Category: Counselors

The 2022 Name Story

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

As we close the books on the 2022 season, a few traditions hold fast – including our name story featuring the names of our staff members and full season campers. Written by Alex and best read aloud, we present to you the 2022 name story:

Runoia adventures

Once upon a time at a coed summer camp called Runoia, there was a Zahny group of campers who planned to go off on a grand trip adventure.While they didn’t really know what to expect Allison, Shirley, Martin, Russell , Jacob and Grace were so excited to hop into the White van with the counselors in the Cabrera and Gomez on their way.  They hurried to get packed up and head out. At a Quarez to Tena as the sun Vose over Great Pond and  Raya’s shone in the Skiera and on to the lake they were Dyeing to get started. With the help of Jackson, Murray they planned their lists of what to bring. ‘Oh Budieri we Mahedy need our Hobbs nail boots and can feNagle, Sanchez’s and snacks for the ride’.

They needed plenty of supplies to take with them and wondered Howes it would all fit.  They packed Ekart full of gear then worked on the cooking supplies .”Alvarez you? its time to Rohatyn over to get the canoes from the Marini so that we can load the trailer.

When packing they obviously needed  a Kettell to Cook- Wright , their food included Wieners, delicious  Heuburgers made from Angus beef to get Friedman with crispy corn Cobbs, Boles of spicy Zacapantzi pasta and for extra flavor some Fennelly, Lea and Perrin worcestershire sauce to Dunckel everything in and of course after dinner Mintz. It all looked so Goodman the other campers paid Atienza so they would be  what to bring when it was their turn to go.

There was no need to pack Adams, Clancy Martone pants as they wouldn’t have an opportunity to Dresdow up on their adventure and they would just get Ruized.

As the bell Tinged, they Baydin their camp friends goodbye and they were off out of the Frey. They Lopezed through the Lundgren fields,  Oberdieck instead of through the Colbourn around Paa Kerner and down into the Valle.  When they got to the campsite there was a Hernadez  Welstead for water and they Kavaluskused around at the Botten of the hill picking Blaubergs and deSnydering where to pitch their Bixby Brown tents.

After a delicious dinner and listening to the call of the Bolduc- Jackson had heard on the lake they snuggled up for bed. It was a very Cliette night until a shriek Pearsoned the night and with the Patarini of scurrying feet, the campers Wennered what on earth was going on. In the confusion that ensued, Bradshaw a dark shape in the woods. The emergency Hornbostel rang through the night.   “Oh Santamaria” May cried.  “O’Brien get Hoffman you are being a Dorsch” yelled Jones O’Malley, “grab the Hackett and we will go investigate” It turned out even though it all looked a little Sussman it was just a Schiferstein deer wandering by. Petersen Wilson, was experienced in Morse code so sent a message off to camp to let them know everything was fine and they would see them in the morning.

Camp Magic and the Staff Who Make it So

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

It’s hard to believe that we’ve rounded the corner into the final week of second session and all of camp 2022! Crazier yet – today marks the final day of the final block of summer. Yet we haven’t called it on the end of summer just yet – the camp magic lives on for another five days.

As I type, there are skiers out on the water pushing for their slalom queen, archers squeezing in one more level, actors singing their way through rehearsals for High School Musical. And while we are sad to hang up our ski lines, put away our bows, and to soon close our scripts – we still have full days ahead that promise memories made of beach trips, swimming to Oak Island, cheering friends at the variety show, laughing until we burst at Miss Tacky, and much more.

And so, while this past Sunday was our yearly #SundayFunday – complete with snow-cones, s’mores, a waterslide, chances to sink counselors in a dunk tank, a slip-n-slide, and fun galore – camp is more of an #EverydayFunday deal here at Runoia.

 

It’s an all-day-every-day affair! Fun is in the wake-up music played in shacks, the uncontrollable giggles at breakfast when an unsuspecting counselor gets plated, the songs and traditions of assembly, the friends made from other shacks in classes, the quiet whispers and games of rest hour, cartwheels on the grass at dinner, the surprise of EP, the sharing of funny moments at circle time.

But since a giant waterslide isn’t a permanent fixture of the apple tree field, the daily fun of camp can truly be traced back to our wonderful staff. Not only are they experts of their activity areas, they are masters of silly costumes, makers of magic, causers of belly-laughs, singers of songs, servers of meals, wipers of tears, solvers of problems, inspirers of smiles! How lucky we are at Runoia for its camp magic and for those who make it so.

 

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

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.

 

Camp is a Puzzle

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

Camp is a puzzle – and our pieces are slowly starting to come together this week.

The funny thing is, we don’t have a puzzle box for reference – we know what previous summers looked like in memory, but no two are ever the same! We will have to wait for each piece to be laid throughout the next two months until we can stand back and admire the picture made. 

For the past month at camp, we’ve strategically laid edge pieces and built the frame of our 2022 puzzle, leaving the sides of pieces open for others that hopefully click in perfectly. Edge pieces set in place include boats built and placed in the water, cabins cleaned and prepped for staff arrivals, seeds planted – literal and metaphorical, beds built, a kitchen stocked – you name it, it’s been done!

Yesterday we gained 10 new pieces – bringing hints of what our puzzle will look like this year. Of these 10 staff arrivals, 9 made their way to Runoia from across Mexico. Summer 2022 brings back puzzle pieces painted in hues of cultural exchange!

Today and tomorrow bring 8 more pieces – 7 of these to round out the leadership staff who have worked all year in preparation for summer. After this, the flood gates open – over 50 more staff members will make their way to us between now and opening day, and suddenly staff training is rolling in full force!

On the Runoia home page, way down at the bottom, is a countdown to camp. I’ve watched it dwindle from triple digits to double digits over months, and now it sits at a mere 14 days. In these two short weeks, on opening day of 2022, we will still only have a partially complete puzzle. Our campers will be the ones to fill in the remaining spaces and truly paint the picture of the summer with their experiences, skills gained, laughs shared, bracelets made, songs sung, games played, and friendships formed.

Here are a few more pieces I can’t wait to see click into place:

  • trip songs shared by brave Katahdin summiters
  • plaques and a dinner signifying our graduating camper’s accomplishments
  • levels passed and awards earned
  • cozy campfires on the beach
  • Oak Island swimmers crossing the finish line

Some pieces of this summer we will know well – traditions passed for years down the line at camp. But it’s the “new in 2022” pieces which I can’t wait to see find their place: new campers, new staff, brand new norms and traditions.

And we can’t wait to see how you fit into our puzzle this summer.

Until then,

Aionur

Diversifying our Camp Library

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Thanks to the Runoia Diversity Advisory Committee we are adding more books to our camp free-library that diversify our library by adding different authors and protagonist and subject matter.  Thandie Scott, Runoia alum from New York/Columbia University came up with a great list of books.

And Erin Lasher choose a selection of about 24 books we bought this year.

Books are coming into the office! and we are marking them and adding them to our lending library in the camp lodge.

All are Welcome is a favorite for Harmony Land Camp. The Watson’s go to Birmingham is great for our rising 5th grade group and Little Leaders, Bold Women in Black History is a great way to introduce amazing women to any age in a concise one-page presentation.

Campers and staff can borrow books from the library and leave them in the reshelving basket when done.

So, bring your favorite books (paper backs and hard backs as no e-readers at camp) and share what you’re reading with others. We read aloud every night in every cabin which is part of a wonderful Runoia tradition.

Do you have a favorite children’s series or book? Please post your ideas on our Facebook page and we might find them and read them this summer. Perhaps you have ideas for children’s books for certain age groups – please share your expertise! Are you interested in donating new books? Peruse our wish list of books and find one that is not highlighted and send our way – we would love that!

Connections Build Community

Posted on by Pam Cobb

As we gear up for our 116th consecutive camp season connections in our community are paramount – more than ever.

I recently reviewed our staff/counselor list of names and my excitement for camp grew. In just over one month, young leaders from all over the United States and from around the world will gather with us to connect, learn from each other, define core values, practice teaching skills, and most of all build a healthy community welcoming children to join in and stretch and grow through the camp experience.

One name on the list jumped out at me. Liz and I met because she thanked me for supporting her college. As a student working with Sterling College advancement, she reached out with a personalized thank you note to me. She told me about a field study trip she was taking with her class to the SW of the United States. She is from Brooklyn, NY and was excited and a little nervous for her adventure – completely normal. I looked her up and reached out to her. Someone with her courage and determination was someone I was interested in finding out more about!  Fast forward through the connection, she applied to camp and Alex Jackson, our co-director interviewed and hired her as a counselor who will help lead trips, work on our ropes course and connect with youth in an outdoor, unplugged setting.

Camp is all about connections. Our alumnae come back to camp to work and send their children to camp. Our staff reach out to friends to have them work at camp. Our families, alumnae and staff meet people who seem like a great fit and invite them to come to camp to work. Our assistant directors, Jen and Colleen, reconnect with camp friends and reach out to college friends and people in specific jobs, be it nursing or crafts, riding or rowing, and help them find their way to our community. Together we join at camp to build our summer community of leaders. We are all very excited and maybe a little nervous – completely normal.

Jen recently added a fun pre-camp idea for our counselors. Alex has our returning campers write a new camper before camp starts. Sometimes they become pen pals and it’s a lovely, old-fashioned way to make a connection before you come to camp.  Jen extended this same idea to counselors. This year, she has connected returning counselors with new counselors by letter writing.  At Camp Runoia, we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Whether we are campers or counselors, it’s the connections that make the difference.

Sometimes it all starts with a simple and personalized thank you letter or a new pen pal connection.

The Silver LIning of Covid

Posted on by Pam Cobb

I never thought I’d be writing “silver lining” and Covid in the same title. Nearly two years since we learned the name of the virus, we are leaning into our third summer of operating with Covid (endemic rather than pandemic, we hope). Where is the silver lining, you ask?

Okay, here it is. As a seasonal business that really functions and works all year long (10 for 2!), we are MORE connected because of the tools Covid forced us to find using technology. Scoff at the word Zoom or Meet and simultaneously say, “Necessity is the mother of invention”.

My week is like a connect the dots painting (remember those?!) with Zooms and Meets. And, I love it.

Weekly I get the chance to connect with the most amazing people:

  • Monday morning brings our team kick off meeting with our year-round admin team
  • Monday Mark meets with Tim – together they are working on site and facilities
  • Tuesday I Zoom individually with two of our administrative leaders and separately our social media consultant
  • Wednesday we meet with an outside consultant and most industry-wide educational events seem to be scheduled on very large Zooms
  • Thursday I catch up on all the new plans we’ve schemed up and meet with parents
  • Friday we meet with, Nina, our Director of Residential Life

Monthly and Random

  • We meet with 14 Runoia seasonal leaders,
  • I Zoom with the Diversity Advisory Committee
  • The Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization meets every few months
  • The Belgrade business group, the Maine Camp Experience Group and the Maine Summer Camp group all throw in their board meetings, membership meetings and more.
  • Conferences from San Diego to Denver to New England have allowed us to Zoom in and meet
  • And how about those “stay connected to family and friends” Zooms
  • Oh and the weekly 8 am dance party?
  • And reading Harry Potter with a granddaughter (book four since the pandemic started)

And most importantly of all, I have the amazing opportunity to Zoom with families across the globe about camp and meet their daughters and connect about the Runoia experience.

So, yes, Covid has crushed us all in many ways. And interestingly enough, because there usually is a silver lining to every dark cloud, Covid has connected us more through Zoom, Google Meet and technology and an urgency to make connections. See you on a Zoom soon and counting the days to see you in person at Camp!

Love,

Aionur