Tag: camp maine overnight girls

Introducing the Runoia Camp Store!

Posted on by Ali Wight

At Camp Runoia, we’re always looking for ways to make camp feel just a little more magical—for our campers and a little more seamless for our families.

That’s why we’re so excited to introduce something new for Summer 2026: The Runoia Camp Store!

This new on-site shop will give campers access to both fun extras and everyday essentials—right here at camp.

Shack Snack Time = Best Time

If you’ve been part of the Runoia community, you know that sometimes it’s the little moments that become the most memorable.

Campers will visit the store with their bunkmates during Shack Snack time—a built-in moment to:

  • Grab a favorite snack or drink
  • Browse some Runoia gear
  • Pick up anything they may need along the way

It’s not just about what they’re buying—it’s about the experience. Walking down with your cabin, choosing a treat, laughing with friends… it’s one of those simple joys that quickly becomes a highlight of the week.

What’s Available?

We’ve thoughtfully stocked the store with items campers often need (or wish they had!):

  • Crazy Creek chairs
  • Runoia Gear
  • Water bottles
  • Sunscreen
  • Basic hygiene essentials
  • Snacks and drinks during Shack visits

Whether it’s replacing something that got lost, grabbing an extra layer of comfort, or just enjoying a treat with friends, the store is there to support campers throughout their session.

How It Works

We’ve designed the system to be easy and stress-free for both campers and families:

  • Completely cashless—no need to send campers with money
  • Families can add funds before camp via their Campintouch account
  • Campers simply use their account balance during store visits

It’s simple, secure, and one less thing to think about once the summer begins.

What This Means for Families

We know packing for camp can feel like a big task—and it often comes with a lot of “just in case” items.

The Camp Store helps take some of that pressure off.

  • Pack a little lighter—we’ve got the basics covered
  • No need to coordinate mid-session Amazon shipments
  • No need to overpack extras “just in case”

Instead, you can focus on what really matters: getting your camper ready for an incredible summer.

One More Way We’re Supporting Camper Independence

Beyond convenience, the Camp Store is also a small but meaningful way for campers to practice independence.

They’ll make choices, manage their balance, and take ownership over what they need—all within the supportive structure of camp.

It’s a simple addition—but one that fits right into the Runoia experience of building confidence, responsibility, and joy in everyday moments.

We can’t wait for campers to experience the Runoia Camp Store this summer. It’s one more way we’re making camp simpler, smoother, and—most importantly—full of fun.

Making Friends at Summer Camp

Posted on by Ali Wight
  • The Power of Friendship at Camp
  • Camp Runoia’s Unique Environment for Building Friendships
  • Empowering Girls Through Decision-Making
  • Structure of Camp Runoia: Encouraging Group Cohesion
  • Positive Influences at Camp Runoia
  • Lasting Friendships and Personal Growth Beyond Camp

If you’ve ever gone to a sleepaway summer camp as a kid, you probably remember nights spent around the fire singing songs followed by late night laughs in the cabin with your new friends. For many, summer camp provides a unique environment for girls to make lasting friendships while also fostering personal growth. At Camp Runoia, an all girls summer camp in Maine, we understand the importance of making friends at summer camp and strive to create an empowering and supportive environment for girls to develop lifelong skills and lifelong friendships!

The Power of Friendship at Camp

The friendships we make in our younger years are often the ones that matter the most. Cultivating healthy relationships is extremely valuable for growing girls as they provide emotional support, social development, and build confidence. At Camp Runoia, we create a safe environment for building connections and summer camp friendships. Camp is a place where girls can bond, feel accepted, and open up without judgment. Girls come to Runoia to enjoy experiences with a diverse group of friends with a variety of backgrounds supported by caring counselors. 

Camp Runoia’s Unique Environment for Building Friendships

The all girls environment at Camp Runoia encourages collaboration, trust, and mutual support among campers. The many shared activities such as group hiking trips, cabin life by the lake in Maine, and team-building exercises naturally form bonds between campers, creating memories that will last a lifetime. We have a powerful group of staff who are committed to guiding campers through social dynamics and empowering them by modeling positive relationship-building. Sometimes, the healthy bonds made between staff and campers are the relationships that have the largest impact on the girls here at camp.

making friends at summer camp

Empowering Girls Through Decision-Making

At Camp Runoia, we understand that making decisions can be challenging, especially for young girls. That’s why we create a supportive environment where campers can grow by making choices for themselves and taking responsibility. From selecting their own activities to engaging with different groups during free time, campers develop confidence, communication skills, and independence—valuable life skills that extend far beyond the summer camp experience. Taking initiative in decision-making also helps girls connect with like-minded peers, fostering deeper and more meaningful friendships.

Our campers design their own schedules in three-day cycles, selecting four activity periods per day. After three days, they choose a new schedule, allowing them to explore different interests each week. Over the course of a traditional three-week session, campers experience five unique activity blocks and have the opportunity to participate in at least one optional wilderness trip. This progressive program encourages skill development, level advancement, and achievement in activities of their choosing, empowering each camper to excel at their own pace.

We take great pride in being a community that empowers girls to advocate for themselves, use their voices, and become agents of change in the world. Through the freedom to make choices and take ownership of their camp experience, girls learn the importance of self-expression, leadership, and standing up for what they believe in.

Structure of Camp Runoia: Encouraging Group Cohesion

Making friends at summer camp can feel overwhelming at first, but the supportive structure and welcoming environment of Camp Runoia make it easy to feel at home. From close-knit cabin groups to outdoor adventures and team-based activities, campers have countless opportunities to form meaningful friendships with the guidance of our dedicated staff. Tackling challenges together—whether it’s hiking a tough trail or completing a group scavenger hunt—fosters strong connections and creates unforgettable bonding moments.

With over 30 summer camp activities to choose from in an all-girls setting, campers can explore their interests and meet others who share their passions, free from outside distractions. Campers live in traditional cabins with peers of the same age or grade, while activity choices are based on individual interests and selected daily. Mealtimes bring the community together at mixed-age tables, thoughtfully arranged by our director team, who take the time to know each camper personally. In the evenings, the entire camp comes together for group activities, ensuring that every camper feels included, engaged, and part of the Runoia family.

Positive Influences at Camp Runoia

Having positive influences and role models is extremely important in a girl’s emotional development. Our staff members serve as excellent role models for our campers, and even older campers can step into this role by mentoring younger girls through our counselor-in-training program. The various activities at Camp Runoia emphasize teamwork, listening, and respecting others’ ideas, which build empathy and communication skills. All-camp activities, performances or creative expression gives girls the opportunity to assert themselves and encourage confidence and self-worth, all while making genuine camp friendships.

staff role model

Lasting Friendships and Personal Growth Beyond Camp

Friendships made at Camp Runoia often extend well beyond the summer, with many girls maintaining lifelong bonds with girls from different corners of the U.S. and other parts of the world. These friendships encourage personal growth for girls in many aspects- emotionally, socially, and mentally. Summer camp friendships and the skills learned at camp set the foundation for future success for campers in all aspects of their lives. Our all girls’ sleepaway camp tucked away in the woods in Maine continues to build stronger bonds and deeper friendships year after year amongst campers, staff and the overall community. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Camp Runoia’s unique structure and values create an empowering environment where girls can forge lasting friendships and experience meaningful personal growth. By fostering collaboration, trust, and decision-making opportunities, campers not only build strong connections with one another but also develop the confidence and social skills that will serve them long after the summer ends. With a supportive all-girls summer camp atmosphere, dedicated staff, and a variety of activities designed to challenge and inspire, Camp Runoia is the perfect place for girls to grow, learn, and thrive together. 

If you’re looking for a transformative summer camp experience, we invite you to explore more about Camp Runoia and join us for the next session at one of the best girls’ camps in the Northeast. Whether you’re seeking a girls’ camp in Maine or an all-girls summer camp near you, Camp Runoia offers the ideal setting for friendships that last a lifetime and the personal growth that every girl deserves.

 

💙 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for your Runoia Camper💌

Posted on by Ali Wight

For families and friends looking to share a little extra love this Valentine’s Day, why not gift something that reminds them of their happy place—Camp Runoia?! If you’re scrambling to find the perfect gift tonight, look no further! We’ve curated THE BEST Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for your Runoia Camper! 💙 Whether they’re counting down the days until summer or holding onto those camp memories all year long, these gifts are perfect for any Runoia girl! Here are 10 picks guaranteed to come in handy this summer!

Runoia camper heart

🎁 1. Runoia Merch & Apparel – Stay cozy with a Runoia hoodie, t-shirt, or hat! Check out our camp store for the latest gear and send any suggestions our way of things you’d like to see added!

🏷️ 2. Labels, Labels, Labels – Head over to our fundraiser at Mabel’s Labels (just click on the link and type in Camp Runoia) to get your own custom-made labels to claim dibs on all your camper’s items! Imagine the horror of getting the new water bottle of your dreams only to lose it on the first day of camp because your name isn’t on it (Part 2 below). That’s a nightmare we’re trying to avoid—let’s spread love, not terror!

🥤 3. Colorful Water Bottle with Handle – Arguably the most important item Runoia campers bring! Imagine being 10 again, walking back to your cabin after filling your water bottle at the ice-cold faucet by the dining hall. Your friend shouts, “Hey, wanna play some Gaga?” You toss your water bottle into the ferns and jump into the pit—sounds like an amazing camp memory, until you can’t find that water bottle after your win! Avoid the thirst disaster with a LABLED, colorful bottle that’s easy to spot!

🔥 4. Brightly Colored Crazy Creek Chair – Perfect for campfires, canoe trips, evening programs, and everyday use! Pro tip: The nontraditional colors are much easier to spot if you forget to label it, and your camper is on a hunt to find it! Check out the “original chair.”

📝 5. Camp-Themed Stationery & Stickers – Let your Runoia campers write letters home in style! These fill in the blank letter sheets work GREAT for our younger campers!

💎 6. Friendship Bracelet Kit – Because camp friendships last a lifetime, and nothing says “camp love” like handmade bracelets! Don’t forget the extra string AND extra letter beads! A tried and true Runoia Camper favorite!

💡7. Fun, battery operated portable LED bulbs- Runoia campers can conveniently clip these onto their bunk beds when they need a light for some late-night reading! Hands free and a cute decoration!

🔦8. Headlamp/Flashlight– While the LED bulbs are fun, a traditional headlamp or flashlight cannot be beat! I mean, you can’t play flashlight tag with a light bulb! Ask any Runoia camper to share their favorite lights out memory and I bet flashlight tag is in the top 5!

🎐 9. Small, Portable Fan – For those hot summer days (we promise, they’re coming even if you’re currently shoveling snow). A small fan can make a world of difference! Don’t forget the batteries if it’s not rechargeable!

💌10. Pre-addressed envelopes and lots of stamps- You love that Runoia is tech free but wish you could hear more about what your camper is doing right? I totally get it. I guarantee they will send more letters home (and to Grandma and Titi Laura and Miss Sherman…) if you address the envelopes ahead of time. Feel free to throw on the stamps if you’d like, or pack extra stamps for camp to ensure you’re getting those old school updates from your favorite Runoia camper!

🎟️ 🏕️Bonus! The Ultimate Gift—A Summer at Runoia! – There’s no better Valentine’s gift than the experience of camp! Secure your camper’s spot for an unforgettable summer. Enroll Now!

Love,

Aionur

Alex Steps Into Director of Camp Runoia; Pam Becomes Director Emerita

Posted on by Pam Cobb

We are thrilled to share that Alex Jackson, who has been with Camp Runoia since 1995 and co-Director for over a decade, has stepped into the position of the Director while Pam transitions to Director Emerita. As part of this transition, Mark and Pam will step back from the day-to-day operations of camp later this fall. With Alex’s 28 seasons of experience at Camp Runoia and her role as a leader within the Maine camp community, including as a member of the Maine Summer Camps Board of Directors, she will keep Runoia’s tradition of excellence going forward. Under Alex’s continued leadership, camp retains the same culture and energy, which has helped Runoia campers build lifelong skills and friendships for over a century.

We share news of our retirement with joy knowing Alex and the team around her will continue Camp Runoia’s strong legacy. Our confidence in Alex is unwavering. She is a seasoned leader and a loyal, dedicated camp professional. We have partnered with Canyonlands Camps to make this transition possible. Founded by a visionary wife-husband team, Canyonlands Camps believes in getting youth into the Great Outdoors to build confidence, community and lifelong skills. These values resonate deeply with us and with the Camp Runoia community. 

What’s next for us? We will continue to enjoy our home on Great Pond, and look forward to being Camp Runoia grandparents, sharing the Runoia experience as Molly, Sawyer, and Frannie continue to grow and thrive at camp amongst all the other campers we adore! Our daughter, Jai Cobb Kells, will contribute to the camp experience in her role as Assistant Director in the summer. Pam will continue her work with the mission-driven Camp Runoia Alumnae Organization (CRAO), championing Camperships and the Diversity Advisory Committee. Additionally, Pam will bring her experience and expertise as a founding advisor to Canyonlands Camps. She will also continue to stay connected to the Maine camp community, including as a board member of the Maine Youth Camping Association and as a member of Maine Summer Camps, Maine Camp Experience, and a long-standing camp director’s round table group. Mark will remain involved in local lake and land conservation efforts to protect and preserve the resources of Great Pond and the Belgrade Lakes Watershed. He plans to stay engaged with the Town of Belgrade community activities, and will provide ongoing consultation to Camp Runoia.

We have loved every minute of dedicating our life work to the camp “movement” and will continue to support the camp experience in the years to come. 

With warmth and love in our hearts, 

Pam and Mark



Second session is in full swing

Posted on by Alex

It has been another incredible week of growing together on Great Pond. Balmy summer days have been much appreciated and having a lake to cool off in is such a treat. Camp Runoia is bustling from morning until night with the sounds of happy campers.

Campers have been so busy participating in all that camp has to offer. From activities, to day trips, climbing mountains and sleeping in tents to crazy fun evening programs and quiet rest hours the days are crammed packed. Free time has seen a lot of blueberry picking as our campus wild blueberries are abundant this summer. 7th shack were practicing their life skills of throwing them up and catching them in their mouth. There is so much to do and being outdoors all day is the absolute best!

 

After a challenging prep hike at Tumbledown mountain our first overnight camping trip of the session headed out to Katahdin.  Senior Village campers and a couple of our CIT’s were eager for their chance to hike Maine’s tallest mountain. It was a successful ascent and a fabulous trip for all. Ocho will be rolling out next week. It is a capstone event for our adventuring hikers. Juniors will be heading out hiking too this week. Harmony Land Camp submitted ‘The Mountain’ in Belgrade Lakes and everyone else will be off to Camden Hills State Park. Meanwhile our two JMG candidates are off at testing camp and we cannot wait to hear the stories that they have to tell.

Our friend Matt from World of Change brought the change truck in on Sunday – second session campers brought in almost double the amount of loose change that first session did. The grand Runoia total in change was over $600 and our campers were very thoughtful about where they would like the money to be spent. We will also be delivering our collected food to the local food pantry this week. Supporting our neighbors and showing up in our community is important to us and we are grateful to all those that chipped in.

 

Where to even start with EP! Highlight of the week so far was ‘dress your counselor’ – the goal is that you have to get as many items of clothing as you can onto the on duty counselor. Lucky for Alex she was on with Ocho! They fought hard seeking a win and she was wearing 81 items; they were sadly narrowly beaten by the 7th shack. Counselors were great sports with sweat pouring down their faces and barely being able to walk. There was also a beach party, lipsynch, powder fairies and our Sunday night campfire. The theme for the campfire was a ‘letter to our planet’ and campers shared how they feel they can make a difference protecting resources and helping our world stay healthy.

 

We look forward to the cooler nights coming up and the long days that we can fill with friends and fun. The time is going by too fast, our HLC campers depart tomorrow (and a surprise tea party this afternoon- shhh!)  after such a successful session. We hope to see them all back on Great Pond next summer.

 

Bobos from camp

Aionur

Endings and Beginnings – a new Runoia session rolls in

Posted on by Alex

Hello, Runoia Family!

This past week on Great Pond has been full.

Smiles and Laughs. Huge Accomplishments. Favorite songs and long hugs. Ecstatic family reunions as well as see-you-later’s with new and old friends. We are sad to say goodbye to our summer friends but know we will cross paths again in the future.

The final days of First Session, we had eleven campers complete the Oak Island swim. A one-mile swim in open water, it is no small feat. Our brave swimmers woke at 6 A.M., and were in the water by 6:40. All finished strong, and were greeted with the cheers of all of their friends who came down to the waterfront to support them before breakfast.This group was building life skills of determination, preparation, perseverance and commitment. We also played team sports for the Bees and Elephants, rode in the horse show and proved ourselves on the courts.

Eligible First Session graduates finished their plaques and got to see them hung in the boathouse. So many feelings hung in the air while best friends watched their plaques be drilled in side-by-side. Echoes of “I can’t wait until it’s my turn” and “I hope I can put my plaque right there when I’m in Senior Village” radiated among the young campers who were also excitedly watching the ceremonial placements. Graduation dinner was bittersweet. Enjoying a ‘fancy’ meal in the spiffed up boathouse with your camp friends is a tradition that we relish.

Certificates were also given to all campers, in intimate cabin-group ceremonies. Each certificate outlined campers’ activities they tried, as well as levels passed and achievements reached.

The last night of First Session was our much anticipated last Campfire. All were grateful for perfect weather and a beautiful sunset on the lake. Shacks took turns coming up and sharing camp memories, and what they look forward to at camp next summer. First year pennants, Five-year blankets, and awards for Advanced Equestrian, Windsurfing Queen, and American Archer were given. We sang all of our favorite songs while we said goodnight to cabins one by one, until only a tearful Senior Village remained- to sing one last song together as campers.

After saying our see-you-laters the next morning, staff had a quick turnaround and Second Session campers arrived the very next day!

Monday held Orientation and Swim Tests, and a day trip out for Full Season campers to Smalls Falls. Yesterday started our first block of the session, with everyone going to activities in their shack groups.  We are getting to know new friends and reconnecting with the old ones. It’s so good to be back out on the Blue Waves even when the summer breezes blow a bit strong!

The camp magic has never left the air, and we cannot wait to see it continue for all of Second Session.

Blogged by Nina B.

Preparing for Opening

Posted on by Pam Cobb

We are busy all year but the merry month of May is a particularly busy time. With camp booked full very early this year, we have been able to focus on making connections with family and campers, prepare the physical camp and work well as a team.

Our summer leadership group has been meeting mostly since the fall, working on our commitment to support each other and in turn support campers to have the best summer ever. We have gotten to know each other better, working on Brene Brown’s Braving Inventory and Radical Candor. Our team of year round directors have done our own community contract, which is something we will do with our leadership team and our staff group. Counselors also do this with campers. It’s about caring and empathy, including things that are important to everyone in the group with a consensus to follow the contract together. Everyone signs the contract and it is posted in a common area. The community contract can be used when there are issues that surface or when someone needs to talk about a situation that arises.

Meanwhile at camp, we are physically busy. The lawn is growing as everyone in New England knows! And boats are going in the water, we are practicing our driving skills, our camp docks are in, the boat house is opened up and ready for camp. This weekend we have a few families coming to visit to see camp – because of Covid, they haven’t been able to come into camp so this weekend they can visit when camp isn’t completely open.  So, on we go…cabins are being cleaned, equipment and other supplies are being delivered. The last touches to staff training and Covid protocols and we are still chasing down families for Forms! Forms! Forms!  Did we mention we already have 10 horses here? Riding staff have worked hard getting ponies and horses back in shape for the summer season.

So, we send our positive thoughts to everyone as you wrap up the school year to stay safe, try to do outdoor low-Covid-risk things and reach out with any questions about packing, uniform, transportation and more.

All our best,

Aionur

Braids, Bracelets and other “Just Camp Things”

Posted on by Colleen O'Malley

When you hear the phrase “just camp things!” what do you think of first? Have you ever had a moment when you realized a normal part of your life was actually not a regular thing for everyone else? There’s a good chance that “it’s a camp thing.”

Recently, I’ve been going to fitness classes where we spend 20 minutes biking, 20 minutes lifting, and 20 minutes doing yoga. I have short, thick hair so I have to get a little creative for it to stay put through three completely different activities. So, I’ve showed up to classes with every version of braids, french twists, and bobble ponies you can possibly imagine.

Normal, right? But it has shocked me how many adults have asked me how I know how to french braid – doesn’t everyone!? But I’ve realized that it was summers spent with “sisters” unrelated to me in braid trains by the lake that afforded me this skill – an experience not many people get to have, I’ve learned. Even as an adult at camp, two braids just can’t be beat for a long day on the waterfront!

The phrase “just camp things” reminds me of friendship bracelets on water bottles, weeks without a phone, singing nonsense songs, skits, footie pajamas, costumes galore, moo-offs!

 

But it’s not just the skills to braid hair or twist embroidery floss into patterned bracelets that are unique gains from camp. Without camp, my friend group wouldn’t have a go-to fire builder when we get together. Maybe you would have never stepped foot on a sailboat, or ridden a horse. Perhaps we would all have a harder time taking a step away from our phones and other technology without knowing we can actually do it for days and weeks on end.

As we get another day closer to camp 2022, I feel so much gratitude for the “just camp things” ahead of us. For all of us currently in the ‘real world’ patiently waiting for our ‘camp world’, the silly novelties of camp life can’t come soon enough. Where else can you rock your tropical shirt Mondays, tie-dye Tuesdays, pigtail Fridays, and footie PJ Sundays with pride?! Nowhere but Runoia!

 

Is It Runoia? The Olympics? A Top Sporting Goods Company?

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Words like driven, persistent, visionary, powerful – we design for you, fight for you, connect with you, reflect on you and step up our game for you. “We are the change in sports to get more women to the top of their game. “

They sound like a commercial for Camp Runoia! But it is not actually Runoia.  If you’re familiar with this powerful campaign from Dick’s Sporting Goods, it is a media campaign designed by the strong women team created by Lauren Hobart. “Inside Moves” supports girls and women as leaders and competitors. Check out the campaign for some inspiration!

As we kick off the Winter Olympics in Beijing, seven new sports have been created for winter sports – most of them mixed gender. And yet one sport has been added just for women: the Monobob. Why? Men’s already has two and four-person bobsled and women’s’ just has two person – the addition of the Monobob levels the playing field. The idea? One person runs the icy track and tries to get the top speed without crashing. Pretty gutsy.

This reminds us of our own Runoia heroes who had the guts to start a girls’ camp on a lake in Maine, to run a girls camp for near 50 years.

Might we borrow the campaign and shout “Runoia is the change in camps to get more campers to the top of their game. “? We think so!

Love, Aionur

Inclusivity at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Camp is inherently an inclusive experience where youth have the chance be a member of a community, part of something bigger than themself and to develop skills at their own pace. They also have a chance to form and express opinions, try new activities without fear of humiliation and unplug, laugh and be silly.

More recently youth across country found themselves exploring more about pronoun usage, gender identity and wondering who they are in society. Camps became safe harbors (across the country) where youth explored pronoun usage and other gender non-conforming concepts – not because camps were promoting exploration but rather because it was a youth-driven experience.

What surprised me most about the summer of 2021 was not another round of Covid challenges (expected), not a staff shortage (expected), not simple joys of face-to-face connections (expected) but finding out from my peers who operate boys camps, girls camps, co-ed camps, day camps, that they too, had an increased amount of youth exploring their identity. One camp said they had a whole bunk of girls show up in skirts and dresses to support a boy who wanted to wear a skirt to dinner. Another director told me most of the boys in camp painted their nails at one point or another and he also had his nails painted. Another camp owner mentioned an increase in girls who returned to camp wanting to use the pronouns he/him/his and be called by a typically boys’ name. All camps I know of just went with the flow and allowed campers to be themselves and just enjoy camp rather than freak out about being accepted.

At camp we introduce ourselves now as I’m so and so and my pronouns are… it feels normal and fluid although it took some getting used to by many older people. Here’s one camp mom’s perspective.

Are you reading this and wondering how we went down this path and why camp is an inclusive experience? Do you feel like you need a few more tools to figure out what we’re talking about?  Or maybe you have more to share with us. Please do!  We turned to NPR for some better understanding ourselves. We don’t pretend to be experts in diversity and inclusion but we are willing to learn and our leadership staff and summer staff at Runoia are 100% behind us.

The bottom line at Camp Runoia is we want all people to feel safe, accepted and part of our community. We continue to be a girls’ camp offering amazing, top notch, premiere camp experiences for youth. This includes age appropriate conversations about who you are, how you feel about yourself and how you want others to include you. We also want to support parents and collaborate with them to provide the best camp experience possible going into 2022.