Packing Ends and Odds

What to pack isn’t half as interesting as how to pack. As you read this, millions of parents are doing it the wrong way. They’re packing for their children, instead of with their children. In a prior Everything Summer Camp e-mail, I discussed how important it is to involve your child in all of the big and small decisions regarding camp. Parents and children should shop together, choose a footlocker or trunk together, and, of course, pack together. “C’mon,” you protest, “my kid wouldn’t know how to pack a trunk if his life depended on it.” Not unless you let him help.

I laugh thinking about my days as a cabin leader, chastising a camper for wearing only a T-shirt on a cold rainy day, only to have him reply, “But I don’t have a raincoat!” Odd, I think to myself. So we’d open up his footlocker together and lift up the top tray. Lo and behold! Stacks of neatly folded clothes, including—you guessed it—a raincoat. Cue the dreamy harp music. “Oh, I had no idea. My mom packed this all for me.” I think you get the picture. Indeed, there are benefits to packing together that extend far beyond the joys of spending casual time with your son or daughter.

And now a few insider tips on what to pack that most camps won’t tell you.

• Label everything. Admit it. Even though you’ve read this recommendation from me before, you’ve already set aside a few things for camp that don’t have your son or daughter’s name on them. Baseball glove? Toothbrush? Sunglasses? Underwear? Shampoo? Between iron-on labels, laundry markers, and a commercial tape labeler, you can slap a name on anything.

• Label the footlocker or trunk. No, I don’t have a raging case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Believe it or not, you do need to label the container in which you and your child are packing all of this beautifully labeled gear. Good quality footlockers, for example, get used as ladders, card tables, and even wind up outside from time to time. So yes, it has to have a name on it or in it.

• Pack the packing list. Next thing you know I’m going to be asking you to label the laundry marker you send with your child, right? (Come to think of it, that’s not such a bad idea.) Anyway, placing the list of everything you’ve packed inside the trunk itself serves as an excellent checklist at the end of the season. It’s the guideline for repacking, so be sure it’s complete.

• Avoid sprays. Most bug sprays, deodorant sprays, and even perfume atomizers create flammable vapors. Better to pack stick or lotion forms of bug spray and toiletries. (And leave the perfume at home.) Not convinced? Imagine a bunch of eight-year-olds with a half dozen cans of spray repellent dousing themselves around a roaring campfire. Got that image? Now delete.

• Enlist support. Social support is important and helps promote adjustment. But the kind of support I’m talking about here is more…intimate. Let’s just say that some activities for young men and women and more comfortable with bras and jock straps on. That’s right. Excessive bouncing during horseback riding, mountain biking, and plain old running can be uncomfortable. Almost as uncomfortable as asking your parents to buy these undergarments. So, if your child is hitting puberty, assume they need this support and shop for it (with them, of course) matter-of-factly. Hey, they can always elect not to wear it. Kind of like the raincoat they discover at the bottom of their trunk.

Enjoy the summer!

Dr. Christopher Thurber

Hey there, Camp Boys and Girls!

Ever wonder how Memorial Day came about? I’m sure many of you know that it’s the federal holiday of the United States in which we remember and honor the many soldiers who have died serving their country. But this blog post is meant to inform you on the history of the day.

The story of Memorial Day begins after the American Civil War. After the war ended and our country was once again united, it was originally given the name Decoration Day, meant to remember both Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War.

Memorial Day occurs every year on the last Monday in May. Nowadays, it’s typically thought of as a marker for beginning of the summer season (as opposed to Labor Day which marks its end). The meaning behind the day has been stretched to honor not just the soldiers who died in the Civil War, but all soldiers who have fallen during their time in the service of the United States Military.

The holiday is often notable for visiting cemeteries and memorials. There are volunteers across the whole country that offer to go around in national cemeteries to place small, United States flags on each grave.

We remember those who have died in the service of the American Military because they died in order for us to appreciate the freedom upon which our country is founded. Because of them, we live in a world that offers an educational, school program, beautiful days that we can spend grilling out with friends and family, and—of course—going to summer camp!

So Summer Campers, I hope after reading this post that you have a better appreciation for today’s holiday with a better understanding of it. Until next time, Boys and Girls! Thanks for reading!

Hey, Summer Camp Preppers!

The end of May is near and camp is right around the corner which means that if you’re not ready for summer camp, it should be at the top of your “to do” list to finish preparing. Keep in mind that Everything Summer Camp is here as your one stop shop since we truly have everything you will possibly need for summer camp.

Do you feel like you’ve pushed it too far and that now it’s too close to the first day of camp? That’s what we’re here for. We can ship your order fast! Everyone here at Everything Summer Camp is well aware that summer camp doesn’t start June-ish—it’s a very specific date and we have just one shot at getting your child to camp fully prepared.

We understand how waiting until the last minute happens for people. We know how busy life is. On top of everything in your life, your kids’ school is wrapping up and they’re home with you all day again. We know how easy it is to push off purchasing your kids’ camping gear. But when you order through Everything Summer Camp, I can assure you, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Our competitors don’t seem to see anything wrong in making you place your order an entire month in advance. Or, if it’s not that, they just empty your wallet and still ask for an arm and a leg in order to ship your gear to you on time. But that doesn’t seem right to us. At Everything Summer Camp we stock all products or make them in-house so your entire order will ship in days not weeks.

It’s as simple as that.

So go ahead and wait! You’ve got time. Just make sure that you order through Everything Summer Camp to get your camp gear for a decent price and quickly.

THIS JUST IN:  What’s better than Fast Shipping?  Fast & Free Shipping.  For Memorial Day Weekend Everything Summer Camp is offering FREE UPS Ground shipping when you order any Camp Trunk or Pop Up Soft Trunk.  Sale ends Tuesday 5/28 at 1pm EST.

Hey, Camp Lovers!

Everything Summer Camp has excellent duffels from High Sierra Sport Company for you to take along to summer camp. Whether you go with either one of our Pack N’ Go duffel bags, the Water Bottle Sport Duffel, or the Evolution, you’ll be making summer camp much more convenient for yourself.

You can get a 30” Pack N’ Go Duffel or its 24” counterpart. Either way, this duffel is actually two bags in one. Its handle straps convert into backpack straps so you can carry it around or throw it over your shoulders like a backpack. Either way, the Pack N’ Go Duffel is ready to go. Use it as a duffel bag for transporting your belongings to camp and back or use it as a backpack to carry the load hands-free.

Otherwise, you could go with the High Sierra Water Bottle Sport Duffel. There’s no shortage of storage space in this bag! It’s got a zippered wet pocket where you can keep your shoes after they’ve met a puddle or if any other gear should get wet. And it comes with a water bottle so you’re sure to stay hydrated on the go! You’ll be ready for any camp excursions with the High Sierra Water Bottle Sport Duffel.

Last, but not least is the High Sierra Evolution 28-drop-bottom-wheeled-duffel. It’s the easiest way to get your camp gear from Point A to Point B. The High Sierra wheeled duffel, Evolution, looks as nice as it travels and it’s got lots of room. This is one rolling duffel bag made with a high-density foam structure that helps preserve the bag’s shape and keep things lightweight.

Its Drop Bottom compartment is large enough to fit your shoes or boots. Other compartments work great for keeping folded clothes folded. And the zippered divider panel between the upper and lower compartments can roll up to make one, big compartment. Made of nylon and polyester, the Evolution 28” Wheeled Duffel is excellent at making travel easy.

Get to camp hassle-free and in fashion with any one of these fine duffel bags from High Sierra. Until next time, Camp Fans!

Hey, Camp Folks!

Say hello to Nate—our man in charge of all the personalized products we offer at Everything Summer Camp. While we make all of our personalized products right here in our own, local facility, it does not happen at our Main Building. Everything Summer Camp has two facilities which are very close to each other. Just a few blocks away and over the railroad tracks is our second building—the print shop..

Manager of the print shop, Nate has many responsibilities to tend to on a daily basis which includes overseeing production, keeping an eye out for quality control in running production, product development, scheduling, and purchasing. Needless to say, Nate’s a busy man—but always good for a laugh or interesting conversation over lunch.

For the last three years, with a knack and strong passion for product development, Nate has enjoyed his employment with Everything Summer Camp, appreciating the variety that his work creates for him.

There are many processes that he has to know—after all, all our Name Labels, Lid Skinz, and the majority of our camp clothing is printed at the shop. The print shop is an impressive place with a carousel for screen printing along with an industrial dryer, two embroidery machines, a Direct to Garment (DTG) printer, two heat presses, and three wide-format printers and a whole lot more.

But Nate knows how worth it all his hard work is, creating quality products that summer campers will cherish for the summer and many years to come. He too spent a summer or two at a Christian Bible Camp where he really sharpened his skills at Ping-Pong as well as Table Shuffleboard.

Nate likes to keep work fun as he enjoys creating his own lyrics for existing songs such as “Hey, Don’t Eat Those Burritos,” (originally “ La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens). And on the days when even song parodies don’t do get him through the day, he at least goes home to his wonderful wife, Katie and his two sons, Alex and Eli.

That’s all for today, everybody. Until next time.

 - John