outdoors fun Archives - Page 3 of 4

Marking time

Posted on May 25, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

There are less than three weeks to go until we move up to camp. I figure I have about 500 items that need labeling with names! Even with my poor math I am pretty sure I am going to have to pull an all-nighter to get it done in time and there is still bound to be a pair of socks that escapes. Thank goodness for the ‘sharpie’ it is a life saver at this time of year. Fortunately with a fairly unusual hyphenated last name just the initials written on a label will suffice.

Marking clothing, shoes, toiletries and pretty much every item that we are taking to camp is always a sign of the passage of time for me. While it is sometimes a little frantic because I have left it until the last minute I know that our summer is just around the corner and the past years’ worth of work will be coming to fruition.

New summer clothes yet to be worn being labelled and packed for camp are a precursor to the fine weather, long summer days and fun we will all be having at Runoia. There is no point packing anything too fancy so those clothes stay home, the old winter stuff that won’t fit in the fall can be handed down and it is a time for reorganizing closets and dressers. The anticipation of knowing the next time you wear those packed clothes will be at camp fills us with anticipation.

So thank you Sanford Ink company “Sharpie” was originally a name designating a permanent marker launched in 1964 by the Sanford Ink Company. The Sharpie also became the first pen-style permanent marker.” I am eternally grateful to not have to be sewing or ironing on labels because really who has time for that?

Happy packing it is almost time to be on Great Pond!

Six Degrees of Camp Runoia

Posted on May 3, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

Rushing to get to work I stepped on an ottoman, which immediately flipped. I landed on my neck and face causing spinal injuries in two neck disks. Ending up at Maine Medical Center and looking at neurosurgery was not a fun experience. My neurosurgeon was confident it was an easy fix and so I relied on his expertise. A week of hospitalization, rehab and five weeks of a neck brace followed.

Happily I am back at work, regaining my stamina and beginning to feel like myself again. A huge thanks to all who helped me though the experience and my surgeon who happens to have the good judgment to be a Camp Runoia Dad!

This note was written by our camp nurse of almost two decades. Kathy Dishner volunteers every summer still with check in and her husband, Ted, is returning for his sixth summer as Head of Target Sports and Woodshop. Both of their daughters attended Runoia as children and worked at camp as counselors. Thank you Dishner family for your generosity toward Runoia, your belief in camp and your contributions to camp every summer. Kathy, we are so glad you are healthy and healing from your spill and that your surgeon was a Runoia parent! It is a small world indeed.

Six degrees of separation is a reference that we only ever six people away from someone we are interacting with (a friend of a friend type thing). There’s also a decent movie that’s a comedy about the subject titled, you guessed it, Six Degrees of Separation.

We used to laugh at Baynie, one of our long time alumna who knew everyone in the world and whenever you met someone they knew her or knew of her and/or she knew of them. As Runoia’s name continues to build cache through its 110 years, we truly believe six degrees of separation from Camp Runoia is a real thing.

Finding Harmony

Posted on March 11, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

Where do you find harmony? Where does your child find harmony?

Harmony in a Moment at Camp — Harmony in a Camp Moment

Is it in that first cup of coffee? Or is harmony found amid a car ride to school, where perhaps there are a few quiet moments to connect and communicate? Maybe it is in a sunrise or sunset, or the dinner table that occasionally finds everyone gathered around.

For me, finding harmony started with a mid-afternoon walk, a text and a podcast.

The text? A few words that came across my phone noting that my niece was heading to Iceland on a few week adventure.

The podcast? A short story of two folks who once used a roll of a dice to lead them, by chance, to explore new places during their week vacation.

A text, a podcast and that afternoon walk invited me to find harmony. Those few moments inspired me to think differently about my upcoming summer.

Yes, it’s good in Cleveland, but where and what else should be explored? Where else can I grow, grow with others seeking the “harmony” in life?

Remembering a love of Maine from vacations of the past, a simple Google search of camps quickly led me to Runoia. Runoia, Native American for “harmony.”

Belgrade Lakes, archery, loons, stained glass, horses, family style dining, ceramics, campfires by the lake and plenty of traditions…Yes, this was sounding like harmony to me.

Beyond the age of a camper, this summer I will become part of the staff – the team – that will work together to create harmony among a camp filled with young ladies.

For me, harmony is about taking this time to join Runoia, to become part of a community, and to work towards a program that benefits all.

This summer, harmony will be about the sunsets, and the loons, a new stained glass project. Harmony will be about the first arrow a young lady shoots. Harmony will be about kayaks, and books being read aloud in a cabin as the moon rises. Harmony will be about Sunday evening programs by the lake, and trips to places never explored.

Harmony will be about opportunities to grow, and learn and explore. Together.

This summer, harmony will be about Runoia and I can’t wait.

What about you? Where and how will you find your harmony?

Written and submitted by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford, Camp Runoia Summer Assistant Director

My Home Away from Home – Erin Lasher

Posted on February 10, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

I have spent ten summers of my life at Runoia. I grew up there, and made some of the most amazing memories. Camp is not just a place anymore for me, it is a feeling of home. This past summer as I drove myself to camp for the first time I realized how much I had grown up. For the first time I was driving myself to a place that I called home, instead of having my family drive me, but as I was sitting in the car I realized that I was not going to be away from my family at all. I was returning to the family that I got to choose.

Pam and Alex have been in my life since I was 8 years old. They are my moms and they definitely had a hand in raising me. Camp was not just a place for me to learn activities, and later teach them, but a place for me to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. I loved every activity at camp, and it is amazing to say that I made the basket that now sits on my desk, but the things I hold most dear are those that were outside of activities.

The things that you don’t even realize that you are learning are at times more valuable than the known skills, things like sharing a room, becoming a leader, asking for help, being able to laugh at yourself, and being independent. I still remember my Mom driving my sister and I to camp for the first time all those years ago. I was only nine years old and absolutely terrified. That summer I became known to Alex as the one who cried, and she, along with the rest of camp, made Runoia feel like home by the end. I ended up signing up for camp for the next six years, and then became a CIT and a counselor. I bet neither Pam nor Alex could have expected that the scared little girl they held that day would end up being there for the next decade.

At 20 years old I have spent half of my life at camp. I have laughed, cried, and made the best friendships imaginable. I can proudly say that I have Runoia sisters all over the world. I was even lucky enough to be able to visit them while I was living in Europe last semester. They were a little bit of home for me, and I was so fortunate to be able to visit them in their own countries. At camp I found family, and learned lessons that I am still discovering. Over ten years being a part of the Runoia family is incredible, and I have made friends that I will hopefully keep for the rest of my life. Being able to have the opportunity to be a camper and a counselor was amazing and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my home away from home.

Count Down to Runoia 2016!

Posted on January 26, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

The countdown to summer sleepaway camp is well underway as we just passed the 150 “days till camp” marker. While some campers are enjoying the count down, others are feeling a big nervous and maybe even somewhat anxious about overnight camp. This is perfectly normal!

What can you do to encourage your campers to be ready for camp? Here’s some tips from the experts:

Brooke Cheley-Klebe from Cheley Camps suggests “Get your camper involved in picking out gear for camp. If you buy hiking boots, go on a hike with them!”

Camp Owner and TED talk extraordinaire, Steve Baskin suggests reframe what three weeks away is about “wise parents provide their children with a different frame to look at camp. It is not “3 weeks away from mom and dad”, but is instead “a grand adventure full of fun and friends”.

Jen Bush writes for American Camp Association: “Learn details of the facilities. Will your child have to walk to the bathroom at night? Some kids, especially those from urban areas, are unaccustomed to total darkness, so it’s a good idea to practice using a flashlight. Will she be exposed to a lot of bugs and wildlife? Consider taking a family camping trip in advance to familiarize your child with the outdoor environment, nighttime sounds, and roughing it a bit.”

A great idea we heard from a parent is have your teenager take a mini-vacation from their phone or screen. Make it a positive experience where you go do something together or something she enjoys and explain that it’s about being present together. Not tying it “going away to camp” will be in their favor.

Other ideas:
• Look over the packing list together on https://runoia.com/camp-store/, start browsing your closets and stores and gathering items together for camp.
• Practice sorting their dirty laundry from clean clothes, carrying their toiletries to the shower, brushing and braiding their hair, making their bed. Make a list of things they will be expected to do at camp on their own or with the support of a counselor or a friend and start practicing!
• Discuss what they will enjoy doing at camp, look over the camp activities, help explain how they can sign up for activities at the camp and who to turn to if they would like to change their schedule.
• Let them know how Runoia directors and adults are around all the time to help them at camp. Have them write an email to us about any concerns so we can address them. Reducing uncertainty and knowing adults will be there to help them really helps.

Let your camper know it is absolutely normal to be nervous about camp and let her know that everyone is nervous – even the campers returning to Runoia. Remind her we are great at helping campers adjust and get oriented at Camp Runoia and we want her to have the best time of her life!

Normal Anxiousness about Sleepaway Camp

Posted on January 13, 2016October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

The countdown to summer sleepaway camp is well underway as we approach the 150 days till camp marker. While some campers are enjoying the count down, others are feeling a big nervous and maybe even somewhat anxious. This is perfectly normal!

What can you do to encourage your campers to be ready for camp?

Here’s some tips from the experts:

Brooke Cheley-Klebe from Cheley Camps suggests “Get your camper involved in picking out gear for camp. If you buy hiking boots, go on a hike with them!

Other ideas:

Look over the packing list together on https://runoia.com/camp-store/, start browsing your closets and stores and gathering items together for camp.
Practice sorting their dirty laundry from clean clothes, carrying their toiletries to the shower, brushing and braiding their hair, making their bed. Make a list of things they will be expected to do at camp on their own or with the support of a counselor or a friend and start practicing!
Discuss what they will enjoy doing at camp, look over the camp activities, help explain how they can sign up for activities at the camp and who to turn to if they would like to change their schedule.
Let them know how Runoia directors and adults are around all the time to help them at camp. Have them write an email to us about any concerns so we can address them. Reducing uncertainty and knowing adults will be there to help them really helps.

Odd Mum out!

Posted on January 7, 2016October 18, 2016 by Alex

We were pretty busy over school vacation. We didn’t go anywhere too far away but spent time doing activities together that we don’t often get a chance to fit in. When we didn’t go visiting family and friends our days included plenty of fun both indoors and out. We like to be active: we went dog walking up the local mountain (dog-sitting Runoia’s Jake was a good excuse); ice skating at the indoor arena as the pond across the street isn’t frozen yet; to the big trampoline park to get in not only bouncy time but slack lining and playing in the giant hamster balls too. The waterpark is only an hour away and is always good for a few hours on a freezing cold day; swimming is the summer activity that we miss the most when we are not at camp. Of course when it did finally snow a microscopic amount we hit the local ski slope to get warmed up for the season.

One thing that I noticed while out and about was how many parents looked so bored sitting around the edges while their kids were having a great time. I am not passing judgement I am sure that there are many reasons for adults to not join in the fun but it just never occurred to me to not participate. I began to feel a bit like the odd Mum out. Why would I want to sit and watch when I can take part? My kids can get a great laugh at my efforts, we get to make memories together and it allows my children to be better than me at a bunch of stuff – there is definitely no front handspring on the trampoline from me these days! I also appreciate getting some good exercise and having plain old fun.

I’m not my kids tag-along for everything and believe me I am more than happy when they are tucked up in bed for the night and I get some quiet time. I enjoy being the odd mum out and thank goodness I have a bunch of grown up friends who like to join me.

Obviously there is no actual photographic evidence of me doing any of these activities as I was far too busy having fun. Might be time to buy a selfie stick!

Posted on December 30, 2015October 18, 2016 by Pam Cobb

This time of year is a typical time for reflections on the year behind and dreams and goals for the year ahead. At Camp Runoia we build lifelong skills through daily, weekly and session long goal setting. Although we fondly hash tag “magic happens” – ironically most of the magic that comes out of the camp experience is planned and intentional youth development. These building blocks for goal setting set the stage for growth and a lifelong skills of reaching for and working toward things beyond our grasp.

Many Runoia campers learn about goal setting and marking achievements along the way to meet that goal through camp life. Daily reflections by way of “circle up” at the end of the day with cabin-mates and counselors at Runoia might be a “pit and a peach”, a “rose and a thorn” or a “pickle and a candy”. Runoia campers take a moment each day to think about and share what was hard for them and what they feel proud about from the day. Sometimes sharing “a peach bud or a rose bud or a seed” helps campers to think about what they’d like to start working on through camp activities or their major activity for the week.

What we have found to be true is talking about what you experience makes it memorable, etches what you’ve learned and builds on the experience making it more profound or magical. Announcing to others what you found challenging and what you feel proud about and what you want to work on, allows you to feel as sense of gain, a positive experience even if it was hard along the way.

As all of us take time to reflect and set goals for the year, thinking about how we set daily, weekly and session goals in the summer helps get better about setting goals for the year. Leave it to camp to help build skills that last a lifetime. And it never hurts to dream a little about how #magichappens, too!

Mountain Biking at Runoia and beyond

Posted on October 14, 2015October 18, 2016 by Alex

As the crisp autumn air flows in, I am reassured as to why I live in New England. For the seasons. Now is a perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy all that New England has to offer. Perhaps a swift hike in the woods or a leisurely walk along the water suits you. For me, I want to go mountain biking.

I was so inspired last summer spending time mountain biking with the girls of Camp Runoia. It is truly a gift to be able to pass on my passion for a great sport onto these young ladies. To watch their eagerness to learn and explore is a tough feeling to beat. I started mountain biking back in the early nineties when the sport first started to take off. Historically, this has been a sport dominated by men, but the question remains, how do we get more girls and women involved in this great sport? When I came to Runoia, I was thrilled to see that we had a mountain bike program. What a great way to expose our girls to a sport they may not be exposed to otherwise. As the bike technology advances and trails and parks become more accessible, my hope is that more young women will try mountain biking. I wanted to share something that a local mountain bike park that I ride at in New Hampshire hosted last weekend. Click here to see a short video with some highlights from the “Women’s Freeride Festival” hosted by Highland Mountain Bike Park.

Highland Mountain Bike Park is a very progressive place which is really on the cutting edge of the sport. Constantly creating new terrain and technical elements, they draw amateur and professional riders from all over the world. I feel lucky to have this resource not far from home. They obviously recognize that in order to sustain a sport like this and a facility like this, they need more riders. I’m sure that this workshop inspired so many women to get into this sport or if already in it, it empowered them to take it to the next level. This is a sport all about personal growth. You can go as slow or as fast as you want…as big or as small as you want. What a feeling when you accomplish the next big challenge for the first time. It truly gives you a great sense of power and accomplishment.

If you have never mountain biked, I encourage you to give it a try! This is an amazing sport which is here to stay. I look forward to many more “Fine Maine Days” next summer spent mountain biking with the fabulous girls of a little sleep away camp which we call Runoia!

By Chris Mercier

Meet the staff

Posted on May 1, 2015October 18, 2016 by Alex

A guest blog by Morgan Price

My name is Morgan and I will be the girl who runs around camp taking pictures, updating our social media sites, blogging about all of your exciting adventures and activities and helping with event planning! You will almost always see me in my bright colored, monogrammed hats.

A little about me: I am from Marietta, Georgia- right outside of Atlanta. I am finishing up my sophomore year at Georgia College and State University with a major in Marketing. I am highly involved on campus and have served a few different positions for my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha. At school I live in a house with thirteen girls and love it! I have two sisters, a twin sister and a twelve year old sister. I love shopping, exploring, traveling, cooking and dancing. I can teach you how to make an awesome friendship bracelet and love making crazy costumes!

Even though this is my very first summer spent at a sleep away camp, I am so excited for camp to start and I hope y’all are as ready for it as I am. I purchased my bright pink duffle bag and I am already shopping and packing for everything I need for camp. While Georgia isn’t exactly across the world, I am still excited to travel 1300 miles to see the beautiful state of Maine that I have heard so much about.

A “Little Life Lesson” from me:

Sing Loud, Sing Proud; dance like nobody is watching; and try everything!

I will openly tell you I am one of the worst singers to ever walk the planet, but that doesn’t stop me from singing. I love to sing even though I am not as talented as Taylor Swift I give it my best shot. Remember this when you are getting ready to sign up for activities each week. Camp Runoia offers many activities from Archery to Windsurfing and everything you can imagine in between. Just because you may not be the best at something does not mean you shouldn’t sign up for that as an activity!

Always remember “the best thing to hold onto in life is each other”- Audrey Hepburn

Love Morgan