The Time Has Come

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Every spring, I start to count down the days until we are back in Oxford, PA. I always feel like a kid again – I get so excited to go to camp. I’m already getting antsy for this summer. Our 6 year old daughter will be in a bunk for the first time. Her first summer at Saginaw was when she was 9 months old. I honestly, think she has been anxiously awaiting going into a bunk since then. Every store we go in, she points out something she wants to buy or bring to camp. She also loves to tell me all the things she is going to do with her camp friends. Saying she’s excited is an understatement.

Despite my role as camp director, I have many emotions that other first time camp parents feel. I am thrilled, nervous, excited and hesitant. Let’s face it; my daughter is finally going to experience overnight camp like everyone one else. I know the system that Saginaw has in place and I know it works. It’s just that, I worry. I can only observe her from afar, which allows both of us to have an authentic experience. I hope she loves it as much as I loved camp when I was a camper. I hope that Saginaw continues to be the “best place in the world” in her eyes.

In addition to the emotions that I am feeling, I am faced with the reality of camp preparations. FORMS and PACKING! I, like all other camp parents, will be completing the online forms, labeling every single item and designating a room in my house to camp packing. Who really needs a dining room? These tasks seem daunting, even for me, whose life revolves around camp. I have promised myself to start the process early and hope that my public proclamation helps me stick to it… I’ll keep you posted.

A Well-Oiled Machine

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

I woke up this morning and realized that it is February and only four months until the summer of 2012 begins. Wow, how time flies! Whether it’s the lack of snow and warm weather here on the East Coast, I can definitely sense that camp is right around the corner.

Along with all the hard work we have done in the off-season here in Cherry Hill, NJ, we still have so much to accomplish before camp opens in June. Everyone here in the office has his or her responsibilities and everyone also works well together. From preparing the evening program calendar and daily brainstorming of new activities to hiring all of our staff, we all work together like a “well-oiled machine”.

In addition to all the work here in our winter office, there is plenty of ongoing improvements happening at camp. Our main project this year is almost a reality as construction is just about complete on our awesome new building that includes cabins 1 and 2, Mark Moyer’s cabin and expanded rooms that will house cooking, photography, karate and silk-screening.

We will soon be emailing the forms and documents that will need to be completed and sent back to us. All of the above mentioned projects and mailings are really exciting as it is a sure sign that camp is just around the corner!

Camp Saginaw....a "Melting Pot"

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

One of the most intriguing aspects of Camp Saginaw is the diversity of its staff. From Australia and New Zealand to England and Mexico, there is always a healthy number of international staff at camp.

The presence of the international staff has many benefits. First and most important, they are enthusiastic, young people who have solid qualifications and provide excellent leadership and care for our campers. The international staff also teaches and exposes our campers to the many different cultures that exist throughout the world.

Whether it’s a friendly game of cricket or Aussie rules football, our campers have been taught and participated in many sports that are unique to a particular culture. In addition, many of our international staff excel in soccer and enjoy teaching the campers a pointer or two about the world’s most popular sport. Conversely, our campers are eager to expose the international staff to a healthy dose of American sports such as baseball, football, basketball and hockey.

This weekend, I will be traveling to London to attend an international staff fair. I always feel a sense of pride when I go overseas or across the US representing Camp Saginaw. I’m confident the experience we offer, not only to campers, but also the international staff is one of amazing memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

The strong connection we have with our international counselors and specialists is evident by the number of staff that will volunteer at camp fairs, proudly wearing their Saginaw staff shirts and assist in meeting new candidates.

So as I make my journey “over the pond” this weekend, I will be thinking of all the amazing international staff that are already part of the Saginaw family and the many more that will join us this summer.

Camp Fair Schedule

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Camp Saginaw will be at the following camp fairs in January:

1. Saturday, January 21 – 12:00pm – 3:00pm at the George School, 1690 Newtown Langhorne Rd., Newtown, PA Website
2. Sunday, January 22 – 2:30pm to 5:00 PM at the Baldwin School, 701 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA Website
3. Wednesday, January 25 – 5:30pm to 8:30pm at Conestoga High School, 200 Irish Road, Berwyn, PA. Website
4. Saturday, January 28 – 12:00pm to 3:00pm at Sidwell Friends School, 3825 Wisconsin Ave., NW Washington, DC Website
5. Sunday, January 29 – 1:00 to 3:30 at The Park School, 2425 Old Court Road, Baltimore, MD Website

We hope you can come by and say hi. If you cannot make these fairs and are interested in speaking with one of us we will come to you for a home visit.

Thoughts from the bottom of a beanstalk

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Jack who what about to climb his very first beanstalk. He had a fresh haircut and a brand new shirt. Even though his friends in the neighborhood had climbed this same beanstalk last summer, this was Jack’s first time and he was a little nervous. So was his mother.

Early in the morning she drove him to the foot of the beanstalk. She spoke encouragingly to Jack about all the fun he would have and how nice his giant would be. She reassured him that she would be back to visit. For a moment they stood silently holding hands, gazing up at the beanstalk. To Jack it seemed much bigger now. His mother thought it looked big, too. She swallowed. Maybe she should have held Jack out another year.

Jack’s mother straightened his shirt one last time, gave him a hug and smiled down at him. She promised to stay and wave while he started climbing. Jack didn’t say a word. He walked forward, grabbed a low-growing stem and slowly pulled himself up to the first leaf. He balanced there for a moment and then climbed more eagerly to the second leaf, then to the third, and soon he had vanished into a high tangle of leaves and stems with never a backward glance at his mother.

She stood alone at the bottom of the beanstalk, gazing up at the spot where Jack had disappeared. There was no rustle, no movement, no sound to indicate that he was anywhere inside. “Sometimes,” she thought, “it’s harder to be the one who waves good bye that it is to be the one who climbs the beanstalk.”

She wondered how Jack would do. Would he miss her? How would he behave? Did his giant understand that little boys sometimes acted silly when they felt unsure? She fought down an urge to spring up the stalk after Jack and maybe duck behind a bean to take a peek at how he was doing. “I’d better not. What if he saw me?” She knew Jack was old enough to handle this on his own. She reminded herself that, after all, this was an excellent beanstalk and that everyone said that his giant was not only kind, but had all the qualifications with an outstanding reputation.

“It’s not so much that I’m worried about him, " she thought, rubbing the back of her neck. "It’s just that he’s growing up and I’m going to miss him. "Jack’s mother turned to leave. “Jack’s going to have lots of bigger beanstalks to climb in his life,” she told herself. “Today’s the day he starts practicing for them. And today’s the day that I start something too – cheering him on and waving goodbye.”

Author Unknown