Hey, Camp Fans!

It’s our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest! Like last year, we had a good turn-out for our camp stories so, of course, we’re very excited to post these stories to share with all our readers right here on the Blog. Everyone who submitted receives a $15 gift certificate and seven lucky winners will receive larger prizes of $25, $50, and the grand prize of $100. This week I’m announcing the first four winners of the $25 gift certificates and today we’re sharing the second $25 winner’s story:

Jake V.!

Congratulations, Jake! You’re our second $25 prize winner! Jake spent some fun summer days at Round Lake Camp this year and had an awesome time, meeting fun camp mates. Read about it in his great submission.

“Over the past two years, Round Lake Camp has become my home away from home. I can’t lie, though, I was a little nervous the first time I got off the bus and stepped into ‘camp world.’ Would I have fun? Would I make friends? Would I feel homesick? My stomach was in knots as the bus left home and started making the long drive to camp. I listened to the other kids talk. It sounded like they all knew each other already. I was new though, so I stayed quiet. Then, we got to camp and we were greeted by friendly faces who helped us to our bunks. After I set up my bunk, I started to feel a little more comfortable. I introduced myself to my bunkmates and found that some of them actually liked the same things I like. That first day started out nerve wracking, but ended up being one of the happiest days that summer!

At Round Lake, I have made some awesome new friends. We share the same interests, like Star Wars and comic books. We share the same sense of humor and can easily laugh at the smallest things. It’s great to have friends outside of school. It’s almost like a secret society, or like I live a double life. That’s cool!

My favorite things to do at Round Lake are GaGa and archery. I’m one of the best GaGa players as no one can get me out. I’m usually the last one standing and some of the kids like to challenge me on a daily basis. It’s fun to be the champion! I’ve gotten really good at archery, too. It’s tricky, but it’s also relaxing. I like to get really quiet, concentrate on the target, and think about being one with the arrow. Those two sports are very different. GaGa is very loud and gets my adrenaline pumping, while archery is very quiet and helps me think. I like that I’m able to choose to be either loud or quiet at camp, as I think those are two very important sides of who I am.

Finally, Round Lake Camp is the best camp, not just because of all the friends you can make or activities you can do, but because you can be yourself there. If you are silly or serious, loud or quiet, it doesn’t matter. At Round Lake, it’s okay to be yourself. No one is going to judge you, make fun of you, bully you, or isolate you because of it. That’s why Round Lake has become my home away from home, and I’m counting down the days until next summer starts and I can go back!”

Thanks again for your submission, Jake. Sounds like camp was a blast yet again! Round Lake sounds like a great place with fun activities and fun people. For anyone else interested in Round Lake Camp, you can check it out right here. And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

Our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest went over pretty well last summer and we saw an even bigger response this year, so it goes without saying that we’re very excited to post these stories to share with all our readers right here on the Blog. Everyone who submitted receives a $15 gift certificate and seven lucky winners will receive larger prizes of $25, $50, and the grand prize of $100. This week we’ll be announcing the first four winners of the $25 gift certificates—and we’re starting right now! Today’s winner is….

Emily B.!

Congratulations, Emily! You’re our first $25 prize winner! Emily spent some fun summer days at Camp Merrie-Woode this year and who made unbreakable bonds with her campmates. Read all about it in her excellent entry:

“I started going to camp with my best friend and I loved it so much. But six years later I decided to go to a 3-week stay. I was scared at first but we had the best counselor ever. It was the last night of camp and all the squire cabins went to Sports field to play a game of manhunt but we were too loud and Lindsay came and told us we had to go back for cabinets. We were pretty bummed but a counselor said because it was her last night she would let us sleep in a different cabin, so we all brought over our mattress pads and sleeping bags and went into the cabin Winken. We were all so excited that we didn’t get much sleep that night but the bonds that we made that year at camp last forever.”

Thanks again for your submission, Emily. Glad you enjoyed your extended camp stay and bonded with your cabin mates! For anyone else interested in Camp Merrie-Woode, you can check it out for yourself sometime. And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Kids!

Summer camp has only increased in popularity since its well-received beginnings in 1861. It spread across the country like wildfire and kids of all different upbringings were brought together to make summer memories of a lifetime. As camp popularity grew, the amount of summer camp alumni grew too. There are so many former summer campers around nowadays and some went on to become famous.

We all know Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. What’s that? The name doesn’t ring a bell? Maybe you know her better as Lady Gaga.

Anyway, before she was known by her professional persona, Stefani attended the YMCA Camp Hi-Rock in Massachusetts. Located on a thousand acres in the Berkshire Mountains, Hi-Rock campers enjoy a home away from home, set aside from the rest of the world with heavy foliage and their crystal clear, private lake of 90 acres!

Back in her camp days, Stefani was just as interested in the theater as she was in music. Following her interest into her high school days, she appeared in high school plays and when she attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, she studied at CAP21 to further her training in theater.

She also had a lifelong passion for music. She started playing the piano when she was four, she wrote her first ballad for piano when she was thirteen, and by the time she was fourteen, she was performing her music at local open mic nights.

Still interested in music in her college days, Stefani formed a band with friends from school—the Stefani Germanotta Band. All their shows eventually brought her some attention and she found herself working with her music producer—Rob Fusari. She traveled to New Jersey every day to record songs she had written and collaborate on new material.

Mr. Fusari explains the origin of Stefani’s stage name saying, “Every day, when Stef came to the studio, instead of saying hello, I would start singing ‘Radio Ga Ga’” (the song from the British rock band of the 70’s—Queen). When sending her trademark song name in a text one day, Rob’s phone autocorrected ‘Radio’ to ‘Lady’ and he sent the text without noticing. Predictably, Stefani responded, “That’s it! Don’t ever call me Stefani again.”

Stefa—I mean…Lady Gaga—rose to fame nearly overnight after her first album, The Fame, and she’s only continued to make music that increases her fan following. Lady Gaga found a path of wild success through her passion for self expression. What path will you find? You can check out Camp Hi-Rock for yourself sometime and, as always, thanks for reading. And check out the video below of the song that inspired Ms. Gaga’s moniker.

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

At Everything Summer Camp, we’re always putting our latest ideas to the test and broadcasting the news about ourselves, but we know it’s good to give others a chance in the spotlight too. That’s why we always take the time to spotlight the great summer camps with whom we’ve developed solid relationships. Today, we’re shining our spotlight on Camp Mystic in Texas. This all-girls private Christian summer camp is located among the native cypress, pecan, and live oak trees in the beautiful hill country of west-central Texas along the banks of the Guadalupe River. The young Mystic campers are provided with wholesome Christian values in an atmosphere that inspires development in personal qualities and self-esteem.

An abundance of fun activities await each Camp Mystic camper! They offer Archery, Arts & Crafts, Basketball, Beauty Inside and Out, Campcraft, Canoeing and Kayaking, Cheerleading, Chorus, Cooking, Dance, Diving, Drama, Drawing, Fishing, Golf, Guitar, Horseback Riding, Hunter Safety, Journalism, Lacrosse, Landsports, Riflery, Snorkeling, Soccer, Swimming, Yoga, and plenty more.

The scenic campgrounds at Camp Mystic are decorated with unobtrusive and attractive facilities—one of which (the historical Rec Hall) has been standing since the camp’s beginnings in 1927—including cabins that are comfortable and airy and have their own indoor bathrooms. There’s also the ‘Heaven Can Wait’ infirmary, the delicious Harrison Hall for mealtimes, as well as a camp office.

But Camp Mystic is about more than just fun times and gorgeous landscapes. This camp gives girls a clearer image of themselves—away from their established reputation back home. Girls at Camp Mystic undergo a transformative experience that takes a young child and sets her on a subtle road to maturity and self-actualization.

A fantastic all girls summer camp for your daughter to attend, check out Camp Mystic for yourself and, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Back-to-School Preppers!

It’s been a fun-filled, coming-or-going three months of summer. But as August comes to an end, it’s time to change gears and get yourself and your kids organized and ready for going back to school. There’s a lot that goes into getting ready for the return of the school year, so we thought we’d help by giving you just a few little tips that you can put into action before the school season is here!

Sleep Schedule
This is a big one! From helping you remember to boosting your confidence, a good night’s sleep does so much for us and greatly affects our demeanor throughout the following day. A night of sleep can literally make or break the next day for you. Learn a great deal more about the importance of sound sleep in a previous Blog post I shared on January 3—the Festival of Sleep—right here.

Leftover Labels
If you ordered our Clothing Name Labels, Stick-Ons, or any of our other labeling alternatives and you still have some leftover, put it to use on your school clothes, rain coats, snowpants, shoes, and boots. And of course, you can order more if you need right here. Labeled school clothes and school supplies are a surefire way to avoid any confusion in the classroom!

Consider your Comeback
It’s happened to everyone. People ask how your summer was and you respond with a flat, resounding “Fun.” Instead of always giving a dud response, try scanning your summer before school starts for fun stories that you can share with school friends. It’ll make for much better conversation and might allow your friend a chance to tell a fun story from their summer too—something that never would have happened with a, “it was fun” kind of response.

Head into your upcoming school year with confidence and organization with these helpful tips and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John