Water, Sports, Activities, Trips and More!

The first week of the 2012 season was packed full of action and fun. Our 8th and 9th Graders will soon be pulling back into camp after awesome adventures at Acadia National Park and White Water Rafting on the Kennebec River. We can’t wait for the entire Laurel South family to be reunited by dinner. Our first “S” Day was a rousing success as Saco/Kineo had a blast at Kahuna Laguna…the Allagash/Baxter campers spent the afternoon bowling, and the 7th graders had a ball at Sea Coast. Of course everyone enjoyed Bumper Tubing in the morning! It’s hard to believe we’re a week into the season, but we’re psyched about what still leis ahead!!

Another Great Day at Laurel South…

We have been at camp for just a few days, but the action is in full swing! Full program began last Friday and we had our first rotation of “A” and “B” Days. We can’t wait for our first in camp “S” Day tomorrow.
Our 8th Graders are heading out to Acadia National Park for an awesome camping trip…our CIT’s are getting ready for their unbelievable White Water Rafting trip…Intercamp games and Tournaments are beginning. Whether the sun is shining or we receive a dose of liquid sunshine, it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine! We’re having a blast!

Off and Running…

It’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine, but Thursday was even more beautiful. As Staff Orientation concluded we excitedly welcomed our incredible First Session campers from all over the United States and around the world. After reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, the entire Laurel South family gathered at Cove as Roger and Dagni officially kicked off the 2012 summer! After a delicious cookout dinner, each campus had their own Evening Program. Friday was Moosestomp Day, as campers have the opportunity to create their schedules for the summer, eat S’mores, bumper tube on beautiful Crescent Lake and get to know each other. We concluded the day with our annual Council Fire. We are all eagerly anticipated Saturday when programming officially begins!!!

First Time Camper…

So you’re a first-time camper.

Congratulations! You’re in for an amazing summer.

Here’s something interesting to think about: Everyone at Laurel South was once a first-time camper. Everyone!

You’re in great company!

You may already know some things about camp. You’ll be met at your bus or plane departure area by Laurel Counselors who will quickly make you feel comfortable. They’ll help you out during the trip to camp. And on the way you’ll get to know the other Laurel South campers your age. Some of them will be first-time campers too.

When you get off the bus at camp, you’ll be met by Roger and Dagni and many counselors from your cabin and group. The counselors will take you right to your cabin.
Then, you’ll meet more counselors and campers in your group and get a tour of camp.

Your bags will be unpacked, your bed made. You’ll be ready to start camp right away.

You’ll adjust so quickly to the Laurel South routine. We’ve got a lot of traditions, from morning Cove to S-Day and the Spirit Days.

As the summer goes on, you’ll try new things. There’s new food (did you know we buy lots of stuff from local farmers?). New activities, like archery, lacrosse, wakeboarding, fitness and radio. Even comedy improv.

You’ll meet campers and counselors from all over the country.

At the end of the summer, your parents will be amazed at all the new things you’ve tried. They’ll love hearing about all the new things you’ve done and friendships formed.

And the summer after next, you’ll be one of the veteran campers showing new campers the ropes.

We cant wait to see you soon!!

Mail Call

If your children have ever attended camp, chances are you’ve walked out to your mailbox at some point in the summer to find a letter that goes something like this:

Hi Mom and Dad,

I passed my swim test.  Yay!  I almost made it all the way to the top of the climbing wall yesterday.  More yay!  I WILL zipline before the end of the summer!  I bounced the ball off the post and actually scored a goal in soccer earlier today.  FIRST GOAL EVER!  The most yay!  Went on a nature hike a few days ago.  We saw a squirrel and named him Sam.  At least we think it was a squirrel.  It could have been a bunny.  Emma said that maybe it was a chupacabra.  Duh!  Chupacabras aren’t real.  But we just said, “Maybe.”  Then we thought it would be funny if we actually told people we saw a chupacabra just to see how many people we could get to believe us.  So now like a lot more people than I ever thought would believe there is a chupacabra running around in the woods, which is kind of bad because now it’s IMPOSSIBLE to sign up for nature because everyone wants to go on hikes in the woods to see the chupacabra.  Long story short, if Max writes home about seeing a chupacabra, it was a squirrel (or a bunny).  And if he finds out it was a squirrel and writes home that I told him it was a chupacabra, it wasn’t a trick I was playing on him specifically—and it wasn’t just me.

So my friend Katie and I made up this new game to see who can make up the goofiest knock knock joke.  Wanna hear the (kinda) funny joke she made up while we were walking?  Knock knock.  Who’s there?  Katie.  Katie who?  Katiepillar.  I made up one at dinner but it’s not as funny.  Knock knock.  Who’s there?  Butter.  Butter who?  Butterfly.  I also learned a new card trick in magic the other day that I can’t wait to show you when I get home.  Gotta go.  Love ya!

Many summer camps make letter writing a regular part of campers’ schedule and deliver

letters from parents and relatives to campers each day.  For campers, there is something special about sprawling across their bed at camp and reading what Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, and maybe even pets have been up to.

For parents, seeing a letter in their children’s handwriting makes the communication more personable.  It’s endearing to think one’s son or daughter took the time out of his or day to write home. Some parents even joke about how refreshing it is to receive a message that isn’t so full of abbreviated words that it requires an interpreter, like many text messages. It also lends added significance to those things about which children choose to write.  Parents have reported that it helps them more closely identify their children’s interests.  If a child dedicates two thirds of each letter home to how much fun she is having playing tennis, it’s a good indication that tennis is playing a particularly important role in the success of the camper’s summer.  Some parents  are so highly entertained by their children’s letters from camp that they make scrapbooks of their children’s letters from camp throughout the years as a memoir.  Author Diane Falanga was so inspired by children’s letters from camp that she published a compilation of them.

Sadly, email and text messaging have almost made the art of letter writing—taking pen to paper—extinct. But summer camp is a place where the tradition still survives.  Summer is a time when the joy of receiving an envelope with one’s name on it is rediscovered every summer by thousands of children and parents alike.