Whenever the calendar switches from one year to the next, our excitement for camp explodes (even though we’ve been preparing for the next summer since the last) and we know a lot of our camp families and hopeful campers feel the same way.

Living ‘10 for 2‘ – that is, waiting through those 10 months of ‘real life’ for the 2 months of ‘camp life’ – is typical for the Runoia community. The year-round team is the biggest example of this: we spend all year hiring the best staff, talking to amazing new families, and planning the best summer ever. When summer finally comes, it can feel like it was over in a flash – and so we reset our sights on the next summer on and the cycle repeats.

We understand more than anyone that it can be hard to feel camp-sick when we’re home the rest of the year, and that summer can feel further away than ever before. Some of our seasoned campers and staff may be feeling particularly antsy, and some of our soon-to-be first year campers may be feeling a little bit more nervous as summer starts to come into view.

Luckily, feeling camp magic at home is fully possible with a little effort. One of the hardest tasks for us, our campers, and our staff is explaining the camp experience to ‘outsiders’ – it’s something you kind of just have to be there for yourself. But we can share some of the pieces of the camp puzzle with our families and friends by making a little magic happen at home.

Here are some sure-fire ways to make some Runoia magic at home, get your campers excited for the summer, and share the experience with your family and friends:

• Make a well-loved Runoia recipe and share 
  • Runoia Congo Bars
  • Runoia Dirt Pudding
  • Whoopie Pies – a Maine classic
  • Jen’s famous butter chicken recipe (scalable to feed 200 people – if needed!)

 

• Cozy up with your Runoia gear
  • A 5-year blanket makes the perfect cozy reminder of camp!
  • Haven’t earned a 5-year blanket quite yet? Our TCS store has other cozy options, like:
    • sweatshirts and sweatpants
    • pajamas
    • fuzzy shorts
    • warm winter hats

• Share Camp Runoia songs
  • Ask your camper to share some Runoia songs with you, and teach you the words!
  • Listen to some of our classic songs on our website

• Look at our historic logs together
  • Has your camper told you that Runoia’s 118 summers are well documented in logs? A lot of them are online! Read through some of the coolest versions in our history here

Feeling camp magic is possible any time of year, because of the community, skills, memories, and life-long friendship made over the summer.

Luckily, these things last far beyond just one summer at camp!