You've Got a Friend

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Whenever I have a home visit with a perspective camper, I always begin the meeting with the following statement: Two of my three best friends today are former bunk mates from over 25 years ago.

So, how can that be? How can I still be so close with people I met 25 years ago and only for a couple summers? The answer is rather quite simple; the magic of overnight camp.

Since camping has been my profession for the past decade, I realize the importance of having first-class facilities and a plethora of activities. And Camp Saginaw certainly is one of the top overnight camps in both these categories. In addition, I also know that Saginaw is a hub for creating lifelong friends.

I always felt challenged trying to explain to others why my best friends were from camp. After all, I only saw these friends once or twice during the year besides our time spent together at camp. Conversely, I spent a lot more time with my friends from the neighborhood or in school.

The other neat thing about the friends you meet at camp is you never know where they will end up in life and if your roads will ever cross again. One of my bunkmates became an assistant producer for sitcoms such as “Mad About You” and “Just Shoot Me”. And my other bunk mate, who slept across from me for five years, is now ABC News Chief White House Correspondent.

Just remember, along with all the fun activities and new experiences at camp, you will also develop wonderful and lifelong friendships.

A great camp counselor by Michael Eisen...

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

When I was nine years old I spent my first summer at camp. It was a huge step for me to be away from home for that long. I remember being very homesick that summer, but one of the things that made it easier for me was having a really kind, caring, and compassionate camp counselor. It’s unfortunate, but when I went to camp, having a really good counselor was by no means a guarantee. Over the next eight summers spent as a camper and one summer spent as a counselor myself, I learned a lot about what it took to be considered a campers favorite counselor, and I want to share some tips on how you can show up in that way for ALL your campers this summer!

Kindness and Compassion

Reflecting back on the handful of favorite counselors that I had throughout my summers as a camper, the most important factor that jumps out at me was their ability to show genuine kindness and compassion no matter what I was experiencing. There wasn’t that harshness when I did something they didn’t approve of, or the teasing that I got enough of from my fellow campers. Instead they always responded with a softness that made me feel safe and comfortable. I was a very sensitive kid, so being away from home and dealing with campers picking on me was a big challenge. But feeling like I always had someone who had my back was my saving grace. It did not require a huge amount of extra energy; simple things like having a one-on-one conversation every so often, encouraging me with positive feedback, and even giving me a hug when I needed some love went a long way in making my summer more enjoyable.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Growing up in a household that had a lot of talk and very little action, I was able to recognize quite easily when someone was just saying something but not following through. I believe youth emulate and respond more to our actions rather than our words. So the days of “do as I say, not as I do” are over . . . if you want to be considered someone’s favorite counselor. What makes a good leader and a good counselor is leading by example and LIVING by the same guidelines that you set out for your campers. If you want them to act a certain way, follow certain rules, take part in certain activities, be kind to each other, etc. then you as a counselor need to show up in that exact same way. My favorite counselors always walked their talk. If you want to get your campers to do what you say, YOU need to do what you say first!

It’s All about Perspective

In my opinion, this principle, if practiced consistently, would abolish most conflict in our relationships. The challenge is we don’t practice it nearly enough. Everybody wants to feel like they are understood and heard — campers and counselors alike. Is it fair to expect to be understood, respected, and listened to without practicing understanding, respecting, and listening to others first? I didn’t think so! It’s a two way street, and perspective allows each party to meet in the middle. My favorite counselors always took the time to listen to what I had to say and understand where I was coming from. If there was an argument or a conflict, my desire to assert myself and be right significantly decreased once I felt understood. Give your campers the understanding and respect that they deserve, and you will find that they will follow suit and do the same back to you.

Take Time for Self-Care

It can be very challenging having to be at your best and providing care for other people, especially kids. It is even more difficult to do so if you are not caring for YOURSELF first. Caring for yourself is not selfish, it is self-full. The more that you care for yourself, the more you will be able to care for others. You cannot expect to be at your best all summer long without taking the time to refill your own tank. My favorite counselors always made me feel like I was important, and it was clear that they treated themselves with just as much kindness and care as they did me. You need to make yourself the most important person in YOUR world, so you can make your campers the most important people in THE world, this summer.

Practice Good Sleep Habits: Getting a good night’s sleep is SO important. Operating on four or five hours of sleep every night is not ideal if you want to show up as your best for your campers every day.

Make Time for FUN: Make sure you are having fun too. Do more with your time off! Engage your creativity, move your body, play, dance, and sing like you are still a camper. When you are having fun, it is contagious. It is clear to your campers when you are not enjoying yourself and it can wear off on them.

Reduce Your Stress: If you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take five minutes off and find yourself a quiet place. Practice breathing deeply in through your nose and letting out a big sigh through your mouth as you exhale. Do this ten times with your eyes closed and your stress will melt away. Most of the time, when you are stressed out, you are not breathing enough — and without enough oxygen moving through your body, everything tenses up!

The most important thing to remember is just to BE YOU! The more real and genuine you are, the fewer barriers will exist when you are interacting with your campers, and the more fun you will all have!

By Michael Eisen

Every Camper's Favorite

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

There is one common bond among all the Saginaw campers…they all love Canteen. Canteen is that special time when bunks come marching to the center of camp to indulge in their favorite snack.

As the supervisor of the Canteen, I have observed that each division has a different approach to the Canteen experience. The Juniors run to get in line and can’t get there fast enough. The Inters slow down a bit although, like to be first in line and the Seniors for the most part trickle in depending on the evening activity they are coming from.

Along with the campers, I also have fun standing behind the counter with my wonderful Canteen helpers. One of the advantages of working the Canteen is I get the opportunity to interact with every camper each evening.

For the campers, the numerous choices of yummy items can be overwhelming and each camper has their own strategy. Some campers take a long time to decide while others know exactly what they want when they get there. And then there are the campers who get the same thing every night so we don’t even have to ask what they want, we just put it on the counter for them.

Along with the snacks and drinks, the social part of Canteen is also fun. The girls and boys get to “hang out” together either before or after their evening activity. It is really nice to see the groups of kids and their interactions.

Ask any camper what their camp favorite activity is and I am confident “Canteen” is at the top of their list!

The Camp Shopping Has Begun…

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Back in February, I wrote a blog about my daughter becoming a first time camper this summer. Included in my blog, I mentioned my desire to start the shopping and packing process early. I am happy to announce I have started the process. One may think that we have all the standard camp items since we spend every summer at Saginaw. This, however, is not the case. It is quite different living with mom and dad in a private cabin versus living in a bunk with other campers and counselors. I’ve never packed our clothes in the soft trucks like the campers do. I just bring our stuff up to camp since we start to go up on weekends in the spring. I would throw our clothes into random bags, unload and be done. I never needed to buy sports equipment or a fan. I didn’t label much. I was able to keep track of most of my daughter’s belongings since I was doing her laundry.

Keeping this all in mind, I decided to take my six year old daughter to Target on Saturday to begin our shopping. My husband thought this was crazy, as I am sure some of you out there are thinking as well. I wanted her to be involved in the process and to keep up her excitement for camp. As we approached every aisle, I could see there was no lacking in the excitement department. At every turn she would say, “Can I get this for camp?” or “Do you think I need this?” The best was when she would tell me she “had to have” a particular item, forgetting that I am one of the camp directors.

The outing was successful, a little longer than I had hoped for (thanks to my daughters need to show me several large items she would like to receive in the camp mail, which prompted the “no package policy” discussion), but productive nonetheless. I now have a decent pile of bedding, towels, plastic drawers and a few other essentials accumulating; however the lamp and oversized Hello Kitty alarm clock did not make the cut. Next stop: Bunkline Outfitters for all of the Saginaw gear… Have you started shopping yet? Tell me, do you bring your child with you?

Cold Outside...Warm Inside

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Last week, I experienced quite a contrast between the cold temperatures outside and the warm comforting feeling on my inside.

We hosted a group, Urban Promise, at Saginaw for the week. This group is a non-profit organization which provides mentoring and programming for inner-city children. This particular branch was mostly from Camden, NJ.

Since most of our pre-camp staff doesn’t arrive for a couple weeks, everyone working had to wear many hats. My day would consist of preparing, serving and cleaning up meals, leading activities and assisting in evening programming.

The temperature was in the 50’s during the day and 30’s in the evening, anything but camp weather. However, the chilly temperatures didn’t hinder these children from having an amazing experience. I led teambuilding and the enthusiasm and fervor the children displayed was very uplifting.

From the moment I met the group at the upper parking lot upon arrival, I realized this was a special combination of children and staff. Despite whatever difficult background these children came from, that was all a temporary memory as they stepped off the bus and looked at the beautiful surroundings of Camp Saginaw. I recall one child saying, “Wow, we are really out in the country, this place is awesome.”

The daily schedule for the group was packed with activities as well as journal writing and self-reflection. Although many members of the group didn’t bring the necessary clothes for the cold weather, there were never any complaints. Instead there were only smiles as the children participated in outdoor activities such as go-karts, climbing wall, teambuilding, laser tag and yes, even canoeing and kayaking.

As the week came to a close, I couldn’t help think about the conditions and challenges these children were about to encounter upon their return home. However, I did have a very warm and satisfying feeling that for at least one week, these children were able to escape the inner city and experience the magic of Camp Saginaw.