Tag: a place where you are valued

Why is dressing up so much fun?

Posted on by Alex

From sleep Sunday morning’s, 4th of July , evening programs, event days  and a myriad of other opportunities we love to get dressed up at camp!  The Runoia costume area is loaded with so many opportunities: clothing, hats, shoes, accessories,  face paint  and endless props.   It has been known that campers and staff who are returning to camp and know the ropes also have a tendency to bring copious amounts of additional fun items with them to supplement the camp supplies.  You never know what you may need for Ms. Tacky or an end of the week Saturday lunch, themed,  table extravaganza.

At camp we are freed of our inhibitions and celebrate the ability to throw on a costume, act a part or  just look ridiculous for no apparent reason.  We craft adventures, themes and engage with frivolity just because we can and nobody restricts the amount of fun that we can have with our imaginations. What joy there is in creating something out of just an idea or a thought and presenting it to the community where it is always so well received. You would be amazed what we can pull together in a very short amount of time and with limited resources. Adults are as equally enthusiastic to join in, it’s a rare job that you can throw on a silly hat or an evening gown just because it’s Thursday evening!

July 4th wear whatever you want in the red, white and blue!

Our costume department isn’t really anything too fancy and primarily allows us to use just a lot of creativity, think 21st century skill development here!  Saturday end of the week lunches give everyone the opportunity to dress up. It is so engaging to think up a table theme or even just choose a random idea out of the basket and then figure out if everyone has something to wear that will work – even just different colored T-shirts with hand written labels on them can be quickly and easily transformed into a colorful box of crayons.

Event days are always a good time to sport a great costume – Runoia rodeo

We’d love to see what our Runoia girls have come up with for their Halloween costumes, store bought or homemade? tried and true spooky or original and unique? However they choose to dress up we know that they will rock it with confidence and pizazz.

Old friends for always

Posted on by Alex

An old camp friend flew in from Australia this past weekend. She traveled alone so that she could see New England in the fall and re tramp some of the footpaths of her young adulthood. We met at camp at a time when social media wasn’t even imagined and there were certainly no smart phone so connections through the years have been loose. How incredible is was to see someone again after 14 years we had only spent one 9 week summer together  yet reconnected like it was just yesterday.

Though her memories were a little fuzzy the draw to return to Runoia was strong. We walked through camp, past the many things that have changed, the new buildings, additions, different program options and reminisced about all the things that were still the same.  She found her name on the 5th shack plaque and could recall each of her campers and the laughs they had shared together that summer.

 

 

We sat on the boathouse steps for a long time just quietly taking it all in. She was amazed at how deeply she was moved by being back and how the memories of one summer so long ago returned so quickly. As a swim instructor she had spent many hours on and in the lake and could recount memorable moments and the day to days of camp life. We talked about how camp was life changing for so many reasons. As young adults our futures were impacted greatly by the time that we spent on Great Pond and the relationships that formed that have and will truly last a life time. How hard it is to describe this powerful experiential force to those that haven’t been here.

So many times our Runoia girls will say they come back to camp be with their friends. They love all that camp has to offer, the activities, silly evening programs and Sunday campfires, but it is the relationships that draw them back. As our cabins rapidly fill up for the 2020 season we are already anticipating the strengthening of those bonds and the development of new ones. Camp is the place where you come as you are and are welcomed in and appreciated for just being you. The friends that you make be it for one summer or over many truly are the people that stay with you for a lifetime.

She  left the Runoia gates with a million photographs and the strong certainty that she would be back someday. I left with a great reminder that the work we do here is powerful and has great value.  The Runoia experience is far more than just one summer moment in time, it’s magic that can resonate for a lifetime.

Post Camp at Runoia is Bittersweet

Posted on by Pam Cobb

How and why is post camp bittersweet? It’s too quiet around here. I miss the giggles at night time, the splashes in the water, the sound of doors slamming and the laughter rippling or roaring out of a shack. Yet, there’s something about completing a camp season that feeds the soul. There are memories tucked away. There is the growth in campers you can measure, see and experience. There are the notes and emails and excitement about next year.

So, we get busy. We plan and strategize and take feedback from campers, families, staff and administrators and we make things happen. This fall, we are building an addition on our health cabin. This will expand the h

ousing we have for nurses and create two more beds and a new storage and organizing room for nurses.

Additionally, shacks 1- 7 are getting a face lift – well, a floor lift, really.  All the buildings will be raised and new posts and pads will be replacing the old and, wait for it… the floors will be sanded and finished. Say goodbye to splinters!

This is the mundane stuff we camp people get excited about. Yeah, sure, we are planning program and continual improvement, staff training and connecting with staff about re-hiring, we are interviewing excited but nervous new families and still running fall tours as we visit people in their homes. That’s super exciting, too.

But creating spaces and places in camp is the kind of warm and fuzzy we often feel in the fall when we dream about next summer.

Just next week, we’ll be meeting with 150 other Maine camp directors for the Maine Summer Camp Directors’ fall gathering. A time where we share and confer, brainstorm and collaborate to make Maine camps the best camps in the world. So, there’s lots going on for us as you focus on back to school but the bottom line is we can’t wait till next summer already. For now, we’ll take it a week at a time!

Until next week,

Aionur

 

Camp job – working a summer at Runoia

Posted on by Alex

Returning to the routines of fall I’m often asked how was your summer? What did you do? was it relaxing? For other people, summer is a kick back relaxed time of days at the beach and family barbecues.  For those of us who work in the summer camp industry it’s when we bring our best game and our work ramps up to an intensity that is difficult to describe. Having a camp job is not really comparable to any other industry so it is very difficult to articulate what makes it one of the best jobs ever.

It is hard to know where to start when answering people’s questions.  Here in Maine saying that ‘I was at camp all summer,’ can mean a number of things. In Maine people often refer to their summer cottage, lake house or even a hunting cabin in the woods as their ‘camp’ so one has to clearly define that you were actually working at a residential children’s camp not chilling in a lounger by the lake all summer or off hunting deer! Once the definition of ‘camp’ has been determined it is typically met with ‘oh that must be lovely you get to be on the lake all summer.’ People’s perception is often that I spend my summer swimming, boating and playing with some kids. They also think I must now have the rest of the year ‘off’ as camp just lasts a couple of months of the summer. My Mum is still not convinced that I have a ‘real’ job!

The Lodge office has a great view of Great Pond and deer for early morning coworkers.
When a break from the office means being 40′ up the tower!

The reality is that I spend most of my summer in an office – granted it has one of the best views ever and is often infiltrated with generally happy, smaller humans who have something about their day that they want to share. I manage schedules, answer emails and generally make sure all is running smoothly for the almost 200 people that we have on site at camp. I also get to dress up in crazy costumes, have ‘moo off’s’ with my boss and be immersed in a community filled with love and laughter. A day at camp has more crammed into it than a week of life outside so it is a busy, non-stop and highly engaging job. Throw in a few unexpected thunder storms, an afternoon at the top of the zip line tower or an escaped goat and the long days are never dull.

Lunch time table group hug!

 

Summer camp in Maine is a large revenue generating industry, with over 200 camps that employ thousands of workers, it is big business and plays a large role in the states tourism industry.  Maine summer camps have their own organization that promotes and supports our Maine Summer Camps  and we are a committed group of camp professionals that truly believe that a camp experience is great for all kids. We truly love our jobs.

When people ask ‘how was your summer?’ I simply smile and reply ‘spectacularly exhausting.’ I have one of the best jobs, it is truly a gift to see children and young adults grow and develop over their summers at camp.

Our Camp Runoia 2020 season is already open for enrollment because we just can’t wait to do it all again.

We’ll see you on Great Pond!

Transferring camp skills to school

Posted on by Alex

The camp bell is soon to be replaced by the school bell.

When Runoia girls arrive home from camp their parents often tell us that not only do they seem to have grown a few inches but that they are moving through the world with more confidence and have added to their inventory of skills.  During their time at residential camp girls acquire life skills that transfer to all aspects of their lives and are particularly useful when they head back to school. Acknowledging this skill development and verbalizing with girls what they can take from camp back to the rest of their year can be valuable and may smooth the back to school transition for those that find it a little bumpy.

Camp bus
We’ll take the camp bus over a school bus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

At camp girls often become more self-reliant, they learn to make new friends, manage their personal belongings and get from place to place on time and in the right attire. Day to day living tasks become their responsibility. They problem solve, communicate and advocate for themselves every day. The Runoia community is rich with opportunities for girls to push beyond their comfort zones, try new things and build on their strengths. Campers often surprise themselves with their new found competence and confidence. They learn that with perseverance and dedication that they can do things that once seemed difficult or that make take multiple tries to master. They learn that they have value and a place in our community, that they are respected for who they are and that there are people who want to build relationships with them. Making independent choices are a huge part of a Runoia camper experience and they affect all aspects of a girl’s daily living and camp experience.

Our favorite kind of backpack! The challenges of hiking a mountain can fill your child’s tool kit with skills that transfer to school.

Intentionally re affirming your daughter’s summer successes, reminding her of the great camp friends that will be there next summer and actively naming all of the skills that she now  has in her tool kit can really help strengthen confidence through those first sometimes daunting back to school days.

We wish all of our campers a smooth transition back to school and if they need a ray of camp sunshine to brighten their days enrollment for 2020 is opening this week! For some of our teachers on the Runoia staff school is just a filler job between summers!

We are officially starting the countdown to Camp Runoia’s 114th season on Great Pond.

Camp friends for long days

Posted on by Alex

August came in with perfect camp weather, warm sunny days and cooler nights which made sleeping in the shacks much more tolerable after the steamy days of July.  We were surprised at how quickly our final Camp Runoia days have flown by . We have certainly packed them full to the brim with activities, adventures and time with our camp friends.

We welcomed the new month in with a spectacular meteor shower which the CIT’s got to view from the boathouse where they spent the night.  Our 2nd shack girls also got to get a night under the stars with a sleep out at Fairy Ring.  4th shack wrapped up the overnight tripping program with a grand adventure to the coast and Camden Hills.  Giving girls an overnight, experiential trip has long been an integral part of the Runoia program and one that is still greatly valued.

We welcomed 9 new level one archery instructors into the counselor teaching team – the CIT’s all passed their training class and learned some critical fundamentals of teaching which will transfer to any activity they are specializing in. They also passed their lifeguarding test which they have been working on all summer.  The whole group spent an awesome day of volunteering at Lobsterfest in Rockland managing the children’s tent and touch tank.  These girls have built and incredible skill set this summer and we really hope we will see some of them back as JC’s next year.

The CIT’s rushed home from volunteering as 4 of them were in the play Saturday evening. They joined a younger cast for a Mahadin performance of ‘A Mid Summers Night’s Dream.’ It was truly spectacular lots of hard lines to learn for sure and we all enjoyed the theater in the park atmosphere.

Runoia riders have been out and about getting in some final shows at other camps. We rode very successfully against Vega and Matoka on Friday and had a competitive day against Forest Acres on Tuesday.  It is great for our riders of all levels to have an experience with different horses at an unfamiliar ring, they really get a chance to put all of their skills into action. Almost 50 Runoia girls participated in the Blue/White horse show this past Sunday! Lots of points scored for their teams.

 

The Blue/White competitions filled our final Sunday with swim races, softball, kickball and soccer games and the horse show. Monday 19 early morning Oak island swimmers also scored some points for their team. We are all looking forward to finding out the final scores at Cotillion during the traditional game of ‘hucklebuckle beanstalk’

Our last activity block has been filled with project finishing, level gaining, old and new skills and lots of fun and laughter. While girls are certainly excited to see their families at the end of the week, we are already counting down the days until our 114th season in 2020.

 

You’ve got ‘real’ mail!

Posted on by Alex

Over the past couple of weeks our new Camp Runoia campers should have found a letter or two in their mailbox from a camp ‘penpal’.  The tradition of welcoming new girls to camp and being available to answer any questions has been going on for many, many years.  It  encourages campers to make connections even before their arrivals to camp in June or July.  Returning campers may be writing to a new girl in their cabin group or older girls may be reaching out to a younger ‘little sister.’  Girls look forward to writing notes and often seek out their new camp friend once they arrive at camp.  For new campers we hope that it helps them to feel like a part of the community and to get excited about the new adventure that they are taking.

Handwritten notes from a new camp friend are a long standing Runoia tradition.

In our techno world of texting and social media interactions it seems rare to actually receive a paper letter or card in the actual mail.  Often the mailbox is just full of solicitations and advertising along with some online shopping packages!  What a treat to find a handwritten envelope addressed to you personally.  This short video is a great introduction to letter writing to help kids for whom it may be a new skill.

At camp a campers only option of communicating with the outside world is through regular mail.  While parents can send one way emails, ‘real’ letters are still the most valued and appreciated.  Campers often show up with stationary boxes, a supply of stamps and some cool pens for their letter writing times. Rest hour and before bed are common times that girls will be found writing to family and friends. Campers and staff look forward to rest hour when mail is given out and often share news from home with their bunk mates or pin the notes that they receive to the wall by their beds.

Handwritten letters carry a charm and thoughtfulness that seems so radically different than an email or text message.  The fact that someone took the time to write to you and that it is an unedited conscious stream of thought makes it super special.  Parents often tell of the stacks of camp letters tucked away in memory boxes as treasures from their daughter’s time away at camp.

Send us some ‘real’ mail this summer it will be so greatly appreciated, we love when the PO Box is bursting at the seams.

Developing leadership skills at camp

Posted on by Alex

Residential camp provides a unique opportunity to allow young people to develop their leadership skills.  When girls attend Camp Runoia they have an opportunity to not only develop hard skills in activity areas and interpersonal skills but also to begin developing strong leadership skills.  Leadership starts at an early age at camp as adults often allow girls room to try out their skills and begin to develop their own sense of autonomy.  As their time at camp extends into their teen years older girls become mentors to younger campers, leaders of teams, assistant coaches in activity areas and communicators in their shack groups.  Some of this leadership development is organic while some is intentional youth development through our Camp Runoia programming.

The Counselor In Training(CIT)  and subsequent Junior Counselor (JC) programs at Camp Runoia help High School aged campers focus on their own leadership development within the safe and supportive community in which they have often spent many summers.  Feeling comfortable and confident in a place that you know well is a perfect environment for challenging yourself.

Intentional leadership training provides opportunities for girls to build on their current skill set and also challenge themselves to go out of their comfort zone and try new skills too.  It includes formal training certification programs like archery instructor, lifeguard, first aid, CPR courses and the Junior Maine Guide programs.   Event planning and implementation for large groups is a big component for the CIT group- they manage the entire 4th of July festivities for the whole camp.  Helping out in shacks with younger campers, assisting in lessons and learning to manage a group, teach skills and keep track of performance are all just examples of putting leadership into action.  More informal opportunities exist when hanging out with younger girls and being a positive role model.

Within the CIT group leadership often comes in the form of collaborative decision making and group process.  It may be about finding your voice or learning when to be quiet to let someone else speak up.

Both the CIT and JC programs are designed to be a full summer experience so that young women can practice their new skills over time and grow into great camp leaders.  They take back home with them not only a stack of certificates and accomplishments but a greater sense of self, more confidence and skills that will be transferable into other aspects of their lives.

 

 

Developing independence at camp

Posted on by Alex

From an early age children are developing skills that will help them to be independent of their caregivers.  Adults work hard to provide physically and emotionally safe spaces for children to have the opportunity to develop their confidence and the skills that they will need to live independently.   When children are small it may be parents and caregivers spend time teaching basic skills.  Some skills are instinctive  like feeding themselves and learning to walk while others required direction and input from older humans.  Learning the alphabet,  reading, tying your shoe laces and riding a bike may all take a while to master. Children begin to learn the boundaries of their own capabilities and to feel more confident in the world around them.  As their world grows so does their need for the skill of being more independent.  Camp can play an important role in developing more independence than other more restrictive opportunities.

While parents are initially a child’s primary resource,  school and extracurricular activities provide for the academic development of our kids and are supplemented by experiences with our extended families and in the community.

In our house it’s kind of a family joke about ‘life skills training’ especially when I am asking the kids to do chores or be helpful.  Some skills are ‘advanced’ and not able to be mastered yet and all need a growth mind set to learn. These ‘life skills’ certainly have equal value to academic skills.

How do kids develop independence? They certainly can’t do it if every minute of their day is managed by adults.  For some kids even ‘free play’ time is on the schedule and actively supervised with adults intervening if conflict or upset arises.  We have to provide kids with the time and space to do their own thing.

At camp a simple way that we develop independence is by offering choices.  Supported by caring adults and within the structure and routine of the camp day, campers choose activities, the food they eat, what to do in free time, who to hang out with and the clothes they are going to wear.

From the youngest age groups, girls manage their belongings, navigate around camp, make choices about what they will do or not do, figure out what they want to eat and develop relationships without constraints.  It’s great that you don’t need to schedule a time or have a ride if you want a play date there is a diverse  array of people to connect with.

Runoia girls make their own choices.

The multi-age structure at camp allows girls to develop where their skill level is at.  We know that not everyone gains the same skills at the same speed or age so camp allows for a variety of ages and abilities to be working alongside each other. Girls are ready for camp at different ages too, Parenting Magazine has a great article about determining if your child is ready for a sleep away camp experience.

Of course at Runoia there is structure and support in place to help girls feel confident in their decision making.  Camp Runoia’s, Harmony Land Camp program is specifically designed for younger campers who are away from home for the first time.  Directed by seasoned camp counselors who are skilled adults that are educators this age appropriate program has realistic expectations and provides these young campers with an introduction to the Runoia experience. Girls spend time with their group as well as integrating with main camp.  They have the opportunity to be more independent than they may get to be at home or school and often leave ready and determined to do a full session the following year.

We can’t wait for June and toe be together on the shores of Great Pond.

 

Even Runoia’s youngest girls are brimming with enthusiasm for camp life.