Tag: Maine Camp Girls Overnight

The writing on the wall – hand-prints on my heart

Posted on by Alex

Twenty years ago when we moved into this house there were a lot of DIY projects that needed accomplishing. Painting the downstairs bathroom was not high on the list of priorities.  In order to brighten the place up a little we started adding the hand-prints of our visitors.  The parameters were basic: pick your colors, pick your spot, paint your hand and print it on the wall then add your name and date your print.  The hand-prints themselves started out simple, often with just one color and expanded to more elaborate creations that reflected the personality of their owner.  There are now a couple of hundred of prints representing friends from all aspects of life,  a large percentage of whom I know through camp.

The hand-prints tell their own stories. Jayen was an international counselor who just spent one summer with us. Angela is still a feature on our CRAO board.

The hand-prints are a regular reminder of the people that have touched my life.  Some of the folk are still regular visitors, or perhaps sadly now deceased, still others were only around for a short time and we have now lost touch.  They all generate memories of a time and place when we were connected, a shared history and an impression left in my life.  There are many old Camp Runoia friends, campers and staff that passed through for a summer or two or who it feels like I have known for a lifetime.  They hold a space in time that is a reminder not just of them but also of a particular summer on Great Pond.  The dates are helpful in remembering just how long ago it was that they were at camp and how quickly time flies.

Betty-Jo Howard a Runoia legend

 

At Runoia the names in the boathouse are a similar memorial to those that have passed through at some previous point in time.  They remind us of people we know and also trigger thoughts about those whose story is now  a mystery lost in time.  The faces may be long forgotten but their names are painted in bright colors to remind us that they were here and are part of the rich fabric of our camp community.

The hand-prints on my wall definitely reflect the hand-prints left on my heart.  This will be my 23rd summer at Camp Runoia in Belgrade Lakes, Maine  and I hope to add a few more hand-prints to my bathroom wall and a lot more to my heart.

Camp Runoia – finding your tribe

Posted on by Alex

Have you found your tribe?

At our workshop last week we were invited to find a group with only random volunteers standing up as the group leaders.  The task was to be accomplished without speaking and with no other direction other than ‘find your tribe.’  There was no knowledge of what we were to accomplish in the found group or how long we were committing ourselves to those that we chose.  Reluctantly people moved to join a group, glancing around to see where others were going and apprehensively acknowledging those that came to join them.  It felt strange to make a choice with little information and based mostly on an impression of the volunteer group leader.

Finding your tribe has become a buzz of the current blog and social media world, sometimes is happens organically and sometimes you have to put effort into finding your people.

Our first task in our new group was sharing why we had chosen to belong there.  Answers ranged from the simple and thoughtless ‘it was near to my seat’ to more complex stories about previous connections, commonalities and a feeling that it would be a good place which had swayed their decision making.

In our lives we have many groups that we belong to, some through choice others through situation.  We all seek a place to belong, for like-minded people who we can share experiences with and who we can feel our best selves among.  Being a member of a group of people in which we feel like our true selves and are loved and accepted as we are is a comforting place where we can relax and engage without hesitation. We naturally have a desire for unity in the communities in which we live, work and play.

Runoia girls have a ready made tribe.
We are glad that these women found their tribe back in 1907 and founded Camp Runoia.

Camp Runoia provides campers and staff with the opportunity to have a ready-made tribe of people who come from a variety of places to be the Runoia summer family. The  group forms and reforms with new members joining and old ones moving on.  We remain connected by our commonalities and often bound by our differences.  We enjoy the belonging for the moment of time that is the summer season and sometimes keep the bonds through the years.  We regroup again the next summer.  Having a place and a group of people to be a part of is empowering and reassuring.

We can’t wait to be back on the shores of Great Pond with our Runoia 2018 tribe!  If your daughter is still looking for a place to belong this summer you can sign up here.

Snail Mail or Online – How do you like “The Log” and Your Runoia News Delivered?

Posted on by Pam Cobb

Since the summer of 1910, Camp Runoia events and news have been recorded each summer and bound into Log Books and stored in the Runoia Lodge. From the traditional “statistics” to the “Lost and Found” and the “Log Dedication”, to the photos of cabin groups and lists of people in camp, the Log encapsulates the summer events, people, places and things (including jokes and First Impressions, Trip Songs and Stories, poetry and campfire themes) and inks it to paper, forever to be held in the annals of history.

The tradition continues to this date and the Logs are enjoyed by campers and counselors in camp, alumnae and their families visiting camp and some adult children of alumnae who come back to see their mother or grandmother’s camp. The Logs are also reference books, holding the history of Blue White team lists, cabin lists and a record of the summer events at camp. You can peruse the Logs from 1910 to 2009 on the Runoia website.

Betty and Phil Cobb started a bi-annual newsletter connecting Runoia alumnae to camp in the 1970s and aptly named it “The Log”. The newsletter captures the milestones of alumnae, celebrates the donors and volunteers of CRAO who support “Betty Cobb Campership Fund”, a President’s Letter and Greeting from Camp. The Log announces alumnae events and reunions and brings news from camp to your doorstep. Here’s the most recent copy of “The Log” Volume XXX issue ii, Fall 2017. The Roman numerals were adopted after the initial volumes but Betty Cobb’s formal-style of numbering the Log is continued to date.

Whether you prefer your issue of the “The Log” in hard copy by snail mail or to read it online, your Runoia news is available twice a year!

 

 

Fine Maine Days at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

It is pouring with rain today in Maine.  The kind of drenching, nonstop rain that comes from a dense, grey cloud that lingers low to the ground.  The day is dark and you need the lights on inside and a rain jacket and umbrella if you venture outside.   It is the first significant rain we have had all month and is a big change from the mild and sunny weather we have become accustomed to.

Wet foliage is still beautiful.

Today’s rain and the significant precipitation that we will get over the next couple of days is however being welcomed.  It brings relief to the dry ground, reduces the fire danger and fills up the water table a little before the hard freeze of winter comes.  We have missed the rain and can tolerate it intruding into our crisp fall days as we relish the benefits that it will bring.

For many years now assembly at Runoia has often included the phrase ‘It’s a Fine Maine Day’ it has become a tradition and a tag line of sorts that we have come to expect.  Some days it may have an addendum that reflects the current climatic conditions, ‘the liquid sunshine will be sure to keep our fields and forests green’ or maybe ‘it’s tropical out make sure you have your water bottles.’  Whatever the weather at camp we make the best of it and we embrace it for what it is.  We can control many components of our days and schedules but the weather is not one of them.  Putting a positive spin on the things we cannot change helps us to develop resiliency, flexibility and confidence that we are in charge of our own mood.  We can choose to waste our day grumbling and complaining or get on with having a blast and enjoying every minute of our time at camp.

There are always positives to be found in the variable Maine summer weather.  A rainy morning may result in a ‘sleep in’ with a later bell and the opportunity for a little extra time to snooze.  Rain may come as a relief from a stretch of baking sunny days that can be exhausting.  A fire in the Lodge is cozy and an opportunity to not have to rush and take time to enjoy reading the logs or a good book.  Rainy day program is often a fun, entertaining and creative switch up from our regular scheduling.

Whatever the weather in your location we hope that you can make it an ‘FMD’, make the most of the opportunities that the day presents and imagine the noise of the rain on the metals roofs at camp.

Maine – the way life should be whatever the weather!

Fall reflections about the summer at camp

Posted on 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.

Runoia zen

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.

View from the Runoia boathouse

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 112th season on Great Pond.

 

Camp Runoia session session is rolling!

Posted on by Alex

Second session came in with a barrage of giggles, a few dreary rain clouds and an enthusiasm for camp life that we love to see at this point in the summer.  Our campers were so ready to get here that the opening day line by the gate was long even before lunch was finished.  We love the energy that these girls bring and have quickly helped everyone get settled and engaged with the Runoia routines.

Our new girls already seem like they have been here forever and old and new friendships are strong.  The full season girls have bridged the break nicely and had a fun trip out bowling and to the movies to celebrate their first session accomplishments and to skip orientation!

Full season campers had a blast at bowling!

Horses are being ridden, the ski boat is running nonstop, the first overnight wilderness trips head out today, craft and shop projects have been started and everyone is so busy all day long they fall into bed at night for a great sleep.  The first couple of days of tag up were a little overwhelming for some girls while others knew exactly what they wanted to choose first.  With over 15 choices of classes decision making skills are exercised at every opportunity.

For those of you following our nature updates there has not been a moose sighting in the area for a couple of days now and it seems that the fledgling barred owls finally got their flying feathers.  The great blue heron is typically on the beach at dusk when it is quiet around camp. The loons continue their nightly greetings to us as we slip into dreams of the fun we can have tomorrow.  We are truly living in harmony with nature at every opportunity.

We are so glad to be here in Harmony Land and know that the next few weeks will fly by; we will ‘maximize our opportunities’ and take advantage of these ‘fine Maine days.’

Tag up time at Camp Runoia -independent decision making

Posted on by Alex

It is almost time for Camp Runoia on Great Pond in Belgrade Lakes, Maine to open for its 111th season.

As a camp where girls are encouraged to be themselves and grow as individuals one of the greatest legacies that our Runoia founders left us was that of camper led decision making.  From the time Camp Runoia was founded girls and young women have had choices.  Morning ‘tag up’ after breakfast has become a staple of how girls make decisions and plan their own days at camp.  With around twenty different activity choices for each period there is something that appeals to everyone.  Check out the choices!

In a world where many of our campers are in very academic school programs and spend their after school time running from one pre-scheduled activity to another ‘tagging up’ allows for freedom and individuality of choice.  As parents of toddlers we are coached on giving choices to develop independent behavior but as children get older their decision making autonomy decreases.

There are no parents involved in how girls make choices at Runoia.  The great news is that you don’t have to commit for a semester or a 10 week block and if you like something you can do more of it or if you don’t like it all that much you can choose something different next time.  Youth involved decision making is a building block for developing life skills.

When girls make their own activity choices at camp or chose what they would like to do in their free time they can focus on themselves and their own needs and wants at that given moment.  While some girls come to camp with a master plan for their choices others enjoy a more flexible schedule and choose based on their goals, their mood that day or even the weather.  For some the challenge of choosing may initially be overwhelming, for others the days are too short to fit in everything that they want to try or work on. There is no right or wrong way to ‘tag up’ it’s just your own way!

Every camper has her own individual schedule that changes daily.

However a Camp Runoia girl makes her choices she is supported by caring adults who provide encouragement.  Campers are reminded to set and aim for goals,  try new things, stick with projects that need finishing, be an independent thinker and of course maximize the opportunities that camp provides.

In our over scheduled, busy lives, ‘tag up’ provides structured freedom of decision making in a safe place.

Preparations and anticipation at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Alex

The weeks leading up to the summer camp season are always a little frantic.  May is a month full of preparation and anticipation.  A whole years’ worth of work is rapidly coming to fruition.  The result will be the June arrival of staff and campers to the shores of Great Pond for their amazing summer camp season.  What was once just a concept is rapidly becoming a reality. Preparations for the 2017 summer sleep away camp season are definitely in full swing here at Camp Runoia.

There is the sudden leap into spring here in Maine which generates plenty of outdoor work.  There are sticks that need picking up, grass that needs mowing, flowers that need planting, docks to put in, a beach that requires raking and a myriad of other tasks that need doing right now!  Cleaning up the winter detritus and getting our campus looking beautiful is a high priority.  The longer days allow for more outdoor work and are a great distraction from the office!

I think Camp Runoia probably has it’s own UPS warehouse!

 

The UPS truck is a regular visitor to the Camp Runoia office with daily drops of packages filled with the needed supplies to make the camp program run smoothly.  Soon the food service trucks will be rolling in as we get our kitchen opened up and fully stocked and let’s not forget the oil truck and maybe even the septic guy getting their jobs done before camp opens.

 

At this time of year the names on the shack and staff lists take on more personality as we learn more about our girls and counselors and their hopes and dreams for their summer.  Parents are sharing medical information, travel plans, concerns and excitement for the sleep-away experience.  Staff are making travel plans, getting certifications completed and wrapping up their home lives to free up their summer so that they can be completely present at camp.  Penpal letters will be going out soon so that new campers will feel a stronger connection to their new summer family.

The phone never seems to stop ringing, it’s either the leadership team calling to run something by each other, a parent calling to check on the status of their forms or share a concern or maybe a local young person calling about a kitchen job.  We love talking to people and sharing our excitement for the opening of camp.  New parents read here – the ACA has lot of great articles to help you mentally and physically prepare for your daughters first sleep away camp experience.

We love that our days are filled to the brim and each brings us one step closer to the moment we are looking forward to the most.  When we pass through the Runoia gate and get to be ‘home’ for the summer in the place that we all adore surrounded by a community that supports and sustains each and every member.

Bring it on summer of 2017 we will be ready!

Passing through the Runoia gate into the summer of a lifetime!

 

Perseverance Builds Lifeskills at Camp Runoia

Posted on by Pam Cobb

After watching the final round of the PGA Masters tournament, all I could think of was “that’s serious perseverance”. Sergio Garcia had played in over 70 Major PGA events and finally won his first Major on April 9. He was graced with the iconic green jacket and history was in the books.

You can probably see where I’m going with this but one thing you do not know about me as the owner and director of Camp Runoia… I’m married to a sports fanatic. He put the “fan” in fanatic. That means a lot of conversation comes up about all major sports events daily. There is always a sport in season. And although we don’t watch much TV, you can guarantee there is a sports game on any night you want to watch. Spring is an exciting season in the pro world because as baseball starts, NHL hockey is in the final games and NBA is in the semi finals. #nonstopsports We actually met each other over pro sports so I’m pretty enthusiastic about sports, too. (add horse events and all women’s pro teams!).

But back to Senor Garcia. Ah-maze-ing. Tied at the end of four days of battling for the win, led to a “playoff” at the Masters. Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia, best friends after playing over 20 years together, they tied to finish. The whole story is akin to mythology. Anyway, in the end Sergio persevered. That’s the real story. Seventy three tries at winning a major tournament in the PGA and he finally won one. One. One big one. I can feel the emotion all over again and I can only imagine how he felt.

So, the takeaway is pretty clear. Even when we are pretty good, we are not always the best at something… yet: When we try things, we need to practice and have patience in our own work and play. Whether it is getting more refined in a sport, improving reading comprehension, making meaningful connections with others, learning how to reduce impetuous behavior, developing a friendship, or understanding how the wind affects the sail power of a boat. Let me say it again: we need to practice, have patience, learn from our mistakes and try again. This is what makes pros win major tournaments and this is what makes Runoia campers grow up to be strong women. Perseverance.

Professional Networking and Development

Posted on by Pam Cobb

As camp professionals working with youth and young adults, we take professional development and professional networking seriously. This is the time of year many camp conferences across the country take place providing education, networking, inspirational speakers, and new ideas for everything from staff training, in-service training, camper support and guidance, special programming, and more. Check out the American Camp Association conference in Albuquerque, NM going on right now.

We are fortunate that Marijean “MJ” Parry is at the conference this week, networking and learning to bring back to Runoia. If you haven’t met MJ yet, her introduction is here on our Runoia site.  Our leadership team will be convening  in March at the ACA/NE conference in New Hampshire. We look forward to meeting in person and connecting with others helping Runoia to continue to grow and build lifelong skills of its own!

Our professional development doesn’t end with our camp connections. As I grow in my own field of work, I see youth outreach programs that are extraordinary. I am impressed by my childhood friend from Princeton, Jonathan Diamond, founder and director of the Hilltown Youth and Recovery Theatre helping youth through theatre and performing to recover from addiction and/or anxiety and other mental health challenges.

Jonathan grew up at camp in Maine and his sons attended Chewonki as well. He credits his camp experience to who he is today and the important work he is doing with children. I’m impressed with his work as shown in this short and compelling video.

The images of the work his program provides are vivid and powerful. Hats off to Jonathan and his team. If you are a person who works in counseling or helps youth with anxiety, addiction or other mental health challenges, I encourage you to check out Hilltown Youth and contact Jonathan if you are interested in more information. jonathan@crocker.com

Our connections with youth professionals from foster care to prep schools makes us better camp professionals. We are fortunate to know so many fantastic people doing great things helping us to stretch and grow just like our campers and staff do each summer!