Tag: life at summer camp

The Best Thing About Laurel South

January 14th, 2019

Twelve summers ago, I heard about Laurel South through one of my college friends. I knew very little about summer camps and Maine. I remember looking at the website and thinking it would be a fun adventure before finding internships for future summers. Back then, very few websites had any videos at all, and I landed in Maine with few expectations.

Now, I tell new counselors how jealous I am that they’re about to experience Laurel South for the first time. It’s like the notes of a great song or opening an inspiring book. As soon as it’s over, you want to tell everyone about it. That’s how Laurel South is to me. But unlike a song that might get old, working at Laurel South is the same rewarding experience every summer.

Each fall, my family and friends that haven’t experienced the joy of Laurel South ask me why I keep going back. I always start with the traditions, activities and working outside in beautiful Maine. That’s what they can understand without truly experiencing it. They feel my enthusiasm for Laurel South. But, beyond the facilities, traditions and Crescent Lake, there’s one thing that stands above everything else: the community.

Laurel South is special because of the people. From the counselors to the health center to the office and support staff, Laurel South is filled with amazing people who are passionate about what they’re doing. Most importantly, everyone has the same goal of giving our campers the best summer possible.

Costumes at Camp

November 7th, 2018

Halloween is a blast every fall, and we’re sure our campers loved celebrating last week. Who doesn’t like expressing themselves with a wacky costume? At Camp Laurel South we’re fortunate to have so many opportunities to do just that. Camp is always encouraging creativity through crazy hair, stage make up or ridiculous outfits.

Our favorites include the Blue and Green everywhere for Laurel South Spirit Day, Team Day, Camo Day and the patriotic madness on the 4th of July. But those are just the beginning!

Counselors often shake it up with themes for Socials or Saco/Kineo IC periods.  Evening programs such as Looneyville, Gold Rush and Where’s Waldo often incorporate costumes or themed ideas.  And, of course, the entire camp shows off their Moose Bowl Spirit by dressing in Black to support the Black Bears or Red to show their allegiance to the Rattle Snakes.

The best part of dressing up isn’t always being out and about, but the enthusiasm for planning costumes back in the cabin with your closest friends. Camp is a reminder that you’re never too old and never too cool to dress up and be excited for what’s ahead, and that’s an important lesson for everyone!

Spirit Days!

August 3rd, 2018

Tuesday seemed like any other “A” Day. We left the Dining Hall after breakfast, ready to head back to the cabins before clean up, Morning Cove and first period. But our CITs let us know this would be no ordinary “A” Day. At that moment, they decided to kick off Spirit Days 2018! For the next two days and evenings, the Blue Sharks and Green Gators took to the fields to compete in the friendliest of competitions. From their very first summer, campers look forward to the day their CIT group has the opportunity to break and run Spirit Days, compete in KAOS (BTW, one of the closest ever), pass on the passion and set the standard for future CIT groups. It was truly a Spirit Days for the ages, and in the end the winning team was…Laurel South! We all had a marvelous time testing our skills in competition, and we were so excited to finally reunite as one camp family.

While we loved the competition, we truly left it all out on the fields. The next day, we fell right into our program schedule, well-rested and ready to tackle the day. Our 5-Year Club had an amazing time on their morning excursion! Our 7th Graders are spending the day at Ogunquit Beach where they’ll see some of Maine’s most beautiful coastline. Our campers in Adventure spent the morning at the Maine Wildlife Park. Inter-camp games and tournaments are cranking, and we have a lot left to look forward to: Moose Bowl…Theater Shows…Rocket Launches…Funtown…Carnival…the list is endless! Until next time, we hope your day is as beautiful as it always is in the state of Maine!

The Half-Way Point

July 31st, 2018

Can it really be that we are officially half way through the session?  It seems like just yesterday we arrived, but the sounds of cheering and laughter from the ballfields to the Theater, Crescent Lake to the Equestrian Center, Adventure to Culinary lets us know that we are having another truly spectacular Laurel South summer! 

Yesterday was our first In-Camp “S” Day, and Brad once again hit it out of the park with our now annual Resort Day!  After a delicious continental breakfast and elective morning (including those awesome Bumper Tube rides on the lake) our campers had the opportunity to compete in the Tough Moose Obstacle Race (similar to a Tough Mudder competition), and everyone who participated had a blast!  The afternoon was filled with Saco/Kineo berry picking, a Baxter/Allagash Waterfront Party and special events for Rangeley and Katahdin, followed by boat tours of Crescent Lake.  Our CIT’s spent the day on their Magical Mystery Bus tour, and visited  sites all around Portland.  They had such an amazing day, and they were thrilled to be back home.

At Laurel South, we always accentuate the positives, so we choose to not look at the session as being half over; we look at it as being half full of amazing experiences:  Spirit Days…Theater Shows…Funtown…Carnival…Moose Bowl…Final Banquet, etc.  We’ve got so many things left to look forward to, especially making new friends and building memories that will warm our hearts all year long. 

One Week Down…So Much Left to be Done!

July 27th, 2018

What an amazing first week we had! After our first “A” and “B” Day rotations, we celebrated our first “S” Day. Saco and Kineo made some waves at Splashtown USA, Allagash and Baxter made some more waves at Aquaboggan and our incredible 7th Graders had a ball at Old Orchard Beach. Everyone came back with smiles on their faces, stories to tell and memories that will last a lifetime! We were so glad to welcome back our 8th Graders from Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, as well as our CITs from their White Water Rafting trip. We love that they are able to see some of the most beautiful sites in the country, but we miss them while they’re gone. We’re always so happy to have the entire Laurel South family reunited!

While we’ve already done so much, there’s still so much left to look forward to: Spirit Days…Rocket Launches…Theater Shows…Intercamps…Funtown…Carnival…Resort Day…the list never ends! As always, we’ll keep you updated in future blogs about all the wonderful goings-on in Casco. And remember…It’s always a beautiful day in the State of Maine!

Reunited and it Feels So Good

July 20th, 2018

For the past 11 months we’ve been waiting and counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds. And yesterday, it was here!  What a fantastic Arrival Day we had! With each car, bus and van that pulled into camp, our summer family was reunited. We were giddy with excitement as we met at Evening Cove and Roger officially kicked off the summer with his trademark, “What a beautiful day in the state of Maine today!!”  After a wonderful cookout dinner, each campus spent the evening playing games and bonding before heading back to cabins for some quality time before getting a well-deserved good night’s sleep.

Today is our Moose Stomp Day, a mixture of photos combined with super fun activities like making s’mores at the outpost and bumper tubing on Crescent Lake. Tonight, schedules will be set, and we can’t wait to jump right into first period program tomorrow! This evening is our Opening Ceremony Council Fire, celebrating fun and friendship. We may have just arrived, but we are jumping in right from the start. We’ll make every day count as we look forward to: Moose Bowl…”S” Days…Rocket Launches…Theater Shows…Saco/Kineo IC periods…Intercamp games and Tournaments…Spirit Days…the list goes on and on! We’ll keep you updated in future blogs. Until then, rest assured it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine!!

The “Home” Stretch…

July 13th, 2018

Where did the time go?  It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming everyone to their summer home, and yet here we are preparing for our Final “A” and “B” Days of the session.

We’ve had quite a few days. Moose Bowl was another instant classic with the Black Bears taking an early lead and holding of the Rattle Snakes’ late push. Wednesday night was our Laurel South production of “Peter Pan”.  Everyone involved in the show had an awesome time, and the audience showed their appreciation for the efforts. Yesterday, the entire camp ventured to Funtown USA for a day filled with rides, games, food and laughter. Tonight is the production of “High School Musical.” Our activity areas are all preparing for culminating activities.  Tomorrow night is Final Banquet, with Closing Ceremonies on Sunday night.

To all of the parents who will be joining us on Departure Day, we can’t wait to see you as you reunite with your campers! To all of our parents, thank you so much for the faith you’ve placed in us. We understand how much trust you put in us each summer to take care of your children for a month, and we don’t take that lightly! We may only have three days left, but we plan on making it the best three days yet!!!

Summers and Camp Belong in Maine…And So Do You!

June 27th, 2011

Camp Laurel South is a proud member of the Maine Camp Experience. We think Summers and Camp Belong in Maine…And So Do You! Enter to win a Maine Vacation by visiting the Maine Camp Experience website…just follow this link: www.mainecampexperience.com/visit.

Why Maine…

Lakes…Pine Forests…Even Moose
There’s a reason people talk about Maine in such reverential tones. The state has 2,200 lakes. Warm, inviting, crystal clear bodies of water that make most other lakes look like swimming holes. There are hundreds of thousands of acres of pine forests.

Temperate days and comfortable nights, where you feel you can touch the sky. And more miles of beautiful coastline than California. Even mountains — Mt. Katahdin is one of the highest peaks in New England. It’s the perfect setting for summer, one that can’t be matched anywhere.

Tradition
As Forbes noted, there’s something unique about summer camps in Maine. From our acres of prime waterfront to our unspoiled wilderness, Maine has been the only destination of choice for thousands of camp families, with friendships that stretch from generation to generation.

Our summer camps feature the finest facilities, the most sought-after staff and the most unique range of off-site trips. And with more than 100 Maine camps, there’s something to suit everyone.

Geographical Diversity
The lure of Maine extends way beyond the Northeast. Our campers come from throughout the U.S., some from all over the world. (More than 20,000 campers live in 30 states, and several countries!)

Your children will learn to stretch their boundaries and experience life through the eyes of someone whose life is not a mirror image of their own.

Easy To Get Here…Hard To Leave
Maine is a lot closer than you think. An easy drive or flight from most places in the Northeast– about the same distance as a winter ski trip. A great vacation for the entire family.

Whether you’re looking for the famed seaside resorts of Bar Harbor and Camden or a lodge on one of our pristine lakes, Maine has something for everyone — especially kids! Come and visit our Maine Camps and you’ll never want to leave.

It’s Almost Here…

June 9th, 2011

Look at the horizon. What do you see? Camp!Sailing

The big day is near. Soon, your child leaves home for a summer of fun, excitement and growth.

Scary, isn’t it?

Sure. New experiences usually are. But we’ve got some ideas to help.

Talk with your child. And we mean “talk honestly.” It’s great to chirp about the wonderful days ahead. But be sure to acknowledge that fears and worries are okay.  They’re normal.. Let your son or daughter know that everyone – even you! – gets nervous before doing something different. Remind your child that directors, campus leaders, counselors and staff members know about nerves – and they’ll be there to talk, day or night.

Campus TimeDon’t say, “And if you get homesick, you can come home!” Though reassuring, it sends the wrong message. It focuses on the negative – and undermines the idea that you’ve selected that camp because you trust the directors and counselors so much. Emphasize instead that while homesickness is normal, it goes away – and everyone at camp will help make it disappear. (It’s also a good idea to not say too much how much you’ll miss your child – or how badly everyone will feel that they’re not at the annual 4th of July fireworks or family reunion.)

Prepare together. Read the packing list with your child. Go shopping with him or her. Your child will pick out items he or she really likes – while at the same time sharing a quiet, unhurried conversation about camp.

ArcheryReinforce camp policies on things like cell phones. You may want to give your child a phone to call home “just in case” — but that’s the wrong “call.” For one thing, it contradicts what you’re saying about the counselors’ and directors’ ability to help. For another, it encourages “bending the rules.” For a third, it shifts your child’s focus from having fun and making new friends, to sneaking off and being alone.

Don’t let your own anxieties affect your child. As a parent, you may feel trepidation too. You’ll miss your child – and fear you’ll miss out on his or her growth. That’s natural. But don’t burden your kid with those thoughts. Tell your spouse and friends instead!

TennisCamp is a time of independence. Of spreading wings. Of making new friends, forming strong bonds and creating vivid memories in a non-family, out-of-school environment. The days leading up to camp may be anxious – for campers and their parents. But the rewards will be well worth a week or two of very normal nerves.

We can’t wait to see your son or daughter at camp!!!

Camp Is Looking Great!

June 7th, 2011

Our hardworking Pre-Camp Staff has continued their great work. Each day, Laurel South looks better and better!! Last night, we all headed to Windham for a well- deserved night out for pizza and a movie. In just a few days, we will welcome our Adventure and Equestrian Staff for their training sessions. As we see camp shaping up, it only heightens our anticipation for the start of the 2011 season, when the entire Laurel South family will be reunited on the beautiful shores of Crescent Lake! We can’t wait to see everyone soon.