The CF Blog can now be found at http://www.campfriendship.com/blog

Isn’t that simple?

As the summer is upon us our new blog will not have all of our past posts but they are in the process of being migrated over so fret not it will all be here soon. For the time being we hope to keep you updated on the latest and greatest at Camp Friendship.

See you soon.

Cris

Take a look to see what you missed. Another great summer is almost here and we can’t wait. Maybe this will hold you off a little longer. For more summer camp videos, check out our YouTube page at www.youtube.com/campfriendship.

The American Camp Association (ACA) and Bob Ditter have put together a great video for parents with very helpful advice on this very subject, titled – Ready for Camp: Sharing Personal Information About Your Child With Camp Professionals.

 
Bob Ditter is a child, adolescent, and family therapist in Boston, Massachusetts. He consults with youth agencies throughout the United States, including the American Camp Association (ACA), Girl Scouts of the USA, YMCA, Salvation Army, JCCA, and many others. He has visited over 500 camps in the United States, writes for Camping Magazine, the official publication of ACA, and has authored many books and training videos for camp professionals.

We hope you find this video helpful and interesting. Please visit campparents.org for more helpful and informative getting ready for camp videos and for more Camp Friendship videos visit our YouTube summer camp page .

Because of Camp. . . I met my wife

Because of Camp. . .I have a fabulous job sharing this experience with children all over the world.

These are just some of the things camp has done for me but there’s so many other great benefits of camp. This isn’t me just talking either, studies have been performed by the American Camp Association and its partners to prove it, just see for yourself – http://www.acacamps.org/research/enhance/directions.php.

If you’d like to hear from more impressive names than myself, just listen to what Emma Roberts, Hill Harper, Lisa Loeb, Kerri Strug, Michal DeLorenzo, Blair Underwood, and many more have to say about their camp experiences.

On Friday we started our Staff Reunion weekend, our first reunion in over twenty years. We are thrilled at how great it went. I’d like to thank all of the former staff members that attended and really made this a reunion to remember. We had staff members come see us from as far away as Manchester, England and as near as right here in Palmyra, VA. We all had such a great time that we can’t wait to do it again in the near future. So to all of you I say visit our CF Alumni Directory page at www.campfriendship.com and get your name on the list so you don’t miss out on the next reunion. We hope to invite staff and campers in the future. Don’t forget to stay connected.

It was a real joy to see so many old friends together here at camp. Some of our visitors had not seen each other in over 10-15 years and it was like they had never been apart. I can honestly say we had lots of smiles and hugs to go around all weekend. Our Friday night Camp Fire started things off with a bang! The staff jumped right in with songs and dance without missing a beat. Like I said before, it’s like they never left Camp Friendship. We finished things off on Friday night with smores and time for old friends to catch up.

On Saturday it was time for activities like riflery, canoeing, mountain boarding, tennis, and high ropes which proved to be the most popular of all. It was very exciting to see how many of our former staff brought their little ones to participate in the fun this weekend. I was even more excited to see how many of them were already signed up to be campers this summer. I couldn’t ask for a better endorsement than that of a former camper and staff. After Lunch we got our hands dirty digging up a time capsule buried at camp during our last reunion over twenty years ago. It certainly smelled like it was that old! A lot of memories in that little box. Saturday came to a close after a wonderful dinner prepared by our Kitchen staff, a slideshow that seems to have been enjoyed by all, and a closing speech from our Owner/Founder Mr. Chuck Ackenbom.

Sunday brought our fun filled

weekend to a close. While many of us had a great time, as they say – all good things must come to an end. We bid farewell to our friends and we hope that these old friends will stay in touch and give these friendships another opportunity to grow. Thank you all for coming and we hope to see again real soon.

Cris

If you are unable to attend the Open House, Camp Friendship invites you to contact camp to arrange a tour of our facilities at a more convenient time for you. Whether it be an Open house or an individual camp tour, now is your time to ask questions or discuss concerns! Children are usually “sold” on the physical aspects of the camp visit – “What does my bunk/cabin look like?”; “How big is the pool?”; “I can Zipline into the lake? – (Cool!)” – where as parents are often swayed by the attention to detail of the Camp Director and its staff – “Will the bunk/cabin be kept this clean throughout the summer?”; “Do you have Lifeguards for the pool?”; “They (the campers) can zipline into the lake? – Is that safe?”. Make sure that when you leave camp that you have asked ALL of your questions, no matter how small the question, make sure you are satisfied with the answer, as half of preparing your child for the summer camp experience is also preparing yourself!

“How many pairs of socks do I pack?”; “Can I visit my child while they’re at camp?”; “Can I email my child?”; “What happens if my child gets homesick (or I miss my child)?”

These questions are very common for parents sending their children to summer camp! A huge part of preparation is also reading all the information provided by the camp or knowing where to access that information.

The best starting point is always the website! Camp Friendship’s website www.campfriendship.com holds everything you will need to know (and then some). “CF’s” Parent Handbook can be found on the website and is definitely a great way to prepare you and your camper with its many forms, lists and general information.

The Parent handbook is specifically designed to answer frequently asked questions pertaining to camp preparation, such as: packing and laundry, access codes for sending emails and viewing photos of campers, and it even contains phone numbers for your child’s Village Director (the person who oversees the cabins where your child lives while at camp) so that you can personally contact them during the summer to check on your child’s progress.

Now that you know what the facilities look like, who is going to be overseeing your child’s summer experience and what you can/can’t bring to camp (per the Parent Handbook) now it’s time to get as many of those forms/waivers signed and sent back to camp as early as possible. It may seem like a lot, but every piece of information (especially transportation details for interstate and internationals) is vital to us as a camp, to ensure that your camper receives the best possible camp experience. You are the experts on your children, so any information you can share about them helps camp provide positive experiences which translate into lifelong memories.

The excitement is in the air, the day is nearing… it’s time to pack your campers gear for camp. Let me say three things to you all before you start packing:

1. Paint 2. Grass Stains 3. Mud

That’s right… IT’S CAMP!! At camp it’s messy and dirty… that’s ‘cause it’s FUN! Please don’t send your campers with new clothes or clothes that you would usually consider “good” or “nice” clothes ‘cause it’s highly unlikely that they will return in the same condition. ALSO, please don’t allow your campers to bring things to camp that are usually considered “contraband” (please see a full list in the Parent Handbook)! Last but not least, help your campers pack their own bags, DON’T DO IT FOR THEM! That way they will know basically what’s in their bags, and it’s also another time you can take to positively talk to your camper about the exciting adventure that they are about embark on.

You now have the resources for preparing your camper for summer camp, we are only a phone call away, and we honestly will do anything we can to help prepare you and your camper for a positive summer experience…

After all… “Enter Here To Be and Find A Friend”!

*Original Article found on our Spring 2009 Newsletter

Speaking for our Assistant/Program Director Sam, she has some great new program/activity ideas to incorporate with some old favorites this summer. If I know Sam she’s been planning some new and fun activities since the end of last summer but now she’s really ready for anything.

Did I mention we saw GIANT snow flakes in Atlantic City!?

This summer will be the first summer we require our new staff to start their training prior to their early arrival at camp. This is something we are very happy and proud of doing this year. Our staff members will be working on a series of tests to prepare them for what to expect and what we expect from a camp counselor. This is all on top of the on camp training they will receive prior to their arrival at camp. While this little project has been in the works prior to our visit to the conference this is something that was reinforced by other camps. We all expect great things from our staff members, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Our Registrar has been looking into way to streamline our registration and online registration process and we are certainly making some headway in that area. We hope to have some news before registration opens for our 2010 summer.

Well in the spirit of keeping short and to the point let me close by saying that we are very excited for the upcoming summer. We have a large amount of high quality returning staff and we are all ready to make this one of our best summers ever.

Cris

Note: Next month we will be sending out an April edition of our Friendship Times Newsletter but only by email. So if you’d like to receive it please be sure to visit the Camp Friendship website and sign up to receive email messages from us.

For many children, attending some type of camp every summer is as natural as going to the pool or eating an ice cream on a hot day. Camp offers kids a lot of opportunities for growth. Socially, they learn how to work as part of a group, communal living skills (at resident/overnight camps), how to make new friends, conflict resolution, and many other invaluable skills. Personally, there’s a unique element of “structured independence”, where they can feel free to make certain decisions and choices, in a safe and supportive environment, allowing for personal growth. The benefits of camp are many, and we hope that you are considering sending your child to summer camp this year if you haven’t already.

For the first-timers, parents of those children and teens who are going to have their first away from home experience this summer (or even the first time at a new camp), there are some things that you can do prior to packing up the car and heading to camp that will help guarantee a smooth, rewarding experience for both you and your camper.

First, from the very beginning, involve your children and teens as much as possible in the process. They should be an integral part of the decision to go to camp in the first place. Every child develops at a different rate– some will be ready to head off to camp almost as soon as they’ve mastered the art of walking, and others will be reluctant to leave home until their teenage years. Forcing a child to attend a sleep-away camp who is just not ready yet might lead to an unpleasant first experience that they will be reluctant to repeat. If your child is anxious about being away from you, perhaps start small, with overnight stays with friends, day camps with a one-night stay-over, or half-week overnight camps with a buddy or two.

Once you have made the decision and the commitment to attend an overnight camp, don’t stop talking with your child about the camp they will be attending. Talk positively about all of the fun things that they will be doing. If you went to camp as a child, speak to them about all the wonderful experiences that you had while attending camp, and all the friends you made. It’s important when you’re discussing camp to be realistic as well…camp isn’t a theme park, and if they haven’t spent much time outdoors, a traditional overnight camp will be an adjustment on that front as well. Encourage them to ask any questions that they might have, and often a pre-summer visit to tour the camp is a good idea. As the time to depart for camp draws near, involve your campers-to-be in the aspects of preparation for camp; going with you to purchase supplies such as sunscreen and bug spray, making a packing list, and then packing together. In the meantime, as camp nears it may be that you are having more anxiety yourself than your camper is, and that is very common. We often find just as much if not more “campsickness” from our parents than homesickness from our campers.

It’s very important to not let any anxiety you may have pass to your camper prior to attending camp. Remind yourself that you have chosen a quality camp with a good reputation, caring and supportive staff, and that camp is an invaluable learning experience that your child deserves to take part in. Avoid saying things before camp such as “if you aren’t having a good time, we will come and get you,” as this will allow your child to feel as though they don’t have to actually try to adjust to the camp experience. Also, saying things that indicate that parents, siblings, or pets will have a hard time adjusting to your camper being away from home may lead to your child feeling guilty for being away, which certainly won’t allow them to become fully involved while at camp.

While the first significant amount of time away from home and away from loved ones can sometimes be challenging for children, it is an important step in their growth and development, and can and should be very positive. If you prepare both yourself and your camper for their first camp experience, you are both much more likely to have a smooth adjustment, and your camper is likely to have a wonderful and unforgettable time away from home…one that they will hopefully want to repeat again every summer!

*Original Article found on our Winter 2009 Newsletter, written by Sarah Holder.

Hartford Camp & Education Fair
Saturday March 7th, 2009
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
John Carroll School
703 Churchville Road,
Bel Air, MD 21014

Chesapeake Family – Summer Camp & Activities Fair
Saturday March 7th, 2009
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
716 Bestgate Road
Annapolis MD

Manassas Mall 2009 Camp & Summer Activities Expo
Saturday March 7th, 2009
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday March 8th, 2009
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Manassas Mall
8300 Sudley Rd # C1
Manassas, VA 20109

Baltimore Child Camp & Summer Fair
Sunday March 8th, 2009
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Crowne Plaza Hotel
2004 Greenspring Drive
Timonium, MD

Chuck and I just returned from ACA National Conference. ACA stands for American Camp Association. Each year hundreds of camp professionals, educators, child psychologists and business partners gather together to share knowledge about issues related to camps and youth development. This year the conference took place in Orlando, Florida. The theme of the conference was “The Power of the Experience”. The speakers included Ned Hallowell, M.D., Psychiatrist and author of 14 books, Peg Smith, CEO of American Camp Association, Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic NBA Team and many others.

At the conference I was reminded once again that the experience our children can have at camp is indeed very powerful.

I personally worked with children for almost 20 years. I’ve been teaching in different settings, such as schools, athletic clubs, afterschool programs, camps. In my opinion the most impact we can make on children today is by having them attend camp, which is without a doubt the most natural environment a child could experience, free of stress, pressure, and overwhelming technology.

Just consider the following things:

-Did you get to perform on the stage and receive an overwhelming cheer and applause from 300 people when you were 7 years old?

-Do you remember feeling a great sense of accomplishment for mastering a real skill in just a one week period? If you attended a camp you would remember making bowls from raw clay on a pottery wheel, then glazing and firing it and having a complete art project in just one week? Now, what about mastering canoeing, learning to fish or picking up on new tricks from your basketball instructor.

-Can you remember a time when on the same day you could meet people from 5 different countries and learn that they are different but they are so cool that you definitely want to be their friend and maybe even become a life-long friend with someone from France, Russia, Japan or Mexico?

-Do you remember a time when you felt shy or scared or homesick but you had kids just like you and friendly counselors to help you overcome those feeling and become a more confident person. They are the ones who helped you climb a 30 feet wall or make it through another day at camp without missing your home or included you in a game or a project when you were too shy to ask.

CAMP is a POWERFUL EXPERIENCE! I can relate to this on a personal level too. My daughter Nika was five last summer when she spent a few weeks at camp. In the fall she started Kindergarten and I was very pleased to have her come home on the first day and tell me how much she enjoyed her first day at school. She told me about new friends she made and the teacher she liked so much and the activities she did. Then I asked her: you didn’t feel homesick or scared or shy on your fist day? Then she said: Mom, why would I? I just spent my summer at camp.

When I talk to other parents who think about sending their kids to camp I hear the comments about the cost and the state of the economy and the expenses it would involve… then I think to myself that the value of camp can’t be measured by the dollar, it is an important investment into your child’s all- around development as a successful and confident person. So I encourage you to BELIEVE in the POWER of CAMP!