Get your news! Here is the latest newsletter from the Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization
Mission and Beginnings
The CRAO’s mission is to raise money for “Camperships” to help girls be able to go to camp who otherwise would not have the experience. For those of us who believe of camp as a profound growth and belonging experience that lasts a lifetime, it’s amazing to share this experience with others who can’t afford the full price of camp.
The CRAO was founded in 1999 and has provided camperships for 21 summers. Approximately 300 girls have received financial aid to help them attend Runoia.
The newsletter gets its namesake from the logs of information at camp. From 1910 until current day the “logs” at Runoia have been written and crafted to reflect the summer events at camp. The logs live in the Lodge building at camp and many have been scanned and are available online.
In 2018, the CRAO started a new fund for Equestrian Camperships to help support girls who want to learn how to ride or continue their passion for riding at Runoia.
The board of directors meets annually at camp and continues meeting by phone and email throughout the year to raise funds, process campership applications, host regional gatherings for alumnae to connect and plan for the 115th reunion at camp in 2021.
An old camp friend flew in from Australia this past weekend. She traveled alone so that she could see New England in the fall and re tramp some of the footpaths of her young adulthood. We met at camp at a time when social media wasn’t even imagined and there were certainly no smart phone so connections through the years have been loose. How incredible is was to see someone again after 14 years we had only spent one 9 week summer together yet reconnected like it was just yesterday.
Though her memories were a little fuzzy the draw to return to Runoia was strong. We walked through camp, past the many things that have changed, the new buildings, additions, different program options and reminisced about all the things that were still the same. She found her name on the 5th shack plaque and could recall each of her campers and the laughs they had shared together that summer.
We sat on the boathouse steps for a long time just quietly taking it all in. She was amazed at how deeply she was moved by being back and how the memories of one summer so long ago returned so quickly. As a swim instructor she had spent many hours on and in the lake and could recount memorable moments and the day to days of camp life. We talked about how camp was life changing for so many reasons. As young adults our futures were impacted greatly by the time that we spent on Great Pond and the relationships that formed that have and will truly last a life time. How hard it is to describe this powerful experiential force to those that haven’t been here.
So many times our Runoia girls will say they come back to camp be with their friends. They love all that camp has to offer, the activities, silly evening programs and Sunday campfires, but it is the relationships that draw them back. As our cabins rapidly fill up for the 2020 season we are already anticipating the strengthening of those bonds and the development of new ones. Camp is the place where you come as you are and are welcomed in and appreciated for just being you. The friends that you make be it for one summer or over many truly are the people that stay with you for a lifetime.
She left the Runoia gates with a million photographs and the strong certainty that she would be back someday. I left with a great reminder that the work we do here is powerful and has great value. The Runoia experience is far more than just one summer moment in time, it’s magic that can resonate for a lifetime.
As we come off a summer where girls have access to all the activities and experiences that they choose it is hard to imagine what life 100 years ago was like for women. When Lucy Weiser and Jessie Pond decided to start a camp for girls in very, rural Maine they lived in a society where women had little say in their own lives. It was 13 more years until they had the right to vote, can you imagine what fierce and bold women they must have been! How fortunate we are that they created a place where girls can grow and be empowered.
Ms Weiser
The women’s suffrage movement began to formally organize in 1848 but is wasn’t until 1919/20 that women were finally allowed a say in the democratic process and were given the right to vote. Even then not all women were able to vote as minorities were still excluded. The 19th amendment was passed on August 18th 1920 long after those pioneer women had started their campaigning and 13 years after Camp Runoia opened. Maine was a little ahead of the national curve ‘On November 4, 1919, Governor Milliken called a special session of the Maine state legislature. By a vote of 72 – 68, Maine became the 19th state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment.’ Here’s a short video that may be fun to watch with your daughter. You can ask her what the process at camp is like when we vote for our team captains.
I wonder if the women who founded Runoia were involved in the suffrage process. Did they take to the streets with sashes and signs to advocate for their rights or were they quiet observers as many other women of the time were. We constantly encourage our Runoia girls to advocate for themselves, speak up for their needs, make their own choices and to not always just go along with what everyone else is doing. It’s certainly challenging to think that for most women a hundred years ago participating in the adventurous activities our girls do today would have been impossible. Even to other women the suffragettes seemed somewhat extreme ‘they seemed bold and unladylike to venture out into the world.’
The Suffrage Centennial in Maine is in full celebratory swing with many different events planned around the State over the next six months. One of our camp mom’s is a curator of the Maine State Museum which is hosting an exhibit and special events that are both informational and entertaining.
How thankful we are that brave, strong women walked before us and that our girls have equal opportunities.
Share the stories of the suffragettes with your daughters and take them with you when you go to vote!
August came in with perfect camp weather, warm sunny days and cooler nights which made sleeping in the shacks much more tolerable after the steamy days of July. We were surprised at how quickly our final Camp Runoia days have flown by . We have certainly packed them full to the brim with activities, adventures and time with our camp friends.
We welcomed the new month in with a spectacular meteor shower which the CIT’s got to view from the boathouse where they spent the night. Our 2nd shack girls also got to get a night under the stars with a sleep out at Fairy Ring. 4th shack wrapped up the overnight tripping program with a grand adventure to the coast and Camden Hills. Giving girls an overnight, experiential trip has long been an integral part of the Runoia program and one that is still greatly valued.
We welcomed 9 new level one archery instructors into the counselor teaching team – the CIT’s all passed their training class and learned some critical fundamentals of teaching which will transfer to any activity they are specializing in. They also passed their lifeguarding test which they have been working on all summer. The whole group spent an awesome day of volunteering at Lobsterfest in Rockland managing the children’s tent and touch tank. These girls have built and incredible skill set this summer and we really hope we will see some of them back as JC’s next year.
The CIT’s rushed home from volunteering as 4 of them were in the play Saturday evening. They joined a younger cast for a Mahadin performance of ‘A Mid Summers Night’s Dream.’ It was truly spectacular lots of hard lines to learn for sure and we all enjoyed the theater in the park atmosphere.
Runoia riders have been out and about getting in some final shows at other camps. We rode very successfully against Vega and Matoka on Friday and had a competitive day against Forest Acres on Tuesday. It is great for our riders of all levels to have an experience with different horses at an unfamiliar ring, they really get a chance to put all of their skills into action. Almost 50 Runoia girls participated in the Blue/White horse show this past Sunday! Lots of points scored for their teams.
The Blue/White competitions filled our final Sunday with swim races, softball, kickball and soccer games and the horse show. Monday 19 early morning Oak island swimmers also scored some points for their team. We are all looking forward to finding out the final scores at Cotillion during the traditional game of ‘hucklebuckle beanstalk’
Our last activity block has been filled with project finishing, level gaining, old and new skills and lots of fun and laughter. While girls are certainly excited to see their families at the end of the week, we are already counting down the days until our 114th season in 2020.
Over the past couple of weeks our new Camp Runoia campers should have found a letter or two in their mailbox from a camp ‘penpal’. The tradition of welcoming new girls to camp and being available to answer any questions has been going on for many, many years. It encourages campers to make connections even before their arrivals to camp in June or July. Returning campers may be writing to a new girl in their cabin group or older girls may be reaching out to a younger ‘little sister.’ Girls look forward to writing notes and often seek out their new camp friend once they arrive at camp. For new campers we hope that it helps them to feel like a part of the community and to get excited about the new adventure that they are taking.
Handwritten notes from a new camp friend are a long standing Runoia tradition.
In our techno world of texting and social media interactions it seems rare to actually receive a paper letter or card in the actual mail. Often the mailbox is just full of solicitations and advertising along with some online shopping packages! What a treat to find a handwritten envelope addressed to you personally. This short video is a great introduction to letter writing to help kids for whom it may be a new skill.
At camp a campers only option of communicating with the outside world is through regular mail. While parents can send one way emails, ‘real’ letters are still the most valued and appreciated. Campers often show up with stationary boxes, a supply of stamps and some cool pens for their letter writing times. Rest hour and before bed are common times that girls will be found writing to family and friends. Campers and staff look forward to rest hour when mail is given out and often share news from home with their bunk mates or pin the notes that they receive to the wall by their beds.
Handwritten letters carry a charm and thoughtfulness that seems so radically different than an email or text message. The fact that someone took the time to write to you and that it is an unedited conscious stream of thought makes it super special. Parents often tell of the stacks of camp letters tucked away in memory boxes as treasures from their daughter’s time away at camp.
Send us some ‘real’ mail this summer it will be so greatly appreciated, we love when the PO Box is bursting at the seams.
Single gender or co-ed? how do you choose the right option?
Many prospective families are curious as to what makes an all-girls, overnight experience special or at least different to a co-ed camp. Single gender camps have long been a tradition in youth camping. The majority of the earliest programs were established just for boys or for girls only. We imagine that back in 1907 when Ms. Weiser and Ms. Pond were establishing Camp Runoia for Girls it was likely highly frowned upon for boys and girls to be camping out in the Maine woods together! We relish our long and strong tradition of girls attending sleep away camp in Maine and primarily being led by women.
A history of female leadership.
So why do girls enjoy a single gender experience? Many Runoia campers welcome a change in dynamic from their co-ed schools. Often girls will say that they can be themselves at camp. They enjoy not feeling any pressure to look or dress a certain way. At camp the playing field is even and all opportunities are available to everyone. There are no gender specific activities and the prevailing sense is that girls can do anything. With the majority of the staff also being female there are many different types of role models and the opportunity to learn from slightly older young women who are in college.
Once you pass the Camp Runoia gate you’ve made a little date with fate.
There is a perfect camp fit for every child and a myriad of options to choose from. Focusing on your child’s strengths and personality traits rather than the perception of what a ‘perfect’ camp may be will help to narrow down those choices. Your old summer camp that you attended 30 years ago may be perfect for the next generation or they may be better suited to a different opportunity. Knowing where your child will thrive best and then asking questions to see if the camps you are choosing will be a good match is crucial to everyone’s happiness.
We are always happy to chat about what makes Runoia a special place for girls to grow and you can check out our philosophy on our website.
Thanksgiving gives us so much to be grateful for. We are sending warm thoughts to all of our Runoia family around the world. We have so many Camp Runoia related things to celebrate and are grateful that you have been a part of our camp history.
May you spend this Thanksgiving Holiday surrounded by the love of family and friends,
A long standing tradition at Camp Runoia has been having elections to see who will be team captain. The pool is small and anyone who meets the very basic criteria is eligible to run. There are no residency requirements and basically your age and having been in camp a couple of years allows you to be on the ballot. Occasionally girls take themselves off the roster as it is not of interest to them but typically everyone gives it a shot. You get to vote just for the candidate who represents your team in your end of camp and campers are often surprised by the fact that ‘yes’ you can vote for yourself.
Candidates get 1-2 minutes to present their ‘reasons why I should be captain’ speech to their team. It is a big deal to stand up in front of a large group and talk about yourself. It is often the first time that girls have had an opportunity to describe their own skill set and successes. For other campers it is a great opportunity to elect someone that they know to a position of leadership and to figure out that your choice makes a difference. Girls use their individual voices in multiple ways during the process and it is an empowering experience.
Probably the greatest outcome from camp elections is that as soon as the winners are announced everyone cheers, hugs and offers their support. There may be a few tears from a losing candidate but those quickly turn into offers to help with line ups, song teaching or any other aspect of the captain job that requires support. The voting process is respected and the team is quick to rally behind their new leader regardless of whether or not she got their vote.
Sometimes the most unlikely candidate wins, the quieter girl who is reliable, consistent and trusted by her camp mates to treat people fairly, the girls who is not necessarily the best athlete but always shows awesome team spirit or the camper that is most respected because she keeps a positive attitude and is fun. It is an honor and privilege for girls to serve their teams and they take their role seriously and put forth their best efforts. They know they walk in the shoes of campers who have been leaders for many years before them and strive for the victory while still remaining great friends with their opponents.
We are glad that camp can provide girls a small taste of the democratic process and encourage campers to stand up to represent their own beliefs and support those that they have the most faith in.
It is a relief that election season is finally and why don’t they give out prizes for which candidate has the most creative signs? that’s what we would do at camp!
Double entendres abound when I think of the word “log” – all related to Runoia traditions. My mind races to our weekend campfires and the logs we use to build the campfire. To camping trips and “hugging” trees – from before Leave No Trace… “hugging” was our phrase for finding a small standing dead tree we could hug out of the ground and saw into logs for our campfire.
Then I think, “Ah ha!” it’s the camp “logs” – the written logs of each summer’s camp activities and antics dating back to the summer of 1910. The logs have been scanned and uploaded through a generous donation from the Tabell family. They are available on our website – just click here.
And, last but not least, my mind recognizes the bi-annual newsletter of the Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization (CRAO). The CRAO was founded by the Cobb Family with support and guidance from Jody Sataloff and Jack Erler to provide a “Campership” fund for campers to be able to attend camp. A volunteer organization that has developed efficiently and with enthusiasm over the years to provide partial camperships for over 20 campers each summer. 10% of Runoia’s campers receive some kind of assistance.
With the guidance of past-president Andrea “Nandy” Florey Bradford, the name of the fund was updated to honor Betty Cobb. The fund is now the “Betty Cobb Campership Fund”.
Find out more about the CRAO in volume 31, issue 2 and the ongoing mission in the Fall 2018 newsletter “The Log”:
Hello to all of our Second Session families and friends. We are already rolling along into 2nd Session having already completed our first Block of the session – time certainly does fly by!! Campers are settling in nicely and getting to know all of their new cabin friends and counselors while meeting and getting to know our 130 Second Session campers. It has been a real smooth start despite some up and down weather conditions.
As you know, this is my first summer here at Runoia. One of my favorite traditions that I have learned here at Camp Runoia is during meal time. Each week our campers are randomly assigned to a specific table (rotated weekly) and sit together with 3-4 staff members mixed in to the tables as well. This is instead of the more traditional cabin table approach during meal time. For our campers, young and old, it is really nice that the girls get a chance to meet a wide variety of campers and on a very personal level this way. Especially for the younger campers, it is a great opportunity for them to meet older campers who show them the ropes and tell them all sorts of stories about camp and their activities. It is a great way to pass along traditions and make younger campers excited about growing up at Runoia. Even for the older girls, it is a great real life experience of being a role model and starting to develop true leadership skills. Undoubtedly, it is the start of a great relationship for many of our campers, that very likely would not have otherwise have formed if we did not sit in our tables in this fashion.
Camp Kindness table
Meal time is just one example of the purposeful and fun way that Camp Runoia helps campers and staff alike to develop meaningful relationships and learn some terrific life skills. It is why I am a true believer in the Camp Runoia spirit.
WEEK 4 RECAP
Sunday was camper arrival under rainy conditions. With a few delayed arrivals, we are off and running with 2nd Session. Campers play Scategories and new additions to Runoia – Human Fusbol and Noodle Hockey for Evening Programming.
Monday – Orientation Day – all new campers get a full day of learning the ropes, tagging up for Blocks and get to try their first Runoia activities. Swimming in the afternoon for all!!
Tuesday – First day of Blocks – sailing, skiing, ropes, tennis, mountain biking, pottery making and all the arts & crafts you could ever want are rolled out all day for the campers. Staff is excited and gets campers juiced up for a full day of action. 5th Shack departs on a great 3 day hiking trip. At night, a newer EP called “Country Creation” is enjoyed. By Shack, campers created their very own country with mottos, official birds/animals and tourist attractions, and then promote then try to “sell” their country as the best to a panel of judges.
Wed – Blocks continue. Campers are having fun despite overcast conditions. No rain!! Horseback riding, soccer, windsurfing and target sports… campers work on their skills and try to progress with their ability. Lots of swimming today as it is pretty humid. At night, campers enjoy a Scavenger Hunt as they work together to locate some 40 specific items. Winning tables managed 37 of the items. Great day!
Thursday – Morning activities get in even after some overnight rain. But in the afternoon RAIN, RAIN, RAIN! But does that stop us??? NO WAY!! Camp Kindness afternoon as campers make numerous art projects but for another camper in camp. It was really great and the girls worked hard to give away a nice project to one of their fellow campers. Campers also created 60 cards for “Cradles to Crayons” charitable program. What a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. In the evening, it is time to “Get to Know Your Counselor.” Campers spent 20 min grilling one of their counselors with all sorts of questions and then have to be able to recite answers as part of a game show. Great time had by all.
Today is a nice warm and “fine Maine day.” We are back on schedule with Block 2. Looking forward to seeing many of our Alumni up at camp for the weekend during then annual CRAO meeting. Have a great weekend!!!
Get your news! Here is the latest newsletter from the Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization
The CRAO LOG – The Newsletter Name
