Author: Alex

Second session is in full swing

Posted on by Alex

It has been another incredible week of growing together on Great Pond. Balmy summer days have been much appreciated and having a lake to cool off in is such a treat. Camp Runoia is bustling from morning until night with the sounds of happy campers.

Campers have been so busy participating in all that camp has to offer. From activities, to day trips, climbing mountains and sleeping in tents to crazy fun evening programs and quiet rest hours the days are crammed packed. Free time has seen a lot of blueberry picking as our campus wild blueberries are abundant this summer. 7th shack were practicing their life skills of throwing them up and catching them in their mouth. There is so much to do and being outdoors all day is the absolute best!

 

After a challenging prep hike at Tumbledown mountain our first overnight camping trip of the session headed out to Katahdin.  Senior Village campers and a couple of our CIT’s were eager for their chance to hike Maine’s tallest mountain. It was a successful ascent and a fabulous trip for all. Ocho will be rolling out next week. It is a capstone event for our adventuring hikers. Juniors will be heading out hiking too this week. Harmony Land Camp submitted ‘The Mountain’ in Belgrade Lakes and everyone else will be off to Camden Hills State Park. Meanwhile our two JMG candidates are off at testing camp and we cannot wait to hear the stories that they have to tell.

Our friend Matt from World of Change brought the change truck in on Sunday – second session campers brought in almost double the amount of loose change that first session did. The grand Runoia total in change was over $600 and our campers were very thoughtful about where they would like the money to be spent. We will also be delivering our collected food to the local food pantry this week. Supporting our neighbors and showing up in our community is important to us and we are grateful to all those that chipped in.

 

Where to even start with EP! Highlight of the week so far was ‘dress your counselor’ – the goal is that you have to get as many items of clothing as you can onto the on duty counselor. Lucky for Alex she was on with Ocho! They fought hard seeking a win and she was wearing 81 items; they were sadly narrowly beaten by the 7th shack. Counselors were great sports with sweat pouring down their faces and barely being able to walk. There was also a beach party, lipsynch, powder fairies and our Sunday night campfire. The theme for the campfire was a ‘letter to our planet’ and campers shared how they feel they can make a difference protecting resources and helping our world stay healthy.

 

We look forward to the cooler nights coming up and the long days that we can fill with friends and fun. The time is going by too fast, our HLC campers depart tomorrow (and a surprise tea party this afternoon- shhh!)  after such a successful session. We hope to see them all back on Great Pond next summer.

 

Bobos from camp

Aionur

Endings and Beginnings – a new Runoia session rolls in

Posted on by Alex

Hello, Runoia Family!

This past week on Great Pond has been full.

Smiles and Laughs. Huge Accomplishments. Favorite songs and long hugs. Ecstatic family reunions as well as see-you-later’s with new and old friends. We are sad to say goodbye to our summer friends but know we will cross paths again in the future.

The final days of First Session, we had eleven campers complete the Oak Island swim. A one-mile swim in open water, it is no small feat. Our brave swimmers woke at 6 A.M., and were in the water by 6:40. All finished strong, and were greeted with the cheers of all of their friends who came down to the waterfront to support them before breakfast.This group was building life skills of determination, preparation, perseverance and commitment. We also played team sports for the Bees and Elephants, rode in the horse show and proved ourselves on the courts.

Eligible First Session graduates finished their plaques and got to see them hung in the boathouse. So many feelings hung in the air while best friends watched their plaques be drilled in side-by-side. Echoes of “I can’t wait until it’s my turn” and “I hope I can put my plaque right there when I’m in Senior Village” radiated among the young campers who were also excitedly watching the ceremonial placements. Graduation dinner was bittersweet. Enjoying a ‘fancy’ meal in the spiffed up boathouse with your camp friends is a tradition that we relish.

Certificates were also given to all campers, in intimate cabin-group ceremonies. Each certificate outlined campers’ activities they tried, as well as levels passed and achievements reached.

The last night of First Session was our much anticipated last Campfire. All were grateful for perfect weather and a beautiful sunset on the lake. Shacks took turns coming up and sharing camp memories, and what they look forward to at camp next summer. First year pennants, Five-year blankets, and awards for Advanced Equestrian, Windsurfing Queen, and American Archer were given. We sang all of our favorite songs while we said goodnight to cabins one by one, until only a tearful Senior Village remained- to sing one last song together as campers.

After saying our see-you-laters the next morning, staff had a quick turnaround and Second Session campers arrived the very next day!

Monday held Orientation and Swim Tests, and a day trip out for Full Season campers to Smalls Falls. Yesterday started our first block of the session, with everyone going to activities in their shack groups.  We are getting to know new friends and reconnecting with the old ones. It’s so good to be back out on the Blue Waves even when the summer breezes blow a bit strong!

The camp magic has never left the air, and we cannot wait to see it continue for all of Second Session.

Blogged by Nina B.

Time flies when you are having a blast!

Posted on by Alex

Oh my goodness it doesn’t seem but just 2 minutes since we were donning red,white and blue for the 4th of July! The week blasted by with every second filled to the brim.  It’s hard to find a starting place and an end! The long summer days and fantastic Maine weather have allowed us to make the most of everything offered to us and have so much fun!

We welcomed our HLC A campers on July 5th. They might be small but they certainly are mighty and leapt into camp life mostly in a bathing suit! Getting them out of the lake is a challenge for sure. They have tried activities, hiked mountains, been to the beach and did we mention showed up at every rec swim possible?  Harmony Land Camp is a great way to have a short ‘try it’ experience and we know that this crowd is definitely ready for main camp next summer.

Pretty much everyone has been out to the Maine coast, Popham Beach for seniors and Pemaquid for juniors. It’s great to get out of camp and enjoy a picnic and a fun day doing something different. A long standing Runoia tradition that everyone really looks forward to.

Our Ocho Katahdin hikers had the best trip ever and apparently beat all times for getting up and down the mountain in a little over 7 hours!  The full season girls are begging to go again next session. Providing challenging experiences with supportive adults to guide you is what camp is all about. The SV girls are out now and hoping to make it to the summit tomorrow, weather permitting. Having older campers as role models and seeing the accomplishments of others makes our summer family feel like a place you can safely call home.

Although it has been a bit of a windy week sailors have been out on ‘the blue waves’, campers are passing levels in waterski and windsurfing and our JMG candidates were honing their canoe skills. We are lucky to have Runoia alums Ginny Geyer and Meg (Tabell) Kasprak coming in a couple of days a week helping them.

Activity time has been super busy with lots of projects being turned out in the arts department. We have been trialing a new leather craft program which has been a big hit. Baskets, batik, photos, lino prints and a million more bracelets will be heading home if we can pack them! Not forgetting target sports, horse back riding, play practice and all of the things in between, we are exhausted when we fall into bed at night.

EP’s have varied a lot this week, from a chill all-camp movie night watching and singing along to Encanto, the much anticipated Variety Show, birthday tables and the laundry bag game. We fit in a Sunday campfire which was a bit of a rush as we were all enjoying our Sunday sundaes on the kickball field. Our oldest Senior campers celebrated their years at Runoia with their graduation dinner in a fancied up boathouse. They are busy painting their plaques that will be put up before they depart and be a lasting memory of their time on Great Pond.

Still more….

We played our first big round of games and picked team captains for the Bees and Elephants this past Sunday. This group of campers have taken on the transition of team names and colors with gusto! Team captains are Sayles, Vee, Sofi and Clare! There are amazing new cheers, and they have used the old ones with some rewriting. Bs and Es or Ellies were running wild on the fields and courts for kickball, softball, soccer, volleyball and tennis. Swim races and the horse show are coming up later in the week. The Es are poised to make a monumental comeback after a few years of losses.

As we head into our last tag up block we are making the most of all of the opportunities that camp has given us and will be sad to be packing trunks and duffels on Friday. How has it gone by so fast? how many days until next summer?

See you soon,

Aionur

Bee’s and E’s – week two @camprunoia

Posted on by Alex

Week two of Camp Runoia’s 116th season, has been packed full of adventures, new skills, friend making and about a 1000 friendship bracelets being produced. The Fine Maine Days have been filled with laughter and singing as we sink into the camp experience.

From weather forecasters and TV appearances to July 4th celebrations our days are packed from the minute we wake up until we fall into bed at night. Loons on the lake at night lull us to sleep and we wake to the crows and sheep ready to start new days filled with fun. 

Our campers have settled in, made new friends and are enjoying the fabulous Maine weather and lake life. With a covid free camp it has been a mix and match program week spending time with friends throughout camp. There have been lots of fun activities to tag up for, art projects to get started, rec swims, gaga games and wacky evening programs. The food has been amazing and we often joke that we have to fit camp in between meals and snacks! We are grateful to the positive energy that radiates from the kitchen and the hard work of the staff to keep us all fed with healthy, nutritious and delicious food.

We have been able to get back to more trips this summer and are enjoying getting out and about seeing the best of Maine. It’s the perfect place to be in the summer with so many natural resources and bright sunny days for visiting the mountains and the ocean. Day trips and camping trips get us out of camp and out into nature.

It was a ‘Wild Wednesday’ with some campers doing activities in camp, whilst the other half ventured out on trips. The Juniors went to Camden Hills State Park for a hiking day trip. The keen hikers went for a two hour, woodland hike and enjoyed their packed lunch with the beautiful scenery at the top of Mount Battie. Other hikers even complimented the girls singing as they climbed the mountain, showing off their Runoia spirit. Older girls had a prep hike at Tumbledown, they will be hiking Mount Katahdin later in the session and stretched their legs and enjoyed the lake at the top. Surrounded by nature on yet another Fine Maine day, campers took on the tough hike with determination and excitement. At the end of the four mile hike, campers were rewarded with the stunning views of Tumbledown’s surrounding mountains.

For our Harmony Land Mini campers, they had a fun day trip on Thursday to Pemaquid Beach. Campers were able to cool off while having fun on a hot, fine Maine day. They enjoyed splashing around in the waves, making sandcastles, and seeing the beautiful, coastal landscape that Maine has to offer. We were sad to see them leave at the end of their session and will welcome HLC A on the 5th. Seeing our youngest friends grow and learn during their stay at camp was very rewarding and we know that they will all be back to join main camp next year

The longest trip of the week consisted of a three day overnight camping trip to Acadia National Park. Here our campers went to the beach, climbed over rocks, explored nature and learned camping skills for outdoor living. The favorite thing about the whole trip was watching the sunrise over the harbor from Cadillac mountain.

Evening Programs or EP’s at camp are a great way to end our long days being altogether and having fun. From running games like Capture the Flag, Run Sheepy Run and a Scavenger Hunt to a Pairs Party and Lyp Synch contest we have used teamwork, creativity and athletic ability to have a blast. We always end the day with milk and crackers served by our fabulous CIT’s

The World of Change Truck rolled in yesterday and we chose how we would like all of our loose change to be spent helping kids in our community. Some campers felt very inspired to take the message home to their hometowns and get the program going there too. Encouraging kids to make a difference however small and truly be ‘the change’ in their world builds life skills that are of great importance.

New campers picked their teams or followed their alumnae family members onto a team. Campers have embraced the new team names and colors and are busy updating and rewriting cheers and creating new team spirit! Bees and Elephants or Ellie’s or E’s are ready to hit the fields and courts next week and earn points for their teams. Martina was able to articulate well the importance of this change and how it is our responsibility so show up in positive and affirming ways for all members of our community. Integrating and explaining out DEI work is an important part of being a progressive camp that works for continual improvement and is willing to say just because it’s been that way or is a tradition doesn’t make it right!

We will be slipping and sliding through today for the 4th of July celebrations with crazy fun stations and our traditional all camp relay later in the day. Ending with a campfire and sparklers at the lake these are the days that make our camp memories strong.

Sending much love home from the shores of Great Pond!

Camp Runoia’s 116th season get’s going!

Posted on by Alex

The best day of the year so far was June 24th. Opening day of Camp Runoia’s 116th season. It was a fine Maine day and the energy that poured into camp was absolutely amazing. From airports to highways, our campers navigated to camp filled with enthusiasm, excitement and for a few a little trepidation. Cabins quickly filled up, bags were unpacked and name games started. 

Old friends shared hugs and new friends were quickly made. By supper time the volume was high, the laughs were many and everyone was excited to see what the next few days would bring.

The first full day of camp always starts with a morning of orientation to get everyone up to speed with all of the guidelines and systems. Staff shared information about activities and campers practiced safety protocols and took swim tests.  The afternoon we were quickly into activities with shack groups and every area of camp was filled with fun. Volleyball is once again super popular with large groups of all ages and abilities playing together on the court.

We started strong with covid protocols in attempts to reduce risk and disruption for the community. We are doing some masking when we are mixing indoors and have been tagged up with our shack group for the first block. Everyone is engaged and busy all day long and we are finding that it is already much quieter earlier at night especially in Junior end. Long days outdoors being active and without tech feels so good. 

It is impressive how quickly everyone had adapted to the camp routine, understands the schedule and is ready to spend their day adventuring all over camp. The bell gets us up in the morning and keeps us rolling on time all day long. From the lake to the barn there is action and learning going on everywhere. It is impossible to count the number of friendship bracelets already made and the books being read. Unstructured free time often sees the gaga pit, courts and fields full of happy campers hanging out and playing together. Counselors are keeping a close eye on things and supporting those that need a little extra to navigate their way around. 

The kitchen crew has been cooking up a storm and we are being kept very well fed. Three meals and three snacks a day keeps us energized. So far there have been great options including produce from our own camp garden. The farm class harvested kale and cooked up some kale chips to try. We have sheep at camp for the first time this year. They are providing plenty of entertainment as are the chickens. We are trying hard to reduce food waste and compost what we can.

Our night time evening programs(EP’s) have been a blast, we started with an old camp favorite, ‘capture the flag’ did some sporty rotations and had our first campfire of the season last night. It was so great to all be together at the lake sharing about our ‘Cultural Diversity’, singing songs and enjoying the loons and the sunset.

 

Approaching the summer a little tentatively

Posted on by Alex

As we approach the summer Camp Runoia season, the ‘experts,’ and media tell us that covid has generated more anxiety than is typical and that our kids may be feeling it the most. According to the CDC, “Children’s mental health during public health emergencies can have both short and long term consequences to their overall health and well-being.”  It makes sense that children who have spent intensive amounts of time as part of the family unit may be reluctant to leave that safe bubble and head off into an unknown new experience no matter how fun it sounds. It’s not just new campers who may be feeling a little more anxious, parents are often surprised when longer term campers  express fears or reluctance about returning to camp. While we want camp to feel like ‘home away from home’ it may take some campers a few days to get to that feeling.

There are only 85 days until we open Camp Runoia for the summer and it is typical at this time of year to hear from a few families that their camper may be having second thoughts or is more worried than they expected about coming to camp. Some anxiety about a new experience is to be expected but debilitating concerns or persistent worry is something that should be delved into a little more deeply.

Preparation for the adventure and discussion about what to expect can be great ways to reduce anxiety, answer questions and solve perceived problems that may be more hypothetical than real.

Campers can help to get ready for camp by:

  • Looking at the website and thinking about which activities they can’t wait to try.
  • Printing the packing list and choosing uniform and finding supplies.
  • Writing down their questions and emailing the directors.
  • Figuring out on the camp map where important places are.
  • Talking through some ‘what if’s’ and how camp handles them.
  • Connecting with returning campers and pen pals to get the inside scoop
  • Practicing skills that they will need at camp – bed making, laundry sorting, hair and teeth brushing, showering.
  • Trying to use a flashlight for reading at night.
  • Practice writing letters! It’s a great way for all the family to share news.
  • Start a mindfulness skills list and have campers think about what helps them if they are worried or need a minute to regroup.

At camp kids get constant human interaction in all aspects of their daily life. They can reconnect with nature and literally live in the out of doors away from technology. They build resilience and grit as they challenge themselves in a supportive environment, can explore problem solving, and also are encouraged to have a ‘can do’ or ‘I’m not good at it yet’ attitude. For most campers anxieties about the experience typically evaporate once they are busy and engaged with camp life. There may be a few that need a little more help and our skilled team of experienced, senior staff along with our support specialist work closely to help campers reduce anxiety and have a great time. 

In this article the American Camp Association suggests that camp is a great antidote to the Covid pandemic. Camp offers kids the unique opportunity to step back into a simpler time, with no internet connection. A place where a small community can join together and support one another without judgment, simply because it’s the right thing to do. Campers benefit from being out of their homes, playing with other kids, being challenged and nurtured as they adventure into a new experience. 

It’s not only three weeks away from home, it’s only three weeks at Runoia!

We wish summer lasted so much longer.

What are you reading Camp Runoia?

Posted on by Alex

Reading is an integral part of our Runoia summers. A tech free environment means that campers and staff have ample opportunity to grab a good book and delve into the pages. Whether it is at rest hour or before bedtime, a book is a great way to settle and relax on your bunk. We encourage campers to bring their books from home and also have a large library in the Lodge with reading material to suit everyone. It is an established tradition that in all cabin groups staff read to campers at night from a shack book. We also try to keep track of how many books collectively get read throughout camp over the summer.

While often an independent activity, reading can also be a great connector. We sometimes run a ‘book club’ at camp so that campers of all ages can engage together about a particularly enjoyable novel. Our Runoia staff share their reading favorites on our group facebook page and it often results in some cross cultural exchange with our friends across the pond.  Maine camp directors use books to come together for professional development and meet every few months to share thoughts about an inspiring text that helps with camp management. Talking about what you are reading can not only be enjoyable but can be the start of great friendships.

Women’s History month is the perfect time to take on some thoughtful reading and explore more about how women have shaped our society and cultures. We continue to build our already well stocked Runoia library to include more diversity and love to offer books by great women authors. Suggestions of any favorites that you feel are a ‘must’ read for our camper population are very welcome.

It is often hard to pin down what to read next – there are so many books and so little time! Check out the list here for reading material for kids of all ages, A Mighty Girl is a great place to get other ideas and resources too.

For the more mature reader this proved to be a great list and many of our staff were reading titles from this collection.

If you don’t have time to grab a book there are plenty of TED talks that may be equally inspiring and focus on women’s issues.

As our thoughts start turning towards the summer, having a summer reading list is an exciting part of the planning process. Certainly some campers have school books that need to be read before school is back in session but there are endless hours of time to grab a great book and sink into the joy of turning the pages. There are so many great spots around camp to be in harmony with nature and just jump into a book, we can’t wait to be back on Great Pond.

The greening of Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

Green and Sustainable Practices at Camp Runoia

Thanks to Mark Heuberger for the material for this weeks blog. Mark is dedicated to safe lakefront practice and stewardship. Mark is an awesome advocate for lake protection and preservation and passes his knowledge and enthusiasm along to campers and staff.

This is Camp Runoia’s statement and goals for best environmental practices. We believe that it is our duty to do our best to protect and preserve the land that Camp Runoia sits on and to teach the next generations the importance of walking gently on the earth. We acknowledge that we live on the lands of the Wabanaki people who nurtured the land before us and were dedicated to living in harmony with nature.

Camp Runoia is continually striving to increase the sustainability of our activities and decrease our impact on the environment through green and responsible land use practices. We are proud of what we have accomplished.

Recycling, Composting, and Waste Reduction

· Recycling is and has been a way of life at Runoia for over three decades: paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastic, metal, newspapers, and magazines are separated and taken to our town transfer station for recycling. Campers, counselors and staff are involved in the daily process of separating waste and recycling everything we can.

· Composting – separating biodegradable waste from our food scraps has helped to reduce our food waste and resulting in nutrient-rich “black gold” soil for our landscaping and gardens through the composting process.

· Spreading manure to fertilize our pastures rather than accumulating piles of manure has proved efficient for our barn management, reducing consolidated waste and reducing potential impacts to the watershed from runoff.

Education and Awareness

· Appreciation for nature and nature conservation are key parts of living at camp surrounded by the natural beauty of woods, lakes, and mountains with people who care. Being located in the Belgrade Lakes Watershed, a watershed area of 180 square miles, 7 major water bodies, and over 9400 acres of conservation land heightens our awareness of human impact on the natural environment

· We identify species of native trees, wildflowers and fungi, take hikes through conservation land, and learn about the natural animal, bird, fish, and inspect species.

· We discuss with staff and campers best practices to minimize our impacts on the lake water quality and natural habitats.

· We teach and implement Leave No Trace practices in our Campcraft and trip programs.

· We often invite local experts on invasive plant species identification and awareness to come to camp to present. The speakers help our campers and counselors to know they can play a part in preserving our watershed area through species identification and reporting suspected invasive plants growing or floating in our lake.

· Campers may choose to participate in programs such as Farm and Garden, where they learn about raising organic vegetables and local food sources or Campcraft, where they learn about living in nature and sustainable camping practices.

Energy and Water Use

· Awareness of water usage and water conservation is discussed and conservation is practiced in everyday living at camp.

· 80% of camp light bulbs are now high-efficiency bulbs used in our living areas.

· We have a greenhouse and garden beds where campers can do gardening and grow and pick vegetables. Irrigation water is supplemented by rainwater collected in rain barrels, and soil is supplemented with compost from food waste and fallen tree leaves.

· More than 50% of our cleaning products are natural or “green” awarded products.

· We are moving toward greener construction in new buildings and use of natural light and natural products.

· We buy local food to supplement our camp food; participating in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with our local farmers. Campers participate in collecting our farm shares.

Lake and Watershed Protection and Land Conservation

· Camp Runoia is situated where thousands of acres of land have been held aside in conservation through the efforts of local organizations and individuals. We support the 7 Lakes Alliance who play a key role in land conservation, preserving areas for

hiking trails and restricting development of areas where development would most impact the watershed.

· Camp Runoia also supports The Belgrade Lakes Association, with a mission to protect and preserve Great and Long Ponds, a formidable association in our area – bringing awareness and education to the lake protection.

· We were awarded a Maine DEP Lake Smart Award for the highest rankings in all four categories of the award for good practices to reduce impacts to the lake. We proudly display our award at the Lodge and at the waterfront.

· Erosion control practices on our paths, roads, and drip lines of buildings are managed in our site and facilities plan.

· Natural landscaping and maintaining natural vegetative

buffer zones between our living areas and the lake’s shore line helps reduce run off and phosphorus contribution to our lakes. We have also eliminated phosphorus fertilizers in our lawn care.

· We have a documented schedule to maintain and pump out our septic systems to minimize the impact on water quality.

· Over 80 acres of Camp Runoia property have been set aside as Conservation Land and/or Tree Growth Land and we maintain and follow a Tree Growth Plan.

We are committed to protecting and preserving Camp Runoia for future generations and educating those that will continue the work long into the future.

Camp Runoia – built on the foundation laid by strong women

Posted on by Alex

This week as we celebrated International Women’s day, Runoia thoughts naturally turned to Miss Lucy Weiser and Miss Jessie Pond, our founders.  We obviously know that in 1907 the role of women in society was significantly different than it is today. If you add to that the challenges of travel and how slow information sharing  was, they made an incredible undertaking to even consider starting a camp for girls.

For many of us the images in our minds of Miss Weiser and Miss Pond are of old ladies, or of the portraits on the Lodge wall that capture them in one moment in time. These days their stories are somewhat steeped in legend as there are few folk at camp that actually remember them in person.  I so desperately want to know more about them as young women. How did they grow up as children? How did they spend their days? What was everyday life like? Did those around them support their decision to start a camp? There are so many questions.

Miss Weiser Miss Pond

I often wish that I could fly back in time and sit in on their conversations and decision making. I am so curious about how and why they decided to head up to Maine to start a girls camp. It is fairly easy to research the history of the times, the camp movement and the desperate desire  and search for solitude and nature outside of the rapidly developing cities.  Yet why did these two particular women connect together and start our camp? 

What triggered their choice to think about even considering starting a camp for girls? I doubt that they were just having tea and thought they should just pop off to Maine on a jaunt. As bright, intrepid women I am so curious about how they navigated their decisions, set out on the adventure to find a location and then built a camp. They then successfully encouraged parents to send their girls and young women off into the Maine wilderness for an unknown experience. Can you imagine all this without a webiste to promote the amazingness of Great Pond?!

It’s hard to imagine the remoteness of Maine and the lack of infrastructure that awaited those early campers. The Belgrade Historical Society has some great visuals and information about the area that was then primarily farming. In the early 1900’s Belgrade Lakes was rapidly becoming a popular area for vacations for those wealthy enough to take time away in the summer. Fine hotels on the shores of the lakes were built to accomodate a growing trend in more rural retreats. 

I wish we had a time machine so that we could watch those amazing women in action.

We are so grateful for the origional two strong women and all of the others that have followed in thier footsteps.

Camp Runoia stuff – keeping it simple

Posted on by Alex

We recently shared tips and tricks for packing with our camp families and reminded them that 2 large items is the limit for baggage. There is no doubt that three weeks at camp does require a substantial amount of belongings yet we really do want our campers to navigate the experience with just what they need, not an excess of ‘stuff’ that has little purpose other than clutter. With entire businesses and a library of books dedicated to decluttering your life it is always interesting to see what feels ‘essential’ for a few weeks at camp. Obviously we expect a favorite stuffie to make the trip but miscellaneous items that have no purpose at camp become a restriction for enjoying the camp experience.

Bringing a limited amount of belongings that are prescribed on the well thought out packing list provides a great opportunity to develop life skills and independence. If you only have 1 pair of sneakers or flip flops then it’s a good lesson to put them in a place where you can find them so you have them when you need them. Many of us live with such excess in our lives it truly becomes a burden. We spend so much time and effort organizing, searching for and replacing our stuff that we lose the pleasure in enjoying it.

 

With a nine day laundry cycle camp is a great opportunity for campers to manage their clothing in a way that is hygienic but also practical. The clothes you wore in the morning before swim lessons can go back on afterwards and a pair of jeans can last a couple of days if you are only wearing them in the chillier evenings. If you have run out of underwear by day 7 you need to navigate how to make that 10 pairs you brought last for the full cycle.

 

Space at camp is obviously limited and everyone is sharing so one roommate having excess has an impact on their bunk mates. It is also ‘rustic.’ While we certainly are building life skills for big away from home events in the future, we are not trying to replicate a mini college experience. Dorm rugs and throw pillows are unnecessary and soon become grubby. There is no cleaning service, campers who have been out playing in the woods and lake all day are in charge of maintaining their space. As they are busy developing those basic life skills the results can sometimes be marginal. A bedside rug is only best used for wiping off sandy feet after coming up from the beach. It needs moving when you have ‘sweeping’ on the chores chart and often ends up shoved under the bed with the dust bunnies. Check out this old blog about helping campers to figure out what to bring.

Over enthusiastic or perhaps anxious parents that pack 3 tubes of toothpaste can rest assured that if campers run out of necessities we have a stash of all of the basics and no one will need to go without.

We hope that our campers will have just what they need to be able to enjoy a simplified summer having a blast on Great Pond.