What an incredible final week we’ve had! As we came down the final stretch, the action never waned…from Moose Bowl to Katahdin Cup, Moana to Frozen, Moosestock to Banquet Night…the fun never slowed down!

And as we write this, our campers and staff are busy packing up, hanging out with their friends, reminiscing about what an adventure we all just shared. For sure, there’s a mix of laughter and tears, and as bittersweet as the end is, we’re confident that the friendships forged and the memories created will carry us for the next 11 months, as we daydream about being right back here – in Casco – ready for the 2023 summer to kick off.

As we say…don’t be sad it’s over, be happy that it happened. And we all shared in it together. After all, it is a beautiful day in the state of Maine!!

Man, oh man, the summer sure does fly by! It seems like just yesterday we were reuniting with old friends and meeting new friends and sharing in the anticipation of another incredible summer on the shores of Crescent Lake!  

Now we find ourselves looking back on all that has transpired in such a short period of time. The CITs had a blast on their Super-Secret S-Day. Carnival was amazing. Saco-Kineo berry picking rocked. Spirit Days broke at Evening Cove and was followed by two days of the most evenly-matched, hard-fought, well-played Spirit Days in recent memory! We are so proud of our staff and camper leaders who truly showed the rest of camp how to compete hard while keeping the sportsmanship and Laurel South spirit at the forefront of everything!

Today is another S-Day. After our fabulous S-Day breakfast, the Five Year Club headed out for the morning movie adventure while the rest of us enjoy an elective morning with (you guessed it) BUMPER TUBING! Of course we have our traditional ice cream sundaes after lunch before heading out to Funtown/Splashtown USA this evening! It truly is a jam-packed day!

Don’t fret, though, as we still have so much to look forward to the rest of the summer!  We still have:  two Theater shows, Moose Bowl and Katahdin Cup, Moose Stock, Banquet…the list just keeps on going!!!

We’ll keep you updated as we enjoy every day of another magical summer!

Our Second Session is in full swing! While it seemed like it took forever for camp to get here, we were finally reunited on the shores of Crescent Lake. After Arrival Day and MooseStomp Day, we got right into our “A” and “B” Programming Days. It warms our hearts to hear the sounds of singing, cheering and laughing coming from all corners of camp!

Our wonderful CIT group and our equally incredible 8th Graders recently returned from their spectacular opening trips. The CITs cruised the rapids of the Kennebec River, while the 8th Graders camped at Jellystone Park and saw the sights of North Conway, New Hampshire. They returned yesterday filled with amazing stories and memories that will last forever! The rest of camp celebrated our first “S” Day of the summer. The day began with our amazing “S” Day breakfast and concluded with a trip to the movies. The next day we were right back into regular programming.

There’s still so much to look forward to: Carnival, Moose Bowl & Katahdin Cup, 2 Theater Shows, Funtown, Moosestock…the list goes on and on! We’ll keep you updated in future blogs. Until then (if anyone asks), you can tell them that “it’s a beautiful day in the State of Maine today!”

What an incredible final week we just had. Rather than slowing down at the end, we made the most of every single moment, solidifying friendships and creating memories we know will carry us through the next 11 months before we are reunited on the shores of Crescent Lake! In just one short week we managed to pack in two incredible theater shows, a Katahdin Cup for the ages, the 2nd Annual Moosestock, a Final Banquet & Social, Closing Ceremonies…the list goes on and on! 

Thank you to all our camp families who came to see us for a glorious Departure Day. Seeing you reunite with your children and watching you listen to their stories and meet their friends filled our hearts with joy! To all our First Session parents: thank you for the trust and amazing support you gave us. We truly view our relationship as a partnership, and we’re beyond honored that you allowed us to spend the past 3½ weeks with your children. While we’re sad to see everyone depart, we’re excited that the countdown to the 2023 summer has begun. Remember — don’t be sad that it’s over; be happy that it happened and we were all a part of it!

And now our attention quickly turns to our unbelievable 2nd Session. Arrival Day is upon us, and we can’t wait to get it rolling! We’ll continue to update you about all the fun we’re having. Remember, it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine!!

It’s difficult to imagine that we’re entering our final week of the session!

When last we left, there was a commotion in the Dining Hall that turned out to be our incredible CITs breaking Spirit Days. For the next two days, the Green Team and Blue Team competed in the friendliest of competition. From the ball fields to the songs, plaques and cheers, we were so proud watching all of our campers give it their all, while still showing amazing sportsmanship and support for one another!

But so much has happened since! We had an amazing “S” Day at Funtown/Splashtown USA! The rides and the food and the games…and with Laurel South being the only ones in the park, we were able to avoid lines. Everyone had an amazing time! And before joining us at Funtown, our wonderful CITs took part in their “Super-Secret S Day.” We’d tell you all about it, but, you know…it’s super-secret!!

Last night we had one of our most anticipated camp traditions, as the Red Rattlesnakes and Black Bears competed in a hard-fought, clean-played Moose Bowl. Between the tailgate cookout, the singing of the National Anthem, the Halftime Dance Show, the s’mores and popcorn and t-shirt raffles, Moose Bowl was fun and exciting for all of our campers. We couldn’t be more proud of our Rangeley men who left it all on the field and showed us all what the Laurel South spirit is truly about.

And you may think that the summer will wind down, but we still have so much to look forward to…tonight is our first theater show, Moana, and we can’t wait to see it! Tomorrow is another “S” day as our Katahdin ladies will have the opportunity to show their skills on the soccer pitch, facing off against our staff in the Katahdin Cup! As if that wasn’t exciting enough, tomorrow afternoon will be one of our favorite and newest traditions, Moosestock! An afternoon of fun and music and food trucks that was a huge hit last summer! And we still have our 2nd theater performance, Frozen, along with Rocket launches, gymnastics shows, Final Banquet and Social, before our Closing Ceremonies and our heartfelt goodbyes.

The session has been awesome, and we can’t wait to keep the fun going right up until the last minute!

What an incredible session! Since the last time we blogged, a lot has happened…

Our CITs & 8th Graders returned form their awesome trips with phenomenal stories to share! The White Water adventure has long been a Laurel South tradition, as well as a chance for our wonderful CITs to cement their bonds as one big group! Meanwhile our 8th Graders raved about their brand new trip to Jellystone, a trip we hope will soon become a tradition.

Programming continues to thrive! Pickleball and RC Carts are some of our new favorites, but everywhere you look (adventure, ball fields, arts, theater, culinary, the lake) the sights and sounds of engaged campers and staff is awesome!

We just had our phenomenal Laurel South Carnival – a camp favorite each summer! From the food to the games, the inflatables and photo booth to the face painting station, to the food (did we already mention the food?)…everyone had a blast!

Our Katahdin and Rangeley campers are preparing for the Moose Bowl and Katahdin Cup respectively! We are so…

Wait a minute – something’s going on outside the Dining Hall. We’ll be right back…

The CIT’s just broke Spirit Days!! For the next two days, camp will be transformed into two teams: Green & Blue. They’ll compete in the friendliest, but most intense competition at Laurel South. Well, time to go get our colors on. We’ll update you in the next blog!

Camp is a funny place: When we say our tearful final farewells, it seems like an eternity before we’re back. But once we’re here, it seems like we we never left.

After an amazing Arrival Day and Moose Stomp Day, we were right into our “A Day” and “B Day” schedules. From the Equestrian Center to Crescent Lake…Culinary to Climbing Wall and all points in between, we hear the sounds of children having fun with our amazing staff members, and we remind ourselves that our summer theme – Community Spirit – is more than just a phrase.

Our campers are thrilled with some of our new activities, including Pickle Ball and RC Cars! Our amazing CITs and 8th graders have departed on their respective trips: White Water Rafting the Kennebec River (CITs) and Jellystone Park and Camp Resort (8th grade). We know they’re having an amazing time, but we miss them while they’re away and can’t wait for them to return with awesome stories!

We’re already in full swing and there’s so much to look forward to: Moose Bowl & Katahdin Cup, Theater Shows, Spirit Days, Carnival, Moose Stock, and so much more!

We’ll keep you updated in future blogs. Until then, we hope you’re having as much fun as us!!