Hey, Summer Campers!

Summer camp is nothing new. Boatloads of kids have been attending camps for more than 150 years! So it’s really not that surprising to discover former summer campers. They’re virtually everywhere you look. That’s why it’s fun to discover famous folks who were once summer campers as well. From musicians, to actors, writers, and athletes, lots of former campers have gone on to achieve great fame.

James Ihedigbo is a football player in the NFL. A sought after player, he’s made a name for himself playing for the Jets, the Patriots, the Ravens, the Lions, and now he’s been signed by the Buffalo Bills. A skilled safety, James is an obvious advantage to any team’s defense. But before he ever thought seriously about a career in football, he attended Pinebrook Camp in his home state of Massachusetts.

Located 35 miles north of Springfield, Pinebrook Camp presented James with the time of his life when he attended a summer stay there. The experience immersed him in the adventures of exploring the outdoors. In all these years, he still has the most fun when he’s playing outside. He played a lot of football back then. Wait—no, that’s not right.

Back then he played a lot of fútbol. That’s it. Soccer—as we call it in the States. He was pretty good too. And his dad loved to encourage him. But when he graduated grade school and started his enrollment at Amherst Regional High School, he took interest in a different sport.

James’ father didn’t like it when he started playing football. He wanted to see James stick with soccer. Still, like any good dad, he cheered his son on at the high school football games and it didn’t take long for him to come around to his son’s new favorite sport.

James went on to play for the University of Massachusetts from 2002 till 2006. With his performance as a UMass Minuteman, it wasn’t hard to get a professional team to sign him. Summer camp helped encourage James to find what he really enjoyed. What will summer camp show you? You can check out Pinebrook Camp for yourself when you get a cahnce and, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Camp Aficionados!

We were overjoyed to get so many great submissions about the camp experience—30 submissions—for our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest that we held here at Everything Summer Camp. Now we’re excited to post each of your entries right here on the Blog! To follow our seven lucky winners of larger prizes, all other entrants received a $15 gift certificate to our online store! Today’s post is from Becca M., who wrote in to tell us about her fun summer at Camp Huckins. Here’s what she had to say:

“The night was clear and starry, the moon shining on our faces leading the way. We were silently walking toward the lodge for candlelight, singing our favorite songs for the last time of the year. It was all of the traditions that have brought me back. It has been the singing on the tables, the food that you just can’t stop eating, the new friends that you meet, and so much more that makes Camp Huckins so special.
             As candles lit the room, the Hucksters filed into the lodge where we were all waiting patiently. For five years they had been at camp, doing everything camp has to offer. I knew that someday I would be sitting in the triangle formation representing the YMCA getting ready for the necklace showing my loyalty of being here, to go over my head, onto my neck. I remembered all the wonderful times I’ve had here, from the first day to the last. Arriving feeling petrified that my trunk wasn’t going to be there, glancing at my new cabin mates, swimming on the clear glassy lake, rolling up to gliding on water skies with a smile breaking out on my face, and walking into the dining hall, when all jaws dropped at the wonderful decorations for banquet night. I looked at my new best friend and knew that this would be a summer I would never forget. Toward the end of candlelight, my new best friend whispered, ‘ I will miss you.’ With my heart weighing me down, I slowly trudged back to the cabin.
             At the cabin, we had to stand outside until tapps with our candles as a camp tradition. One of my friends dropped her candle on the ground and the ground caught fire! The fire was like a snowstorm, Growing and swirling. As we all held our breath, our counselors said, ‘step back we got it!’ My counselors had to stomp on the candle with all their might. All of us were anxiously waiting for the fire to go out, and some of my cabin mates wanted to jump in and help out. With all of us screaming or laughing, the fire went out and the familiar, comforting sound of tapps showing us it was time for bed, blew. But this time I felt like it was showing us that it was time to go home.
             After tapps, we went inside to the cabin. The counselors were acting suspicious. We all looked at each other and wondered what they could be hiding behind their backs. ‘Hey, NO, NO, NO looking!’ We kept trying to take a peek at what we hoped would be a wonderful surprise to celebrate the times we’ve had at camp. A few minutes later smiles broke out on all of our faces and we all ran to get the surprise we’ve been waiting for. IT WAS COOKIES!!!!! We never get to eat in the cabin so this was a great treat! As we ate our cookies, and it was time for confessions. We only did this on the last night so we could confess all that we had done. We all had to share something that we had done ‘wrong.’ My counselors went first. As they told their story, all eyes widened and faces turned red containing our laughter. After the story was over, we all erupted with laughter. Then it was our turn. None of the confessions were as entertaining or good as the counselors’.
             After confessions it was time for bed. As we slept in these beds for the last time of the year, sobs filled the cabin. As the counselors went to their meeting, all my cabin mates and I shared our favorite memories from this year, memories to never forget. As we all slowly drifted to sleep, I knew that I would be back next year, jumping off the tower screaming with joy, horseback riding through the lush trails, and making new best friends, everything about Camp Huckins will bring me back forever.”

Camp Huckins sounds like a really special place, Becka! I bet you’ll be going back for years to come! Check out Nellie Huckins for yourself to get an idea of what Becka loves so much about this place. As always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Enthusiasts!

Here at Everything Summer Camp, we’re proud to say we work closely with about 250 summer camps from all across the country! And so we’re eager to share with our customers and Blog followers what fantastic summer camps they are! This week we’re focusing our summer camp spotlight on the beautiful land of Fleur de Lis Camp for girls, in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire.

Fleur de Lis Camp is situated on the shores of Laurel Lake in the same, beautiful Monadnock Region of New Hampshire where it was first founded almost 88 years ago in 1929. A quiet camp, this peaceful setting away from home encourages Fleur de Lis campers to tap into a more authentic version of their personality.

Quiet and peaceful doesn’t mean the days are dull! Far from! Campers stay busy with lots of activities to choose from like Free & Instructional Swim, Ceramics, Riflery, Archery, Canoeing, Sailing, Knitting, Kayaking, Diving, Hiking, Horseback Riding Day Trips, Special Events, Tennis, Field Sports (Soccer, LaCrosse, etc.), Arts & Crafts, Drawing, Sewing, Row-Boating, Dance, Games, Lifeguard Certification, Water Skiing, Nature, Theatre, Photo Journalism, and lots more!

The campers sleep in platform tents or cabins with bathrooms and electricity. They are assigned to different tents or cabins based on how old they are. With a cabin leader to camper ratio of 1:4, Fleur de Lis boasts an excellent system of supervision.

Set your sights on Fleur de Lis summer camp next summer! It’s a safe, supportive place for your daughter to take her first few steps toward self-discovery as well as, of course, the enjoyment of her summer days away from home. Does Fleur de Lis camp sound like it’s possibly the camp for your daughter? Check it out right here and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Openhanded Holidayers!

Lots of effort goes into giving gifts this time of year—with so many holidays right around the corner and so many people eager to celebrate, the energy is charged in the winter air and everyone is out and about. People spend lots of time, thought, effort, (and typically money) on the things that they gift to one another. After all, when the time comes for gift opening, we want that moment to be just right.

Things don’t always go the way we had planned, though. Late deliveries are crummy but they happen—even when you’ve done everything in your power to make sure it arrives on time. We appreciate the importance of gift-giving here at Everything Summer Camp and we want to help make sure that your gifting goes off without a hitch this holiday season.
When you order from Everything Summer Camp, you can rest assured that your delivery will be on time; we want your gift-giving to go just the way you have it planned out. That’s why I’m calling your attention to our handy holiday map.

This helpful, color-coded map eliminates any confusion about how early you need to place your order on our website so it ships to you on time. Of course, delivery times differ throughout the country. But, personally, I don’t like procrastinating, so I like to urge people to order as early as they can—better safe than sorry!

That’s why I’m sharing the magic numbers of 1:00pm on December 17. That’s the time and date for everyone in the contiguous United States to go off of for guaranteed delivery by December 24.

December 17 may be early for some of you; Everything Summer Camp is based in northwestern Wisconsin, so if you live in Wisconsin, most parts of Minnesota, or another nearby area, you have the luxury of placing your order as late as 1:00pm on December 21.

Happy holidays, Everybody! As always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

We were delighted to have received such a great response—30 entries—for our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest that we held here at Everything Summer Camp, we’re excited to publish each of your entries right here on the Blog! Following our seven lucky winners of bigger prizes, all other submissions got a $15 gift certificate to our online store! Today’s post is from Eve B., who wrote in to tell us about her time (as well as her daughters’) at summer camp—30-some years in the making! Check out what she wrote:

“As a child who was bullied in school, going to overnight camp was the highlight of my childhood. I started going to YMCA Camp Foss, in Strafford, NH, in 1980, and immediately fell in love with the camp’s small, low-key, girls-only environment. Here was a camp that truly embodied the spirit of summer, with a staff of strong female role models who nurtured each camper’s individuality with great care and love. It was during my 9 summers at camp, both as a camper and a counselor, that I developed confidence, creativity, independence, and lifelong friendships that made me the person I am today. Fast forwarding 25 years, our daughter just completed her 4th summer at camp (often in cabins with the daughters of my childhood camp friends!). It’s remarkable, but not surprising, to see how deeply her camp experience contributes to her development. At the end of each summer, she’s a little bolder, a little more balanced, a lot happier. She’s a kid who marches fearlessly to her own beat, and we know that so much of her ability to do so comes from the confidence and support she gathers at camp. While camp has meant different things to her and myself, what’s clear is that it’s empowering, and builds meaningful memories and friendships for her, just as it did for me! I can’t think of a greater gift for a lifetime, particularly for a young girl navigating the world.”

Awesome, Eve! I’m so glad that your particular summer camp has remained such an important part in your life directly and through your daughter. It must be so great that your daughter is getting to experience for the first time what you did all those summers ago! As always, thanks for reading!

- John