Current News Archives - Page 27 of 32

Camp Runoia’s History – Abridged Version

Posted on November 20, 2014October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

A Short History of Camp Runoia

1906 – Lucy Weiser and Jessie Pond scout locations for Camp Runoia and land in Belgrade, Maine.

1907 – Camp Runoia opens on the Northeastern side of Hatch Cove on Great Pond with 7 campers, a cook and Miss Weiser and Miss Pond

1910 – the first Camp Runoia Log Book was written recording the history of the summer events

1914 – Miss Weiser secured the land known as the Wentworth Farm on the Southwestern shore of Great Pond.

1915 – in the winter, the first camp building was hauled across the ice of Great Pond to establish the camp kitchen on the new property

1915 – in the summer, campers arrived to camp on the present site of Camp Runoia for the first summer

1916 – new buildings were erected on the property including an addition to the kitchen and cabins 1, 2 and 3

1917 – The Runoia Lodge was built

1918 – Camp Runoia operates throughout World War 1

1939-1945 – Camp carries on during World War 2 albeit a difficult time to get supplies and food. Campers helped to farm and build at camp to support their summer camp experience1952 – Betty and Phil Cobb met each other at Phil’s grandfather’s camp, Camp Wyonegonic, Denmark, Maine

1953 – Betty and Phil Cobb married and that summer visited over 50 camps in New England searching for a camp for sale.

1954 – Betty and Phil worked with Lucy Weiser for the summer and bought Runoia at the end of the season.

1991 – Pam Cobb bought Runoia from her parents, Phil and Betty Cobb

2012 – The Tabell Family Foundation donated a gift to scan and preserve the Runoia Logs!

2013 – the 60^th summer Runoia has been owned and operated by the Cobb Family

2016 – will be the 110^th anniversary summer of Camp Runoia!

Maine the Pine Tree State

Posted on November 13, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

Camp Runoia in the Pine Tree State

At this time of year with the leaves now gone from the deciduous trees and the ground frozen with the first hard frosts of the rapidly approaching winter, Maine’s state tree stands out tall against the clear blue sky. The Eastern white pine tree is our state tree for good reason as it is plentiful in our mixed growth forests. A tall, long living tree that can adapt to many different soil types it can survive the harsh winters and grows quickly during the short spring and summer season.

We are lucky at Camp Runoia that the pines are interspersed around camp. They provide shade for our shacks and cool places to hang out on the hot summer days. The gummy pitch sticks to our fingers on the ropes course and sometimes leaves a patch on our shorts when we are sitting in the grass or on a rock. The smell of the pine trees gently reminds us that we are outdoors, embracing nature and enjoying every moment of our time in Maine!

Did you ever learn the Maine State song at camp?

“State of Maine Song”

words and music by Roger Vinton Snow

Grand State of Maine,
proudly we sing
To tell your glories to the land,
To shout your praises till the echoes ring.
Should fate unkind
send us to roam,
The scent of the fragrant pines,
the tang of the salty sea
Will call us home.

CHORUS:
Oh, Pine Tree State,
Your woods, fields and hills,
Your lakes, streams and rock bound coast
Will ever fill our hearts with thrills,
And tho’ we seek far and wide
Our search will be in vain,
To find a fairer spot on earth
Than Maine! Maine! Maine!

We love our Pine Tree State!

Halloween and Costumes

Posted on October 28, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

The name Halloween is said to derive from the Old English ‘hallowed’ meaning holy or sanctified and is now usually contracted to the more familiar word Hallowe’en. It is also known as All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints’ Eve and is celebrated on October 31^st the day before November 1st All Saints’ Day in the western Church.

Possibly evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead. Over the millennia the holiday transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for children and adults. (History.com)

The modern celebration of Halloween which has often been replicated at summer event days or EP’s at camp is a complicated mix of traditions and influences. Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, playing pranks andtelling scary stories.

Dressing up in a fun costume is the Camp Runoia favorite Halloween pastime! Hopefully our camp Facebook page spotlight on creative costuming has given you some camp themed easy ideas! It’s amazing what you can do with a few props and a bunch of dress up clothes!

Put your arts and crafts skills to good use and enjoy trick or treating!

Camp Runoia’s season of change

Posted on October 22, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

October is an interesting month in the camp Runoia office. It is finally a time to breathe and reflect while enjoying the beauty of the seasons changing around us. Camp in the fall is so quiet with the merriment of summer long gone, the days getting shorter and a chill in the air. Flip flops are no longer the footwear of choice and layers are the way to dress as you never quite know how the day will turn out.

Our days are filled with pondering, questions and often discussion. There are many aspects of the camp business to reflect upon as we contemplate the past season and plan for the next. What site and facility jobs must be accomplished before the snow flies? how many spaces will be open for new girls? which staff are invited back? what were the summer highlights? where do we need to improve? how will winter tasks be distributed?

There is time to spend looking through the thousands of photos from the summer, to miss the happy smiling faces and reminisce about people and events. There is more time to chat on the phone with returning and prospective parents and to connect together as a team to share our hopes for the next season.

As the last leaves get raked off of the archery field we are glad for this time of change and hopeful that when the leaves appear again we will be ready to greet the spring and be well prepared for our new 2015 season of camp!

Service learning at camp

Posted on October 14, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

This summer during their 7 weeks at camp our incredible group of CIT’s managed to fit in more than 20 hours each of community service. They participated in a wide range of activities from seeking out invasive Eurasian milfoil along our camp shoreline to running the kids table at the local Aquafest.

They put to use the skills they gained through their CIT program while also providing much needed support to local organizations that rely on volunteers to operate.

They also increased Camp Runoia’s visibility in our local community and built positive connections between camp and area organizations. They were able to chat with summer visitors about the camp experience and the value camp plays in their lives.

It was a powerful experiential learning experience for the girls and the skills they worked on translated easily to other aspects of their CIT program and to their everyday lives. The lifelong skills and enthusiasm for volunteer service that they built at camp will stay with them as they grow and learn in life.

What are you doing to make a difference in your community?

Life Lessons at Camp Runoia

Posted on October 9, 2014October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

LIFE LESSONS

Life Skills: Learning on Camping Trips at Runoia

Earlier this year, one of my friends asked me “what’s the best place you’ve ever been? And I answered “camp”! Although this is only my second year here, I cannot begin to describe how much camp has impacted my life. I truly feel as if I have been here forever. Camp is all about making life long friends, as well as memories and I am so thankful that I have been able to have that experience.

The hardest part about camp for me is saying goodbye to all of the people I’ve become so close with because I’m not certain when the next time is that I will see them. You meet people, make memories and then you say goodbye. However, I’ve learned that that is what makes this camp experience so special. Being here has also taught me to live in the moment and to take every opportunity that I am given, and I am so thankful for this life long lesson. To all of my friends here at camp, you know who you are, past present and future, I want to thank each of you for letting me into your life. I love you all.

To the Camp Runoia Directors, thank you so much for keeping the Camp Runoia traditions strong and for sharing them with me.

Written by Rose B. for the Camp Runoia Log, August, 2014

Posted on September 29, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

The international camper perspective:

You may wonder what drives our international parents to send their girls thousands of miles from home; to a place they have often never been; to have an experience that is not only challenging in itself but must be conducted with English as a second language!

This Runoia parent sums it up beautifully:

“I have been wanting to get in touch with you since the girls came back from their camp experience to let you know what an amazing, rewarding and joyful experience it has been for them! Even V. who had a more difficult start, came back announcing she wanted to repeat next year! And the friends they have made: they are already in contact via mail with some of them, and plan on keeping it that way…

And from my side, I feel they have not only improved their English, but gained self-confidence about their capacities to go beyond their own initial limitations. So once more, thanks for all of that! And indeed I will enroll them for next summer.” (Camp Runoia Mom from Spain)

While improving English skills may be the initial drive it is apparent that the whole camp experience is what the girls take home.

International campers and staff add diversity to our Runoia population and provide opportunities to share cultural exchanges.

In 2014 we had campers and staff representing more than 10 different countries!

It is a win, win for everyone.

Hardy Girls Webinars – Education and Training for a Great Start This Autumn

Posted on September 22, 2014October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

The Hardy Girls Healthy Women Training Institute welcomes you back after a marvelous summer! Check out our first webinar series of the year:

The Hardiness Webinar Series!

October 7th, 2014 – 1pm-2pm
Introduction to Hardy Girls Healthy Women

(FREE!)

New to Hardy Girls Healthy Women? Join HGHW President Kelli McCannell as she discusses everything you need to know about HGHW! McCannell will give an overview of the history, its incredible researched-based programming, and everything HGHW has to offer girls and the adults that work with them!

October 24th, 2014 – 3:30pm-4pm
Allies In Action: Girls Advisory Board (GAB) Panel

(FREE!)

What is GAB and what do they do? Join Girls Advisory Board members as they discuss their experiences on the Girls Advisory Board. GAB will talk about the importance of youth engaging in feminist activism and how adults can better support and empower girls.

November 5th, 2014 – 2pm-4pm
From Adversaries To Allies: Building Girls’ Coalition Groups
($100 – Includes curriculum – GREAT FOR EDUCATORS!)

Are you ready to take a new approach in your work with girls? Want to find a way to address girl fighting, teach media literacy skills, and empower girls to change their world for the better? Hardy Girls Healthy Women and its acclaimed girls’ group curriculum From Adversaries to Allies: A Curriculum for Change has been turning adversaries into allies in middle schools for years. Our research-based guide and its supplement Becoming a Muse brings girls together in the face of a culture that tells them girl-fighting and bullying is the norm. This pairs nicely with our “How To Get Buy–In” webinar on Nov. 25th!

November 12th, 2014 – 2pm-3pm
Summer Sisters: Empowering Girls at Summer Camp

($30)

For many girls, summer camp truly is a magical time where they can “just be me.” But why is that? Who are these girls the rest of the year? And how can we help them hold onto the magic of camp all year long? Hardy Girls Healthy Women created an exclusive activity guide Summer Sisters: A Guide to Coalition Building at Camp & Beyond just for camp professionals and other staff to help find the answers to these important questions. All participants in this webinar will receive a free activity from the curricula and information on how to train staff and roll out these activities at your camp or summer program.

November 19th, 2014 – 2pm-3pm

Adventures Girls: If She Can See It, She Can Be It

($40 – Includes Adventure Girl Program Guide)

Do you want to inspire girls in your community and help them defy gender stereotypes? Build an Adventure Girls program at your school or organization! Adventure Girls is an interactive program for girls in grades 2nd—6th grade that provides girls with the opportunity to meet women who are defying gender stereotypes and challenging notions of what a girl or woman “should” do or want to be. It models the idea “if she sees it, she can be it.” Dana Bushee and Jessica Leighton will cover the origins of the program, the impact on girls, and what we’ve learned from our 10 years of experience.

November 25th, 2014 -1pm-2pm

How to Get Buy-In: Making The Case for Girl Groups
($30- Goes great with Girls’ Coalition Group Webinar on 11/5!)

This webinar will share strategies on how to get institutional buy-in for Girls Coalition Groups from experiences in schools, training muses, and working as a muse. Christine Bright and Lida Holst will discuss avenues on how to effectively build girl groups, how to sustain the work with administrators and parents, and how to partner with girls to create activism. Register today!

For further descriptions of each webinar (and for registration) go to: hghw.org/webinars

Networking

Posted on September 18, 2014October 18, 2016 by Alex

Yesterday the Director team was lucky enough to spend the afternoon networking at Migis Lodge on the shores of Sebago Lake in Raymond with a hundred or so other camp directors. We embraced the late summer sunshine while enjoying our end of the season Maine Summer Camps organization meeting, lunch and fellowship.

It is always great to hang out with other directors to hear about their summer adventures, trials and successes. The conversation themes are often common ones: how awesome 4^th of July was, homesick campers, how well new site or equipment worked and either reveling or bemoaning the weather! Although the style and affiliations of our camps vary greatly we all share a true passion for engaging children and youth in the camp experience.

It is empowering to spend time with like-minded camp professionals, to get validation for the work that we do and to share our challenges and successes amongst others who truly understand . We learn from each other, are always willing to share our knowledge and ideas and work for the common purpose of getting more children to have access to a summer camp experience.

We hope that as you are networking on the soccer sidelines, at PTO meetings, in the office, at the gym and everywhere else you travel in your daily lives that you will speak to others about the intrinsic value camp has had for your daughter.

As open enrollment begins October 1^st a plug for Runoia is always appreciated too!

Fireworks on the Lakes – Seeking a Balance with Belgrade Select Board

Posted on September 16, 2014October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

Camp Runoia prides itself in being active in our local business community helping to bring people to the area, being involved in our local conservation groups, The Belgrade Lakes Association and the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance and believing in sustainable practices at camp and in our communities. All of our year round employees serve on boards, volunteer at events and/or coach sports or participate in races, fund raisers and friend-raisers around the state, in New England and beyond.

Here’s a recent letter to our Select Board representing the importance of balancing fun and life on the lakes:

Belgrade and the lakes in and around Belgrade is such a beautiful place to enjoy with your family and friends. I can see how everyone wants to show off the fun of fire works when they come up for the weekend or have friends or family visiting. With fireworks readily accessible, we are hearing fireworks nearly every night and certainly every weekend night of the summer on Great Pond.

Fireworks used on a continual basis are disruptive to people, animals and the environment.

Our Camp Runoia campers are frightened by the loud booming and cracks and whistles that carry on nightly. Their sleep is disrupted causing adults to have to console them and stay up with them until they can fall back asleep with hopes that another round across the lake doesn’t wake them again.

Our horses, a herd of over a dozen, who are stabled during the day for lessons and out in pasture at night, run in fear during the fireworks causing injury and overuse of adrenaline, wearing on them and making them not fit for work the next day. Often we have to get the horses from the pasture and bring them into the stables during fireworks that are close by. Additionally, the loons, the wildlife around the lake and the lake itself are experiencing loud noise, chemical exposure and plastic and paper fragment waste on a regular basis.

We hope Belgrade will be smart about fireworks and restrict usage to a few key dates of the summer for people to enjoy them and for those of us with people and animals who are disrupted by them can be prepared and keep everyone safe while enjoying the beauty of the lakes in each and every way.