Camp Arowhon
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Glass Half Full
We were worried that after so many months in isolation kids would come to us less resilient, lacking social skills, and higher maintenance than ever. But what we’re seeing is opposite: 99% of our campers are so thrilled to be here that even the most mundane aspects of camp are savoured and celebrated. To incentivize […]
ContinueSinging the Foodservice Blues at Camp…..
Camp is GREAT! Our campers are generally super-delighted to be here on the shores of Tepee Lake, doing the activities they love… together with their cabin-mates. It’s great, except when it’s not. And when it’s not has been in the area of foodservice. We’re really struggling with this, and it has impacted the speed, quantity […]
ContinueA great day at camp! It feels so normal!
All over camp there is happy shouting. It’s 8:40 pm. The Junior sections evening activities have just wound up and they’re having snack. The Inter Girls are playing Name That Tune (jumping in the water to swim a lap when they know the song) at the Girls Dock and the Inter Boys are playing Dodgeball […]
ContinueDear Mom and Dad
“Camp has been so much fun! I’ve been around people! My counsellors are amazing – I’m getting them to like me! Tomorrow’s the first day of activities and I’m so excited. I’ve been laughing and playing all day. At dinner it was like Covid had ended. The food was amazing! I miss you so much.” […]
ContinueBack in Action
In 2019 when I sat down to write the blogs I thought about the most notable things in the day to highlight. Today, however, it wasn’t anything special or unusual that made the day – it was the opposite: how NORMAL it was. Seeing the lake full of boats, kids walking around outside smiling and […]
ContinueThe campers are here!!!!!!!!
This blog is a shoutout of gratitude to our 200 camp staff We had been told by bunches of very smart camp leaders and consultants that everyone – campers and staff – would arrive at camps fragile and somewhat anxious due to the stresses of COVID. We saw this. The first few days of PreCamp […]
ContinueThe National Post Comes Out Cheering for Summer Camps!
Check out the National Post article on camps here: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris-selley-why-on-earth-are-we-even-considering-not-reopening-summer-camps-this-year
ContinueThe Third Wave … and Camp
It is not a good week to be a camp director. Come to think of it, it’s not been a good year to be a camp director. I cry rarely. Last May after camps were closed for 2020, driving to camp, I started crying the moment I passed the Algonquin Park entrance. I cried hard […]
ContinueCamp 2021 Update
Life has been so hard for so many people, especially kids. We rejoice at the prospect of kids getting to be together playing outside at camp, and we have concrete plans for COVID safety this summer. I wish we had info about what Ontario Public Health will require. The Ontario Camps Association (OCA) COVID guidelines […]
ContinueGood Enough Parents
I am spoiled. I have never operated a vacuum cleaner, and seldom touched an iron. 43 years ago when I moved in with my beloved, I left for a month to help my friend Martha care for her newborn in Vermont. My beloved was supposed to get started on a small reno. One night I […]
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