Category: Camp Traditions

Bringing in the light

Posted on by Alex

Winter Solstice – when the dark days or winter turn into the light days of summer.

As the Winter Solstice creeps up on us and daylight lasts barely 9 hours up here in Maine, we are thankful for the seasonal celebrations that fill our homes with light and brilliance.  Often around our house at this time of year you will hear laments of ‘but at camp we wouldn’t even have started EP yet!’ as PJ’s are snuggled into and bedtime stories read so much earlier than they would be in the summer.  It is certainly a time for hunkering down, reflecting on the past year and taking time to contemplate the months ahead.

Whether decorating a tree, lighting candles or stringing lights around the house there are plenty of ways to brighten up the dull days and to literally bring in the light.  Luckily  in Maine we now have a lovely coating of snow so the white, brilliance reflects the sunshine and certainly makes our short days more cheerful.

Holly by the Runoia farmhouse.

Bringing light into our homes is an ancient tradition to ward off the dark days of winter and celebrate the return of the light. Feasting and decorating have long been practices used to help the long nights pass more quickly.   Can you imagine bringing in a whole tree to burn as they often did in Europe the Yule log was often burned throughought the festive season – it makes our Sunday night Campfires at Runoia look pretty tame!

However you choose to bring in the light at this dark time of year may the memories of the longer days of summer warm your heart and brighten your spirits.  As we celebrate the turn of the earth into longer days we will be counting them down until it is back to summer and our time to gather again on Great Pond.

 

Season of Giving or is it?

Posted on by Alex

‘Tis really the Season of chaos….

We still don’t have a tree and now there is 6” of snow on the ground, my closet is a stack of unopened Amazon packages, the ‘Elves on the Shelves’ haven’t moved in 2 days, I need to get a new windshield (thanks to yesterday’s storm) and there are definitely just not enough daylight hours in these very short, Maine winter days.

At this time of year it is so hard to not get sucked into the crazy chaos of the season.  With school concerts, Holiday events, shopping, family gatherings and all the regular day to day life stuff snowballing around us it is hard to find the time to take a moment for yourself,  to breath and be appreciative.  This Holiday season I hope that you can take a second or two and pause, relish those around you, be present not panicked and generally enjoy the moments not count the minutes.

The good news is today I dropped off 3 bags of gifts at a local nonprofit for our sponsor family, I actually have 99% of the Holiday cards ready to go in the mail- what a joy it was to write them and reminisce as many of them are to Camp Runoia friends made over the past 20 years, tonight I get to go to an awesome lecture about empowering girls – Rachel Simmons, the Holiday tunes are on and I just booked a really fun surprise for the kids next week.  I am determined to make memories, build on our traditions and try and embody the true spirit of the season rather than being bombarded by the commercial components or a need to keep up with the Facebook friends!

I am going to win the Holidays and I hope that you do too!

Snail Mail or Online – How do you like “The Log” and Your Runoia News Delivered?

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Since the summer of 1910, Camp Runoia events and news have been recorded each summer and bound into Log Books and stored in the Runoia Lodge. From the traditional “statistics” to the “Lost and Found” and the “Log Dedication”, to the photos of cabin groups and lists of people in camp, the Log encapsulates the summer events, people, places and things (including jokes and First Impressions, Trip Songs and Stories, poetry and campfire themes) and inks it to paper, forever to be held in the annals of history.

The tradition continues to this date and the Logs are enjoyed by campers and counselors in camp, alumnae and their families visiting camp and some adult children of alumnae who come back to see their mother or grandmother’s camp. The Logs are also reference books, holding the history of Blue White team lists, cabin lists and a record of the summer events at camp. You can peruse the Logs from 1910 to 2009 on the Runoia website.

Betty and Phil Cobb started a bi-annual newsletter connecting Runoia alumnae to camp in the 1970s and aptly named it “The Log”. The newsletter captures the milestones of alumnae, celebrates the donors and volunteers of CRAO who support “Betty Cobb Campership Fund”, a President’s Letter and Greeting from Camp. The Log announces alumnae events and reunions and brings news from camp to your doorstep. Here’s the most recent copy of “The Log” Volume XXX issue ii, Fall 2017. The Roman numerals were adopted after the initial volumes but Betty Cobb’s formal-style of numbering the Log is continued to date.

Whether you prefer your issue of the “The Log” in hard copy by snail mail or to read it online, your Runoia news is available twice a year!

 

 

Camp Runoia – beautiful in the changing season

Posted on by Alex
The view from loon point

We love the changing seasons in Maine and the fall is filled with ‘fine Maine days’ that may start out a little chilly but are typically warm and bright.  While it is quiet around camp and the end of season clean-up is coming to an end there is still plenty of rustling in the leaves as the wildlife takes over.  Runoia has an abundant supply of oak tress which keep the chipmunks and squirrels scurrying around gathering acorns for the long winter season.  Leaves gently fall from the trees and shack porches that are no longer being swept on a regular basis catch the brilliant colors.  It looks a little messy around the place as the paths and lawns become buried under the falling leaves and there are no feet treading routes through them.  The bell is quiet.

We often lament about the fact that these gorgeous fall days would be perfect for camp.  Can you imagine going apple picking and taking a hay ride for trip day and carving pumpkins with your shack? Glenn has certainly raked up plenty of leaves for jumping into which would be great fun.  As it is now going dark long before E.P. is over, star gazing would make for a great activity.  We would certainly have to bundle up to make it through the chilly evenings and the fire in the Lodge would surely be kept burning.  As Halloween approaches there are a myriad of potential costume choices just waiting to be discovered in the drama clothes.  The lake is a bit chilly for a swim but perfect for canoeing and kayaking with the foliage reflecting beautifully on the calm, clear water of Great Pond.  Oh what fun we could have with our camp friends if summer camp lasted into October.

We hope that whatever your family fall traditions are and whatever the climate is where you live that you are getting outside and having a great time enjoying all the beauty of the season.  If you are looking for ideas of fun things to do check out our Fall Favorites Pinterest board!

 

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.

 

Fine Maine Days at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

An unusual Runoia tradition is the ‘Name Story.’ It has been included in the Log for as many years as we can remember.  Although we are not sure of it’s origins and it perhaps comes from a time when campers stayed all summer long it is a fun and sometimes entertaining wrap up of the season.  Written to include all of the last names (italics and underlined) of everyone; staff and campers who stayed all season it is a reflection on the summer often with a touch of humor.  You have to read it creatively as it makes much more sense when read aloud tonight at Log Night.

The Name Story 2017 – Fine Maine days

It Surrette been a fine summer of warm weather and fun on Great Pond.  There had been no need to wear a Parker or Hobbsnail boots and campers had Reavilly had a great time.

Even before Flagg raising Blake and Kirk from the kitchen and some Moremen were out fishing in the cove.  Jackson and Giles were too busy with Daza Cocking to be out on the lake.  The Dishners were piling up, the Cobb salad needed making and the Bolduc-Jackson caught needed roasting.  Leonard couldn’t wait until he was a Friedman so that he too could get out on the lake.  He had been Mullen over plans for the day and once the Hamby sliced he was Kiehn to get outdoors.

Owings to the fabulous weather on Saturley the mountain bike class Dresdowed in their helmets was out riding the trails with Frank and Giles when they heard a Krakoff in the woods.  While they Cranneled their necks to see what made the noise they Nealy hit a moose! It’s Brown color was hard to see through the trees.  It’s Long legs were not so Graceful as it Hren away from them.  The campers hurried back to camp and when the Kells Yang they couldn’t wait to Shea the story of their adventure.

Amazingly the health shack had been McNeilly empty all summer with just the occasional Hacking cough, Devciching her spots and a few mysterious Germaine’s.  The nurse had some strong Mintz which along with some Clorox wipes were sure to keep everyone healthy. Schmaltzing Matilda had been a great incentive to keep the cabins clean!

Thomson Davis had been working hard all summer helping Glenn with maintenance.  The old Radford had been giving them some trouble, could have been the old Cooper pipes in the engine that maybe needed a good McClearning out.  They found some cleaning supplies that had been used for the old Smith and Wesson guns and Carthyly used the Reaville- O’Toole to get it running again.

The CIT’s were off doing community service at St Peter’s church in the village clearing out the old church yard.  They had Brzozowskied the Marone Cushman and had Parkinsoned it on a Shortlidge so that they could Parry the old broken statue of saint Santos–Pearcy off to be repaired.  They Ingramed a few photos showing the Heubergers and Clancy desert that they were served for lunch.

Summer was Nagley over and the the martial arts class were practicing for a Kouyate in the Den for a final presentation.  They know Quinnones how to throw some great moves.  Dembowski yelled the instructor and the campers all Adritaly moved into the next sequence.

It had been another amazing summer of sleepaway camp at Camp Runoia, we can’t wait for next year!