Protected Citizens,

Today, we remember the heroes who lost their lives while on duty as officials of law enforcement. Today is National Police Officer Day, the official day of observation within National Police Week—is also sometimes referred to as National Peace Officer Week to be inclusive of all law enforcement officials.

Sworn to protect and to serve us, police officers put their lives on the line in order to maintain public order and put a stop to crimes. They hold authority to arrest and detain deviant individuals in order to uphold public safety. Unfortunately, just in performing the duties of their jobs, some policemen and policewomen end up paying the ultimate price.

Whether you knew them or not, today is a day to remember those who were killed. There are many ways that communities and individuals can demonstrate their remembrance. Here are a few ideas on how you can play a role in memorializing those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Observe a Moment of Silence.
Setting a little time aside during the school day or even just alone in your room can be very helpful to all participants. With silence comes peace.

Fly the Flag at Half-Staff.
Flags are flown at half-staff to commemorate the deaths of ranking officers.

See the Names of the Victims.
You can see a list of the names of the officers who lost their lives in the last year if that's something you'd like to look into. This is a difficult list on which to focus, but it’s important that these names are remembered.

Honoring the Heroes.
The bravery of the men and women who risk their lives to uphold the peace and safety that we enjoy everyday will never be forgotten as our heroes are honored and loved ones remembered on this day of observance.

National Police Week sees a number of events in Washington D.C. every year like the annual Blue Mass Candlelight Vigil, a Wreath-Laying Ceremony, the National Police Survivors Conference, the Honor Guard Competition, as well as the Emerald Society & Pipe Band March/Service. There are 25,000 to 40,000 law enforcement officers and their families take part in these events every year.

Honor the fallen officers in whatever way you can today and, as always, thank you for reading.

- John

Hey, Summer Campers!

Former summer campers are everywhere you look. So many folks have gone for summer camp adventures that a bunch of them went on to become famous celebrities. They’re in the movies we see, in professional sports leagues, and they’re singing the songs that make the young girls cry—Barry Manilow is, anyway. And, yes, he was a summer camper back in the day as well.

Attending Camp Billings, Barry was fortunate for the opportunities and great camp experience he had for two weeks on the shore of Lake Fairlee among the lush hills in eastern Vermont—nearly an hour-and-a-half-long drive from New Hampshire. Learning a wealth about himself and where he fits into the world around him, Barry had no idea camp lessons would steer his life in the direction of super-stardom!

Having grown up in Brooklyn, Barry has always brought the energy of a New Yorker to his music despite his surroundings in “laid-back L.A.” as he calls it. He went to the Eastern District High School and, after graduating, attended the City College of New York. He didn’t stay there long, however, as his musical interests were developing exponentially. He soon entered the New York College of Music instead. Eventually, he went on to study at Juilliard School of Performing Arts.

Barry worked at CBS for some time while he was going to school. Not long into his employment there, the network director approached him to request that he arrange a few songs for a musical adaptation of an old, traditional play. Barry accepted the task, but went above and beyond by creating an entire original score for it. The CBS director used Barry’s score which saw great popularity throughout an 8-year run at New York’s 13th Street Theatre.

This launched Barry’s career as a pianist, producer, and arranger. He found great work writing and performing jingles for commercials. He’s responsible for classic commercial jingles such as Band-Aid’s ‘I am stuck on Band-Aid brand ‘cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me’ as well as the ever-popular ‘Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,’ for State Farm Insurance.

Of course, his true talent was only discovered after the release of some of his greatest masterpieces like ‘Mandy,’ ‘Can’t Smile Without You,’ ‘Ready to Take a Chance Again,’ and so many more. After summer camp, Barry Manilow achieved worldwide fame and made his dreams come true. What’s in store for you after summer camp? As always, thanks for reading, campers!

- John

Hey, Camp Packers!

As May brings the full swing of spring, it also elevates our anticipation for the fast-approaching summer camp season! Last Monday began our four-part series to share packing techniques for a successful summer camp experience! Get words of the wise, borrowed from ‘The Summer Camp Handbook,’ the comprehensive guidebook written by camp experts, Dr. Chris Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski.

Last week, I went over trunks and trunk alternatives such as suitcases, duffels, and backpacks. Now that you have an idea of what type of container your camper will be bringing to camp, it’s time to go over selecting the right gear for your summer camp stay. Thurber and Malinowski break camping gear down into major, manageable groups. Let’s take a look:

Clothing
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to pack clothes (it’d be kind of weird if I did), so I’ll skip over all the shirts, the shorts, the pants, cozy hoodies, as well as extra socks and underwear that we have available on our site. As for our less obvious articles, you’ll certainly want a quality, 100% waterproof raincoat or a hooded poncho when things get wet at camp. If you’re spending time in the water, be sure to get quick-drying swim suits or trunks. And lastly, bathrobes, while optional, may provide more comfort than a wrapped towel after a shower.

Footwear
Footwear is extremely important at camp. You’ll need boots for hikes, boots for horseback riding, and boots for rainy days when the campgrounds are rendered messy and muddy. The same as boots, make sure you have the right kind of sneakers for the activities that you plan to do at camp. It’s typically a good idea to bring two pairs—a newer pair for sports (specific to tennis or basketball requirements) and an older pair for everyday wear.

As for sandals, they’re both useful and popular, though some camps required that all footwear have closed toes, to prevent injuries.  Remember, sandals are not meant for hiking or sports, despite the advertisements. Besides shoes, remember to pack a lot of socks and make sure that they are appropriate for the shoes you’ll be wearing. Pack thick wool socks for your hiking boots and crew-length, cotton-blend socks for sports.

Bedding
As it is for everything, a sound night of sleep is very important at camp. Your camp’s information packet should give you a good idea of what kind of bedding you need to bring whether it’s nothing at all (if the camp is supplying all the sheets, blankets, and pillows) or everything (if the camp supplies only a cot, bed, platform, or bare earth). We have a great selection of sheets, blankets, mattress pads, mattress covers, as well as pillows and pillowcases from which to choose. We also have a slew of sleeping bags for all different outdoor conditions. Check them out right here!

Toiletries
As for toiletries, you can check out our towels for washing and drying off after showering, or laying down in the sand! You can find great items like sunblock, insect repellent, lip balm, hairbrushes, and toothbrushes with travel holders all right here! And you can keep all these smaller items in the same spot with one of our many toiletry bags!

Headgear
Of course, headwear is great for a number of reasons. Bandanas and headbands are helpful to keep hair and sweat out of your face. The summer sun is blindingly beautiful—make sure to shield your eyes appropriately with hats or even better, sunglasses! Unlike sunglasses, however, hats offer the advantage of keeping ticks off your head. You’ll want to grab swim goggles too if you’re planning on spending time in the water! Other Gear
There’s a bunch of miscellaneous gear that’s mandatory at any camp: a laundry bag, flashlight, and water bottle. But we have a lot of other fun items that you might consider taking along as well—depending on your interests. We have books for quiet time, cameras (which may or may not be allowed at your camp), classic Jacks, playing cards, and so much more is here for your entertainment. Lastly, if you’re hoping to get letters back from your camper, it’s only smart to send them with stationery including pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes.

It’s a lot, but it helps to see all this gear broken up to provide organization and clarity. For a look that goes further in-depth of this phase and all other phases of packing and sending your kid to camp entirely, order ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’ for yourself. And be sure to come back next Monday for our tips and advice on labeling your gear and camp clothing! As always, thanks for reading.

- John

Happy Mother’s Day!

There’s nobody else in the whole world who lugged you around for nine months before you really entered into the world and that bond is unbreakable! What better day than today to show your mom how much you appreciate that bond?Just the same as you and everybody else, we all love our mothers here at Everything Summer Camp. So, I went around the office asking folks what fun plans they had in store for their mothers today.

Graphic Artist, Gunnar
Gunnar and his older brother are planning a fun game night for their Mother’s Day celebration tonight. Her favorite games, Scrabble and Cribbage, are on the docket for this evening. My advice to Gunnar and his brother: let Mom win tonight!

Lead Buyer, Tim
Tim’s Mother’s Day plans break away from the traditional celebrations. He’s not taking his mom out for a nice dining experience or getting together for a game night. Instead, he’ll be accompanying his mother for the recital she has that night for the guitar lessons she’s taking. But Tim isn’t just going to listen—he’s going up with her to play bass guitar while she picks her classical guitar and sings The Beatle’s ‘Come Together’. Break a l                                                                                          leg, you two!

Print Shop Supervisor, Mellina
Mellina, a dedicated mother herself, will be spending this beautiful day in the Family Farms Market in Eleva, WI where her mother, her grandmother, and the rest of her family are rendezvousing for a wonderful atmosphere and gourmet lunch. Three generations of mothers is a wonderful way to celebrate the day! Happy Mother’s Day to all three of you!

A Happy Mother’s Day to Tim and Gunnar’s mothers as well—not to mention mine, if she’s reading this Blog post!—and Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere. Thank you all for the graceful selflessness and undying love and support you bring into the world! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Foot Fans!

Footwear comes first for a lot of people. It’s certainly a smart place to start. That’s why Everything Summer Camp is sure to expand our footwear selection with only the top brands. Chaco has been crafting premium footwear since 1989. Check out what they’ve been up to lately with these three new sandals that we just started offering.

Kids have a tendency to go rough on their footwear—especially at summer camp. That’s why we brought on board the Kids Z1 as well as the Kids ZX/1 Eco Tread Sandals from their Z collection. We also grabbed the Kids OutCross Sport Sandal. Give these three newcomers a nice warm welcome and check out the innovative features these sport sandals are sporting!

Chaco Kids Z1 Eco Tread Sandal
Thanks to Chaco’s LUVSEAT™ platform, your feet are provided with lasting support from the arch which reinforces healthy posture and good body alignment. For a protective sandal that goes on with ease and off with just as much. Pick yours up right here!

Chaco Kids ZX/1 Eco Tread Sandal
This Sandal is ready for anything it’s likely to encounter at camp. This Sandal boasts LUVSEAT™ platform support as well to make walking, running, skipping, jumping, and galloping all feel great. Check it out on our site right here.

l
Chaco Kids OutCross
Designed to be worn with or without socks, comfort is as a big a deal to the Kids OutCross as it is to…well, kids! Going with the amphibious design, this airy shoe offers a durable cap for protection as well as open sides for efficient drainage and ventilation. Because of its semi-collapsible heel, the Kids OutCross allows for maximum on and off convenience. And Chaco gave this sandal the LUVSEAT™ platform too. Check it out further right here.

Go with footwear that’s sure to feel great! Go Chaco! Enjoy browsing our footwear selection and, as always, thanks for reading.

- John