Author: camprunoia

Simple Pleasures of Camp

Posted on by camprunoia

Recently, I was visiting with a mom and her daughter who are thinking about Runoia for next summer. It was a great conversation with lots of questions, and afterward I replayed some of it in my mind. Something that stuck in my thoughts was one of the words I used to describe Runoia. That word was simple. So, while I have a picture of what that means to me, I realize that “simple” could be heard in many different ways. Our buildings are lovely but are also simple. We dress simply. We aren’t caught up in technology or the latest movie or music. Our days are full but not frantically busy. We’re more in tune to the rhythms of nature. These are all parts of camp being simple in a good way.

Another piece of the simplicity is wrapped up in simple pleasures. These are moments and experiences that are so much more present to us at camp then in the rest of our lives.

Some of these simple pleasures that come to mind are…

…Sunshine sparkling like diamonds on the lake… walking barefoot in the cool, green grass… lemonade… the sounds of raindrops pattering on the roof… the call of the loons… a perfect s’more… singing together… hearing counselors read stories to their campers… the smell of wood smoke… saying goodnight to the girls… a cool breeze from Great Pond… sitting in the shade under a tall tree… joyful laughter… the “thwack” of an arrow hitting the target… sitting cozily by the fire on a cold, wet day… horses grazing in the pasture… a ringing bell helping us keep track of time… morning and afternoon snacks… seeing new friends chatting happily… drifting off to sleep to the night sounds of the forest… playing school-yard games… milk and crackers before bed… picking blueberries… the smell of sawdust in the woodshop… random topics being discussed around the dining hall table… emerald green moss-covered rocks along the shoreline… the tangy scent of balsam on a foggy morning… the hush that falls over camp at rest hour… seeing everyone in uniform on Sundays… the lake turning purple, pink and orange as the sun sets… feeling contentedly tired at the end of a full day… hearing girls say, “I tried something new today”.

There are so many more but I think you get the picture. While each of us will have different simple pleasures on our lists, the pleasures all have something in common. To make the most of such moments takes our time and attention. And Camp Runoia gives you the time and space that is hard to come by the rest of the year, to do just that. Appreciating simple pleasures is a gift for the mind, heart and soul.

 

Closing Camp for the Season (What do you folks do the rest of the year??)

Posted on by camprunoia

Throughout the 30 years that I’ve been a camp director I am frequently asked, “So what do camp directors do for the REST of the year?”. The short answer is, “This is actually a year round job. There’s actually a lot that needs to be done between seasons”. Well, like what? The list of tasks is long and people aren’t surprised once I point out that, well, just for starters, somebody has to… recruit new campers, check in with families about the summer, staff and plan the ever-better programs for next summer – oh, and close up the site for the winter. It starts as soon as the camp season ends and it continues until campers arrive next summer. (I wish we could say that we just hang out on a beach in the tropics but alas, that’s not to be).

One very important piece of seasonal work that is happening right now is the physical closing up of the camp for the season. So what does closing Camp Runoia involve? Well, typically it starts with a list, a very LONG list, and under each header lurk many detailed items that need careful attention. The main headers look something like this…

  • Clean all buildings and shutter the cabins
  • Inventory and pack supplies
  • Move boats into storage and take down docks
  • Shut off the water
  • HORSES

And… there are also three items that aren’t on the written list, but definitely happen throughout this whole process:

  • Smile at wonderful camp memories
  • Dream about next summer
  • Remember that it is only 9 months until campers arrive for 2018

Looking forward to seeing you next summer!!

Making Friendship Bracelets = Building Life Skills?

Posted on by camprunoia

Our Runoia mission is all based in building life long skills and empowering girls to live in harmony with themselves, each other, and nature. We strive to create activities and experiences in all aspects of camp to fulfill this mission. But sometimes our mission just happens organically in really simple ways – for instance by making Friendship Bracelets.

On any given day, you can stroll around Runoia during free time and you will see girls sitting in groups on shack porches, picnic tables or grass. They are focused on several strands of brightly colored embroidery string. This string might be attached to the plastic loop on their water bottle or anchored to their leg with a piece of duct tape. These girls are making Friendship Bracelets. With a quick glance you’ll see their “work” – simple patterns, complex patterns, those that are evenly woven, and those that have a few loose spots here and there. But if you look closely to what is going on beyond the simple act of weaving embroidery string together to create a bracelet, you’ll see life skills being practiced and built. Strange idea but consider this…

Each time a girl makes a Friendship Bracelet she is making decisions – what colors should I use, what pattern am I going to tackle? How about when she makes a mistake – is this a hands-on experience of problem solving and trying again until it comes out right? Or when a girl asks for help or gives coaching to another girl – is this an opportunity for collaborative learning? You bet!

While weaving a bracelet is an individual activity, a very special part of this process at camp is that girls are often talking as they work on their bracelets. Their conversations are far-reaching – sometimes random, sometimes deep – but they are all adding to that special kind of relationship building that happens when you share time together. And of course a Friendship Bracelet is often made for someone else – it is a generous act of giving of your time and effort to say to someone else, “I value you”.

So yes, a whole lot of good is happening when a girl makes a Friendship Bracelet. And of course, it’s really fun to make, give, receive, and wear them!