Tag: alums

Camp Runoia’s History – Abridged Version

Posted on by Pam Cobb

A Short History of Camp Runoia

1906 – Lucy Weiser and Jessie Pond scout locations for Camp Runoia and land in Belgrade, Maine.

1907 – Camp Runoia opens on the Northeastern side of Hatch Cove on Great Pond with 7 campers, a cook and Miss Weiser and Miss Pond

1910 – the first Camp Runoia Log Book was written recording the history of the summer eventsThe Runoia Logs

1914 – Miss Weiser secured the land known as the Wentworth Farm on the Southwestern shore of Great Pond.

1915 – in the winter, the first camp building was hauled across the ice of Great Pond to establish the camp kitchen on the new property

1915 – in the summer, campers arrived to camp on the present site of Camp Runoia for the first summer

1916 – new buildings were erected on the property including an addition to the kitchen and cabins 1, 2 and 3

1917 – The Runoia Lodge was built

1918 – Camp Runoia operates throughout World War 1

1939-1945 – Camp carries on during World War 2 albeit a difficult time to get supplies and food. Campers helped to farm and build at camp to support their summer camp experience19341952 – Betty and Phil Cobb met each other at Phil’s grandfather’s camp, Camp Wyonegonic, Denmark, Maine

1953 – Betty and Phil Cobb married and that summer visited over 50 camps in New England searching for a camp for sale.

1954 – Betty and Phil worked with Lucy Weiser for the summer and bought Runoia at the end of the season.

1991 – Pam Cobb bought Runoia from her parents, Phil and Betty Cobb

2012 – The Tabell Family Foundation donated a gift to scan and preserve the Runoia Logs!

2013 – the 60th summer Runoia has been owned and operated by the Cobb Family

2016 – will be the 110th anniversary summer of Camp Runoia!

Camp Runoia’s season of change

Posted on by Alex

October is an interesting month in the camp Runoia office.  It is finally a time to breathe and reflect while enjoying the beauty of the seasons changing around us.  Camp in the fall is so quiet with the merriment of summer long gone, the days getting shorter and a chill in the air.  Flip flops are no longer the footwear of choice and layers are the way to dress as you never quite know how the day will turn out.

leavesOur days are filled with pondering, questions and often discussion.  There are many aspects of the camp business to reflect upon as we contemplate the past season and plan for the next.  What site and facility jobs must be accomplished before the snow flies? how many spaces will be open for new girls? which staff are invited back?  what were the summer highlights? where do we need to improve? how will winter tasks be distributed?

winter scene shovelingThere is time to spend looking through the thousands of photos from the summer, to miss the happy smiling faces and reminisce about people and events.  There is more time to chat on the phone with returning and prospective parents and to connect together as a team to share our hopes for the next season.

OchoAs the last leaves get raked off of the archery field we are glad for this time of change and hopeful that when the leaves appear again  we will be ready to greet the spring and be well prepared for our new 2015 season of camp!