Hey, Tennis Fanatics!

If you love nothing more than swatting your racket through the air to send a fuzzy, little, lime-green  ball speeding to a focused target with intentions to score on your opponent, then you’ll find today’s Blog post right up your alley! In celebration of National Tennis Day, we’re talking about this popular sport played on the court!

Tennis has come a long way. Prestigious tennis organizations such as the US Open (which boasts 137 years of operation since it was first founded in 1881), have brought tennis competitions to the world over for years upon years. But the sport of Tennis certainly goes back much longer than any of these organizations do.

First mentioned in Middle Ages literature, tennis is the sport that Sir Gawain—the knight from King Arthur’s round table—plays against a group of giants in ‘The Turke and Gawain’. Here’s a couplet taken from the Old English poem written by Bishop Thomas Percy:

The King said, “Gawaine, faire mot then fall!
Goe feitch me forth my tennisse ball”

You’ll notice the king says to fetch his tennis ball, but makes no mention of a racquet. Mr. Percy probably just couldn’t find a rhyme, right?

Well, actually, tennis has evolved over the course of hundreds of years from its initial invention in which players used their bare hands to hit the ball. It wasn’t until some time between the 1200s and the 1400s that the predecessor to the racquet came onto the courts; it was a glove. And, by the 16th Century, the glove had been replaced with the wire racquet closely resembling what we know today.

If you’re an aficionado of this court sport, check out the modern equipment you can pick up at the Everything Summer Camp website by clicking right here and, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Summer Campers!

Welcome back for our second installment of our fresh, new Everything Summer Camp Blog category, Summer Camp Activities. In these posts, I’ll review the basics of specific activities that you may find at your summer camp and see just what exactly it is that kids like so much about these fun and campy pastimes.

Today, I’m speaking to all you equestrians out there as well as anyone who has no experience but lots of interest in riding on the back of mankind’s other best friend. Today, we’re talking horses!

Horseback Riding is a display of mastering the partnership between yourself and your horse. It’s a sport that works the rider’s core muscles and builds abdominal strength, as well as strength in back and pelvic muscles. It sharpens coordination as well as stability and increases focus on anticipating the motion of the horse.

But as you can see from this young woman’s account, Horseback Riding isn’t just good for the body—it typically has a desirable mental effect as well, quieting the mind and bringing the rider to a meditative state of mindfulness:

Maddy M. shared with me how she has battled depression for years now, but one thing that always helps is going to see her horse, Bambi. “On my bad days I’ll go out there and she takes it all away like it doesn’t exist. She makes me feel free. When I’m on her back riding it’s like no one can touch me.”

Maddy’s description coincides with a common sense approach to explain the connection and peace of mind that riders tend to feel—when you’re riding, all you’re thinking about is riding. Riding and balancing. It induces a level of mindfulness that requires constant focus on the proper posture for riding. It makes sense that it quiets the mind.

Follow your heart. If you love horses, then I’m sure you’ll be sure to do some Riding this summer when you head off to your exciting camp experience. Find the Horseback Riding equipment you’ll need at Everything Summer Camp by clicking here and, as always, thanks for reading, Riders—I mean, Readers!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

We got lots and lots of submissions for our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest here at Everything Summer Camp—over 30, in fact! We’ve been enjoying weekly posts in which we publish the entries here on the Blog! Once we got through our initial, seven lucky winners, all of our other entrants received a $15 gift certificate to our website! Today’s post comes from Merrill T., who thought to share the experience of her second year Camp Huckins! Thanks for this post, Merrill!

“As my second year at sleep away camp began, I thought I was prepared for the experience that was about to commence, as I entered the white gates I began my second two weeks at Camp Huckins. The weeks flew by while I was water skiing, crafting, dressing up, singing on the tables, and staying up to memorize my lines for the camp play. One of the last nights, instead of sleeping in the cabin like we usually do, we got to sleep at the Indian Camp Fire. I slept with my friends Danielle and Daphne, but we talked into the night while laughing and having so much fun I almost forgot we only two days of camp left. By the time camp was over, I could hardly believe how much I had done in two weeks. Now I’m even more excited for next year.”

Sounds like camp was a blast the second time around, Merrill! Time certainly does seem to fly right by when we’re having the level of fun that we have at summer camp. But at least our memories last forever! If any readers believe Camp Huckins just might be a good match for you, check it out for yourself by clicking here and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

We here at Everything Summer Camp do everything we can to help you send your camper off fully prepared and ready to get the most out of the summer camp experience. While we pride ourselves greatly on the footlocker trunks that are expertly manufactured right here in our factory, we’re also proud of our awesome camping gear selection. Consisting of great brand names like Wenzel, Outdoor Products, and Coghlan’s, you can find the best quality camping gear right here.

Another company whose products we are pleased to have available on our website is Lewis N. Clark. Their story begins all the way back in 1803 when a group of voyagers journeyed off into the uncharted wilderness on an expedition to explore the new land acquired after the Louisiana Purchase.

The inspiration of these great pioneering spirits have reached out through the echoes of time and influenced the construction of the gear and accessories crafted by this 30-year-old outfit. Boasting an excellent assortment of duffels along with other great travel accessories, Lewis N. Clark has been all about making inventive gear to bring their consumers comfort, security, and organizational aid ever since their start in 1990.

Look for Lewis N. Clark when it’s your time to embark on adventures big and small and discover the expansive world around you. Have your pick from a range of their Uncharted Duffel Bag sizes along with useful accessories like a Flashlight Clock, Silicone Travel Cup, and more. Be prepared for your summer camp outings with awesome gear and other camping supplies you can depend on from Lewis N. Clark!

Make the best memories possible when you head off on your expeditions and check out our excellent Lewis N. Clark selection at Everything Summer Camp by clicking here. And, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

We saw so many submissions for our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest here at Everything Summer Camp; we got more than 30 entries! We’ve been having a great time publishing your entries here on the Blog! So, after seven lucky winners, all other entrants received a $15 gift certificate to our website! Today’s lovely Valentine’s Day post comes from Khami A., who shared with us her love affair with summer camp. She thought to tell us about her relationship with summer camp over the last six years! Read the fun and the passion in Khami’s submission.

“The six years I spent at Camp Blue Ridge was definitely an experience of a life time. While I was there, I learned several different things. The first thing I learned while I was there was that family doesn’t always have to be a group of people that you’re blood-related to. While I was there, I made several close friends who are like brothers and sisters to me. Being around them at camp was a similar feeling as one would get in the comfort of his or her own home. I also learned the importance of staying healthy. While I was there, I took upon many interactive activities like ropes course, archery, and so forth, which is surprising considering I’m more of an artsy, indoor person and never really went outside much before then. I did this in addition to developing new skills and making more friends. Additionally, I learned the importance of making the most of the time I had there. Those 6 years went by very rapidly, but I took in as much as I could while I learned new skills there, made as many amazing friends as I possibly could, and enjoyed the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains we lived upon every single summer. I also documented a lot of the time that I spent there with my video camera. Anyways, aside from what I learned this summer, I also met some amazing people. I met my best friend Teegan my first year and we’ve been inseparable ever since. For our first year it had just been me and her generally, however we had branched out and since then have developed a greater group of friends who I love and cherish very much. Another outstanding thing that happened while I was there was the scenery of the camp. It hailed sometimes while I was there, which is a rare event that ever occurs where I actually live. The mountains there were also absolutely outstanding. The open, vast land opened up to taller parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains which were absolutely breathtaking and heavenly. In addition to the mountains, we also had beautiful lakes, ponds, and tall trees throughout the camp. Many dandelions grew amongst the land which was another rarity that I viewed while I was there. We also had fun events as a camp, considering that we weren’t a large group of people so it was easy to work all together. We did scavenger hunts, campfires, camping, ‘guess that song’, karaoke, plays, and so on. As you can see, Camp Blue Ridge was a very important part of my life and I always love to look back at and cherish the moments I spent there every summer with the people I love most.”

Well, you certainly are a seasoned vet when it comes to summer camp, aren’t you, Khami?! It’s great to hear that camp has shown you a number of your ‘firsts’ including hail and dandelions! We love to hear that you’ve gotten so much out of your time at summer camp and that you’ve SPENT so much time at summer camp! If any readers think that Camp Blue Ridge might be a good match for you, check it out further by clicking here. And, as always, thanks for reading! Happy Valentine’s Day!

- John