Here we are in September and another summer has come to a close. We can’t believe how fast it flew by! It truly is a privilege for us to be able to host so many campers each summer. We’re sad that the Summer of 2011 is already over, but excited to begin planning for the Summer of 2012. For us, our greatest challenge is to make each summer better than the previous. That’s a hard thing to live up to when this summer was so amazing! Collectively, we really couldn’t have asked for a better group of parents, campers, or staff members. We know that all of you are what makes Camp Weequahic one of America’s finest summer camps! We can’t wait to meet those who will be joining us for the first time in 2012 and to welcome back all of our friends! To everyone, here’s to living 10 for 2…until our next 2!
Tag: camp weequahic
A Look Behind the Scenes
Every day, we rely on a several teams of individuals to make camp happen. Everyone knows about camp counselors, the people on the front lines, but not everyone is aware of the people who work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. Running a summer camp really is more than showing up in June ready to welcome campers and have fun. There are a myriad of staff members who perform the often thankless job of working “behind the scenes” at camp. They are a very diverse group of individuals. Some of them answer the phone when you call the camp. Others schedule daily activities, arrange transportation, or cook the food. Still, others take care of your children when they’re not feeling well, or look into your concerns about their daily lives at camp.
The fact of the matter is that summer camps require individuals of many interests and talents to operate successfully, and the measure of a good summer relies on the abilities and passions of these individuals. They often work long hours, from sunrise until the wee hours of the morning simply because they love camp. If you ask any one of them, they’ll tell you that they do what they do because, in the end, it contributes to a successful summer for campers and their parents. They also might be a little coy in admitting that it’s just plain fun for them.
Furthermore, these people are so good at their jobs that we don’t even adequately know how to thank them. They work with w
passion and without regard to anything but making sure our campers and their parents have the best possible experience at our camps. It truly is a thankless job , in many ways, to work behind the scenes at an American summer camp. But we are thankful!
Taking One for the Team
They’re a staple of summer camp lore…Color Wars, although Camp Weequahic prefers less confrontational terms, such as “Olympics” and “Tribal”. They’re steeped in tradition and every American summer camp has one, a competition usually held toward the end of the summer that, over multiple days, splits the camp into two teams and pits them against each other. How can something like this be valuable when summer camp emphasizes family, togetherness, and spirit? In short, these special season-ending programs give campers (and staff) the opportunity to demonstrate what they’ve learned over the summer. In order to succeed in the various challenges that comprise these competitions, campers must draw on the experiences they’ve had and lessons they’ve learned over the summer. They’re challenged in everything from sports to trivia. But perhaps what’s most amazing about these events is that, in the end, it’s not about which team wins or loses. It’s about being part of something bigger than the individual…a team, a mindset, a family, and a community.
