Month: August 2020

A Shout Out from Dr. Dora Mills

Posted on by Pam Cobb

 

Put Your Hands in the Air! 

The sister of the Governor of Maine and former CDC Director of Maine, Dr. Dora Mills posted this about the summer camps that opened in Maine this summer:

A few weeks ago, there were numerous news stories about summer camp outbreaks in Georgia and other states. People were wisely asking why they were allowed to open. And when they did open, why weren’t they adhering to known effective strategies, e.g. masking, distancing, and cohorting? The good news is that Maine’s overnight youth camps have recently adjourned after a successful summer. They hosted campers and staff from most states in the U.S. as well as a number of other countries. I understand that it appears we did not have one summer camp outbreak. Maine’s guidance required camps to implement all of the known effective strategies. They used a great amount of creativity to implement them, and seemed to have done so very successfully. 

Although summer camps are not the same as schools, the experience here this summer gives me optimism that we can do the same for schools and other venues. Having worked with many youth camp directors over the years when I led Maine CDC, I found them and their campers a most creative and flexible group. Teachers I know or have known (including my own mother, grandmothers, aunts, and nieces) as well as school children are similarly innovative and adaptable, which are key ingredients to reopening camps as well as schools. We are also fortunate in Maine to sustain low levels of pandemic activity, although some recent outbreaks are concerning. This gives us higher chances to reconvene schools successfully in the coming weeks.

The Summer of 2020 – It’s a Wrap!

Posted on by Pam Cobb

It’s a wrap!

We made a plan, we followed the plan, we had a successful summer.

Campers connected with other campers and adults who genuinely wanted to be working with children and providing a camp experience. We had an amazing health team including two doctors who helped us navigate the ever-changing landscaping of Covid protocols.

We ran a small camp, overstaffed with lots of competent, fabulous people. We started camp in small groups, expanding the size of our groups eventually into “neighborhoods” so campers could interact with different age groups and different people. We wore masks a lot at first and as our confidence grew about the overall health of our community, we were able to interact during outdoor play without masks.  Girls got to do nearly every activity in camp including riding, ropes, waterskiing, baskets, arts & crafts, swimming, sailing, archery, canoeing, kayaking, riferly, windsurfing, volley ball, yoga, soccer, drama, evening programs, capture the flag, skits and talent show and more.

Meal times were by neighborhood and were served by staff.  Everyone wore masks in the food line and neighborhood groups lined up after washing hands in our new dining hall sink set up.  We added capacity with outdoor seating under the big tent and often ate meals outside picnic style when the weather cooperated. A big shout out to our kitchen crew and other admin and staff who helped in the kitchen. It was hot and we wore masks and gloves all of the time. The food was comforting and the snacks at shacks were a fun twist for everyone.

The weather was amazing all summer with the lake temperature getting up to 82 degrees by August. We had a few fun summer thunderstorms just to keep it real.  Sunsets did not disappoint. Many an evening ended with girls enjoying the fresh air outside while glancing up at the evening sky.  By August, dusk came early and we spotted the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, the North Star and a lovely waxing moon early the month.


Our mail was delivered by the mail boat on Great Pond. And the no-package policy was a help to Runoia staff with all the pieces to manage, we got a break from packages. Campers enjoyed daily showers at their assigned time and everyone in camp helped to pick up after themselves and clean up after themselves. Life skills learned by all!

Kudos to our staff who remained on campus for nearly 6 weeks to help create this “camp bubble” of safety. It was a summer we will never forget. And now as we close up camp for 2020 we are already planning for 2021. Registration will be open by August 25. Meanwhile, here are the camp dates for 2021 to start planning for next year!

The 2020 name story

Posted on by Alex

CRH name story 2020 – A Summer unlike any other!

The name story is a tradition that goes into the Log. It contains the last names of everyone who was at camp for the season – this year it is our staff and CIT’s.

It was a summer like Runoia had never seen, with a Sirois global pandemic raging . The directors May have worried for a moment but then put on their thinking caps and in a hot Minnick figured out how to open camp. Instead of Tremblaying with fear they Weavered together a brilliant plan, Knoxed on wood and hoped that they could pull it off. If you had been Perrin into a crystal ball you couldn’t have predicted this summer!

Camp needed a few additions to be able to navigate the Covid 19 protocols so Jackson’s, Eddy and Craig showed up to put in sinks, they needed a few Moremen to help pitch some tents. The O’Malleys were too busy so Dresdowed with masks on Johnson, Lee and Robinson Philips showed up to help. The Billings for all extra supplies came pouring in which almost Bokored the bank.

The summer weather was spectacular with lots of ‘fine Maine days’ . It was incredible that the grass didn’t get Brown without any rain.  The awesome kitchen crew had all of the Franitza’s blowing in the kitchen to keep it cool.

While a lot of things were different so much remained the same. The Kells were ringing more often for meal shifts and program times. As always the camp food was great, it wasn’t too Clancy but sure was delicious.  Spaghetti on the first night with Marini Saucier was a hit. There were  the usual Heubergers and Wieners at Saturday night cook out’s. Delicious cookies that were Bakewell’d and even the old Cobb salad was spiced up with some Mintz from the garden.  The Oldfields looked the same with the addition of a Weiss big tent under the Goodoak on the kickball field. Campfires on Sundays needed some social distancing but singing with masks on wasn’t too bad.

Sadly none of the international staff or campers could travel so there wasn’t any speaking of French or Spanish on Sundays. While it was sad not to see old friends campers quickly became close and Maxwell all of their opportunities. 

The counselors and staff were super stars and spent all of their time at camp with no Maroneing. They finNagled some deals with local vendors and even got Days deliveries which was very Hamby. One of the staff Garrod and headed to the lake for some fishing.The Bickford vans stayed parked in the lot as there were no trips heading out.

The time flew by and before long the final Hornbsoteled and it was time to pack up and head home. Everything got cleaned and put away,  staff got out the Kirby vacuum cleaners to give the shacks a good clean, ‘Stanislawski on the lake’ said Gibson, Harris the ski boat driver. They Lorenz the flags and there were a few tears “Hommel I’m so sad to be Guimond home” lamented a camper.

It could have been a very Solimine summer if camp had closed but instead it turned into a fantastic experience that went off without a Hitch.

By Alex Jackson celebrating her 25th summer on Great Pond!