find a camp in Maine Archives - Page 3 of 5

A Girl from Chicago in 1947

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Pam Cobb

My name (way back then) was Anne T, Nelson. I came to Runoia from Chicago with Janey Holler and Janey Rose and had a profound camp experience in two summers of my life. The “Janeys”, as they were called, were three years older than I was. I was in the second cabin my first summer and then in the third cabin. The “Janeys” were in the 4th (the oldest cabin in camp then).

Back in Chicago, the three of us went to Girls’ Latin School. I was living with Janey Holler while my mother was elsewhere. Perhaps she was taking care of her mother who was ill and I was taken in by Janey’s family.

Janey knew of Runoia from living previously in Pennsylvania. The founder of camp, Lucy Hanson Weiser, lived in Pennsylvania and I’m sure that was the connection. Camp was all word of mouth back in the day. Janey had been to Runoia before. I can only suppose that getting me somewhere away from my mother’s situation was the reason. The three of us took the train to New York from Chicago and all the kids from Cincinnati met us there and we all took the night time train to Maine. Coming back we were left at Grand Central Station and were picked up there by family or friends. From then on I was HOOKED on Camp Runoia, the East Coast and New England.

I stopped by camp about 15 years ago. It is quite bigger than when we were there. but much of it seemed very familiar. Thank you for keeping Runoia going!

I received Janey Holler Rotman’s annual holiday card from AZ last year. Our time together at camp have kept us connected all these years. I’m glad I traveled from Chicago to Maine in the summers of 1947 and 1948. My life is better because of the experience.

Out on the Blue Waves

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Pam Cobb

Perhaps you’ve paused to wonder, “why does Runoia reference Out on the Blue Waves so frequently”.

Well, it’s a favorite Runoia song, of course. And, it’s more than a song.

It conjures up memories for many. It reminds people of their accomplishments and achievements. It makes women recognize when they were girls, they were sailing boats, paddling canoes, surfing on wind surfers, and swimming to the Big Float, to Oak Island, across the Soapies, out to the Marjorie. Many of these references are Runoia unique names for the names of floating rafts or the area we have recreational swim in at camp. Those tales are another story for another blog!

But the important thing is girls, young and older are propelling through and over the water and learning skills Out on the Blue Waves. So, it’s a phrase that’s more than a song. Just to satisfy your curiosity, here’s the song lyrics to the chorus:

Out on the blue waves, where summer breezes blow

Our boats go sailing into sunset glow.

We leave the shoreline, to realms of dreams we go,

Out to the center of the lake where breezes blow.

and you can hear the whole song here

Enjoy and be proud of all you accomplish #runoiagals !!

Fall reflections about the summer at camp

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Alex

As we head into the crisp, clear days of fall it is a great time for reflection and contemplation about the past summer at camp. Life in Maine takes on a slower pace at this time of year and we are able to take a few minutes to look back on the great moments that happened over the summer season and to figure out if we need to make any improvements for the upcoming year.

As we connect with parents of returning campers and those potential families that may be joining us next summer, read surveys and talk to staff it is a great opportunity for us to get a variety of feedback. Summer camp is a fleeting season filled to the brim with experiences, relationship building and a myriad of tasks that fill up our ‘fine Maine days.’

Once the chaos of back to school has settled and we are into our more relaxed off season routines mid-October is a perfect time to chat. We love conversations with parents about the changes they have seen since their daughter came home from camp, growth she has made or just the stories she had to tell about her camp experiences. When reach outs about enrollment result in ‘she wouldn’t miss it for the world’ or ‘she would be so mad if I missed out on signing her up’ we are gratified that we produced another great Runoia summer for our girls.

In order to fill those few remaining spaces that are open the fall also allows us time to refine our marketing strategy for the upcoming season . In a world of photo shop and fake news we try to accurately sell the product that is a Runoia summer. We market what we can produce and hope that our happy customers will keep coming back for more. With attention paid to any feedback that helps us to continue striving for excellence, we feel like we can really create an evolving product that stays true to our traditions and camp culture. As we talk to new families not only about the generic benefits of a sleep away summer camp experience we also ask them to reflect on the type of place that would best suit their child. We want our campers to feel like Camp Runoia is truly their home away from home and to be able to meet the goals they may have set themselves for the summer.

While we continue to reach out to our community we also invite you to share your thoughts about Runoia and help our reflections gain substance. We are certain that the summer season of Runoia 2018 will be here before we know it and we are already excited for our 112^th season on Great Pond.

Camp Runoia – beautiful in the changing season

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Alex

We love the changing seasons in Maine and the fall is filled with ‘fine Maine days’ that may start out a little chilly but are typically warm and bright. While it is quiet around camp and the end of season clean-up is coming to an end there is still plenty of rustling in the leaves as the wildlife takes over. Runoia has an abundant supply of oak tress which keep the chipmunks and squirrels scurrying around gathering acorns for the long winter season. Leaves gently fall from the trees and shack porches that are no longer being swept on a regular basis catch the brilliant colors. It looks a little messy around the place as the paths and lawns become buried under the falling leaves and there are no feet treading routes through them. The bell is quiet.

We often lament about the fact that these gorgeous fall days would be perfect for camp. Can you imagine going apple picking and taking a hay ride for trip day and carving pumpkins with your shack? Glenn has certainly raked up plenty of leaves for jumping into which would be great fun. As it is now going dark long before E.P. is over, star gazing would make for a great activity. We would certainly have to bundle up to make it through the chilly evenings and the fire in the Lodge would surely be kept burning. As Halloween approaches there are a myriad of potential costume choices just waiting to be discovered in the drama clothes. The lake is a bit chilly for a swim but perfect for canoeing and kayaking with the foliage reflecting beautifully on the calm, clear water of Great Pond. Oh what fun we could have with our camp friends if summer camp lasted into October.

We hope that whatever your family fall traditions are and whatever the climate is where you live that you are getting outside and having a great time enjoying all the beauty of the season. If you are looking for ideas of fun things to do check out our Fall Favorites Pinterest board!

Cultural exchange – camp provides a global perspective

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Alex

Castles and conversation

We spent April vacation across the Pond with my family in the UK. It is always a great opportunity for my kids to spend time in the places where I grew up and to experience living in a completely different culture. Though it is only for short while we embrace the immersion learning that it provides. While we may speak the same language all be it with different accents and sometimes even vocabulary there is something distinctly British about being in the UK. I have spent nearly as many years living in Maine as I spent growing up in England so a reminiscent return home always reminds me of the cultural differences that a common language cannot erase. Our trip was filled with a wide variety of experiences from brick house and castles to heritage tours with plenty of green fields and countryside in between.

The British Isles compacts a whole load of varied cultural experiences into one very small place. On the flight from Dublin I was challenged to understand my Irish seat mates, my cousins are Scottish and we also traveled to Wales which while only a short car ride seemed like a whole new world. Colloquialisms and variant vocabulary use kept my kids entertained and grilling their similarly aged cousins about ‘what do you call that?’

At Camp Runoia we relish the opportunity to spend a few weeks living together and sharing our days with friends from around the country and the world. Cultural diversity provides us all with an opportunity to connect with people from places which may be very different to our own home. At Camp Runoia we typically hire a number of counselors from European countries who are part of the J1 visa ‘cultural exchange program’ the goal being for them to experience a traditional American summer camp while sharing their language, culture and traditions.

Sharing national anthems on the 4th of July at Camp Runoia.

Our campers come from a variety of countries outside of the US including traditionally Mexico, Spain and France and in more recent years even as far away as China and Vietnam. Bringing the world to camp helps broaden our vision, embrace new friends and then often gives us the opportunity and courage to expand our own horizons. We will be camp friends for always no matter the geographic location or language barriers.

Maine hunts for spring

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Alex

Patience is apparently a virtue of which Mainers require an excessive amount. Spring while allegedly here on the calendar has yet to truly arrive in person.

I write on a day when once again snowflakes are falling from the sky and the ground is still covered in a good amount of the white stuff. The lakes are still frozen and while there are signs that spring is on the way it still seems like weeks until the grass will be green and the leaves are on the tress.

March came in and went out like a lion this year and it will be April snow showers that hopefully bring May or perhaps they will be June flowers.

While it would be easy to complain the general feeling is one of anticipation and even excitement. There are pussy willows to be spotted along the sides of the roads. Those days when the temperature’s get over 40 seem balmy and call for picnics on the porch and even shorts! The days are longer and there are many more birds singing in the trees and geese flying back overhead this time on their way north. Many a bet is being placed on when the ice will be out on local lakes and generally people are upbeat and hopeful for the new season ahead.

Every day at our house there is talk of camp. How many weeks to go? Will the lake warm up quickly? When can we open up our camp house? Who needs new uniform ordering? Is school almost over?

We cannot wait to see all of our Camp Runoia family and reconnect and embrace the new people that will be joining us. One of the great things about spring in Maine is how quickly it turns into summer; we just have to make it through mud season first!

See you in June!

To the Runoia Gals: An Open from Your Teary-Eyed Counselor

Posted on March 28, 2017March 28, 2017 by Pam Cobb

You Wonderful and Spectacular Ladies,

I never imagined how beautiful a shooting star could be when you’re sitting next to someone who has never seen one. I never knew how wonderfully exhausting a game of Gaga with a group of 8-year-olds could be (or how often they would beat me!). I never realized that it was possible to sing so much and so loudly that it would take eight weeks for my voice to return to normal, or laugh so hard that my stomach would ache for hours. When I packed my bags for my first summer at camp, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

When I came to you for that first summer, I considered myself pretty well cooked. I had it in mind that I, as the adult, was there to provide a life-altering, fun, and unforgettable experience for you. While that was and has always remained my primary goal, I now see that you amazing young ladies, with whom I was lucky enough to spend three unforgettable summers, have had a far greater impact on me than I could ever have imagined.

When you become a camp counselor you hear all about how much your campers will learn from you, for better or for worse. But what you don’t hear as often is how much you will learn from you.

You’ve taught me many things in my three summers at Runoia, more than I could count and definitely more than I could ever share with you. But I would like to try to share some. You taught me about the curative nature of a hug from four children at once. You showed me how important it is to laugh and have fun every time the opportunity presents itself. You taught me how to “whip and nay nay,” wobble, dougie, and do all sorts of things that would make me hip and with it! You helped me realize how rewarding it can be to share my love of the water, which I discovered as a child, with others. You showed me every day that we are all at our most beautiful when we are being ourselves and when we are happy. I saw, first hand, the transformative power of a summer with friends in an environment that encourages growth and fosters an undeniable feeling of complete and utter happiness.

The past three summers have been the most indescribably amazing part of my life. I cannot thank you girls enough for all that you have shared with me, or your parents for helping you become the unbelievable and inspiring young women that you are. Runoia gals, I will carry the lessons you have taught me throughout my entire life, and will remember you always.

Thank you for helping me become who I am today and I hope that somewhere along the way, I may have helped you.

With love,

Your Teary-Eyed Counselor

Runoia guinea pigs life after camp

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Alex

Cream Puff and Mount Skittlemore the Camp Runoia guinea pigs were feeling a little jealous that the chickens had their 15 seconds of fame on the Runoia blog so here is their moment of stardom.

Life outside of Camp Runoia is fairly entertaining for everyone’s favorite ‘farm’ pets. They have a large cage in the living room (‘but mum it’s too cold in the mudroom’!) at the Bolduc-Jacksons so are generally the center of attention. Most of their day is spent eating – who knew that 2 such small creatures could eat so much!? Breakfast is lettuce and leafy greens often with some strawberry tops thrown in, lunch is a delightful blend of guinea pig pellets and all day long the hay buffet is open. There are always plenty of treats too, their favorites are fresh fruits and veggies but they will happily eat the commercial snacks.

A change from the summer is that their winter bedding is made of fleece and old towels rather than sawdust and shavings. It seems to keep them warmer and drier but still needs changing every couple of days. It helps with waste reduction too as it can just be throw into the wash.

Did you know that we have an entire Runoia Pinterest board dedicated to interesting articles about guinea pig care. There are even guinea pig birthday cake ideas for those dedicated cavy lovers.

The farm and garden program at Camp Runoia provides campers with the opportunity to experience animal care, grow organic food and learn about farm to table principles. Many girls enjoy the responsibilities of growing things and taking care of the pets. We hope that Camp Runoia campers will maximize all of the opportunities that activities at camp have to offer. Getting to snuggle a guinea pig is certainly a perk.

Cream Puff and Mount Skittlemore look forward to seeing you all back at camp and getting lots of snuggles and snacks from the Runoia vegetable garden.

Maine Maple Syrup – natures bounty

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Alex

The sap is running! It is an exciting time of the year in Maine. After being buried in snow we are so happy to see that spring is just around the corner. At this time of year local syrup producers long for cold nights and warm days. As the air warms up and the signs of spring appear, trees are tapped and buckets of sap collected in order to produce real Maine maple syrup. The temperatures must be below freezing at night and above during the day time. Right now with a thaw happening conditions in Maine are perfect.

By literally tapping into Mother Nature sap is collected and boiled down in a simple process that produces maple syrup. It does however, take a large quantity of sap, time, patience with the weather and a willingness to get outdoors even with a chill in the air and snow still on the ground.

Maine Maple Sunday is the last weekend in March if you have the chance to pop up to Maine it is a fun time to see the process in action. Maple Syrup producers are often small, family owned operations that welcome the public to visit and see the all-natural product being made. Along with the syrup there are always a large selection of yummy maple products to try, our favorites are maple popcorn and maple beans.

Sometimes we wish we had winter camp at Runoia then we could do fun things like this! Can you imagine skating on Great Pond, cross country skiing around the archery field and warming up by the fire in the Lodge? Sadly the shacks would be a little chill so I suppose we will have to stick with our summer overnight camp experience.

We are now actively counting down the days until camp! 119 to go.

Why choose sleep-away camp at Runoia?

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Alex

Returning Runoia parents already know about a million reasons why they send their darling daughter off to sleep-away camp at Camp Runoia in Maine for a few weeks each summer. They are happy to share with us stories of the growth their daughter makes while on Great Pond, the life skills she has developed and how Runoia has helped her to become a strong and fearless young woman ready to head off to boarding school or College.

We also speak everyday with parents who are not quite sure why they would pay to be away from their child. Or why sending her far from home away from all of the creature comforts and technology that she is used to would have any value at all. The overnight camp experience can be a tough sell especially to the many parents who themselves have never had the experience.

We know that there are parents who lurk out there wondering and pondering if a Runoia summer is right for their daughter. We make it easy to get information and are always happy to chat about camp in a general context not just as a sales pitch for Runoia. Finding the right place for all kids to grow and be successful is our goal.

If you are out there in cyber space wondering if Camp Runoia is the right sleep-away camp experience for your daughter drop us a line. There are also lots of great articles that support the benefits of a residential summer camp and we are happy to share our thoughts and discuss your concerns. We love talking about Runoia so share us with your friends and family so that more girls may experience the wonder of a life changing summer building life skills on the shores of Great Pond.

Some good reads:

A grandparents perspective

More reasons in favor of camp

From the NYT

Hope to see you on Great Pond

Aionur