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,
In the past few weeks I’ve spent countless hours scouring recipe books, looking online and attempting to find the perfect menu for our Thanksgiving dinner. I am hosting and as it isn’t a tradition I grew up with I don’t want to mess it up and want the dinner to meet the expectations of the family and friends that are invited. I’ve read articles, looked on Pinterest and jotted down copious amounts of ideas and still haven’t been able to perfect the menu. I finally asked those attending what they wanted on the table and was somewhat surprised by the simplicity of the answers.
Cooking with friends at Camp Runoia.
‘I just love mixing cranberry sauce with the regular mash potato,’ ‘oh nothing fancy just the ordinary dishes will be perfect,’ there was even a request for ‘green bean casserole’ as it is a fond reminder of growing up in the 1960’s! Some asked if it was OK if they brought a favorite dish that they enjoy making or offered to share the bounty of their harvested vegetable gardens. Others have no preferences and are just looking forward to getting together and enjoying the company. All people really expect is a table to sit around (I’d better make sure we have enough chairs!) and the time to share a meal together.
Dinner at Camp Runoia!
The simplicity of the expectations, the reverence of the tradition and familiarity of having the old favorites remind me so much of summer at Camp Runoia. While there are changes with the times (yes I will have gluten free and vegetarian options for Thanksgiving!) so many things remain the same. No matter how long you have been away or even if you are arriving for the first time the feeling of coming home to a comfortable and welcoming community is all that really matters.
It is often the simple, traditional things that have the most importance and that create the lasting memories. Here’s to not over doing it and just sharing food with family and friends in whatever way feels right and makes people happy.
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!
Once again Maine Summer Camps was hosted by the Migis Lodge resort for our annual membership meeting and education and networking event. Migis provides the quintessential Maine resort experience. At this meeting for directors and owners, educational round tables and a lovely luncheon were offered. The prestigious Halsey Gulick award was given to Alan Kissick of Kingsley Pines. Congratulations Alan!
Educational topics were in a round table format where camp directors and administrators shared their challenging moments and the group helped process together and shared best practices systems. It is always a fantastic opportunity for peers to get together for a common good. It is infrequent in this world where direct competitors actually want to make camps safer and better for all campers and staff by sharing and helping each other.
Another highlight of the event is seeing friends over an amazing cook out lunch hosted by Migis Lodge. Sitting by the waterside, enjoying the September sun as it pokes its way out of the misty clouds is a great way to wrap up the summer.
We are lucky to have such close ties to the Maine camp community. Thank you Maine Summer Camps and Maine Camp Experience for the networking opportunities and educational opportunities you provide to Maine camps.
Next up for networking and education for Maine camp owners is the fall Maine Camp Experience meeting. Camp owners and board members meet in October in Portland, Maine.
Is your daughter ready for an extended sleep away experience? Is her age a determining factor?
Trying to figure out when the right age to start camp is can be a real challenge for families. Actual yearly age carries a lot of weight in our society. We celebrate milestone Birthdays with celebrations and sometimes commiserations! My daughter is about to become a teenager and I have been blown away by how much emphasis there is surrounding this event. Mom friends commiserate that I will have a ‘teenager on my hands’ it is apparently just the beginning of the tumultuous years and I am supposed to shower her in adult type recognition and responsibility to help her develop her true self as a young adult. Truth is she will be the same person today at 12 as she will be tomorrow when she turns 13. She has displayed some of the teenager characteristics for a couple of years, others are sure to develop over time or may never appear on our radar. Age does not define us yet it has societal normative behaviors placed up on it.
As a parent I feel like I am often battling the social norms imposed upon my children. It is hard to go up against them when ‘everyone else’ does it, has it or has been there. I love that my sons school uses the ‘wait ’til eight’ theory for cell phone use as it has taken the pressure off getting my 6th grader a phone as it is not the norm in their school culture.
Figuring out when your daughter is the right age for camp can also appear to have social norms and external pressure about when is the right time to send kids off to sleep away camp. We all know that kids develop at their own pace, have varying life experiences and certainly come with an array of different personalities that are more or less conducive to the camp experience. We often get calls from concerned parents wondering if their rising 7th grader is ‘too old’ now for camp? Or if aged 7 is ‘too young’ to start. Will she fit in if she didn’t start in 5th grade when all of her classmates went off to camp? Can we advise them about what truly is the best age to send your child to an overnight camp experience?
Kayaking is a great activity for all ages.
The truth is there is only a perfect age for each individual child, some kids are ready at 7 others at 12 or 13 and some girls just may never have the desire to be away for an extended time period. As we talk to parents starting the camp research process we are always excited to chat about their daughters and to help them figure out if she may be ready to join the Runoia fun.
Great questions to ponder for prospective families are: how does your daughter feel about camp? is she driving the process? does she enjoy being away from home overnight with family or friends? is she age appropriately confident managing her own things and time?
If you are pondering camp for 2019 and are wondering if your daughter is ready give us a call we are happy to help support you in the process – Camp Runoia 207 495 2228.
Is the back to school chaos getting to you? I have chatted with a lot of parents in the past couple of weeks and the first question asked is often ‘how is back to school going?’. It seems to be such a loaded question as many families find themselves challenged with the transition from lazy days of summer to the conformity of the school routine. There is an intense pressure that the school schedule brings and just trying to get everyone back into the swing of the expectations and responsibilities can be overwhelming.
Summer vacation is long and even for those that have it filled with camp programs, family time or travel the last days of school in May or June seem like forever ago. The summer break allows us flexibility that we never have the rest of the year. Week days and weekends roll together as we lose the structure of organized activities on set days. Often there is no alarm clock and on some days no need to even change out of pajamas!
Even though camp life is very routine and structured it has much less urgency than school and you certainly don’t get detention if you are late or don’t have the right supplies. The practical, organizational skills gained at camp are easily transferable and can make for a smoother start to the school year. At camp space is limited so campers have their stuff very well organized and to hand. Girls often lay out clothes that they will need, or have handy well used accessories such as lunch bags and crazy creeks so that they are prepared for the next thing. 5-15 minutes of clean up time results in beds being made, dirty clothes sorted and in the laundry bag, shoes paired up and dresser tops tidied. Try challenging your daughter at home with the thought that the ‘nurse’ will be doing inspection how would she score?
There is no doubt that as parents we often do too much for our kids, give too many warnings and reminders and don’t allow them their own success of taking responsibility for basic tasks in their day. It gets everyone stressed out and certainly isn’t helping our kids build their own skills set. At camp the expectations for independence are much higher. Even our youngest campers navigate our campus and get themselves in the appropriate clothes and shoes from cabin to activity. Girls make it to meals on time, make their own choices about what to eat and more often than not they choose a balance meal without anyone nagging them. Often older girls coach the younger ones on good tactics for making the camp day work, grabbing your snack before you change for your next class is apparently key to getting the best choice of apples.
Give your daughter the opportunity to show you what she learned at camp, she can pack her own lunch, organize her activity equipment and clothing, get her backpack ready the night before and a myriad of other tasks that will make everyone’s day smoother.
You’ve got this!
We hope that your school year has started off well and that you can remind your daughter that the skills she learned at camp can also be used at home.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity of more life skill building next summer and enroll for 2019!
September has arrived with shorter days, cooler evenings and an opportunity for a moment to breath and reflect on the past summer season. 2018 was fantastic. We had so ‘many fine Maine days’ that we were honestly wishing for a little more rain! Camp was full of happy campers and our staff group had an impressive skill set that they shared with enthusiasm. Even though at camp we fit so much into a day the time flew by way too fast. We can’t believe that it is time to start over and that our 2019 season is already open for business.
The cycle of camp is an interesting one as there is little down time as we are constantly moving towards the next season. It is hard to believe that we are now open for early enrollment for our returning campers. We are hopeful that most will be back and some are already clamoring for the limited full season spaces. New families are waiting to see if there may be a space for their daughter while others are getting in touch and just beginning to think about plans for next summer.
We are ready to help people make decisions about if Runoia is the right fit for their family. We are making room for younger sisters and cousins and figuring out how we can continue to make a Runoia summer a crucial part of a girls development.
There is excitement as new enrollments pop into our inboxes, we miss everyone and are already counting down the days until we can all be back together on the shores of Great Pond. We are really ready to start over and move into 2019 while reminiscing and holding on to the memories and great times from 2018.
Sending positive thoughts for a great back to school and we hope to see you all back on Great Pond next summer.
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!!!
Hello to you all from rainy Runoia. Before we move into Second Session we need to put a wrap on the first 3 weeks which just FLEW BY! The last week of camp was fun and memorable. But more importantly was the connection our campers made throughout the session along with completing their many accomplishments. It was amazing to see the friendships develop and flourish, and the campers enjoy themselves so thoroughly. In just 3 short weeks – it was an unbelievable session.
Final week recap:
Starting on Sunday we had a full blown Blue v. White competition day with soccer, softball and kickball being played by all. The campers went all out playing some fun sports.
Monday was the start of our last of our 5 Blocks as the campers did their last activities and final projects for the Session. Lots of good stuff as campers tried to squeeze it all in.
Tuesday night we ran around Apple Tree Field playing Capture the Flag. The campers had a blast trying to catch one another, freeing their friends from “jail” and getting the flags across the center line.
Wednesday we worked around the weather as the winds picked up making our water activities tough. But the girls would not be thwarted from their fun as we wrapped up Block 5 and finished our activities for First Session.
Thursday was a day for fun. The morning began with the long swim to and from Oak Island which 14 of our campers accomplished!! That led to Blue & White Swim Races – some 30+ heats for all the girls to compete in. We moved into an afternoon of tubing, kayaking and canoeing on Great Pond and lots of projects to finish up. In the evening we enjoyed the play – PETER PAN. Nearly 40 campers participated with the help of counselors Meg and Charley directing the way. It was a fantabulous production enjoyed by us all.
Friday was Awards and Log Night – One of our great traditions is the last night of camp. First, all of the campers received their awards acknowledging their participation and accomplishments during the summer. It was amazing to hear everything each camper achieved and put their effort into. It was especially heartwarming to hear the campers describe something they themselves were proud of. In the evening, we went down to the beach as each Shack recalled memories from their time together. We sang songs and laughed until the night was over.
On Saturday the girls departed. Many tears were shed, lots of hugs and “see you soon.” The campers departed for France, Mexico, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Florida, Ohio, California and all over Maine and New Hampshire. See you next summer!!!
Hello from sunny Camp Runoia! It has been an unbelievable week here for our campers. As First Session rolls along, there is a great vibe among everyone. We have had unbelievable weather, no rain, lots of sun and that has translated to campers going all out in their daily activities. The accomplishments have been many as our girls try new things or hunker down and challenge themselves to improve and get better with their skills. And the projects… my oh my are our girls creative! The great works of pottery and art are numerous and you can’t even begin to count all the bracelets being made whether for themselves or a new friend.
As we complete our 2nd week, it’s been a joy for me personally to meet all your daughters and already see what just 2 short weeks of camp brings out of them. Accomplishments abound with pure joy and happiness as she rides a horse for the first time, the big smile from learning how to drop a ski, the pride in showing her counselors and friends her finished masterpiece, a humble thank you after being congratulated for earning Blue or White Team Captain, and the appreciation to be back at Camp Runoia after returning from a challenging but worthwhile hiking or canoe trip. It’s all happening here… and in less than 2 weeks.
It’s so great, and a lot to cover in one blog post, but here is your Week 2 in Review…
After the 4th of July and a Trip Day, we got back into our regular activity schedule. This week your daughter signed up for and completed a 2 and 3 day block, so she was able to participate in up to 8 different Runoia activities of her own choosing. That led to lots of new projects, lots of boating and paddling in Great Pond and multiple attempts at new activities. Walk around and you see rock wall climbing, new arts projects in batik making, girls striving for that next level in archery and riflery and many more learning to shoot and dribble or swing a racket. Of course lots of fun was had along the way, like the “CIT Super Chill Sublime Time.” Music was playing while the girls did their hair and nails and just hung out, and I even got my nails (fingers and toes) “done” for the first time ever. That’s right, all 10 nails and 10 different colors!! Just what I always wanted…
Speaking of awesome accomplishments, throughout this week most of the campers went out on their First Session camping trip. This included the older campers heading out on a canoe trip on the Mooseookmeguntic, and two groups hiking up to the summit of Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine at over 5200 feet. A great feat for anyone, and our girls were up to the challenge! Additionally, 3rd Shackers went to Camden Hills or Oak Island for an overnighter, and 1st Shack slept on the camp grounds over at Fairy Ring. Upon returning home our girls felt a great sense of accomplishment… right after they got to take a hot shower.
For evening programs, it was a great mix of activity and creativity. One night we had the always popular Counselor Hunt – good old fashioned hide and seek. Another night, the girls enjoyed “Fractured Fairy Tales.” The girls were given two fairy tales and had to craft a short skit based upon the mix up of the two tales. Funny stuff and a great time had by all. Our most recent EP was right out of my era growing up, as the we hosted an 80’s Dance Party in the Den. The outfits were hysterical as neon and big hair was EVERYWHERE!! The girls danced the night away to all of our favorite hits from the great bygone era of the 80’s. Now the girls are prepping for the big TALENT SHOW on Saturday night.
To say the least, it has been a fun and busy week. And the coming week will prove to be just as busy as we head to the finish of First Session. We are all so proud of our campers and what they are taking on, overcoming and learning along the way. Great accomplishments by them all, and we are seeing our girls connect and make friends with one another on a very real and personal level. Camp is amazing, and camping at Runoia is at another level!!
