Camp Runoia’s Pioneering Women

Posted on November 2, 2016November 7, 2016 by Alex

How grateful we are that our Camp Runoia founders were brave women who dared to venture out of their comfort zones. Pioneers of their time they chose to take a path that not many women had walked and left us a great legacy of strength and fortitude.

Early residential summer camps were primarily established to provide an opportunity for children from urban areas to be away from the cities and have an experience in nature. Initially it was boys who were provided with this opportunity but it wasn’t long before girls’ camps opened alongside them. It was strongly believed that living away from the conveniences of home in the ‘wilderness’ would build character and strong moral values. Perhaps unique in Runoia’s case was that women were our primary founders.

The 1907 world that Miss Weiser and Miss Pond lived in seems a million lifetimes away from the lives that our campers lead today.

Can you imagine that in 1907…

Women’s life expectancy was around 50

English suffragettes stormed British Parliament and many were arrested

Julia Ward Howe was the first woman elected to National Institute of Arts & Letters

Theodore Roosevelt was president

The passenger liner RMS Lusitania made its maiden voyage from England to NYC

Katharine Hepburn and John Wayne were born

Rudyard Kipling received the Nobel prize for literature

Good Housekeeping magazine cost $1 for an annual subscription

Trade unions were established

Oklahoma become the 46^th state

It is amazing that the values promoted by residential summer camps in 1907 are the same as they are in 2017

Camp helps build self-confidence and self-esteem

Camp is a safe environment

Camp is a place to build social skills and make friends

We hope that Camp Runoia will continue to provide girls with the opportunity to bravely follow in the footsteps of the pioneering women who came before us. We hope that we may all have strong female role models and be them too.

New program at Runoia

Posted on October 19, 2016October 25, 2016 by Alex

Piloting a new program at camp is always interesting. The easiest part is often brainstorming in the winter months and getting everything down on paper. Success is achieved by finally putting it into action during the short but incredibly busy summer. After the program is initially piloted decisions are then made as to whether the program enhances the Runoia experience.

This past summer Harmony Land Camp at Runoia was born. We formulated a program so that younger girls could experience all that Runoia has to offer in a shorter session. A shift in demand has allowed us the opportunity to offer a 10 or 12 day experience for girls ages 7-9. While some girls are eager for a full 3 1/2 week session at this age others may not be quite ready or summer schedules just don’t allow for the length of time away.

Harmony Land Camp (HLC) was a huge success; the campers got a great taste of camp activities, Runoia daily life, day trips and community. They spent a little more time in a smaller group, had a few earlier nights and we worked through some minor teething problems. In 2017 HLC is going live as a fully-fledged Camp Runoia program with 3 sessions and the opportunity for more girls to have an introductory Camp Runoia overnight experience.

Even after 110 seasons we are open to trying new things, taking safe risks and continuing to develop Runoia as a premier girl’s camp that meets the needs of the current market. It is never too early to start building life skills.

Runoia’s Chicken Soup for the Soul

Posted on October 13, 2016October 25, 2016 by Pam Cobb

Literally!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium onion

2 stalks celery

2 medium carrots

¾ cup chopped green beans

¾ cup frozen spinach or kale

2 cups pulled chicken from a rotisserie chicken

¾ cup left over rice

1 qt. chicken broth

salt and pepper

pan spray or 2 T olive oil

Prep: 15 minutes

Chop onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 4-6 minutes in a large soup pot.

Add chicken broth and set to simmer for 15 minutes

Reduce heat to simmer and add green beans, spinach/kale, chicken and rice, a shake of salt and a grind of pepper.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve or cool and package for when you need it.

Freezes well for that moment you arrive home and haven’t even thought about what’s for dinner tonight.

Serve with a baguette and small salad.

Best enjoyed when sung with “Out on the Blue Waves” or “Take me Back to Canoes and Paddles”!

Fall in Maine

Posted on September 30, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

Season of bounty

I truly love living in Maine, mostly because of the distinct change in the seasons. Remember I grew up in England where 50 and drizzly is the most common year round weather! Each season in Maine has unique offerings and a diversity of outdoor activities that are specific to it. While the summer and overnight camp is obviously top of my list each other season has it’s own feel and events to look forward to.

Fall is truly a quick change, from long, warm summer days by the lake to days that become crisp, cool and seem suddenly so much shorter. Early Saturday soccer matches are often spent wrapped in a fleece blanket to ward off the chill and what would be E.P time at camp is already PJ’s and a book time.

There is certainly at this time of year more leisure time in my schedule. I love to be out in the crisp Maine air enjoying a hike or a drive through the foliage.

One of my favorite Fall rites of passage is to go apple picking. There are many local orchards and we often go a few times just to make sure that we hit all of our favorites spots. The bakery at a couple of places is an added incentive. The picking doesn’t take too long but sorting and figuring out what to make afterwards is often an enjoyable all-day event. Some apples are designated for eating, we always make plenty of cinnamon apple sauce, apple crisp is a big favorite and then we enjoy scouring Pinterest for random recipes to use up the rest.

I often wish that camp lasted into these late September days so we could share the bounty of Maine with our Runoia family. Wherever you are I hope that you Fall is fun and filled with quality family time and outdoor fun.

Stretching comfort zones

Posted on September 21, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

I spent this past weekend at the annual retreat for my women’s chorus. It was a beautiful Maine weekend and we stayed at a camp by the coast with the typical set up of bunks and group dining. I have been a member of this group for ten years and enjoy spending time with a diverse group of women whose only true commonality is their love of choral singing.

During the two day weekend we were challenged musically, engaged socially and built community together. For many of the women being away from the comforts of home with a group of people they don’t know all that well is quiet a step out of their comfort zone. Not unlike the first day of camp at Runoia we played name games, shared details about ourselves that others did not know and worked together in order to break through some of our nervous reservations.

I am always amazed by the outcomes that happen in such a short space of time. By the second night most of the group had the confidence to participate in the ‘talent’ show and had bonded in a unique way. It seems that when we can put aside the rigors and familiarities of our everyday lives then we are more able to open ourselves to stretching the boundaries of our comfort zones.

At Runoia we challenge our girls every day to step beyond the safety of their comfort zone. Even for the adults and regardless of how many summers they have spent on Great Pond they are also stretched and push the limits of their own comfort zone. A sleep away experience provides us all with an opportunity to grow both individual and as a great part of the whole group. Seeing what a group of sometimes reluctant to participate middle aged women got out of two days at ‘camp’ reinforced for me how life changing a session at Runoia can be for young girls.

While I am certainly already counting down the days to Runoia 2017 and seeing my summer family again I am glad to have had the opportunity to continue being challenged in a different group which is just as dear to my heart.

Top Reasons Camp Runoia Helps Students Return to School Stronger and Wiser

Posted on September 14, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

From organizing her day and committing to her program choices, a Runoia girl learns how to clean, organize, plan, be accountable and be on time, dressed and ready for each different activity.

Whether in a sailboat, on the ropes course, creating an impromptu skit, building a boat that can float from a few precious materials or working on the camp play, she experiences many activities. Activities that require collaboration with friends and co-campers. Creative and innovative thinking go hand in hand when she is working on a team or individual camp project.

Walking around camp, participating in activities, running during games, playing different sports and most importantly not being ferried around by car or golf cart improves her fitness, builds muscle and tone and prepares her for fall sports. Speaking of sports, she have the chance to improve skills in sports through small group sports practice at camp: swimming, tennis, running, riding, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and more!

Theater Program – a Musical Caberet at Runoia 2016!

R-E-A-D – “I said a book read a book!” Runoia celebrates reading, has a book club, a word of the day and cabin groups read aloud every night! Out of school time analysts have proven that the diminishing returns of summer out of school time and lack of learning, reading and STEM is cause for concern in the US. Reading is part of everyday life and culture at Runoia.

Other STEM related activities happen daily: calculating points of sail, counting up target scores, estimating strides between jumps and pushing your horse to meet them, anticipating the arc of a tennis bounce and more all happens at camp and helps prepare children for re-entry to the school year. Our eight arts programs help children to explore creativity in different media from pottery to batik, wood burning to crafts, wood working to stained glass and more!

As a Runoia camper navigates her daily program and activities, she also encounters many different social situations, people she interacts with, adults who provide her clear instruction and feed back and she has an opportunity to learn with joy and ambition and without fear of humiliation or shame.

Trying new things without fear of failure, learning from mistakes, building skills in new area all are positive brain stimulants leading to increased aptitude, skill and self esteem. So in addition to being a lot of fun, sleepaway camp at Runoia is a profound experience for our Runoia gals that helps her to build life long skills and return to school a bit stronger and a lot wiser!

Until next week,

Aionur

Routines and schedules

Posted on September 7, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

One of the greatest things I love about being at Camp Runoia all summer long is the routine and schedule! You never have to worry about when or what you are going to eat, laundry goes out and comes back right when you expect it to, you know when to get up and when to go to bed and the ringing of the bell dictates everything in between.

The other really awesome thing about camp when you are the family manager and chauffeur is that no one needs to go anywhere! Sleep away camp gets all of your needs met in one place. Everyone is quite happy and busy, there are no practices or play dates to squeeze in or Birthday parties at the same time in two different directions or grocery shopping to be done. It is a formal schedule but not a hectic one. Within the routine and structure at camp there is also plenty of time to take a minute to enjoy someone’s company or stop and pick some blueberries.

Don’t get me wrong I have enjoyed the last few weeks of summer, lazing around in PJ’s eating whatever, whenever and being on the relaxed plan for what to do when. I am now ready to embrace the Fall with the new sometimes hectic schedules, weekend adventures in the beautiful foliage and a routine all of its own. The days are getting shorter and the nights are definitely chillier but I’m sure before I know it we will be back on Runoia time again.

Maintaining standards in residential camping

Posted on August 6, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

American Camp Association Accreditation

This week was our American Camp Association Accreditation visit which after much preparation went off without a hitch. It is a peer review by other camp directors to ensure that we are maintaining the highest standards of health and safety in the camping industry. Did you know that Camp Runoia has been an accredited ACA camp since 1960 and that we continuously run our programs to the industry standards that are provided?

“The American Camp Association is the only nationwide organization that accredits children’s camps. The ACA Accreditation process is a voluntary commitment by camps to the highest standards of health, safety, and program quality.

One purpose of the ACA Accreditation program is to educate camp owners and directors in the administration of key aspects of camp operation, particularly those related to program quality and the health and safety of campers and staff. The standards establish guidelines for needed policies, procedures, and practices. The camp is then responsible for the ongoing implementation of the policies.” (From ACANE)

At Camp Runoia we are incredibly proud to be able to provide a high quality, residential camp experience for our campers and employee’s. Safety first!

Tell your friends and family about the sleep away opportunity that we provide.

Enrollment for 2017 will be opening soon and new camper spaces will be in high demand!

Beginnings and endings

Posted on July 11, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

Endings and new beginnings

It is amazing how much we cram into a week at camp! What a diversity of experiences there have been in the past few days. Even the weather has kept us on or toes with moderate winds to dead calm and baking sun to a cool rainy day. We have had new beginnings every day and very happy endings.

For EP we have been energetic at the scavenger hunt and chilled out at campfire, really tacky during everyone’s favorite ‘Ms Tacky Runoia’ and talented at our very own Runoia’s got talent’s show the Voice and USA gymnastics team had better watch out!

Team captains were chosen with the ‘A’ team of Ally and Anna leading the Whites and Z and Eliza managing the Blues. All of the girls that chose to run for the position gave great speeches at assembly and were commended for having the courage to ‘give it a go.’ Soccer games were already played with many more activities to compete in this coming week.

We have seen so many firsts as girls tried new things, met new people and adventured far and wide and we are beginning to see some of the lasts for our oldest campers. Painting their boards to put up in the boat house was bitter sweet.

Perhaps the most meaningful moment of the week was our youngest and newest group of campers the ‘Harmony Land Camp’ girls sharing their love with the graduating senior village girls. It was the first Runoia campfire for the HLC girls and the last as campers for our graduates. A very meaningful moment as traditions are passed along and legacies left to the next generation. Harmony Land Camp is our new short session taster program for 7 and 8 year old girls and it is already a big hit.

We will make the most of our last 5 days of first session and are already anticipating the ‘see you next summer’ goodbyes as we hug those we now call our ‘summer sisters.’

See you soon!

Aionur

Magic Makers

Posted on June 4, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

Magic Makers Schedule (mini version) for Runoia Counselors and All Staff:

Sunday, June 12 – Riding Training – How to be an AMAZING Runoia Riding Instructor and Barn Team Member.

Monday, June 13 – Training Clinics/You would know if you are doing them – when in doubt, email Alex: alex@runoia.com – Ropes, Trips and more!

Tuesday, June 14 – Brilliant New Staff Training from 9 am till 8:30 pm.*

Wed., 15th – All staff training VIP Stuff: emergencies, health care, full value contract, cultural exchange. Afternoon and Evening with Jennifer Stanchfield most awesome presenter and facilitator on experiential education.

Thurs., 16th – Lively lesson planning, program time with your heads of activities and in your fantastic camp activity department. Prep for “mock” lessons where you teach other counselors your activity. Lucky them!

Friday., 17 – Waterfront Orientation and safety. Also find out about: “A Fabulous Rec Swim”, Mandatory Kitchen Training (keeping it safe my friends) for all kitchen staff, More Program Time because you know you love it.

Sat., 18 – Finish up loose ends in your pretty perky program. Cell Phone Funeral, practice driving time for authorized (safe and keen) motor boat and van drivers, Afternoon time to move into summer cabin assignments (!) and shoot for 4:30 pm Terrific TIME OFF – you are due back MONDAY morning 7:30 am for Flag Raising.

Optional trips offered by camp on Sunday – check with Jen Dresdow for more info on trip options.

Sunday – Dear ones: Day Off!

Monday – June 20, DUE BACK BY 7:30 am. Just do it! Cabin prep and training, preparing to greet and settle in our campers and make it the best and most successful summer EVER!

Tuesday – 21, Cabin Training 401. Trip leader group/bus chaperones – you are fabulous. All others Graduation!

Wed., 22, Final prep for camp looking tidy and neat for parents and campers (don’t forget the French braid or at least a shower and comb through!), meet and greet & first impressions. revisit your plan and schedule for opening day. Late evening, international campers arrive. WELCOME! Thanks Jen and Kelly for the Boston pick up trip. You are rock stars!

Thursday – OPENING DAY FIRST SESSION! It’s gonna be a good one FOLKS!