Usually at this time of year we are stomping the snow off our boots as we come into the office for another day of summer camp work. Even though the world outside is cold and icy, our world in here is all about hot summer days filled with fun and friends. We can't wait to trade in sweaters and heavy coats for t-shirts and shorts.
However, it hasn't been that kind of winter, as you know, with days being almost balmy, tempting us to wear a vintage CK t-shirt to work. Sometimes I fear that maybe we slept through December, January and February and we've woken up in March and (oh no!) camp will be here soon and we're not ready! Then I look at the Dr. Seuss wall calendar that Teri gave us (this month with the Truffala Trees) and am reassured that time hasn't changed, even though the weather has.
I'm disappointed that we don't have the usual snow because our camp -- at Blair Academy -- is amazingly beautiful when it's covered in a white winter blanket. I love the green vistas of the fields and forest, but I enjoy equally the white expanses, seeing the footprints and sled paths in the snow, and experiencing the muffled quiet across the campus.Whatever the winter weather, though, one of the fun things we do during these months is give tours to families who are interested in our camp. Lead by Stu or me, with the assistance of some of our current (or recently "retired") staff assistants, we spend a private hour or so with each family: the prospective camper, parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, neighbors . . . anyone they want to bring along. Every tour has common elements because there are certain things about camp we want to tell every family and, of course, certain things we want to show them like the dorms, dining room, athletic facilities, pool, performing arts and fine arts facilities, canteen, etc.
What makes each tour unique are the questions. No two campers or families have the same questions, but here are a few samples:
-- What do you do when it rains? (That's usually asked at the beginning of the tour because at the end they've seen the indoor pool, three indoor gyms, art rooms, theatre, squash courts, etc. and they know we have plenty of good indoor space for activities.)
-- How do I keep from getting lost? (All campers, even the oldest, are ALWAYS with counselors, so campers don't have to worry about this.)
-- Are the dorms air conditioned? (No, but they have good window screens and we put a 20" box fan in each room. There is AC in the dining room, performing arts center, health center, canteen, and some of the indoor sports facilities.)
--What if I don't get along with someone in my group or my roommate? (Our campers are pretty nice people, so this isn't a huge problem. Being realistic though, nothing is perfect and there can be disagreements. Since this is camp, our counselors help you work things out and this usually takes care of the problem. If it becomes a bigger problem though, we might decide that switching rooms is the best option.)
--Can I bring my laptop? (No. You won't go online at camp because you'll be spending that time in activities and hanging out with camp friends.)
--Who gets to use the really cool fitness center? (Our teenage campers. This is our only activity that is restricted to just the older campers.)
--How many activities can I choose? (Six or seven different ones per day. You get to choose every day so you can try out new things and make switches easily.)
--Do I have to know how to do an activity to sign up for it? (No! Every activity has counselors who are able and eager to teach you how to do it. So we hope you will try lots of new things while you're at camp.)
-- What do you do when it rains? (That's usually asked at the beginning of the tour because at the end they've seen the indoor pool, three indoor gyms, art rooms, theatre, squash courts, etc. and they know we have plenty of good indoor space for activities.)
-- How do I keep from getting lost? (All campers, even the oldest, are ALWAYS with counselors, so campers don't have to worry about this.)
-- Are the dorms air conditioned? (No, but they have good window screens and we put a 20" box fan in each room. There is AC in the dining room, performing arts center, health center, canteen, and some of the indoor sports facilities.)
--What if I don't get along with someone in my group or my roommate? (Our campers are pretty nice people, so this isn't a huge problem. Being realistic though, nothing is perfect and there can be disagreements. Since this is camp, our counselors help you work things out and this usually takes care of the problem. If it becomes a bigger problem though, we might decide that switching rooms is the best option.)
--Can I bring my laptop? (No. You won't go online at camp because you'll be spending that time in activities and hanging out with camp friends.)
--Who gets to use the really cool fitness center? (Our teenage campers. This is our only activity that is restricted to just the older campers.)
--How many activities can I choose? (Six or seven different ones per day. You get to choose every day so you can try out new things and make switches easily.)
--Do I have to know how to do an activity to sign up for it? (No! Every activity has counselors who are able and eager to teach you how to do it. So we hope you will try lots of new things while you're at camp.)
That's just a sample. The full list is practically endless. Best of all, every weekend we get at least one question we've never had before, and this is the most fun to answer.
Winter tours will continue, even without the winter weather, and we'll continue to tell the wonderful story of camp to our visitors. I wonder if this weekend I'll finally be wearing my big winter coat or if I'll be putting on my favorite camp t-shirt?
Tom
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