Eagle’s Nest Camp is nestled into the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, surrounded by lush rhododendron and towering pines. Our 180-acre river valley campus serves as home to a diverse community of campers from across the country and the world. Since 1927, Eagle’s Nest campers have been inspired by mountain views, cooled by midday creek hikes, and ushered to sleep by a symphony of cicadas.

At Eagle’s Nest, boys and girls are encouraged to live and grow simply, rooted by intentional experiences and connection to community. We place emphasis on developing the Whole Child in a compassionate, encouraging environment filled with activities that promote self-expression, personal growth, skill building and fun. Eagle’s Nest provides campers the opportunity to slow down and reconnect with the core values of nature, friendship, and joyful living. At Eagle’s Nest, children form meaningful friendships and learn what it means to truly belong.

We believe that engaging campers in a nurturing, inclusive environment provides opportunities for significant personal growth and allows them to be their best selves. By bringing together a diverse group of people, we are able to empower campers to open their eyes, hearts and minds. In addition to the broad camp community, each camper is a part of three smaller intentional communities: their table family, tribe, and cabin group.

One of the things that makes Eagle’s Nest unique is that our program evolves as campers grow. Campers can begin attending camp as soon as they have finished Kindergarten and can continue to mature through our program until the summer after they’ve graduated from high school. At our residential camp, we offer a progression of programs that allow campers to grow at each developmental stage. Through Camp, Added Adventures, Hante Adventures, and The Outdoor Academy, young people can essentially “grow up” at Eagle’s Nest.

Hey, Boys and Girls!

You’re in for a real treat! Today’s post is now the fourth installment of this blog’s employee spotlights. Allow me to virtually introduce you to the Sales Director of Everything Summer Camp, Mr. Matthew Stephen DeMuth. 

With his crazy sense of humor, solid determination, and wild eccentricities, Matt has played a vital role in helping kids get their camp trunks and camping gear on time, the growth of Everything Summer Camp, and the overall shaping of our company for almost eight years.

It’s really sort of a fluke that Matt started working here in the first place. He had posted a résumé online. When we caught sight of it, it got printed out and, somehow, mixed in with a stack of résumés from actual applicants.

Though, he previously had no idea that such a company existed—much less was he trying to apply for any position here, we asked if he wanted to come in for an interview anyway and he accepted.

Brought on as the manager of our Call Center, Matt spoke on the phone to any summer camp with whom we did business. But he showed a great knack for building a rapport from camps that we didn’t already work with.

As a result, he was officially made our Camp Liaison, put in charge of managing each and every camp account that he pursued and acquired. Matt has since embraced his role of building relationships with camps. He spends a good number of workdays visiting summer camps all around the country.

Turning working relationships that he has with camps into friendships is his favorite part of the job. Matt doesn’t just work hard, though. He’s often times the straw that stirs the drink around the office and really contributes to the family we have at Everything Summer Camp.

Whether it’s his goofy office pranks or our cherished Question of the Day tournaments (in which he asks the employees here random trivia questions like what are the three types of clouds), he continually helps to unite us.

Aside from work, Matt’s a family man. He cherishes his wife and twins every day. He enjoys the outdoors as often as he can. He likes hunting and fishing and he’s crazy about sports. Nowadays he’s grown accustomed to the ways of the office though he sometimes misses his days as a traveling country music singer.

Still, Matt will always remain passionate about singing, playing the harmonica, and life in general.

Until next time, Campers! And, as always, thanks for reading!

Hey there, Camp Enthusiasts!

Summer camp is right around the corner. We hope you’re as excited about it as we are! Here at Everything Summer Camp, we’re your one-stop-online-shop to make any camp season as easy on you as possible. All you have to do is shop online (or over the phone) and wait a few days for your order to arrive at your door.

After that, all you have to do is actually get your kid and all of the gear on the camp’s packing list to camp.  Easier said than done, but you can remove some of the hassle if you have the proper equipment.

And, of course, at Everything Summer Camp—the home of C&N Footlockers—the first thing we recommend for transporting your camp gear is one of our stylishly cool and extremely durable camp trunks. Inevitably, there are some people who feel a camp trunk is too big and clunky. Enter the Pop Up Soft Trunk™. 

These soft camp trunks are just what the doctor ordered! Built to last, the wire-framed Pop Up Soft Trunk™ keeps its traditional trunk shape even when empty. When camp is over, this rolling duffel bag can collapse and lie flat for easy storage.

The latest version of the soft trunk features several improvements.  The fabrics have been upgraded for increased durability.  They are also easier to clean and dry faster.  Four corner protectors have been added to decrease damage if the bag gets dragged on rough surfaces.

Our soft trunks still have a plethora of pockets to keep your packing list organized during your trip to camp. Transport your camp gear in your Pop Up Soft Trunk™ and live out of it during your camp stay! It’s that convenient!

Rolling on smooth inline skate wheels, the Pop Up Soft Trunk™ is the best soft trunk for you at summer camp.

Sprinkles on ice cream make a good thing even better. Get a Piggy Back Duffel™ to make your soft trunk even better! Custom designed for extremely easy attachment to your Pop Up Soft Trunk™, have this roomy duffel ride piggy back all the way to camp.

The durable Piggy Back Duffel™ is great for packing bulky items like sleeping bags, blankets, and alike. It also has a padded shoulder strap for comfy carrying when you want this polyester piggy on your own back. Safe and simple travels!

Hey, Camp Preppers!

Are you as excited as we are for the coming camp season? In preparation, you may be looking for the right backpack for your camper; in doing so, you may be finding it confusing to know what kind of backpack will be best what with how many different types of backpacks there are.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. We even planned on posting about the different types to make it easier for you—that’s how confusing it can be. So read on and use this post as a guide to helping you narrow your sights on the backpack you want for camp.

First of all, we have School Backpacks. These are your all-purpose bags. The benefit to this bag is that it’s versatile. Use it for camp, school, vacationing, whatever you want! Ironically, the bag’s strongpoint is also its drawback. Its versatility makes it generic and basic. School Backpacks are not adequate packs for the avid hiker.

Next are the Daypacks. These guys make great kids backpacks for any single-day activity or even a quick overnighter. These packs are only meant for light loads (10-15 lbs.). Any good Daypack should have a waist belt for proper weight distribution.

We carry excellent Hydration Packs from CamelBak here at Everything Summer Camp. Hydration Packs are smart for long hikes through rough terrain. These packs hold a water bag inside and attached to that bag is a tube with a leak-proof valve for drinking. Sip a hands-free drink any time you need with a hydration pack!

Lastly, you should know the differences between Internal Frame and External Frame Backpacks. Internal Frame Backpacks keep their framework hidden inside the pack behind the shoulder harness. They fit to the camper’s form much better than external framework. Hikers have more freedom and movement and better stability.

Unafraid to show their bones, External Frame Backpacks have their metal framework on the outside. They can hold a lot. They’re less expensive than Internal Frame Packs and allow for better ventilation in the heat. They have a million exterior pockets for easy access. The frame of these backpacks don’t hug the body, so they can have the tendency to pull your child backwards a little; external frames are not good for uneven terrain.

Use this as a guideline to figuring out which type of backpack will be best for you. And, as always, thanks for reading.

- John

…but here are six pillars of good camp health.

 Rotavirus, whooping cough, chicken pox and the H1N1 flu have all swept through summer camps at various times. Much more common are: Indigestion from eating too many s’mores, headaches from dehydration and various bumps and bruises from, well, being an active kid at camp. Big or small, illnesses and injuries are no fun to have at camp, especially when everyone else is out having fun.

That said, most camp health centers are well-equipped to handle routine maladies. Nurses and doctors also know when to refer more serious ailments to the local hospital. And rest assured: If your son or daughter experiences any serious affliction, the camp nurse or doctor will be giving you a call. Remember: No news is good news. You can, however, help your child—and the rest of the young people at camp—stay healthy. Here’s how:

(1) Complete the camp’s health form thoroughly. Whatever information you omit handicaps the camp health care staff. By being candid and complete, you put the staff in the best possible position to support your child. Fully disclose your son or daughter’s current diagnoses, allergies and medications, as well as any recent injuries and illnesses.

(2) Be sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date. Choosing not to immunize your child or letting his or her immunizations lapse places an unfair health burden on the rest of the camp community. Parents who choose not to immunize are relying on “herd immunity”—the hope that their child will not get ill because everyone else is immunized. Naturally, if everyone adopts this attitude, no one is immune. Do your part and complete your child’s immunizations.

(3) Review elements of good personal hygiene with your child. This includes the basics, such as proper hand washing technique and the practice of coughing and sneezing in one’s elbow. It also includes proper bathing technique (using soap and warm water everywhere), daily flossing and keeping fingernails and toenails clean and neatly trimmed.

(4) Review healthy table manners with your child, including the use of serving utensils to dish out food; the use of napkins to wipe hands and mouth; and observing the rule of “you touch it, you take it.” You should also remind your son or daughter not to share towels or pillows with camp friends. One of the best ways to acquire germs is to put your face on a surface where someone else has wiped their own face.

(5) Review any daily or prophylactic medications with your child. Be sure he or she knows how to self-administer any rescue medications, including inhalers and EpiPens. Send your child to camp with two of every rescue medication, each clearly labeled with his or her name. (One stays in the health center; the other is for your child to keep with him.)

(6) Be sure your child is healthy in the days leading up to camp. Viruses and bacterial illnesses do not spring up spontaneously at camp. Bugs are brought to camp by children whose parents think their child is no longer contagious, who ignore signs of serious illness or who brush them off as pre-camp jitters. Rather than rolling the dice and risk infecting the entire camp community, keep your child home until a qualified medical professional has given him or her a clean bill of health.

Parents share the responsibility to keep their child—and all of the other children at camp—healthy. Your commitment to preparation makes an invaluable contribution to the overall health of the summer camp community. And, of course, healthy kids are happy kids. Following the six steps above ensures that your camp tuition dollars are spent on cool activities rather than convalescence.

Enjoy the summer!

Dr. Christopher Thurber