Tag: camp runoia

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.

 

Second Session Smiles

Posted on by Alex

Hello from another Fine Maine Day at Camp Runoia! The sun is shining, the boats are out on the blue waves, and the boisterous energy of our Second Session campers and their smiles is radiating throughout all of camp. 

We welcomed our Second Session Runoia Gals last Thursday, and hit they ground running with orientation and programming. Everyone has gotten into the groove of their block schedules, and echoes of “Hey! Are you going to Rec Swim?” can be heard everywhere. 

5th Shack Bringing The Inner Sunshine At Assembly

As we are almost an entire week into Second Session, the campers already gotten to tag up for two blocks of daily program activities. Our counselors have been working tremendously hard to make these programs magical, and all of the camper smiles and laughs tell us that it’s working. Even though yesterday was a rainy Maine day, our staff and campers rallied together in bright outfits and big smiles to bring out everyone’s inner sunshine. There was even a contest at Assembly for the shack with the brightest outfits, and people were in it to WIN it. Congrats to 5th shack who won the contest!

Runoia Gals At The Summit Of Katahdin

Today we are welcoming back our campers that went on trips this week. One group headed off to summit Katahdin, while another group went to hiking on Bigelow Mt. and canoeing on Flagstaff Lake. We’re so excited to welcome them back and hear everyone’s trip stories! Also today, several girls went to compete in a horse show at Camp Mataponi and represented Runoia fantastically winning show champions!

There is a feeling around Runoia right now that can only be described as “electric”— everyone zooming around to their activities, coming and going on trips and adventures, and making memories with new and old friends. Our hope is that while our campers enjoy the excitement of these fleeting days, that the memories made here will stay warm in their hearts long after summer leaves us. 

Until next week,

Aionur

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Hi Runoia Families!

My name is Nina and I am one of the new Assistant Director/ Head of Cabins at Camp Runoia this year. I’ve been on the edge of my seat, gearing up for the 2019 camp season for a while now, and I am extremely excited to get things going in full swing.

I firmly believe that the value of the camp experience for children goes far beyond the summer. When a kiddo gets their first bullseye in archery or tackles their fear of heights on a ropes course, they get this new found confidence in themselves that is just infectious— it spreads to their friends and peers, creating an incredible energy and sense of camaraderie. This is what kids will remember forever.

Down the road they may forget how to shoot an arrow or navigate a climbing wall, but I know from experience that campers remember less about what exactly was done or said at camp, and much more about how camp made them feel. I believe in cultivating an environment and culture that supports kids’ inherent need to grow and explore and try new things and speak up for themselves.

When training counselors, I like to tell them that as a camp staff member, “You are a TV, and you’re always on,” meaning that kids will watch and often model the behavior and actions of their counselor or CIT. This is a beautiful thing because it cultivates campers who are become strong, loud, passionate individuals, which is important and amazing.

I am excited for Summer 2019, and honored to be a part of the 113th summer at Camp Runoia. See everyone soon!

 

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.

Be the change you want to see in the world

Posted on by Alex

Our camp Runoia community attempts to create change through simple acts of kindness and caring, hoping  to make the world that we live in a better place.  We believe that we can engage campers and staff to be the change that they want to see in our local communities and in the greater world around us.

In our Giving Tuesday blog back in November we shared about a new community service initiative that we were excited to be getting involved with.   We are moving forward with this partnership and continuing our monetary giving into the summer season.

‘World of Change’ is a philanthropic organization with a home base right here in Maine.   It  encourages youth to participate in collections of loose change that can then be used to create ‘change’ in their local communities.  We are excited to be one of the startup camps that are joining the drive and will be collecting change this summer.  We are hopeful that this will create enthusiasm among our campers for continuing this support in upcoming seasons.

The statistics of how much money is just sitting around in our homes, cars, and workplaces is just staggering.

How much loose change do you have lying around?

Camp Runoia families are always incredibly generous and our ‘cans from campers’ food drives have been very successful.  Through support of our local food pantry, we have had the opportunity to be a positive presence in Runoia’s small, home town .  We will continue collecting food on opening days this summer and hope  that gathering change throughout the school year to bring to camp will catch on too.

We know that a lot of people giving a little can really create positive change for those in need.  All of the money that World of Change generates goes directly to the nonprofits working in communities identified as having needs.  The six focus areas ensure that all children get strong foundations to grow on.

Promoting kindness at camp and at home.

We hope that our Camp Runoia campers will engage with the World of Change philosophy and strive to make a difference in their home communities.  Where will you start? How can you be the change in your community? It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking spending an hour picking up trash or helping an elderly neighbor with yard work can be a great place to start.

Together we truly can be the change we want to see in the world.

Maine the way life should be

Posted on by Alex

So you just dropped the kids off at overnight camp in Maine now what?  Three or four weeks with no children to entertain can be liberating.   If you are not jetting off to Europe or racing back to work, you may want to enjoy the local area at least for a few days.  With the tag line ‘Vacationland’ Maine is the perfect place to be in the summer so why not extend your camp drop off or pick up trip and have a few days of relaxation and vacation time before heading back south.

With a myriad of things to do or not do Maine provides opportunity for everyone,  from the outdoor enthusiast to those that love nothing more than a beautiful view and a good book.  With places that are great to take the kids and places to just have some quality adult time, Maine really does have it all.  Here is a brief snap shot of some of our favorite places to visit.

In the summers E.B. White spent time writing on the shores of Great Pond – we have the ‘White House’ at Runoia.

 

Local to Camp Runoia

The beautiful and peaceful Belgrade Lakes region has all of the quintessential charm of lake life.  Renting a cottage on one of the large and quiet lakes is a perfectly relaxing choice.  The village hosts a number of interesting curio type shops and some great food experiences.  Days Stores has everything you never knew you needed including Lakeside Scoops Ice Cream.  Our friend Shari is always cooking up a storm at Hello Good Pie – it’s not just pie! and the Village Inn is also an excellent dining option.  Ranked best public course in Maine and with a world class view the Belgrade Lakes golf course is worth a round.  Spend a few days hanging out in the local area and you’ll be feeling relaxed and rejuvenated  in no time.

Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park

A little further afield but worth the drive up 95, the bustling coastal town of Bar Harbor is a great place to stay and check Maine’s National Park off your ‘must see’ list.  From car camping to deluxe accommodations, hiking to scenic drives there is something for everyone.  Acadia’s Mt Cadillac boasts the earliest sunrise in the US and we are pretty fond of biking on the carriage trails around the park.

Disclaimer you really can’t get a lobster for 99c these days!

Portland – Foodie City

If you don’t have time for a long stay and are heading back south as soon as drop off is done at least take time to stop for a bite to eat in Portland.  The little city of the east coast has fast become a food haven with so many choices everyone will be happy.  Got a little more time? Shop the Old Port, take a stroll at the most photographed lighthouse – the Portland Head Light, take the ferry out to Peaks Island or visit one of the many attractions in town the Victoria Mansion and Museum of Art are always popular.

This is obviously just a few of the spectacular Maine opportunities.  Hopefully on the way too and from Camp Runoia you will have time to enjoy our great state. Still need inspiration? We have a Pinterest board for that!

We can’t wait to see you this summer.

Girls only!

Posted on by Alex

Single gender or co-ed? how do you choose the right option?

Many prospective families are curious as to what makes an all-girls, overnight experience special or at least different to a co-ed camp.  Single gender camps have long been a tradition in youth camping.  The majority of the earliest programs were established just for boys or for girls only.  We imagine that back in 1907 when Ms. Weiser and Ms. Pond were establishing Camp Runoia for Girls it was likely highly frowned upon for boys and girls to be camping out in the Maine woods together!  We relish our long and strong tradition of girls attending sleep away camp in Maine and primarily being led by women.

A history of female leadership.

So why do girls enjoy a single gender experience? Many Runoia campers welcome a change in dynamic from their co-ed schools.  Often girls will say that they can be themselves at camp.  They enjoy not feeling any pressure to look or dress a certain way.  At camp the playing field is even and all opportunities are available to everyone.  There are no gender specific activities and the prevailing sense is that girls can do anything.  With the majority of the staff also being female there are many different types of role models and the opportunity to learn from slightly older young women who are in college.

Once you pass the Camp Runoia gate you’ve made a little date with fate.

There is a perfect camp fit for every child and a myriad of options to choose from. Focusing on your child’s strengths and personality traits rather than the perception of what a ‘perfect’ camp may be will help to narrow down those choices.   Your old summer camp that you attended 30 years ago may be perfect for the next generation or they may be better suited to a different opportunity.  Knowing where your child will thrive best and then asking questions to see if the camps you are choosing will be a good match is crucial to everyone’s happiness.

We are always happy to chat about what makes Runoia a special place for girls to grow and you can check out our philosophy on our website.

Finding the right camp

Posted on by Alex

As we rapidly roll towards the summer season, this time of year is typically the busiest for new camper enrollment.  As families begin their search in earnest for the perfect camp for their child we thought that some tips and helpful questions may be of use.  There are such a wide variety of program options and so many great choices it can certainly be overwhelming to even get started.  So how on earth do you find the right camp?

A general internet search for summer camps turns up what seems like a million options for summer programs  and even when focusing on resources that are specific to camp selection the choices can be extensive. The American Camp Association website is filled with over 3000 accredited camps and summer programs and can be a great place to start. If you are already sure that Maine is the place that you want your child to be Maine Summer Camps also has a ‘find a camp’ tool which is also very helpful.

So how do you get started?

Set some parameters before you go near your computer and maybe even before you get the kids involved –  you don’t want them picking space camp on the moon when you were thinking arts camp in the woods!

Here are some potential questions to think through.

  • What genre of camp are you looking for?
  • Do you have family traditions with a particular program or location?
  • Are you restricted to specific dates or have a set session length in mind?
  • Is your child ready for an overnight experience or are you looking for a more local day camp?
  • What is your budget?
  • How far from home are you willing to travel?
  • Are you looking for specific program content or a more general program?
  • Do you want to do your own research or get help form a professional camp referral agency?
  • What are your child ‘s thoughts  about camp?

Once you’ve got a basic outline for your needs and wants you can dig in. Camp websites are typically filled with all of the initial information that you may need and directors are waiting for your calls to expand on what makes their camp unique.  Expect good customer service and attentive sales pitches, camps should want to find out about your child to see if it is a good fit for everyone not just push their program.  A great director will be able to head you in a different direction if their camp doesn’t meet your needs.  You should also expect to get referrals to other families and ideally a camp tour or home visit depending on the season.

Finding the right camp should be fun not stressful, give us a call if you need help 207 495 2228 there is a perfect fit for every child out there.  Want to learn more about Camp Runoia our website is a great place to start.

‘Once you pass the Runoia gate you’ve made a little date with fate..”