both knew what they were looking for, and they focused early on blending their families. Their children met, spent time together and formed strong bonds. They were engaged within a year, and they married in June 2018.
“We met as teenagers and built our lives separately,” Baxter said. “We went to college, started careers and figured out who we were on our own. But when the timing was right, everything came together. That connection never really left. What we built at camp was real, and even after all those years, it was still there.”
Reflecting on their journey, Molly said, “You never know when the right person will come along. It does not have to happen when you are young. It can happen later, and it can still be exactly what you hoped for.”
The Y has continued to play a role in their lives. They invited former Camp High Harbour counselors to their wedding and recently attended a camp reunion, reconnecting with friends from their summers on staff. Those Y relationships remain an integral part of their shared history.
For Molly, the setting was never incidental. “Camp was where we first trusted each other,” she said. “It was where we learned how to work together, lead together and just be ourselves. That foundation stayed with us. The Y gave us that beginning.”
From the YMCA to the Wedding Aisle
After moving back to Georgia from Maryland to be closer to family, Patra Hills stepped into a new role in youth development at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta association office, entering an organization and culture that were entirely new to her.
Her now fiancé Micah, had already built a reputation at the Y. He worked in IT, but his connection to the Y went beyond technology. He and his family had long been involved, and colleagues knew him as someone steady and dependable who supported the mission behind the scenes.
When Patra joined the team, she entered a workplace where Micah was already a familiar and trusted presence. Their first interaction was brief and professional. Micah helped set up her computer, and they exchanged a few polite words. After that initial meeting, they connected on Facebook and LinkedIn. The very next day, Micah sent her a message.
What began as a simple follow-up quickly shifted into something more.
As Patra described it, the chemistry was instant. The conversation flowed naturally. There was no pressure and no awkwardness. They talked easily and often. Messages turned into longer conversations. They discovered shared values, similar humor, and a mutual passion for the YMCA’s mission.
The Y had always shaped Micah’s story. Now it was shaping Patra’s in a new way.
As their relationship grew, Micah became a familiar face at the McCleskey East Cobb Family YMCA, where many of Patra’s youth development programs and events were held. He volunteered at Healthy Kids Day, supporting Camp Land’s Bingo Trail walk along the McCleskey Y walking trail.
Over time, their shared connection to the Y extended beyond events and programs. Today, Patra works out at the Buckhead YMCA while Micah plays basketball there, and they also spend time together at the Andrew Walter Young Family YMCA. Staying active at both locations has become part of their routine and a steady part of their life together. Colleagues have watched their relationship unfold. In a place built on connection and belonging, their story felt like a natural extension of the Y’s purpose.
Now engaged, Patra and Micah are planning an engagement celebration in May and preparing for a February 2027 wedding. February holds special meaning in their journey, as they began growing their relationship that month, making it the perfect time to set their wedding date. What began as two Y colleagues crossing paths became a love story just getting started.
