Hey, Camp Fans!

Did you know that lots of famous celebrities were big fans of summer camp when they were growing up? Alicia Goranson is one of those many actors and actresses who loved summers at camp. I already posted about Alicia’s television sister from the hit sitcoms ‘Roseanne’ as well as ‘The Conners’, Sarah Gilbert (who also attended summer camp). You can check out that Blog post by clicking right here.

Becky Conner, played by Alicia, is the oldest of the Conner siblings. But despite being the oldest, Alicia started this role when she was just 14 years old. She appreciated summer camp so much that she took her summers off from acting so she had time to work as a camp counselor at a YMCA camp in Michigan.

She was studying acting at a school in Chicago which led her to her role on ‘Roseanne’. She had only auditioned once before landing her role as Becky Conner. Everyone loved working with Alicia on the show, but after five seasons, she left the show to attend Vassar College in New York. She was still able to appear part-time on the show for a while so her scenes were written sparingly until she was eventually replaced by Sarah Chalke.  

While Alicia reprised her role here and there later on in the series, her presence was always restricted by her school schedule. After the series reached its end, Alicia still appeared in a number of other television shows and films, guest-starring in programs like ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’, ‘Fringe’, and ‘Damages’.

But that wouldn’t be the end for Becky Conner! Several years back, there was word of a Roseanne reboot called ‘The Conners’ in the making that would see the return of nearly the entire original cast. In 2018, the show was released and currently remains in production!

Thank goodness for folks like Alicia Goranson who follow their hearts to help make summer camp happen for kids like you. Maybe you too will work as a camp counselor one day. Until then, enjoy attending camp as a camper and, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Light Lovers!

Naturally, we cover all kinds of camp-related topics here on the Everything Summer Camp Blog. From camp activities to summer camps themselves to the camp gear we have available here at our online store, we have a lot to talk about! But what about the folks who supply us with the awesome selection of camp gear we have to offer?! Yeah. We talk about them too.

Today let’s take a look at one of the many brands with whom we’ve formed a great relationship: Hybrid Light.

Hybrid Light has been lighting the way in ‘bright thinking’ and methods that result in low-impact to the environment since 2003. Generating power from sunlight is the name of the game for products like the Journey 150 Flashlight. Given multiple methods of charging with its USB port and built-in solar panel, this Flashlight is also constructed for durability—wearing a fully waterproof enclosure. Check it out by clicking right here.

It was one Terry Peterson who started developing a vision he had for a portable and solar hybrid technology that would be both affordable and dependable and not give you grief over some dead batteries. And it was this technology that spawned a series of products that are fully rechargeable.

The talented dream-team of engineers at Hybrid Light has developed flashlights that store solar energy for years! Having truly mastered their craft, products like the Hybrid Solar Flashlight Journey 150 here at Everything Summer Camp are exceptionally valuable to the avid camper. Don’t head out camping without your trusty Hybrid Light flashlight by your side!

Be sure to check out the great selection of our other lighting options available on our online shop when you click right here. Light the way! And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Seasonal Shoppers!

Throughout the year of 2020 we saw a lot of changes. But, despite a big push for early online shopping, our shipping cutoff map for the holidays hasn’t changed much at all. We understand the importance of on-time deliveries here at Everything Summer Camp and we want to help make sure that your gifting goes just the way you had planned this holiday season!

Rest assured that your delivery will arrive on time when you order from Everything Summer Camp! Just go by this convenient, little map that will tell you when exactly you need to order by. It’s our hope at Everything Summer Camp that your gift-giving goes off without a hitch. SO, please allow me to call your attention to our handy holiday map.

This helpful, color-coded map eliminates any misunderstanding about how early you need to place your order on our website to have it ship to you on time. Of course, delivery times vary throughout the country, but, personally, I don’t like procrastinating, so I like to urge people to order as early as they can—better safe than sorry!

And that’s why I’m sharing the magic numbers with you of 1:00pm on December 17. That’s the time and date for everyone in the contiguous United States to go by for guaranteed delivery by December 24. If you want gifts any earlier, order accordingly!

Note that December 17 may be early for some of you; Everything Summer Camp is based in northwestern Wisconsin, so if you live in Wisconsin, most parts of Minnesota, or another nearby area, you have the luxury of placing your order as late as 1:00pm on December 20, but don’t push it too far! Happy holidays, Everybody! Get your orders placed with us on time and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Hockey Fans!

If you were made for the ice, don’t think twice—find yourself an ice hockey camp where you can really develop your skills on the rinks. This sport has no official beginnings as it was simply the winterized version of a field game called Hurley. They simply called it ‘Hurley on the Ice’. But what started small in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, became Ice Hockey and spread all across the country and gained much in popularity by the very beginning of the 19^th Century.

If fortunate enough to find an Ice Hockey Camp for yourself, here are some of the skills you can expect to learn:

Skating
Skating is the most fundamental part of Ice Hockey. You need to be a strong skater. Develop your skating and the rest of will follow. Mastering your forward skating, backward skating, and your over-speed abilities are essential for any good hockey player.

Dribbling
Much like Basketball, you need to be in constant control over the puck when moving it. This means shuffling he puck, maintaining its forward motion and position several feet in front of you. Dribbling is crucial to moving anywhere on the rink with the puck.

Passing and Shooting
Finally, you’ll learn to get rid of the puck with control, directing it to either a fellow teammate or at the goal. You’ll pick up on the different styles of shot you can take and ‘leading’ your passes—not aiming for your teammate, but where your teammate is going to be by the time the puck would reach them.

With just these three or four dynamics to the game, you can really make some big strides in your level of performance. Find the right Ice Hockey camp to suit you such as Liberty Hockey Summer Camp. Watch their promotional video below and check them out when you click here. As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Phans of Photography and Deliberate Misspells!

Photography is one among many of the creative arts to be offered as an activity at summer camp. If you’re interested in…*ahem*…DEVELOPING your photography skills, you can seek out the summer camps that offer photography as an activity. On this Blog, we like to zero in on some of the record setters and pioneers of sports, crafts, and other summer camp activities. And who else to highlight as a pioneer in the field of photography other than the master himself—Ansel Adams?

Ansel Easton Adams was born well over a hundred years ago just past the turn of the 17^th to the 18^th Century in 1902. When he was just 12 years old, he was handed his first camera while he was away, seeing Yosemite National Park and he never really put it down. Needless to say, he was rather taken with this art form and went on to become one of the greats in the history of photography.

Focusing mainly on the landscapes of the American West, Ansel fell in love with producing black and white images that often evoked some kind of message or emotion upon viewing. His work advocated a style referred to as ‘pure photography’ which is prone to sharp focus with clear definition and using all accessible tones in each photo.

He is quoted saying “Photography is not about how something looks, but how it feels.” In other words, Ansel was never simply trying to just show us a mountain, but trying to evoke how it felt to look upon one. Exploring techniques in his photography, Ansel’s work always encouraged minimalism, introspection, and a calming effect.

Ansel lived to be 82 years old and died in the year of 1984. And though color photography had existed throughout the active years of his career, Ansel stuck to his black and white productions. Have fun exploring your own style in photography and enjoy developing your skills in this form of art whether it be at summer camp, school, or some other available class. As always, thanks for reading!

- John