Hey, Summer Camp Fans!

We get a kick out of posting about celebrities who attended summer camp back in the day. And since I first started posting in 2013, I’ve covered over 100 celebrities who have been involved with summer camp somehow in their past. Having covered so many celebrities, it seems appropriate to backtrack and retread some of the famous folks we’ve already featured to take a deeper look.

So, as we posted five years ago on the Blog, Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. was also a fan of summer camp as he attended French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts located in Hancock, New York as well as Stage Door Manor in Massachusetts.

Despite a difficult upbringing, Robert Downey Jr. was able to get his life on the right track of success and responsibility. Winner of a Golden Globe Award and star of Marvel’s Iron Man movies as Tony Stark, here are some more facts about Robert Downy Jr. that we didn’t quite get into in our first post:

Singer
Robert isn’t just an actor. He released his debut album “The Futurist” in 2004. The album sales were not so great but he was at least able to give this other artistic side of himself an outlet for the world to hear.

Go-Getter
At the age of only 17, Robert Downey Jr. moved to New York and struggled through part-time jobs, busing tables, performing in off-Broadway shows, and one time he was even hired as a piece of living art in a New York City nightclub.

Vegabond
Growing up, Robert’s family was constantly moving all over the world as a result of his father’s career in filmmaking. He lived in New York, Connecticut, Woodstock, California, London, and Paris. Yeesh!

Trained in the Martial Arts
Robert Downey Jr. has been a devout martial artist for the last 18 years, spending much of his time in the practice of Wing Chun—a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense.

The world celebrates Robert as he expands his health and self betterment in his current years. Despite his difficult upbringing, he seems to have no real regrets. “I think you end up doing the stuff you were supposed to do at the time you were supposed to do it,” Robert Downy Jr. has said.

Enjoy whatever stuff you are supposed to be doing once you’re done reading this Blog post and, as always, thanks for reading it!

- John

Hey, Camp Families!

We work with more than 270 summer camps and we’re happy to sing their praises as much as we can. And the Blog gives us ample opportunity to highlight these awesome places away from civilization where kids discover themselves and their true potential. And that’s why we’re swinging our Summer Camp Spotlight over to the West Coast where we find the enchanting Jameson Ranch Camp.

Situated around the southern end of the Sierras, Jameson Ranch Camp has been rooted in these majestic grounds since 1934 where they have continued summer after summer to show their campers an absolutely awesome time for their summer stay!

While the summer campers at Jameson Ranch are truly encouraged to develop their own autonomy and independence by choosing which awesome activities they participate in as well as choosing what food they eat, they still become part of the camp family which inevitably forms every summer.

(Speaking of the food, Jameson Ranch amazingly grows a great garden which helps feed the table with some pretty incredible food!)

Together campers partake in incredible fun with exciting activities like Animal Care, Arts & Crafts, Drama, Mountain Boarding, Horseback Gymnastics, Horseback Riding, Archery, Riflery, Swimming, Sailing, Fishing, Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, and more!

Grouped with a cabin leader or two as well as peers within a tight age-range, Jameson Ranch campers sleep under outdoor shelters that really bring the idea of camping close to home. These cozy open-sided shelters don’t separate you from the sounds of crickets and nightly critters as you fall asleep.

Check out Jameson Ranch Camp to get a better idea for yourself by clicking here and see if it seems like a suitable summer camp for your camper! Make this summer a special one and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Berry Pickers!

Harvesting your own berries one pluck at a time is a wonderful feeling that reminds us of just where exactly it is that our food came! And today, we celebrate specifically strawberries as it’s National Pick Strawberries Day. It was some years back when I first posted about this day, here on the Blog—we learned that strawberries aren’t actually berries, but closely related to the elegant Rose, as well as the fact that the so-called “seeds” on the outside are in actuality, tiny fruits.

I could tell you more facts that we know about strawberries like how each one has a rough count of 200 so-called seeds on the outside. Or that the average American eats three and a half pounds of strawberries every year. Or that strawberries are excellent sources of vitamins such as C, B6, and K. However, instead of continuing to deliver these strawberry stats, I’d like to discuss what we don’t know about them…

One thing we don’t know is why we call strawberries ‘strawberries’.

Yes, the name of this (technical aggregate accessory) fruit, is actually totally unknown to us in the modern day, now long-forgotten why we ever called this thing which is not a berry nor is it related to straw a ‘strawberry’. While many believe the reason to be that the strawberry plant is grown in straw, these plants have had their name for well-over a thousand years—long before they were included in farming or gardening as they were named by folks who happened upon these wild patches!

Nobody knows for sure, but we have theories:

Strung on Straw
Some say the woodland pickers strung them on straw pieces for convenient transportation to market.

Stuck with Straw
Others maintain that the fruit appears as though it’s had bits of straw embedded into the surface.

Straw…n About
Some even think ‘straw’ refers to the Old English meaning to strew. Since the plant runners stray in chaotic fashion, some say they look STREWN about the ground.

I don’t know…. All these theories seem pretty weak to me. But they’re kind of the best we’ve got. And whether it makes any sense or not, I like the sound of the name ‘strawberry’ and I like the taste of them too! Cheers to everyone today with this so-called berry and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Summer Camp Fans!

If you’re a regular climbin’ Simon, then you’re no stranger to the strength, endurance, and overall health that goes hand in hand with the climbing life. You can imagine that there’s really no telling just how old Rock Climbing is; people have been climbing rock for as long as it has stood in our way. We’ve been doing it out of necessity since the expansion of our species when we first encountered towering rock formations that had to be surmounted.

Rock Climbing as a sport, however, is something that came along in the late 1800s, gradually growing in popularity as it changed its face from its origin of necessity to an athletic accomplishment. So why do people choose to get into Climbing when it’s no longer a necessity? Well, like all activities at summer camp, it promotes a happy, healthy lifestyle.

Check out just a few of the benefits that Rock Climbing brings with it:

Valuable Life Skills
Rock Climbing may feel like an incredibly physical sort of activity—and it is! But don’t let that take away from the character-building traits that this sport can instill in you. Along with Rock Climbing comes strength, determination, perseverance, stamina, and more.

Reduces Stress
While the process in itself is certainly no stroll in the park, Climbers often experience the equivalence of a runner’s high once they’ve hit their summit, resulting in a lightness and almost invincible sort of feeling. Ella B. gave us a Climbing account for our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest a couple years back saying, “I feel so small and so big at the same time. I close my eyes and let all my worries melt away.” Check out the whole submission by clicking here.

Builds Muscle and Endurance
It goes without saying that Climbing takes incredible upper body strength in order to hoist one’s own body into higher and higher places. Other times, Climbers need to use their legs to push themselves upward to the next position. I posted a number of years back about training techniques Climbers can utilize before they hit the wall (or real rock) Check it out by clicking here.

Boosts Brain Function
More than muscle strength, flexibility, and finger dexterity, Climbing calls upon constant consideration and problem-solving skills. Climbing a route requires body awareness and extreme focus to know where your next grab is going to be and where you can place your foot.

And, as Ella’s camp submission alludes, the cherry on top of all these Climbing benefits spending your time in the outdoors (assuming your climbing rock). Simply spending time outside shows signs of decreasing ADHD symptoms, improving memory, boosting creativity, and more. Always take the proper safety precautions when Climbing and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Brushers!

Whether you’re home or away at camp, dental hygiene is incredibly important and linked to heart-health. VioLife’s Slim Sonic is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient method of keeping your brush clean after use.

Just like you, we want to see campers wearing their best smiles. That’s why we offer VioLife products for the convenience of your campers when they’re away from home. And now, we’re pleased to announce that you can find Replacement Slim Sonic Brush Heads right here on our online shop.

This sleek, compact, lightweight brush works great at summer camp. Unlike any toothbrush you’ve seen before, this toothbrush vibrates at more than three times the speed of the fastest electric toothbrush on the market! And it’s the very first portable, battery-operated brush. It’s ALMOST all you need!

But be sure to remember when you order your Slim Sonic Toothbrush from VioLife to pick up your own extra Brush Heads in this pack of four as well! It’s wise to have a replacement on hand in case the brush head you’re using gets contaminated in whatever way. You certainly don’t want to clean your teeth with a brush that fell on the floor!

And even if you don’t end up needing a replacement Brush Head in a pinch after an unfortunate accident, this 4-pack is sure not to go to waste; after all, dentists recommend that people change toothbrushes (or brush heads) every three months!

So whether you’re getting a pack so that your camper is better safe than sorry or getting a year-long supply for a fresh, effective clean, or both, this 4-pack is definitely a wise buy!

Get the proper tools for your dental care at camp and beyond. It all starts by clicking here at Everything Summer Camp. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! And don’t forget to brush your teeth!

- John