Category: Parent

You can’t change the weather at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

It’s been over 90 degrees in Maine for the past few days and the same people who a couple of months ago were complaining about the cold are now saying it’s ‘too hot’! One thing we can’t control is the weather but we can chose our clothing carefully and plan activities that best suit it.  Today was perfect for a dip in the lake and yes we did have a really great ski season this past winter.

Making the best of any give situation and figuring out solutions to the problems it may expose us to is a real life skill.  We value challenges at Camp Runoia as they help us to learn and grow.   While camp is certainly utopian it isn’t perfect and we wouldn’t want it to be.  Being away from home and being allowed to make choices and decisions and having to deal with everyday events is as much a part of the camp experience as s’mores around the campfire.

Campers quickly learn how to navigate the schedule, make the most of the opportunities at any given time and speak up if their needs are not being met.  Allowing girls to occasionally be dissatisfied, to not always get their first choice and to only have one serving of desert build coping and resiliencey skills.

Runoia campers love a challenge.

Running through puddles barefoot on a rainy day, watching the power of a storm speed across the lake from the safety of the boathouse or getting a quick dip before bed on a steamy night are all experiences that add to the camp magic.  Scheduled days are filled with organized activities and also free time for spontaneous fun.

We can manage many things at camp but we can’t manage the weather or slow down time.  We make the most out of every minute, maximize our opportunities and enjoy the time with our friends.

Our morning pledge at assembly.

For those parents who just cant resist knowing what’s going on at camp with the weather, rest assured, we have plenty of tricks up our sleeve for making everyday a ‘fine Maine day.’

Sleep-away camp provides a myriad of opportunities for growth whatever the weather.

Tag up time at Camp Runoia -independent decision making

Posted on by Alex

It is almost time for Camp Runoia on Great Pond in Belgrade Lakes, Maine to open for its 111th season.

As a camp where girls are encouraged to be themselves and grow as individuals one of the greatest legacies that our Runoia founders left us was that of camper led decision making.  From the time Camp Runoia was founded girls and young women have had choices.  Morning ‘tag up’ after breakfast has become a staple of how girls make decisions and plan their own days at camp.  With around twenty different activity choices for each period there is something that appeals to everyone.  Check out the choices!

In a world where many of our campers are in very academic school programs and spend their after school time running from one pre-scheduled activity to another ‘tagging up’ allows for freedom and individuality of choice.  As parents of toddlers we are coached on giving choices to develop independent behavior but as children get older their decision making autonomy decreases.

There are no parents involved in how girls make choices at Runoia.  The great news is that you don’t have to commit for a semester or a 10 week block and if you like something you can do more of it or if you don’t like it all that much you can choose something different next time.  Youth involved decision making is a building block for developing life skills.

When girls make their own activity choices at camp or chose what they would like to do in their free time they can focus on themselves and their own needs and wants at that given moment.  While some girls come to camp with a master plan for their choices others enjoy a more flexible schedule and choose based on their goals, their mood that day or even the weather.  For some the challenge of choosing may initially be overwhelming, for others the days are too short to fit in everything that they want to try or work on. There is no right or wrong way to ‘tag up’ it’s just your own way!

Every camper has her own individual schedule that changes daily.

However a Camp Runoia girl makes her choices she is supported by caring adults who provide encouragement.  Campers are reminded to set and aim for goals,  try new things, stick with projects that need finishing, be an independent thinker and of course maximize the opportunities that camp provides.

In our over scheduled, busy lives, ‘tag up’ provides structured freedom of decision making in a safe place.

Preparations and anticipation at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

The weeks leading up to the summer camp season are always a little frantic.  May is a month full of preparation and anticipation.  A whole years’ worth of work is rapidly coming to fruition.  The result will be the June arrival of staff and campers to the shores of Great Pond for their amazing summer camp season.  What was once just a concept is rapidly becoming a reality. Preparations for the 2017 summer sleep away camp season are definitely in full swing here at Camp Runoia.

There is the sudden leap into spring here in Maine which generates plenty of outdoor work.  There are sticks that need picking up, grass that needs mowing, flowers that need planting, docks to put in, a beach that requires raking and a myriad of other tasks that need doing right now!  Cleaning up the winter detritus and getting our campus looking beautiful is a high priority.  The longer days allow for more outdoor work and are a great distraction from the office!

I think Camp Runoia probably has it’s own UPS warehouse!

 

The UPS truck is a regular visitor to the Camp Runoia office with daily drops of packages filled with the needed supplies to make the camp program run smoothly.  Soon the food service trucks will be rolling in as we get our kitchen opened up and fully stocked and let’s not forget the oil truck and maybe even the septic guy getting their jobs done before camp opens.

 

At this time of year the names on the shack and staff lists take on more personality as we learn more about our girls and counselors and their hopes and dreams for their summer.  Parents are sharing medical information, travel plans, concerns and excitement for the sleep-away experience.  Staff are making travel plans, getting certifications completed and wrapping up their home lives to free up their summer so that they can be completely present at camp.  Penpal letters will be going out soon so that new campers will feel a stronger connection to their new summer family.

The phone never seems to stop ringing, it’s either the leadership team calling to run something by each other, a parent calling to check on the status of their forms or share a concern or maybe a local young person calling about a kitchen job.  We love talking to people and sharing our excitement for the opening of camp.  New parents read here – the ACA has lot of great articles to help you mentally and physically prepare for your daughters first sleep away camp experience.

We love that our days are filled to the brim and each brings us one step closer to the moment we are looking forward to the most.  When we pass through the Runoia gate and get to be ‘home’ for the summer in the place that we all adore surrounded by a community that supports and sustains each and every member.

Bring it on summer of 2017 we will be ready!

Passing through the Runoia gate into the summer of a lifetime!

 

What Will You Read This Summer?!

Posted on by Pam Cobb

My childhood friend, who has been living abroad with her family for the past 24 years,  recently returned to live in Atlanta, Georgia. I recently reconnected with her and we visited a classic bookstore in St. Pete together.

Each year we add new books to our library and although we try to read them all before we shelf them, sometimes we rely on the expertise of others to determine if it’s a good book for Camp Runoia. Little did I know, I hit the JACKPOT with Ann.

I discovered she had gotten her masters in Library Science while living in Cairo and when she moved to Phnom Penh, she was a librarian in the American School. So, I picked her brain about suggestions of books with female protagonists for the Runoia library.

My to my delight, after our visit she sent me a catalogue of suggested titles with genre, summary and review by Ann. WOW!

Weeks have gone by since I’ve seen Ann and this past week, she emails me out of the blue to say she was so inspired by our night time reading aloud in cabins at bed time, our lending library and our word of the day at assembly that she has been on a mission to bring us books. She has been perusing yard sales in her neighborhood and has collected almost 100 quality books for the Runoia library! She asked if she could drop them off when she is in NE in June. A resounding YES was the answer.
At Runoia, we celebrate reading. It might sound funny that that’s a thing at camp but between Rest Hour reading, reading out loud at bed time and reading by flashlight, summer reading and reading for joy, campers and counselors read an extraordinary amount of books each summer at Runoia. Our typical count is around 7-800 books a summer. And yes, we do count!

We also have a book club each summer. Our Assistant Director, Barb St. Peter, will be selecting and announcing the book this month. Barb runs the club which meets a few times during the session to discuss the book.

Reading as a pastime, for relaxation, for knowledge, discovery or curiosity is a life skill we value at Runoia. Plus is a lot of fun! What books will you bring to camp or take on vacation this summer? If you’re a camper reading this blog, get ready for a new section in the library from my friend, Ann!

Perseverance Builds Lifeskills at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Pam Cobb

After watching the final round of the PGA Masters tournament, all I could think of was “that’s serious perseverance”. Sergio Garcia had played in over 70 Major PGA events and finally won his first Major on April 9. He was graced with the iconic green jacket and history was in the books.

You can probably see where I’m going with this but one thing you do not know about me as the owner and director of Camp Runoia… I’m married to a sports fanatic. He put the “fan” in fanatic. That means a lot of conversation comes up about all major sports events daily. There is always a sport in season. And although we don’t watch much TV, you can guarantee there is a sports game on any night you want to watch. Spring is an exciting season in the pro world because as baseball starts, NHL hockey is in the final games and NBA is in the semi finals. #nonstopsports We actually met each other over pro sports so I’m pretty enthusiastic about sports, too. (add horse events and all women’s pro teams!).

But back to Senor Garcia. Ah-maze-ing. Tied at the end of four days of battling for the win, led to a “playoff” at the Masters. Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia, best friends after playing over 20 years together, they tied to finish. The whole story is akin to mythology. Anyway, in the end Sergio persevered. That’s the real story. Seventy three tries at winning a major tournament in the PGA and he finally won one. One. One big one. I can feel the emotion all over again and I can only imagine how he felt.

So, the takeaway is pretty clear. Even when we are pretty good, we are not always the best at something… yet: When we try things, we need to practice and have patience in our own work and play. Whether it is getting more refined in a sport, improving reading comprehension, making meaningful connections with others, learning how to reduce impetuous behavior, developing a friendship, or understanding how the wind affects the sail power of a boat. Let me say it again: we need to practice, have patience, learn from our mistakes and try again. This is what makes pros win major tournaments and this is what makes Runoia campers grow up to be strong women. Perseverance.

Maine hunts for spring

Posted on by Alex

Patience is apparently a virtue of which Mainers require an excessive amount.  Spring while allegedly here on the calendar has yet to truly arrive in person.

I write on a day when once again snowflakes are falling from the sky and the ground is still covered in a good amount of the white stuff.  The lakes are still frozen and while there are signs that spring is on the way it still seems like weeks until the grass will be green and the leaves are on the tress.

March came in and went out like a lion this year and it will be April snow showers that hopefully bring May or perhaps they will be June flowers.

 

While it would be easy to complain the general feeling is one of anticipation and even excitement.  There are pussy willows to be spotted along the sides of the roads.  Those days when the temperature’s get over 40 seem balmy and call for picnics on the porch and even shorts!  The days are longer and there are many more birds singing in the trees and geese flying back overhead this time on their way north.  Many a bet is being placed on when the ice will be out on local lakes and generally people are upbeat and hopeful for the new season ahead.

Ice on Great Pond, Belgrade Lakes ME

Every day at our house there is talk of camp.  How many weeks to go? Will the lake warm up quickly? When can we open up our camp house?  Who needs new uniform ordering? Is school almost over?

We cannot wait to see all of our Camp Runoia family and reconnect and embrace the new people that will be joining us.  One of the great things about spring in Maine is how quickly it turns into summer; we just have to make it through mud season first!

See you in June!

Runoia guinea pigs life after camp

Posted on by Alex

Cream Puff and Mount Skittlemore the Camp Runoia guinea pigs were feeling a little jealous that the chickens had their 15 seconds of fame on the Runoia blog so here is their moment of stardom.

Life outside of Camp Runoia is fairly entertaining for everyone’s favorite ‘farm’ pets.  They have a large cage in the living room (‘but mum it’s too cold in the mudroom’!) at the Bolduc-Jacksons so are generally the center of attention.  Most of their day is spent eating  – who knew that 2 such small creatures could eat so much!?  Breakfast is lettuce and leafy greens often with some strawberry tops thrown in, lunch is a delightful blend of guinea pig pellets and all day long the hay buffet is open.  There are always plenty of treats too, their favorites are fresh fruits and veggies but they will happily eat the commercial snacks.

A  change from the summer is that their winter bedding is made of fleece and old towels rather than sawdust and shavings.  It seems to keep them warmer and drier but still needs changing every couple of days.  It helps with waste reduction too as it can just be throw into the wash.

Did you know that we have an entire Runoia Pinterest board dedicated to interesting articles about guinea pig care.  There are even guinea pig birthday cake ideas for those dedicated cavy lovers.

The farm and garden program at Camp Runoia provides campers with the opportunity to experience animal care, grow organic food and learn about farm to table principles.  Many girls enjoy the responsibilities of growing things and taking care of the pets.  We hope that Camp Runoia campers will maximize all of the opportunities that activities at camp have to offer.  Getting to snuggle a guinea pig is certainly a perk.

Cream Puff and Mount Skittlemore look forward to seeing you all back at camp and getting lots of snuggles and snacks from the Runoia vegetable garden.

A Note from A Camp Mom

Posted on by Pam Cobb

I worked at Camp Runoia for three summers when I was in my late teens/early twenties, as the Head Sailing Instructor (in the late 1990s). I witnessed firsthand the magical moments these girls enjoy as they explore new opportunities, drive themselves toward mastering a particular skill, breathe deeply outside in nature, and establish a community of trust and camaraderie, making some friendships they will carry with them the rest of their lives.

Once I worked at Camp Runoia, I easily kindled the memories of camp for twenty years.  And when we had daughters, I could not wait for the day I could share Camp Runoia with them. Now, fast forward twenty years later. Our own daughter was old enough last year to participate in Harmony Land Camp, which for me was a dream come true. (I mean this most sincerely.)

Harmony Land Camp “HLC” is an ideal introduction to camp life for younger campers. The campers not only have the safety net of their own counselors and fellow HLC campers, but also the opportunity to engage with older children and returning campers during meals (especially the outdoor meals served picnic style two days a week), at the waterfront for swim class and recreational swims, and during the all-camp assembly each morning. For my daughter, being in HLC eliminated the sometimes overwhelming feeling of wondering which activity to try next, and also reduced any potential worry about whether or not she would have a “friend” in that activity. There’s more info on HLC here.

As the program continues and their comfort level increases, the girls are able to branch out a bit more, or hang back with the familiar, if that’s what they prefer. I know at least one HLC camper last year took swim lessons with campers who were much older, because her swimming ability exceeded that of her peers. The staff is very good about making sure each individual camper’s needs are being met.

Camp Runoia is an authentic sleep away camp experience. There is no air conditioning, the campers and counselors pick and eat wild blueberries from the bushes they found the prior summer, people greet each other with kind smiles, and while walking through camp you hear much laughter.

The directors have been running camp or participating in camp ALL OF THEIR LIVES — it is a family tradition now in the fifth generation. I knew Pam’s parents when I worked at camp in the late 1990s; they were lovely people, and at that time had sold the camp and operations to Pam. Pam and her daughter, Jai Kells continue the tradition. I also worked with Alex at Runoia 20 years ago — her level of expertise even then was considerable, and she keeps daily activities for everyone running smoothly as the logistics guru. They each balance the responsibilities of running camp with making sure everyone’s needs are being met or exceeded. The campers are happy, and the counselors are aware of the signs of homesickness and the best ways to address it. The lead counselor and director of Harmony Land Camp, Abbie Marone, is a teacher with a degree in early elementary education; it shows in all of her interactions with her campers. She treats each child with respect, includes everyone and, according to my daughter, is caring and funny.

My daughter was ecstatic when I asked if she wanted to go back to camp this summer. She is looking forward to archery, tubing, and sailing. She is also looking forward to seeing her friends and the counselors again. I know the end of the session will come and the campers and counselors get that feeling they are saying goodbye to family. There are definitely more tears shed the last day, than the first when the summer comes to a close.

Kara Garrod

 

 

Maine Maple Syrup – natures bounty

Posted on by Alex

The sap is running!  It is an exciting time of the year in Maine. After being buried in snow we are so happy to see that  spring is just around the corner.   At this time of year local syrup producers long for cold nights and warm days.  As the air warms up and the signs of spring appear, trees are tapped and buckets of sap collected in order to produce real Maine maple syrup. The temperatures must be below freezing at night and above during the day time. Right now with a thaw happening conditions in Maine are perfect.

Maple syrup comes from sap.

By literally tapping into Mother Nature sap is collected and boiled down in a simple process that produces maple syrup. It does however, take a large quantity of sap, time, patience with the weather and a willingness to get outdoors even with a chill in the air and snow still on the ground.

Maine Maple Sunday is the last weekend in March if you have the chance to pop up to Maine it is a fun time to see the process in action.  Maple Syrup producers are often small, family owned operations that welcome the public to visit and see the all-natural product being made.  Along with the syrup there are always a large selection of yummy maple products to try, our favorites are maple popcorn and maple beans.

 

Great Pond frozen.

Sometimes we wish we had winter camp at Runoia then we could do fun things like this!  Can you imagine skating on Great Pond, cross country skiing around the archery field and warming up by the fire in the Lodge?  Sadly the shacks would be a little chill so I suppose we will have to stick with our summer overnight camp experience.

We are now actively counting down the days until camp! 119 to go.

Why choose sleep-away camp at Runoia?

Posted on by Alex

Returning Runoia parents already know about a million reasons why they send their darling daughter off to sleep-away camp at Camp Runoia in Maine for a few weeks each summer.  They are happy to share with us stories of the growth their daughter makes while on Great Pond, the life skills she has developed and how Runoia has helped her to become a strong and fearless young woman ready to head off to boarding school or College.

 

We also speak everyday with parents who are not quite sure why they would pay to be away from their child. Or why sending her far from home away from all of the creature comforts and technology that she is used to would have any value at all.  The overnight camp experience can be a tough sell especially to the many parents who themselves have never had the experience.

We know that there are parents who lurk out there wondering and pondering if a Runoia summer is right for their daughter.  We make it easy to get information and are always happy to chat about camp in a general context not just as a sales pitch for Runoia.  Finding the right place for all kids to grow and be successful is our goal.

 

If you are out there in cyber space wondering if Camp Runoia is the right sleep-away camp experience for your daughter drop us a line.  There are also lots of great articles that support the benefits of  a residential summer camp and we are happy to share our thoughts and discuss your concerns.  We love talking about Runoia so share us with your friends and family so that more girls may experience the wonder of a life changing summer building life skills on the shores of Great Pond.

Some good reads:

A grandparents perspective

More reasons in favor of camp

From the NYT

Hope to see you on Great Pond

Aionur