Category: Uncategorized

Cultural Exchange: Whatever Way We Can

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

How lucky Camp Runoia is to host friends from near and far reaches – from the east to west coast of the United States, to England, Ireland, Mexico, France, and more. Our cultural exchange from campers and staff alike is one of the magical pieces of Camp Runoia.

 

At one point, driving 8 hours from Upstate New York felt like quite the trip – but now I’ve moved just shy of 2,000 more miles to the west of camp and suddenly that ‘long’ drive is shortened in my mind. As I was putting together my plans to arrive back in Maine early May, I first felt resolved to drive across the country – it wouldn’t be my first time – but realized that instead, this will probably be my first summer flying to camp, as many of our far-reaching friends do.

The theme of camp in 2020 and 2021 really was “whatever way we can”. Runoia had a deep resolve in the past two years to provide a widely needed experience of unplugged escape for both campers and staff. This meant sacrifices to our normal – including not being able to welcome international friends in 2020. In 2021, with some very creative problem-solving from leaders like Jen Dresdow – and some serious willpower from staff – we began to welcome some international friends once again.

Now, as we gear up for round three of camp affected by Covid, we are thrilled to see plenty of countries represented on both our staff and camper lists. Travel plans are coming together for all of us (hopefully!) and we are gearing up to once again hear different languages at camp, share our beautiful state and waterfront with new-comers, and learn all that we can from a summer-long cultural exchange.

From “how lucky we are to be here” in 2020, to “how lucky we are to have YOU here” in 2022!

 

The Power of Play – for ‘Kids’ of All Ages

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

It’s the middle of the school year – our teachers and students have made their way out of winter break and back to school – although maybe just virtually – and camp feels both so close and too far away. Most of our campers have a full semester of school left before they make their way through the Runoia gates this summer.

During the school year, I tutor students in math. We learn so much together by practicing our multiplication tables, solving equations, and challenging ourselves – but each week when we’re together, we also play. I’ve seen games and play help anxious students open up, and even the best students to have fun and reinforce their skills. Play is often seen as the reward after the work, but play itself is a valuable tool for learning, de-stressing, and figuring out our world.

The power of play is clear to researchers, teachers, and camp professionals alike. Play is known to bust stress, foster imagination and creativity, increase physical activity, build confidence, resilience, and social skills, and much more.

But the power of play is not reserved for the youngest of our kids – you would have seen play often in my high-school classroom, too. Even my senior students – some as old as 18 – loved the simultaneous respite and excitement of the chance to play. It’s an honor as an adult to provide opportunities of play to the ‘too old’ kids, who may have learned that it’s embarrassing to play at their age. At Runoia, those walls come down and silliness reigns – and the best part is seeing our staff, CITs, and older campers set the example for our younger ones. Even our admin – especially our admin – can be some of the most enthusiastic partakers.

 

When I think of this, my mind goes immediately to some of our silliest EPs – evening programs – like Miss Tacky and Powder Faeries (if you know, you know!) In the case of Miss Tacky – perhaps the EP that our senior end campers get the most excited for – it’s amazing to see the creativity and imagination that our campers bring to the table with a simple prompt and the liberty to create.

 

 

While Runoia’s EP and program offerings provide more structured playtime, our schedule honors the all-important unstructured playtime as well. During sublime time, campers can be seen all over camp playing gaga, doing cartwheels on the grass, or making up games in the water. On trips, we often made up songs to get us through long paddles, played games while a meal was cooking, and built faerie houses.

In our current world – where we may fall in the trap of confusing screen time with playtime – it’s all the more vital to offer our kids, and ourselves, a space to unplug and safely play and explore. Here, I’m counting down the days until I can witness the power of play in our campers and tap into my own silliness and creativity once again.

 

Camp Grows Lifelong Learners

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

With the first week of January behind us, we are all settling into a new year with ambitions and a peaceful, quiet month to work on them. In my house, we are working on a goal of reading more in 2022. We’ve set up a system to help us reach this goal – using the GoodReads app to track our reading, utilizing our library cards and the Libby app to get access to more books, and checking in with friends with similar goals. It has me thinking about how much I value my identity as a lifelong learner – a quality fostered by camp – someone open to new goals, learning new things, and always working on a growth mindset.

One of my favorite books, Mindset by Carol Dweck, delves deep into fixed vs. growth mindsets. A fixed mindset makes us believe that our talents and abilities are “carved in stone” – we only have a certain amount of intelligence, ability, a certain personality. But the growth mindset tells us that our efforts, passions, and help from others overtake our natural abilities. Dr. Dweck’s research shows us that while we can always retrain ourselves, our mindset is often formed very early in our lives. The people, the ideas, and the opportunities we surround ourselves with can make or break this mindset.

This is where camp comes in! Camp provides the opportunity to continually challenge ourselves – campers and staff alike – to try new things, build our skills, and learn from new perspectives. Our campers understand the value and thrill (and, in all honesty, nervousness) of trying something brand new, and the bravery of attempting the next level. Many of our activities at Runoia feature levels that encourage our campers to build skills and aspire to the highest achievement – maybe American archer, windsurfing queen, or advanced equestrian. Campers who return year after year often spend each summer building toward these goals with the help of a growth mindset, some serious tenacity, and an awesome support system.

Camp challenges our staff members – from first-year counselors to admin who have been here for decades – to grow, as well. What a challenge it was for me to show up to camp in June of 2018 not knowing a soul – and for our international counselors, add on the bravery of navigating a new country!

Our campers and staff benefit from this mindset even after passing through Runoia’s gates – back to the ‘real world’ – at summer’s end. One of our stellar staff members, Mackenzie, talked to me about learning to ski as an adult – something I’ve also been tackling in the past year. So excited to learn, she started slow “with pizza skis and falls every few hundred feet.” But a growth mindset tells Mackenzie that even after hard falls, she has the ability to learn and grow: “After big wipeouts that knocked the wind out of me I’d sit and catch my breath wishing I learned at the age of 3 like it seemed everyone else on the mountain had. After studying the way others moved, advice from friends who ski, and a beginners lesson, I learned new skills one at a time.” Mackenzie closed out our conversation with some serious growth-mindset attitude: “I continue to learn one step at a time and remind myself of the privilege it is to ski regardless of starting age. Now I know that there is truly no ‘mastering’ a skill because it can always get better from there.”

Here’s to new things, more books, and growth in 2022.

DEI The Work: Taking Action – Letter to a Publisher

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Last week there was a 40% off special from American Camp Association’s (ACA) bookstore. It was a book called 101 Bunk Activities – fun things to do with campers. How awesome. I clicked on the link and I saw this image.

Uh oh. I had this reaction: Oh my gosh, that makes me feel uncomfortable. With all the awareness of cultural appropriation and the DEI work Runoia has been doing to be fair, equitable, conscious of stereotypes, I kind of couldn’t believe what I was seeing: children with war paint on faces and paper head dresses.

With Alex’s prompt for me not to just click away from the page and move on with my day, I reached out to ACA for them to take a look instead of me saying “that’s not my problem”.  I wrote an email.

Hi! I appreciate your discount promotions. 

I looked at the book “101 Bunk Activities” and paused at the photo on the cover in relationship to microaggressions and stereotypes of Indigenous Americans. 

I just wanted to share that it is a bit out of touch with the work many of us are doing to be inclusive at our camps.

Screenshot attached. 

All my best, Pam

I found out that ACA contracts out its bookstore to a publisher in California. Here’s the response I got from the Publisher (not ACA).

Although I don’t agree with your comments about the cover, if/when we reprint the book, we’ll change the cover art, per your request. For my edification, I’d welcome you explaining why the current cover art entails 

micro-aggression. I have several close friends who are Native Americans, and they find no fault with the current cover art. 

James A. Peterson, PhD, FACSM

Publisher, Healthy Learning

Suddenly I doubted myself. I needed more support so I went to the Google. I found a blog “So your friend dressed up as an Indian, now what? “ This is a must read from almost ten years ago. Amazing. Just read it because it is written with conviction and humor and insight.

And a more recent blog “My Culture is not a Costume”. Also offering terrific insight and raises my own level of awareness.

Additionally, I reach out to Runoia’s  DEI consultant, Mary Franitza,  who has been doing DEI consulting work with us at Runoia.

She sent me an encouraging note and a few links including Pauline Turner Strong’s published paper on “The Mascot Slot” A glance at this academic opinion reminded me of the work of the former Chief of the Penobscot Nation, Chief Barry Dana. I spoke with him in spring of 2020 (honestly, I looked him up, called his number and I was leaving a message on his answering machine and he picked up – 45 minutes of heartfelt conversation ensued) about the name Runoia. Chief Dana has worked hard to get Stereotypical Native American Images for mascots out of Maine schools. Now his daughter Maulian Dana is also working on this effort and is the Penobscot Nation‘s Ambassador to the Maine State Government.

Mary also sent a couple of great links that is great for getting up to speed about Thanksgiving and schools and the common but inaccurate history of Thanksgiving and the activities in school:

And a great article to specific to headdresses written by a Métis woman and language instructor at the University of Alberta.

Recognizing that headdresses are specific to the Plains Nations and quite nuanced as only worn by native men of the Plains Nations who have earned the headdress. So, non native people dressing up in headdresses is disrespectful in the least and certainly cultural appropriation.

In response to why the cover art entails microaggression? It is disrespectful for campers to make headdresses and wear them as a costume. It is insulting to showcase campers doing an activity like dressing up in someone else’s culture.

It is hard to speak up. It is hard to be called out. I’d like to start over and “call-in” the publisher to help him to join all the camps making a difference in the lives of children from all over our world and meet a few of Native American friends.

 

Formative experiences – from single gender school to camp

Posted on by Alex

A few days ago an old classmate sent me a link to a podcast from my high school. I’m not one to keep up much with my old alma mater, living 3000 miles away makes reunions and the like fairly impossible. I was intrigued enough to engage as it was hosted by my former headmistress.  I grew up in England and attended a very traditional, all girls, grammar school. Admittance was via a rigorous examination and interview process and I was the only student from my primary school to head off there. I strode off into a whole new world of education and opportunities which definitely set me off along the path that I travel today. 

At the time I had little concept of the benefits of a single gender experience but the podcast reminded me just how fortunate I was to spend my formative years from 11-18, in an all girls and predominantly female managed institution. Miss Winfield now in her 80’s eloquently speaks on the podcast about the opportunities that were available to girls without constraint and how support and encouragement was given for developing a well rounded student ready to move forward in her life. Along with strong academics there was an extensive athletic and music program supported by arts and adventures on school trips.

Using words such as ‘self advocacy’, ‘independence’ and ‘confidence,’ it is impossible not to draw similarities from my old school to Runoia. To be strongly encouraged to make ‘independent choices’ ‘maximize your opportunities’ and get the ‘best out of your day’ are recurring themes. While there is no doubt that coed experiences have equitable value there is something very different about learning and growing in a single gender setting. There are no limitations visible or hidden and the presented opportunities are available to all. It is rare to see conflicts around funding, scheduling or opportunity.

I loved that my school had rigorous expectations, partnered with parents and was truly staffed by teachers who were passionate about their jobs and imparting their wisdom to the next generation. Again such strong similarities to camp, upholding traditions, negotiating new theories and providing continuity over time. Another similarity of the two experiences is that the opportunity was made available to many different  girls. Diversity and welcoming a broad spectrum of different people are valued at both places. Providing a rich environment in which to grow and learn in formative years and building skills for the future is something that I have great gratitude for and am committed to providing for our Runoia girls.

At school I certainly developed lifelong skills and am encouraged that girls have the opportunity to do the same in a fun and engaging summer experience at Runoia.

 

Making new connections – marketing Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

There was an ‘open house’ at both of my kids’ schools this week. Well not so much ‘open’ more staring at the screen for online zoom introductions to teachers and curriculum. It was hard to stay focused and be able to put names to faces. I certainly didn’t connect with any parents as I may have done if we had been in person, nor did I get to feel much of the culture of the place.

I have never set foot in my son’s new high school. We did a virtual tour in the spring and as the building was closed all of last year there were no in person opportunities to visit or meet the faculty. Fortunately I have friends whose older kids go there so I could trust their opinion and description and figure out that it was a great match for my child. My research worked and  it has indeed been a super fit.  The transition has been smooth and as he is older I am not so concerned about him getting lost or not finding the bathroom! I do feel disconnected from the people that he interacts with everyday. The names are faceless and it’s hard to personally connect in a zoom room, through email or by phone. My new school experience has made me realize more than ever just how difficult it has become for parents to choose a camp.

A lot of our Camp Runoia marketing has previously been done in person, either on camp tours during the season or visiting people’s homes during the winter to connect and chat. Covid certainly changed all of that with zoom calls and virtual tours. 2021 and 2022 was a new era for us with parents dropping off their campers at the gate and never actually getting to see our beautiful campus, meet the counselors and staff or see the view from the  beach. What a leap of faith it is to send our children off into an unknown place on the premise that we trust it will live up to it’s marketing!

 

There were a few horror stories that hit the media about camps this past summer. Facilities with not enough staff, huge covid outbreaks or food supply shortages. None of our Runoia families freaked out! They trusted that we had things under control and that their child was being well cared for and that if there was a legitimate problem we would be in contact with them in a transparent way.

Marketing our camp and building trust and relationships during this challenging time has led us to develop new skills and engage in different ways. Our campers had an absolute blast this summer, they went home with great stories and are willing to spread the word about camp to their family and friends. Parents also found great value in the Runoia experience and are talking up the benefits of overnight camp and the value for the whole family. Virtual connections are now more the norm and it doesn’t seem odd to be ‘meeting’ on zoom rather than in person.

With early enrollment at an all time high we are excited for the 2022 season and proud to be celebrating 116 continuous years of Camp Runoia operations. We will continue to grow and move with the changing environment that we live in and to connect and engage with our families and campers.

We love our Runoia connections.

 

It’s blue and white and other camp fun

Posted on by Alex

We are in the final stretch of First Session 2021. Many items are on the bucket list for our last several days, but first we have much to report on from this past week. 

After a couple of rainy days and a cozy Friday movie night, the weekend brought sunshine and new energy and both days saw temperatures in the high seventies. Saturday was the last day of our fourth activity block, and girls enjoyed getting into the lake for swim lessons and getting out on the blue waves for sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing, and skiing. We had our first 2021 American Archer (passing all of the levels) go Charlotte M. and some major level passing in target sports, girls gearing up for the Blue/White horse show, action on the tennis, volleyball, basketball, and badminton courts, fabulous dance and drama lessons going on around camp, baskets and art projects being completed, and so much more. Sunny days have also helped us to get our girls out for tubing, a highly coveted treat here at camp! Saturday night supper was Birthday Tables in which everyone celebrated all of the girls in their cabins who have birthdays during the session by dressing up in different themes and singing silly songs, eating cake, and having a Birthday Party Bash with music, limbo, hula hooping, foursquare, and lots of laughter echoing throughout camp. 

 

Sunday morning started with a sleepy breakfast – campers and counselors wore their pajamas to the dining hall and, as always, doughnuts were a hit! Blue/White junior and senior team captains were nominated and elected, and then we all gathered on the beach for swim races. Each girl earned points for her team, and we’re pretty sure our neighbors across the lake heard the awesome team spirit coming from the beach in the form of songs and cheers! Good thing most of them are Runoia alumnae and were probably cheering for their old teams too!

Juniors played kickball and seniors played softball Blue/White games in the afternoon, and then we all got into our uniforms for supper and again gathered at the lake all together for our first Sunday night campfire, revolving around the theme “Better Together”. Each cabin shared a skit with the rest of camp and we taught and sang some of our favorite traditional Runoia songs while watching the sun set over Great Pond. We were joined by three loons who seemed to linger in our cove longer than usual, perhaps entranced by the melodies and harmonies we created together. 

 

On Monday we began our fifth and final block, this one lasting for four days to allow our girls a good chunk of time to develop and build on their skills in each of the program areas they tagged up for. The farm program is very popular these days, giving girls a chance to learn some gardening and animal care practices. Our Harmony Land campers went horseback riding on Monday evening, while the rest of the camp did “Laundry Bag Skits” – each cabin received a box full of random items and got to write, direct, and perform a short play. There were some truly hilarious moments, and we think we may have some rising stars on our hands! 

 

Luckily the sun decided to hang around through Tuesday, letting us have a full program day and two excellent recreational swim opportunities. It was wonderful to see so much splashing around, diving for rings, handstand contests, and games of Marco-Polo. First and Second shack each went out for a half-day hike yesterday at “The Mountain”, and made it back to camp before the rain. The sun poked back out for a bit for the late afternoon, and Tuesday night’s evening program was Counselor Hunt – a giant game of hide and seek in which girls ran around camp together trying to find hidden counselors, several of whom got extra creative – up a tree, in an empty(!) trash can! 

Our last several days will be jam-packed with more incredible program opportunities, day hiking trips, the completion of baskets and art projects, healthy and delicious meals, ziplining from the climbing tower, jumping on the water trampoline, the passing of archery, riflery, sailing, windsurfing, and riding levels, an early morning Oak Island swim, Blue/White competition, caring for our chickens and bunnies, end-of-session traditions, dips in the lake, and of course, those unforgettable moments of Camp Runoia magic that all of our Super Star Staff have been working hard to create for our campers. 

Wow – sound like a lot? Sure does, but we always get it done! A huge shoutout to everyone who has made the First Session of Camp Runoia 2021 possible we are so grateful for the opportunity to all be together again in person.

 

Thanks to Sophie B. for blogging and keeping track of our antics.

The power of the pen – handwritten notes are special

Posted on by Alex

I know I have blogged about handwritten letters before.  Again it feels worthy of a mention. It is of great relevance as we are coming up on the camp season and are reminded that contact with the outside world through mail is so valuable. When technology is not accessible a pen and paper is a great connector.

There is some great commentary and many books written about the art and often ‘lost art’ of letter writing. It’s worth acknowledging that in our high tech times, jumping on face time or a zoom is easier than finding pen and paper and the ever illusive correct postage stamp.

I was inspired this week by a photograph on facebook from my camp friend in Australia. Her daughter had asked for letters so I had pooped a note in the mail and after a long and arduous journey she finally had it in her hands. The pure joy on her face was amazing and she apparently slept with it under her pillow. She has never met me and as her mum explained our connection, they looked on the map at how far the letter had traveled. A lot of lessons were learned just through a piece of mail that took a few minutes to write and the cost of a stamp. I am excitedly awaiting my letter back from her. 

The majority of people that I send postal mail to are my camp friends. While we do keep in touch via electronic means we mostly write to each other. It’s so fun to get an unexpected note in the mail and then know it’s your turn to write back at some point. It’s very casual and doesn’t feel like an obligation, we share daily life news and stay up to date with each other when we feel compelled to.

Mail at camp has extra value,  when you are away from home a fun card, or a letter is a treat at rest hour. It is great to see girls get writing too! As it is there only means of communicating there are stacks of letters waiting to go out in the camp mail bag every morning. I hope parents cherish those notes from camp even the ones that just say ‘camp is fun’ in big letters across the whole card. 

I love sorting the mail at camp, the fun stickers on the envelopes, the scrawly handwriting from younger siblings and the formal notes from older relatives. I laugh at the bills that I know will likely go unopened until August. It always reminds me of our larger camp community, the campers that have graduated that still write to camp friends, the parents who were alums and carry on the traditions of Runoia in their family and all of those people at home wondering how much fun we are having on Great Pond. It’s a whole pile of love coming in letter form.

We truly can’t wait for the summer season, so stock up on your stationary because we love getting mail!

Spring migration

Posted on by Alex

The early mornings just after sunrise are noisy again here in Maine. The birds are back! While there are some hardy species that winter over up here many of our feathered friends head off to warmer climates over the winter and only head back north when it warms up. It’s an earlier than usual spring and we had very little snow and it seems like the birds are back earlier. While the migration does start in February it is not as noticeable until the songbirds are back or the large hawks can be seen in the leafless trees along the highways. They come in waves dependent upon when their food source is available. Check out this cool schedule of which birds show up in Maine when.

The noisy Canada Geese are an easy spot; they use Maine at both ends of the summer as a pit stop on their migration travels. The loons that spend winter out on the ocean have returned to the lakes and their calls fill the evening air once again. It’s amazing that birds have an internal clock that tells them it’s time to start fattening up for the trip north. Then head out on their long flight to arrive at just the right time.

If you want more information about Maine birds pick up a field guide there is so much to learn.

The great blue heron is a regular evening visitor in our cove.

The spring migration reminds me so much of camp time. Our campers and staff gather from their far flung locations to come back to their summer home. The winding down of the school year sets in motion the excitement for the coming of summer and the transition to camp. There is planning and preparation, purchases to make, travel to schedule, luggage to pack and then the journey itself. Like the birds we start getting antsy as summer creeps nearer, keen to be on our way but needing to wait until just the right moment to depart.

Pam and Mark will be back first to dust the cobwebs off their summer house and start getting things open and ready for the work crews to come in. The horses will be an early arrival as they like time to settle in and get back into the swing of the Runoia barn routine. Then it’s the staffs turn, coming in from all of their varied locations to bond and build a team for the summer. The most exciting day will be June 27th when finally our girls arrive! To have camp filled with noise and chatter, laughter and singing is what we are all longing for.

We can’t wait for the camp migration to begin.

 

College Search Likens to Camp Search by Jennifer Dresdow

Posted on by Pam Cobb

The college search begins very similarly to the camp search with factors such as location, size, cost and activity/academic focus at the forefront. As a parent to a current senior, COVID has added another layer to the complex process. Not only has it complicated campus visits, but college response to COVID is now a factor as well when looking at pros/cons of campuses. 

We, my daughter Natalie & I, were actually on a college visit trip last March as the country went into various stages of lockdown and campuses sent their students home. Two of our visits were outright canceled and two modified. We’ve been able to visit campuses this fall with screenings and limitations.

Despite all these hurdles, Natalie has been able to visit her top choice schools this fall and has been accepted to her top choices and is waiting to hear from one last school before making a final decision. Having attended Runoia as a camper for nine summers, a CIT for one summer, and working as Junior Counselor last summer, Natalie found camp to be an obvious choice around which to mold her college essay. Specifically she wrote about Camp in the Time of Covid. Having learned so many lessons about perseverance and the power of camp during this trying time in our history, she was anything but short of material.

As an equestrian, a college with a strong equestrian team was a priority for her. Second, she plans to major in math education, with a goal of teaching middle school math in the future, so a strong teaching program was a necessity. As far as location, Natalie knew she didn’t want to be too cold. As much as she loves Maine in the summer, far north schools were eliminated early. Natalie attends a large high school with 400 in her class, but loves the small community of Runoia, so she narrowed her search to schools with enrollment under 2500. Finally, while gender was not a factor, she has two all girls schools on her final list. Having spent eleven summers at Runoia full season, she values the single gender experience and knows the benefits of building quality relationships with other women.

Senior year has been challenging, as many of your have experienced. Our school system started late due to COVID. Then we were virtual, switched to hybrid, with Natalie attending every two days, then back to virtual after Thanksgiving. We returned to hybrid mode last week for our 2nd semester. Natalie has missed connecting with her friends at school. The riding barn she belongs to has proven to be a place of solace.  A naturally social distanced sport, riding is one thing she can do and it feels fairly normal. 

Just like we hope camp can feel a little more normal this summer, we hope some spring rites of passage can happen. A carefully sought after prom dress still hangs in her closet from last spring and cap and gown are ordered for graduation. Working at camp last summer has left us both with a “Masks up, let’s go” attitude. We have continued to explore schools and take safe trips with the “new normal” precautions. We are both ready to dive into another summer at Runoia and then settling Natalie into college this fall, wherever her final decision may land her.