Did you know that the word summer comes from the Old English sumor, which goes back even further to the Proto-Indo-European sem, meaning “together / one”? That’s right — baked into the DNA of summer is the idea of coming together. Around fires. Under stars. On winding roads that don’t care where you’re going, just that you’re going.

(hmmm...Maybe that's we chose the #risetogether hashtag in ALL of our social posts.) 

If you're reading this while stuck behind a screen, here's your friendly nudge: summer officially started yesterday. Not metaphorically. Not vibes-wise. Astronomically. Solstice. Longest day of the year. Maximum daylight. Prime time for campfires, dips in the lake, and making memories that smell faintly like sunscreen and freedom.

Historically, summer has always meant movement. Indigenous communities across North America moved to summer grounds to fish, forage, and feast. In the mid 1800s, urban families escaped smoky cities for the clean air of lakeside cabins — sparking what would later become the summer camp boom. And speaking of summer camp, the first official one started in 1861 in Connecticut. Just some fresh-air-loving kids building fires, making mischief, and probably burning a few marshmallows of their own.

Fast-forward to now, and not much has changed — we’re still wired to roam. Still itching for late sunsets and earlier starts. And camping? It’s having a moment. In the past few years, over 7.2 million North Americans tried camping for the first time. (We hope they're STILL out there, figuring out how to shit in the woods ;) 

So here’s your reminder: summer’s not here forever. And it doesn’t wait. Don’t save your weekends for later. Later turns into September pretty fast.

Pitch the tent. Jump in the lake. Make the fire, the playlist, the pancake stack. Burn the first marshmallow. Eat it anyway.

This is it. This is the season of getting amongst it.

RISE is here for all of it. Let’s go.So grab your crew, pack the gear, and chase the kind of summer stories you’ll still be telling when the fire’s down to embers.