Reunited…

Out-of-Camp trips offer our campers the opportunity to see many of the beautiful destination spots in Maine. Our 8th Graders (Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor) and CITs (Whitewater Rafting on the Kennebec River) both returned this afternoon. We can’t wait to hear their stories about the adventures they had, but we’re glad to have our entire camp family back together!  Yesterday was our first “S” Day, and each group had its own special trip:  Saco & Kineo (Splashtown USA), Baxter & Allagash (Aquaboggan) and 7th Grade Nation (Old Orchard Beach). After so much excitement in one day, it was nice to sit back and relax last night with our annual Drive-In Movie on the Downeast Field. It was the perfect end to an amazing day!

 

As the summer keeps moving, the fun never takes a break. Tonight, Roger and Dagni are dining in town with our 7-Year Club. It’s always an awesome time to hang out and reflect on some of the most memorable times of their long camp careers. And while camp may be moving quickly, we have so much to look forward to: Canobie Lake & Funtown, Moose Bowl & Katahdin Cup, Lion King & Aladdin, Carnival…the list goes on! We’ll keep you posted, and, until next time: It’s a beautiful day in the state of Maine!!

Off to the Races!!!

While it may seem as though we just arrived at camp, we certainly wasted no time getting right into the fun!

After Monday’s Arrival and Tuesday’s Moose Stomp Day, Wednesday was our first program day and everyone was thrilled. From the Ballfields to the Theater, Crescent Lake to the Culinary Center, Equestrian Center to the Arts Studio…the sounds of campers laughing, playing and cheering reminds us each day how lucky we are to be at this special place! We’ve had our 3-Year Club Party, started intercamp games, cast the plays and begun rehearsals, had combines and practices for Moose Bowl and Katahdin Cup…and that’s just the start.

Our 6th Grade boys were the first to head out on an overnight camping trip. They arrived back at camp today with some awesome stories and memories! Tomorrow morning, our CIT’s will head to the Kennebec River for their White Water Rafting trip, while our 8th Graders are off to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor! We miss them while they’re gone, but seeing their smiles when they return and hearing their fantastic stories make it all worthwhile!

As you can probably tell, the action is in full swing at Laurel South! We’ll keep you updated on all the goings on in Casco in future blogs. Until then, rest assured that it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine!!!

A New Beginning

On Friday we bid farewell to our First Session campers, and while we miss them already, we know everyone went home with a treasure trove of memories and friendships that will last a lifetime! Yesterday, with our staff rested and recharged, we enthusiastically welcomed our Second Session campers with so much excitement for what’s to come.

Today is Moose Stomp Day – games on the North Field with our Adventure team, bumper tubing on Crescent Lake, and making and eating S’mores. By tomorrow, schedules in hand, our campers will hit the Fields, Courts, Lake, Culinary Center, Stables and Arts Center, ready to begin activities. We have so much to look forward to: Moose Bowl and Katahdin Cup…Lion King and Aladdin…intercamp games and tournaments…Funtown and Canobie Lake…camping and day trips…and (most importantly) spending time catching up with old friends and forging new friendships!

Stay tuned to future blogs as we keep you up-to-date on all of the goings on at Laurel South! Camp…the way life should be!!!

Sun Set…Sun Rise

What a wonderful First Session we had! From Arrival to Departure and every day in between, we made the most of each day. From Moose Bowl to Katahdin Cup, Lion King to Aladdin, it truly was one of our best summers yet!

For all of our campers who departed, thank you for an awesome time, and we can’t wait to see you next summer. To our incredible group of CITs, thank you all for the positive example you set for our younger campers. Yours was a special group who we’ll remember fondly. We hope to see many of you back as counselors in a few years. To our staff: wonderful job First Session! To our camp families: thank you for the tremendous faith you’ve shown in us. We understand that choosing a camp is no easy task. We hope we exceeded your expectations.

And just like that, our attention turns to the equally amazing campers arriving on Monday! We can’t wait to see you. Get ready for the summer of a lifetime!! Camp…the way life should be!

A Moose Bowl For the Ages!!

How is it possible that we’re already into our final week of the session? So much has been going on since the last blog:

Moose Bowl was incredible! The Black Bears rolled out to a 20-0 halftime lead, and many thought it was over.  But someone forgot to tell the Rattle Snake CIT captains. Fired up coming out of the half, the Rattlers staged a furious comeback, ending regulation tied at 26…that’s right, OUR FIRST MOOSE BOWL OVERTIME! Actually, it was three overtimes before the Rattle Snakes came out on top, 32-26!

Not to be outdone, last night was our younger thespians time to shine in everyone’s favorite: The Lion King. The time and effort of our campers and staff in the production really paid off as this was one of the finest shows we’ve seen in a long, long time!

Today, the entire camp is off to Funtown USA, where we’ll delight in the rides, the food, the games and (of course) the food!  We know we said food twice, but have you ever tried fried dough?

You might think we’re slowing down, but the action will continue as long as we’re here. We still have: Aladdin, Final Banquet, Final Social, Closing Ceremonies…the list goes on. Our campers may be leaving us in less than a week, but we still have time to make new friends and create new memories! Camp…the way life should be!

So Unbelievably Proud

It wasn’t very long ago that a group of Rangeley men asked for the opportunity to compete in an event where hard work and practice would pay off in the form of a game. Of course that kernel of an idea has transformed into the Moose Bowl…one of our best camp traditions!

This past year, we received a similar request from the ladies of Katahdin. They too wanted to show their skills, to allow their hard work to pay off and to try their best (within the framework of the rules) to win. From this simple request, the Katahdin Cup was born.  Yesterday, the Laurel South Loons took to the field for a spirited soccer matchagainst a squad from Tripp Lake. Watching our young ladies practice throughout the summer, scrimmage against other camps and finally show off their skills filled each of us with an incredible sense of pride. Our ladies played hard, played fair, made friends with their competitors and created memories that will last a lifetime and a tradition sure to thrive for many years to come! We have so much to share in future blogs, but we wanted to dedicate this one to our inaugural Katahdin Cup team. You ladies certainly made the entire camp proud!

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

Now that we’ve hit the midway point of the summer, we can stop to reflect on all of the amazing memories we’ve created and look forward to all the incredible times still to come! Since our last post, our phenomenal group of CITs broke another Spirit Days for the ages! From the way they came together for the break to the leadership they displayed throughout, we couldn’t be more proud of them. They truly set the tone for the entire camp. We competed hard for two days on the fields, in the lake, making plaques and cheering.  The Laurel South spirit was felt all over camp. And while one team won the event, we truly are all winners, having shared this experience before coming back together as one camp family!

Our 7th Graders are on their way to Ogunquit Beach for an incredible day trip, while our CITs (a little tired from Spirit Days) departed on their Super-Secret Magical Mystery trip. We could tell you where they’re going but…. Tomorrow is not only our fantastic Carnival Day, but it will also be our 1st Annual Katahdin Cup! The girls have been practicing so hard, and they can’t wait to show off their skills! We have so much to look forward to as we enter the second half of the season, and we’ll keep you updated.

 

Camp…the way life should be!

Nearing the Halfway Point

Every summer seems to fly by, and this one is no exception! Seems like we just arrived, and OMG, we only have 2 weeks left! The fun hasn’t slowed at all, and camp is in full swing. Seeing children playing sports, building rockets, creating art, enjoying nature, challenging themselves at adventure, splashing in Crescent Lake, riding horses, practicing for upcoming theater shows…all unmistakable signs the 2019 summer will be another one for the ages!

One early highlight was our Katahdin Cup team scrimmaging another camp, under the lights, in front of 100 cheering fans. What a night it was! Our ladies made the entire Laurel South family proud. We are sure this special night will become an incredible tradition. Yesterday was the 4th of July, and our traditional BBQ dinner was followed by the most epic fireworks show around! Today the entire camp traveled to Canobie Lake for a day of rides, games, food, and (most importantly) spending times with our camp family, creating memories and forging friendships that will last a lifetime.

With only 2 weeks to go, we will continue full-steam-ahead, making the most of every moment we are together in Maine. Still to come: Spirit Days, Theater Shows, Carnival, Moose Bowl, Katahdin Cup and so much more! Stay tuned for future blogs, and – as always – it’s a beautiful day in the state of Maine!

Reunited and It Feels So Good!

How fast camp flies by! It seems like yesterday we all arrived in Maine, and yet here we are with our first full week in the books. And what a week it was! We’re all so excited to welcome back our amazing 8th Graders and incredible CITs today. The 8th Graders had such a great time camping at Acadia National Park and visiting Bar Harbor, while the CITs had a blast whitewater rafting on the Kennebec River!  We love that these groups have a chance to see some of the most beautiful spots in Maine, but we do miss them terribly while they’re gone. Our first “S Day” was so much fun, as each campus had a unique trip planned throughout this wonderful state. Saco and Kineo conquered Splashtown USA, Baxter and Allagash spent the day at Aquaboggan, and our 7th Graders toured Old Orchard Beach. Everyone had an amazing time!

 

Today we’re back to our “A Day” schedules. Roger and Dagni are so excited to have dinner tonight with our 7-Year Club!  While the dinner is awesome, the best part of the evening is laughing and sharing stories with so many campers who have literally grown up before our very eyes! Tonight also marks the start of what we’re certain will become a new and exciting Laurel South tradition. After evening program, we will have our first Katahdin Cup practice. Many of our 7th, 8th and 9th Grade girls asked for a competitive event similar to the boys’ Moose Bowl. Their requests were heard. The girls who wish to compete will practice soccer all session and will compete against another camp on our Carnival Day. The girls are pumped!

 

There is so much to look forward to: 4th of July; 7th Graders Camden State Park excursion; Spirit Days; Moose Bowl; Theater Shows; Rocket Launches…and so much more to come.

Camp…The Way Life Should Be!

Our campers have a saying: “Camp life means living 11 months for 1.” Throughout the year, the countdown shrinks and shrinks until we are finally reunited on the shores of Crescent Lake waiting with great anticipation for Roger’s famous words: “What a beautiful day in the state of Maine today!” And, as Roger explains to our first time camp families, this statement has nothing to do with the weather, but rather the appreciation for where we are, who we’re with and how much fun we’re going to share!

 

We’ve already hit the ground running.  After Monday’s Arrival and Tuesday’s Moose Stomp Day, Wednesday was our first “A” Day of the summer, and everyone was thrilled. From the Fields to the Theater, Crescent Lake to the Culinary Center, Equestrian Center to the Arts Studio…the sounds of campers laughing, singing and cheering reminds us each day of how lucky we are to be here. Our 6th Grade boys were the first to head out on an overnight camping trip, having left on Thursday.  This morning, our awesome CITs will head to the Kennebec River for their  White Water Rafting trip, while our 8th Graders are off to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor!  We’ll miss them while they’re gone, but seeing their smiles when they return and hearing their fantastic stories make it all worthwhile!

As you can probably tell, the action is in full swing at Laurel South!  We’ll keep you updated on the goings-on in Casco in future blogs. Until then, rest assured that it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine!