Hey, Swingers!

Such a simple contraption, hammocks are nothing more than a sling made from an assortment of fabrics which you suspend at both ends, fastening them to trees, posts, or anchored hooks. Nevertheless, these simple inventions have their own holiday: today—National Hammock Day. In past posts, I’ve covered the history of hammocks as well as they’re inarguable convenience and comfort.

Definitely don’t let the simplicity of hammocks fool you; they provide a plethora of purposes that you can employ and enjoy! Here’s a few easy ones:

Meditation
More often than not, outdoor activities call for lots of ‘doing’. Be sure to enjoy your time outside with some good old-fashioned non-doing. Hanging out in a hammock is a great time to focus on breathing (through your nose is best) and meditate on the simplicity of existence.

Relaxation
The suspension and gentle sway of your hammock on a breezy day is the ticket to an awesome nap in your hammock. When you’re looking to relax, there is no better means than hanging a hammock and drifting away. Lose yourself in a daydream, a good book, some solid sleep, or whatever else helps you relax!

Education
Cozier than a classroom, hammocks can be conducive to learning. Promoting focus, they make a cool setting for you to learn a thing or two when you crawl inside with your schoolbooks or personal research. Get smarter while staying comfy and hit the books inside a hammock.

We offer awesome hammocks and hammock hanging accessories from the quality Eagles Nest Outfitters brand name. You can check out our ENO selection by clicking here. Enjoy National Hammock Day by spending some of your day in a hammock if you can. Meditate, relax, and learn some stuff while you keep cozy and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

Hey, Camp Fans!

While folks from all over the country have been compelled to close their doors in the summer season to take the precautions deemed necessary to keep everyone safe throughout this pandemic, there have been some areas where people have been fortunate to not be impacted as heavily as others. Though many camps have had to close their doors for the 2020 summer season, there are still some that are holding sessions.

Camp Wayfarer in North Carolina nested among the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains was delighted to start their camp session several weeks ago on June 21. To assure campers and parents alike that the campus was safe, the staff put out this message:

“Our camper and staff’s safety and health is paramount and we want to assure you that preventative steps are in place to create the best possible care for all.... It is our hope that our new procedures and protocols will reassure you as you make your final decisions for camp.

We are reassured by our current enrollment and the fact that new Wayfarer families have still been in contact asking about session availability. It is easy to see parents want their children outside and experiencing new adventures with their peers. Camp Wayfarer is committed now more than ever to this goal and we are grateful for your love and support.”

We here at Everything Summer Camp are in full support of Camp Wayfarer and are so excited for their campers who get to have their summer session this year despite lots of questioning. We’re delighted to know that summer wishes are coming true for some fortunate kids this season. May we all make it through these strange times and set our sights on a less questionable summer season next year. As always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Baseball Aficionados!

With the coronavirus pandemic putting a moratorium on all sporting events, the nation is eager to get their sports back. Right now is the typical baseball season, and I know folks here at Everything Summer Camp are itchin’ to get some ballgames back. It certainly won’t be a normal season as nothing about 2020 seems normal, but a shortened 60-game season of the Major League is arriving in just a couple days!

As I’m sure we’re all excited to get back to some level of normalcy, I thought we could celebrate the comeback of baseball by talking about one of the major record-setters of the Major League: Cy Young. Born within the same two years of each other, Cy and the Major League both go way back to the late 1860s. Cy grew up working on his family’s farm, but at just 23, he entered the Major Leagues as a pitcher for the Cleveland Spiders.

In the next couple of decades, Cy had an incredible career. Over the years, Cy was transferred to other teams. He ended up playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Naps, and the Boston Rustlers. And in that time, he cinched the record for most career wins at 511, most career losses, most innings pitched, most games started, and most games completed.

One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the game, Cy was a formidable force from the beginning. After some time, he lost some of the speed behind his pitches, but made up for it with focusing more on control and accuracy. By his retirement, he had established a number of pitching records, some of which have stood for over 100 years.

Throughout his career, Cy led his league in wins during five seasons and pitched three no-hitters—one of which was a perfect game. It’s no surprise that Cy was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. And, in honor of his legacy, the Cy Young Award was created in 1956, the year after he died, to credit the best pitcher of a league every season.

As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans. Now—play ball!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

Everybody knows one of the best parts about an expedition out into the wilderness is bringing some food along. Whether you’re just looking to refuel after a long adventure or you have a plan in mind to sit down and enjoy a picnic, eating in the great outdoors is a crucial element of your excursions.

We know this very well here at Everything Summer Camp and keep only the best in portable food storage available on our site. Take a look at some of our great means of food storage right here. One brand you’ll find is GSI Outdoors. Let’s take a look at how this brand was born. It was back in 1985 that the Canadian siblings of the Scott family, Don, Ian, and Kathy made the migration more than 1500 miles south along the West Coast all the way to San Diego. In that same year, they founded GSI Outdoors.

Just a tiny, family company that was inspired to offer a product they were passionate about, these brothers and their sister were all passionate about food and they loved enjoying it in the great outdoors. Naturally, they began creating their own outdoor cookware.

Their blue enamel tableware was their first and only product in the beginning which saw successful results. But ten years on, they changed headquarters to Spokane, Washington (much closer to home but still in the U.S.) and grew a vast array of dining products that let us connect with one another over a nourishing meal in the great outdoors.

Since then, they’ve only continued to expand! Still that same family company, GSI Outdoors is now a worldwide provider that loves playing their part of bringing people together. They now offer a slew of camp-friendly gaming products like a Bocce Ball Set and Table Tennis (intended to play on a picnic table).

We’re delighted to offer these fun and practical products from such an awesome brand name as GSI Outdoors. Look over all their products available here at Everything Summer Camp and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Soccer Players!

Wherever you end up attending summer camp, you’re likely to find Soccer as an offered activity. Not quite as popular here in the U.S. as it is elsewhere, Soccer is actually the world’s most popular sport. And, originally, it didn’t go by ‘soccer’ either; it was called Football. How was the sport invented? How did it arrive at the name Soccer? And what do kids get out of this hands-off sport?

A slew of other sports involve throwing, catching, swinging, swatting, and all sorts of other actions that require your hands. Soccer is the one sport where the use of hands is not permitted—that’s why they called it Football. By historic record, its origin spans over 2000 years back, coming out of ancient China. There are, however, other areas that claim the sport’s invention: Greece, Rome, and Central America.

But it wasn’t until the late 1700’s that the sport arrived in England where the rules of the game were polished and refined. The British are credited with turning the game into the sport we see today with such rules as ‘No Use of Hands’ and ‘No Tripping Opponents’.

While everyone called it Football, the British found the name Soccer, or ‘Socker’, was useful to distinguish the sport from Rugby Football in an official capacity. But it wasn’t until American Football that the name Soccer really started sticking across the world by mouth (though it’s still commonly referred to as ‘Football’ outside the USA).

But a sport by any other name would still be just as sweet! And it’s a great workout too! Check out some of the awesome benefits you can earn from participating:

Cycling through a walk, a run, and a sprint, Soccer is great exercise for cardiovascular health and improves flexibility. It also develops strength and coordination. Being a part of a team and playing a sport like Soccer builds confidence too and nourishes self-esteem.

Have a great time playing Soccer this summer and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks!

- John