With Visiting Day over, the pace picks up again as we enter week #5. This is Extended Trip week, when all our older campers depart on time-tested and traditional trips to Boston (Junior Bec and Bago) , Montreal (Senior Bec and Bago) and the Maine and New Hampshire Adventure (Super Seniors). These trips are a great break for our older campers who, after four weeks of camp routine, are ready for a few days in the outside world.

While these trips are on the road, our campers in the four younger campuses take advantage of having camp to themselves and love it. From extra sports clinics to special evening programs and trips…even Wing Nites in the Lodge, they love being “kings and queens of the camp.” Our Intercamp calendar is in full swing this week and rehearsals are going on for Lion King! Camping trips are departing every day throughout Maine and New Hampshire…and it’s great to see the skills and relationships that have been developed over the last few weeks grow even stronger.

While programs, activities, trips and intercamps are in full swing – and campers are on the move from wake-up through bedtime – the place that we spend the most time every day at camp is the cabin. That’s why we say cabin-life is the most important element of any camper’s experience.

Living in a cabin day-in and day-out and sharing space with 8-14 others campers and 3-4 counselors is the foundation of what camp is all about. Children learn to live as a group and this sets the table for becoming an active, engaging and considerate teenager, college student and adult. Of course, like in life, there are bumps along the road. Even the most well-adjusted adult can struggle with individual and group dynamics. Learning to live with and manage these bumps with guidance from caring adults is perhaps the most compelling reason why camp is so important and why it builds resiliency in children.

 While mastering a backhand in tennis, getting up on a slalom ski, conquering the climbing tower or being in the camp musical are all ingredients to an amazing summer, it’s the dynamic and pulse of the cabin that campers will remember through the winter and, very often, the rest of their lives.

It’s been a sunny and hot week, but, as we say at camp, we “played through” with fun additions like extra swim afternoons, special lake time and the newly created hydration stations with ice cold water and orange wedges. The heat broke this morning with some much-need rain, then the skies turned bright blue and we had a great Maine day!

The program is humming and the campuses are buzzing. Earlier this week, we wrote about our incredible Program Area Directors. While they oversee our program and curriculum, the four people who are the backbone of our counselor staff cabin staff have 50 years of camp between them and are top-of-their game.

Led by Assistant Director Peter Buehner, everyone’s camp favorite, the three Head Counselors (Lauren “Poppy” Keane, Joie Picatti and Jon Miller) lead us day-in and day-out. It’s through their leadership that we provide the care for each and every child who attends Camp Laurel.

The weather looks spectacular for the weekend. The fields, courts, lake and indoor areas are alive and we’re heading into week #3 with great energy and spirit. Our “Master Activity Calendar” is full and we’re pumped for what lies ahead. And…Monday is Carnival!  What could be better?!

After a welcoming and busy first week, we hit the ground running Monday with our Intercamp and Tournament Schedule; Overnight Camping Trips; Golf Plus Program; and first S-Day Trips this coming Thursday.  But first, of course, the great July 4^th Fireworks Show over Echo Lake on Wednesday night.  Our annual Ronny Romm Hypnotism Show last night was spectacular once again, and our first ever Bec and Bago Lodge Nites were amazing.

While the program runs, we want to take a moment and point out that in addition to our Head Counselors, Campus Leaders, Assistant Campus Leaders, Counselors and Instructors, Laurel’s program is overseen by 5 outstanding Program Area Directors.

Holly and Warren at the Waterfront (40 summers each!); Zack in Adventure and InterArts (18 summers); Gus and Corey at Tennis (17 summers combined); Tom and Eric in Athletics (34 summers combined) and Kendall  at Equestrian (3 summers) oversee our complex and intricate program in each of their respective fields of expertise.

To say this crew is All-Star is an understatement.

While we always say the cabin experience at Laurel is primary – and it is – the level of instruction and development in our 6 core areas can be directly attributed to these fine professionals, and we could not be more proud to have them with us each summer.