Hey, Camp Lovers!

We saw such a great response to our annual ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest at Everything Summer Camp in 2018 that we’re still going strong publishing each submission right here on the Blog in the New Year. Your stories were fantastic and it’s such a fun time reading through them!

Today’s post comes from Grady H. who wrote in to tell us about his summer stay at camp. Like his brother, Grady has been to camp before, but never to Camp Belknap before. Check out today’s submission about Grady’s stay in New Hampshire:

“My camp story had ups and downs but only one is worth telling. It was a hot summer day on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. When I woke up I had a feeling it was going to be a good day. Swimming, sailing, and playing kickball all went by quickly. The whole day flew by except for the last period of the day. I was set to go tubing for the first time since I was 6. I made the walk with two of my friends, Luke and Nathan. They showed me how to get there and then they showed me where the life jackets were. We were so early that we had to wait 3 minutes for the rest of the people to get there and then another 5 minutes for the boat. The boat arrived and I waited for my turn. When it was my turn I got in the water (which was surprisingly warm) and swam to the float, passing Luke as I did. When I got to the float I climbed on and grabbed the handles. After I gave the driver the thumbs up I started to move, suddenly the driver hit full throttle and I was submerged in water; because the water was so clear I could see fish swimming below me, finally when I got over how cool it was I leaned back to get air. As I did that the float burst out of the water and I went flying. I later learned that my amazing and cool experience was due to the fact that I hadn't been leaning backwards when the driver hit the throttle. That is the story that exceeded all the other ups and downs of the best summer of my life.”

Thanks for that submission, Grady! I love that visual you gave when you mentioned the water being so clear you could see the fish swimming beneath you. What an awesome sight to see right before you get yanked right out of the water! Sounds like Belknap was an absolute blast. For anyone else interested in Camp Belknap, check it out for yourself sometime and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp People!

A beloved camp activity among those of the more intellectual persuasion is the ancient game of Chess. This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned Chess on this Blog; you can learn a little more about it and some other old games by clicking here. But today, I want to learn about the biggest name associated with Chess—Robert James Fischer (a.k.a. Bobby Fischer). Having passed away a little over a decade ago, this post goes out to commemorate this proclaimed grandmaster of Chess.

The early teenage years brought big changes to his world. Earning his success and fame early on, Bobby was only 13 when he won an epic game of Chess that was so intense it was categorized under what they, in the Chess world, call A Brilliancy. This game went down in history as ‘The Game of the Century’. One year later, he the Chess Champion of the United States. And the year after that, he was crowned grandmaster (the youngest of the time) and he became the youngest World Championship candidate.

He was 20 when he dominated the US Championship, winning 11 consecutive games—a total shutout and the only perfect run in the entire history of the tournament! And by 27, he won 20 consecutive games in the Interzonal Tournament of 1970!

What started this indomitable performance from Bobby? Well, he grew up in poverty and board games were a good way to pass the time for cheap. In 1949, Bobby was six years old. He and his sister journeyed into their local candy store with a small amount to spend. They ended up purchasing instructions for some old Chess pieces they had found.  

It wasn’t long before his sister lost interest, but Bobby only got more and more obsessed. He didn’t have anyone else to play with, but that didn’t stop him! He’d play games against himself. It was that year that his family saved enough money to summer vacation at Patchogue, Long Island in New York. While on this trip, chance had it that Bobby found a book of old chess games.

He studied this book night and day. And thanks to his diligent study of this game that he found such a passion for, he came to be considered the greatest Chess player of all time! Are you passionate about Chess like Bobby Fischer was? Devote yourself to the things you’re passionate about who knows where it can take you! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Lovers!

We saw such a great response to our annual ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest at Everything Summer Camp in 2018 that we’re still going strong publishing each submission right here on the Blog in the New Year. Your stories were fantastic and it’s such a fun time reading through them!

Today’s post comes from Quinn H. who wrote in to tell us about his summer stay at camp. Though he’s no stranger to camp, this summer was his first time at Camp Belknap in New Hampshire. Get a look at today’s submission about his stay:

“In one of the first days of my camp experience the story of the talking trees was told to us before we ate. It was told by the camp leader, Seth. It was about how he was walking to his cabin and his flashlight ran out of battery. His world went black. There was no moon that night so when he heard a crack and whistle he was shaking in his boots. From what he heard it sounded like trees were talking to him, but because it was so dark he couldn't be sure. The next morning, Seth walked slowly back to his cabin again. He was walking down the same path as the night before and he heard the same crack and whistle and he looked up. He saw a bunch of trees with holes in them that when the wind blowed threw them it made a crack and whistle noise. After the story was over and we ate, I went back to my cabin to go to sleep and had a nightmare. In the nightmare I was Seth experiencing the same tree story he told earlier. It was a terrifying experience. After my nightmare I understood how scared Seth was in his story.”

Great submission, Quinn! The ‘Talking Trees’ story sounds pretty spooky! You relayed it very well in your submission—now I’M bound to have a nightmare tonight! Camp Belknap sounds like a fun place with fun people! For anybody else interested in Camp Belknap, give it a closer look for yourself some time and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

It’s always the right time of year to start thinking about the camp you’ll be attending this upcoming summer! That’s why I like to feature the summer camps with whom we’ve formed a great relationship here at Everything Summer Camp. Today, we’re shining our summer camp spotlight easterly over Pennsylvania so I can tell you about Camp Onas. Camp Onas sits on 72 acres of rural Pennsylvania deep woods and lush hills of the Upper Bucks County. This camp was founded nearly one hundred years ago back in 1922 by folks known as the Religious Society of Friends or, more commonly known as, the Quakers. Camp Onas is owned and operated by the Friends Camp Association of Pennsylvania, Inc.

There is so much to do at Camp Onas to keep the good times rolling! Have fun with traditional sports there such as Basketball, Soccer, Blacktop Hockey, Softball, Yoga, Ultimate Frisbee, Archery, Four-Square, Football, and more. Learn Outdoor Skills like Canoeing, Critter Catching, Composting, Fishing, Gardening, and Hiking. And splash around in the pool too for a good time with Camp Onas’ daily Free Swim period, Swimming Lessons, Diving, Pool Games, Lap Swimming, and Water Polo.

Enjoy less sporty activities at summer camp as well with a cool Arts program consisting of Basket Weaving, Collages, Friendship Bracelets, Jewelry-Making, Painting, Photography, Silk Screening, Tie-Dye, and Woodworking. And, also available at Onas is a great Drama program that offers Band, Dancing, Drama Games, Movie-Making, Singing, Storytelling, and Theatrical Productions.

Join the generations of Camp Onas campers that have come before you and become an Onas camper yourself so you can enjoy the community, friendship, and fun at this special summer camp. If you like the way this camp sounds, look into it more by checking out their website sometime and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Lovers!

We saw such a great response to our annual ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest at Everything Summer Camp in 2018 that we’re still going strong publishing each submission right here on the Blog. Your stories were fantastic and it’s such a fun time reading through them!

Today’s post comes from Krystina A. who wrote in to tell us about her son’s time at Golden Slipper Camp, located in Pennsylvania. Get a look at today’s submission about Peyton’s summer camp experience:

“My son Peyton attends Golden Slipper Camp. I actually attended this camp when I was his age! I still can’t believe when I drop him off how many people I recognize from my encampments some 20 years ago! It all started because he was socially awkward and having trouble with working in teams at school. He also got bullied. Being a single mother made some of this difficult for me to help him with as it’s me and him against the world most days. So I thought about the camp I went to. It helped him build teamwork skills with their olympics competitions and there are so many activities that the kids get to choose for themselves as electives building individuality. I mean most kids these days sit around all summer playing video games. So for 3.5 weeks in the summer he goes off to summer camp. No electronics—all old school style!!! Yea, they have to write letters!!! The first year he was a bit lost but he made soooo many friends, learned how to do many things boys his age do (like shave, I have no clue I’m a girl!) he loved the dances and all the really creative night activities like color wars, tug of war, trivia night, and so much more. The dinner dance is a fancy night and he learned how to find a date ‘n treat them like a lady! This camp has helped him grow into a very well rounded and respectable young man. He is now 14 and just came back from his 4th year. He is hoping to be a counselor when he becomes of age and, honestly, if I could I would too!! Summers are so boring for kids and single activities are pricey like what?... $50 plus to do one sports team for 2 days a week that lasts a month maybe? This place they get all of them crammed into non-stop fun for 3.5 weeks!!! He looks forward to it every year and talks about it non-stop till the next year! He has even learned to fly on his own and navigate his way through an airport. He is such an independent young man now. Every year he comes back a new kid!”

This is awesome, Krystina! It’s so great to hear this kind of feedback about how much summer camp has truly shaped Peyton into a responsible, independent, and confident young man! Happy to hear that he hopes to counsel when that day comes! Golden Slipper Camp must be a pretty special place. How cool you two get to share the love for this place!

As for anybody else interested in Golden Slipper Camp, give it a closer look for yourself some time and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John