Hey, Campers!

Did you know that well over a hundred of your favorite celebrities have gone to summer camp? Today I’m talking about Hank Azaria. Hank, when he was your age, was one of those kids where you could tell he was born to be an actor. In his youth he loved memorizing and reciting film scripts, TV shows, and bits from stand-up comedy.

When he was your age he spent some time away at Camp Towanda, located in the Northeast Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. The camp is intended for shaping fun, friendship, and good memories. At this point, despite Hank’s interest in movie lines and laugh-out-loud stand-up material, he still hadn’t really thought much about acting.

It wasn’t until he played a part in a school play at the Kew-Forest School in Forest Hills. He was 16 when he began to realize that he was obsessed with acting even when he allowed it to interfere with his studies at school. His parents were huge fans of all kinds of show business which only encouraged him even further.

He went on to study drama in college at Tufts University. Hank knew that he’d regret not be a professional actor if he never tried which was continuous incentive for him to continue studying and pursuing acting. Hank went straight for television despite his ideas of being a movie star because he saw more options there.

He got his start (in 1989) as a voice actor on The Simpsons. He provides the voices for such characters as Moe Szyslak, Apu, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, and Carl Carlson. He’s still doing their voices today. Hank kept to voice acting for a while but began branching out to live-action movies in the later 90’s. Hank was in Godzilla, Mystery Men, Along Came Polly, and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. He was also in The Smurfs.

Hank was obsessed with acting ever since his summer camp days. Are you obsessed with anything?

Hey, Camp Fans!

Just about everybody loves summer camp! That’s why summer camps are filled with diversity. Despite the similarities we may see in each other, we also know that everyone is different. We all come from our own, separate worlds—even brothers and sisters who grew up under the same roof are different.

Sometimes our differences with other people can collide undesirably. Bullying is more often a problem encountered in school, but it can certainly happen at camp too.

Well, if there’s a chance of bullying at camp then why bother going, right? No, no, no. Don’t think that way. Camp is full of memories that will last a lifetime. I still remember my summer camp experiences like they happened yesterday! You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity because there’s a chance you could encounter a bully.

Instead, just learn how to handle one. There are just a few things to keep in mind:

1.) First of all, knowing when and where a bully may try to strike is important because being ready for it is half the battle. Bullies will typically strike when a counselor isn’t around like in the showers or in the bunks after lights out.

Being ready for an encounter with a bully means remaining calm.

2.) The best response you can give a bully is the lack of one. Ignore them. Walk away. Or just tell them that you don’t care about what they have to say. Bullies want to control your emotions. If you show them they can’t, they tend to lose interest in you.

If your bullying problem involves physical force, it’s very important that you find some way to protect yourself and be sure to tell a counselor or some other adult about any threats or assaults. Adults have a way of solving the problem and can usually do so without the bully even knowing that it was you who said something.

3.) Lastly, it always helps to flip the script. Instead of seeing bullies as villains, try seeing them for what they really are: a miserably frustrated kid who wants to make others feel just as miserable as they do. Don’t allow it to happen.

It’s true, these three pointers are all easier said than done—but if you can stay calm and stay in control of your emotions, bullies WILL overlook you as a potential victim. Don’t stand for bullying and enjoy your time at camp! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Summer Camp Girls!

Before reading on, be sure that you’re sitting—I’ve got big news about a new product we’re now carrying. Put your hands together and let’s hear three cheers for the arrival of the cool, new Shower & Storage Caddy from Three Cheers for Girls at Everything Summer Camp.

Always helping younger girls embrace their creativity and self-expression, Three Cheers for Girls is dedicated to developing convenient, quality products for their customers. Leave it to a former costume designer for Broadway Plays like Cats to know what’s cool to today’s young girls!

Founder of Three Cheers for Girls, Cinthia Russiyan along with her husband, a former Broadway stage manager and founder of General Awards—parent company to Three Cheers—are incredibly successful.

That’s one reason (aside from her raw talent) that Cinthia is able to develop awesome, new products like the Shower & Storage Caddy.

This convenient, bucket-shaped bag allows you to have everything you need for your bathroom trips conveniently tucked away in the same little spot! It’s deep enough to hold the tallest of hair products or body wash bottles. With seven outer pockets and a large, center storage area, you’ll fit everything you need for the bathroom in one little caddy.

This catchall carrier is as useful as it is stylin’! Go with the cool paint splatter pattern, or the imaginative neon zebra stripe—whichever pattern suits your style best. The pattern print really shines on the waterproof blend of vinyl and nylon mesh material!

The material on this thing is strong too. And the mesh bottom prevents mildew and unwanted water buildup. This way you know it’s sure to last from one season to the next. Take it to camp year after year and use it at home too! You’re certain to give it two thumbs up and, of course, three cheers!

Hey, Blog Buddies!

Here at Everything Summer Camp, we don’t like to brag which is why we talk up and praise the names whose products we offer instead. And today, we have QUITE the name to talk about—the number one leader in recreational outdoor footwear—Triple T, parent company of the Northside brand.

Based in Marysville, Washington Triple T Trading was founded in 1985 (two years prior to the very beginnings of Everything Summer Camp). And in their near-30 years of operation, they’ve made quite an impact in the world of footwear.

The way Triple T sees it, people of all ages should be able to enjoy being out in nature, no matter what the time of year may be. I think most people see it that way too.

That’s why Northside was created, as their tagline indicates—‘just for fun.’ This footwear is made to stand up to all the elements nature has to offer. So no matter where you are or what season it is, you can have your fun in the outdoors.

Whether you’re interested in winter boots, hiking shoes, flip-flops, or sport sandals, all kinds of footwear from Northside are made with the same rugged and reliable construction.

Triple T Trading is a family-owned and family-operated business which is why they feel like their partners should consider themselves an addition to their “brand-family” of Triple T. On behalf of Everything Summer Camp, the feeling is mutual.

Find a great assortment of Northside footwear available at Everything Summer Camp. We’re delighted to carry such quality products from such a great name!

Hey, Camp Fans!

We don’t like to complain about the weather here at Everything Summer Camp. After all, we’re Wisconsinites! We’re used to the cold temperatures and blizzard conditions that come in the winter, but some years bring much worse seasons than others and one thing I think everyone in Wisconsin (or at least here at Everything Summer Camp) will agree on is that this year’s winter could NOT have gotten any worse!

What a brutal winter it’s been! This year’s season brought record-breaking low temperatures reaching wind chills of 40° below zero here in northern Wisconsin! The low temperatures lingered and would then warm up just enough to snow and then freeze again rendering roads very unsafe to travel.

This year we also received some of the wettest, heaviest snow I’ve ever seen! It fell in large flakes and clung to power lines causing them to droop unusually low. I threw snowballs at them to avoid downed power lines!

Things may have been pretty rough in Wisconsin, but this winter swept the whole country in places that don’t typically see much in the way of winter weather. Temperatures in Texas were as low as 9° C and the virtually the entire state was shut down because of the snow and poor travel conditions.

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this year, predicting six more weeks of winter weather and BOY, was he right on that one! But, no matter how brutal the winter, we always make it through to the end. And today, my friends…today is the first day of spring!

It’s time for fresh beginnings, spring cleaning, and why not getting ready for camp? Start shopping now and avoid last minute running around! This way, you can spend quality time with your kid in the few days before summer camp starts instead of racing to finish getting ready!

Happy Spring, Camp Fans! Thanks for reading.

- John