Hey, Camp Aficionados!

We were delighted here at Everything Summer Camp to get such great responses to our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest. It was great to read all the submissions and we’re happy to share them with our online community and post each submission right here on the Blog! Besides our seven lucky winners of larger prizes, all other entrants received a $15 gift certificate to our online store! Today’s post is from Melissa T., who wrote in to tell us about her daughters’ summer stays at Camp Fern. Here’s her submission:

“This was the second year for our oldest daughter Aubrey to attend a two week away camp at Camp Fern and our youngest daughter’s (Hailey) first year to attend. This year was a special and emotional year for us all. Last year, on July 29, Aubrey was diagnosed with Leukemia. Of course, this left turn in life took us down a road we never imagined we’d have to go.
          lThrough all of Aubrey’s treatments, we’ve had to keep her in a bubble and away from the general public due to her compromised immune system, which meant she missed her 4th grade year at school. In March, 2017, Aubrey finished the tough part of treatment and was able to go to school in April. It was a huge leap of faith to let our girl go to a sleep away camp for two weeks without contact.
          lCamp Fern was amazing and put us at ease with how accommodating they were and the wonderful nurse God put in place this year. Aubrey and Hailey had an amazing time at camp and Aubrey finally felt like a normal kid for the first time in a year. This camp experience is one we will always remember and is probably where the entire family grew.”

It’s great to hear that summer camp was such a positive experience for your daughters as well as the whole family, Melissa! We are moved to hear that not only did camp provide great fun for your daughters but that it gave Aubrey a chance to feel like a kid again. What great blessings come from great misfortunes. If you think you might love Camp Fern as much as Aubrey and Hailey, check it out for yourself to see if it might be a good match for you. Check out further details on their website by clicking here and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

When you work with as many camps as we do here at Everything Summer Camp, you can’t help but admire these beautiful organizations. We work with more than 270 summer camps, so we regularly take the opportunity to sing their praises. Today we’re focusing our spotlight on the east coast, in Casco, Maine. See what kids love about the change of pace they get during their summer stays at Camp Laurel South.

Located near Portland, Maine in the heart of the Sebago Lakes Region, Camp Laurel South sits on 150 acres of pure magic, offering everything from heavily wooded trails to sports fields and open lawns. With well over 800 yards of private shoreline along the shimmering Crescent Lake, Laurel South boasts its own natural sandy beach that gives campers access to more than 3 miles of exceptionally clear waters!
Laurel South campers enjoy sunny days with a plethora of water activities like Swimming, Sailing, Fishing, Canoeing, Kayaking, Waterskiing, and more. They also have fun on the land with traditional things like Archery, Baseball, Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Flag Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, Kickball, Tennis, Golf, Cross Country, Aerobics, and more. Campers may go on Overnight Camping Trips, Hiking Trips, Mountaineering Excursions, Horseriding Adventures, and more.

The facilities at Camp Laurel South allow additional fun with Arts & Crafts projects, Cartooning, Ceramics, Theater Performance, Stage Design & Construction, Photography, and much, much more. Their buildings are complimentary to the beautiful natural surroundings. Camp Laurel South cabins are separated into ‘campuses’ that house campers of different age ranges. No matter whether you belong to the Saco, Allagash, Rangely, Katahdin, Baxter, or Kineo campus, you’re certain to be in good company!

Check out Camp Laurel South even further—visit their website by clicking here. It just might be the right camp for you! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Mystics!

I have some bad news for all of you. Today is Friday the 13th—a decidedly UNlucky day. It’s a day that twists the arms of many to avoid typical daily events like running errands or hanging out with friends. Some folks opt to avoid going outside entirely and, even further, a select few of those folks won’t even venture out of bed, save kitchen and bathroom trips. Under most circumstances, I’d say this reaction is ridiculous…

Today, however, I’m singing a different tune.

Friday the 13th is bad enough, but to make matters worse, today’s unlucky matchup of day and date falls in the spookiest of months: October. The month of harvest celebrations, All Hallow’s Eve, and candy corn (*gross*), October sets a beautiful, but somber tone as we enter the thick of the autumnal season and advance toward the end of the year.

Belief in the superstition of bad luck and other supernatural ideas lends the notion that today truly is a perfect storm of unlucky signs: an unlucky day of the week falling on an unlucky date of the month in the unluckiest month of the year. It’s so bad that you may just want to take such ridiculous precautions like not leaving your home. I say, if it means avoiding something…unlucky…sign me up.

I’m not typically one to believe in such superstitious hullabaloo, but when it gets to this point, I’d feel stupid if I didn’t take precautions. I’ve bolted my doors, turned off all phones, I even have my black cat locked up in the other room. He’ll forgive me tomorrow. Until then, I’ll be right here with my head underneath the pillows, avoiding the day as best I can. I wish the same to all of you. And, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Camp Aficionados!

We were delighted here at Everything Summer Camp to get such great responses to our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest. It was great to read all the submissions and we’re happy to share them with our online community and post each submission right here on the Blog! Besides our seven lucky winners of larger prizes, all other entrants received a $15 gift certificate to our online store! Today’s post is from Sophia B., who wrote in to tell us about her first year at Camp Ton-a-Wandah. Here’s her submission:

“This summer I was lucky to have been a first year at TAW! Preparing to go to camp was exciting and fun. My mother and I ordered my colorful and cool trunk, it has wheels so I can pull it. We drove to North Carolina from Florida and I was dropped off for what I think is the best camp ever. I learned to wood burn and made my family something special I mailed them. I also made some new friends that I can’t wait to spend next summer with. TAW is so much fun, all day I have activities I choose and meals with all my friends. My favorite memory from my first summer is the tribe initiation. We were sorted into three tribes and I am a Mohawk! They painted my face and I learned our songs. This night was awesome!”

It’s great to hear that you had such a great time at summer camp, Sophia. Summer camp is typically a hit with kids! Congratulations on your tribe initiation. She obviously loved Camp Ton-a-Wandah and we’re happy to hear she loved her camping gear from Everything Summer Camp as well! You may love it yourself if it’s a good match for you. Check out further details on their website by clicking here and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Dancers!

When you’re talking about the art of gracefully moving your body to a rhythm (or lack thereof), it’s very important that the attire you select will allow for the freedom of movement you require to perform your art. From leotards to tights and capris to ballet slippers, there are many items of dance wear to consider, but of all the countless options available, none are so iconic as the tutu.  

Tutus have become an essential part of the ballet scene with a world of different styles and alterations. They have been made of materials such as tarlatan, muslin, silk, gauze, nylon, and a material called tulle—the most commonly used material at one time. Nobody knows quite where this flashy dance skirt got its appropriately flashy name, but it’s theorized to have derived from the word ‘tulle’, the material from which it was made.

In the Paris Opera, 1832, a ballet dancer by the name of Marie Taglioni debuted a gauzy white skirt that cut off at her ankles and, thanks to its bell shape, allowed for the freedom of movement she needed to perform. It was made by French designer of the Romantic Period, Eugene Lami.

There have been a number of different takes on the general tutu design since its first creation. Fashion designers from like Cecil Beaton from England, Christian Lacroix from France, and Isaac Mizrahi from the United States have all designed their own look for the tutu. This garment has undergone a number of revisions that have continued to shorten the length until the arriving at the Classical tutu design which reveals the entire leg.

For those who aspire to be a ballet dancer as well, shop Everything Summer Camp to find a tutu for you…uh—yourself. Check it out by clicking right here and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John