Camp Is a Joint Venture
Our campers’ parents are critical members of our community. We understand and appreciate the commitment families make to the Kawanhee experience. The decision by parents to enroll a child at camp begins with a recognition that camp can impart value that cannot be replicated at home or at school. Having decided to take that leap of faith, parents are then called upon to make dear sacrifices, not only by covering the cost of camp, but also by forgoing their son’s good company for several weeks. We understand that enrolling a child in camp is a profoundly selfless and loving act.
It is for this reason that we consider families, a camper’s parents, siblings, grandparents and step-parents, to be part of our greater community. During a camper’s first two weeks of camp, we have a policy against phone calls and personal visits between a camper and his family members in preference for unlimited emails and letters. Phone calls and emails or letters with camp staff are always welcome as well. We find that this policy promotes a camper’s smooth adjustment to camp by developing a boy’s ability to draw support from those around him.
After two weeks, we welcome visits to camp by family members at any time, and phone calls between campers and parents are supported. We do not have designated visitation days, as we believe that family members should be made welcome when it is convenient for them to visit. If it is raining, or if a camper’s lodge is less than tidy, so be it. Parents deserve to see an unfiltered view of the camp experience.
The health and safety of campers is our paramount concern. We have a Maine-licensed registered nurse on site at all times staffing our infirmary, as well as staff members with Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Aid certifications. In addition, all staff members receive CPR training and those working in water-based activities have Red Cross Lifeguard Training.
In addition, we have a contractual arrangement with a pediatrics practice about thirty minutes from camp, should a physician’s attention be necessary. The local hospital is also about a thirty minute drive from camp.
Kawanhee provides varied and nutritious meals, serving breakfast and dinner to lodge groups family-style and serving lunch buffet-style, affording campers and staff the opportunity to sit with whomever they please. To the extent possible, we accommodate individual dietary needs, and a vegetarian option is always available. Our chef of the past twenty-five years or so is Sean Minear, a year-round resident of Weld. Sean teaches culinary arts at the local high school and serves as President of Weld’s Historical Society. Each summer features several special dining events, including the mid-summer lobster bake, various outdoor barbeques, homemade pizza cooked in our outdoor wood-fired pizza oven, and our season-ending banquet.
Campers reside with boys of like age in weatherproof log cabins, most of which are located on the lake shore and each of which is staffed by two senior counselors. The cabins are wired for electricity. The common bathroom facility is handy to the cabins and features unlimited hot water, reasonably private individual bathroom and shower stalls, and a laundry. Our campus features over two dozen rustic buildings, various athletic fields and courts, an outdoor gathering place for Saturday evening campfires, and a state-of-the-art ropes course and climbing wall. Our waterfront offers a dedicated swimming area, a fleet of sailboats, canoes and kayaks, two motorboats for waterskiing and a slalom skiing course. Our campus and facilities are maintained by Wallis Tyler, a Weld resident and our year-round carpenter and handyman.
FAQ
What do I bring to camp?
Whether your camper is attending camp for the 2-, 3-, 4-, or 7-week sessions, he really needs the same amount of clothes. Camp has a laundry service onsite, and your son’s lodge will have a laundry day each week. There is a laundry schedule, so that each lodge has a specific laundry day per week. Your son’s counselor will let the lodge know what day their laundry day is and our laundry staff give a reminder each day as well. Your son will bring up his laundry in his laundry bag to the laundry facility and then he can pick it up with his lodge the next day. There is a lot of laundry to take care of, so it is crucial that your son’s belongings are labeled with woven name tapes/tags or permanent ink, so that his clothes can be easily kept together.
PACKING FOR CAMP: CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT LIST
For general daily wear, each boy should be equipped with the following:
10 Cotton T-shirts
❑ 6 Pairs Athletic Shorts
❑ 1 Pair Blue Jeans or Khaki Pants
NECESSARY ARTICLES
❑ 1 Pillow
❑ 3 Pillowcases
❑ 4 Single Sheets (2 fitted, 2 flat)
❑ 2 Heavy Single Blankets
❑ 1 Sleeping Bag
❑ 2 Pairs Pajamas
❑ 2 Pairs Sneakers
❑ 1 Pair Hiking Boots
❑ 8 Underwear
❑ 3 Pairs Woolen or Synthetic Hiking Socks
❑ 1 Rain Jacket
❑ 1 Nylon Wind/Rain Pant
❑ 2 Sweatpants
❑ Bathrobe
❑ Laundry Bag
❑ Day Pack
❑ Nice Shirt/Slacks for Sunday Services
❑ 2 Sweatshirts
❑ 3 Long-sleeve T-shirts ❑ 1 Warm Jacket
❑ 2 Swimming Trunks
❑ 2 Pens and Stationery and stamped/addressed envelopes
❑ Water Bottle
❑ 1 Pair Tevas/Water Shoes
❑ 10 Pairs Socks
❑ 6 Bath/Beach Towels
❑ Toilet Articles
❑ Baseball Glove
❑ Tennis Racquet
❑ Flashlight
❑ Flip Flops or Shower Shoes
❑ Books
❑ Fishing Pole and Tackle (optional) ❑ Camera and Film (optional)
❑ Musical Instruments (optional)
CAMP KAWANHEE T-SHIRTS, SWEATSHIRTS, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CLOTHING CAN BE PURCHASED ON OUR WEBSITE:
Campers can also buy Camp Kawanhee clothing in the Camp Store at Camp.
PLEASE mark ALL clothing and personal items with woven name tapes or permanent ink.
Returning Campers: Be sure to bring unfinished Achievement Level Plaques (without frames) and your canoe paddle.
SHIPPING OF BAGGAGE AND/OR TRUNKS
Trunks, Foot Lockers, or Rubbermaid Trunks should not be over 14 inches high as they need to fit under or near bunks. Tape a list of trunk contents on the inside of the lid, along with the boy’s name and address. We strongly recommend that boys help pack their own trunk so they have a clear understanding of the contents
Trunks and duffel bags should be shipped via Fed Ex at least ONE FULL WEEK before camp.
Please ship to:
Your Son’s Name
Camp Kawanhee
58 Kawanhee Lane
Weld, ME 04285
If your son is traveling by plane, it is recommended that you ship the trunk separately.
Canoe Paddles: It is suggested that canoe paddles be checked as baggage to and from camp if a camper is traveling by plane or brought as carry-on. Cases for paddles can be purchased from various companies on the internet. Shipping to and from outside the United States can be unreliable. Some boys elect to leave paddles at camp year to year to avoid bringing them each year to and from.
As a part of registration, there are health forms (health history, medications form, immunizations forms) for each camper that we need before they can take part of camp. These forms are found online in your Camp Finder/Camp-In-Touch account under Forms. There is also a Physicians Health Care Recommendations form that must be completed by a physician and signed by a parent/guardian. Please note that ANY medication (including over the counter medications) will be stored in the Infirmary (not in lodges) and checked in when your son does his Health Check when first arriving at camp.
As per our Parent Handbook:
If your son takes daily medication: Please remember that all meds at camp are dispensed at mealtimes. Only if medically necessary and a specific time is written on the prescription will the med be dispensed at a different time of day. You are responsible for checking that your child’s prescriptions are written for exactly how and when the medication is to be given.
On the designated arrival and departure day of your son’s session, you may arrive any time after 9AM and before 5 PM. For departure, you may pick up your son any time after 9AM and before 5PM.
Please fill out the travel form in your FORMS on your Camp-In-Touch account so that we know how your son is arriving/departing camp.
If your son is traveling by air, we will arrange for him to be picked up at the airport, either Logan/Boston or Portland ME. The charges associated with this service are outlined in the PARENT HANDBOOK.
The preferred times to have them arrive and depart are also described in the HANDBOOK. For unaccompanied minors, we will email you who will be picking up/dropping your son off so that you can give the information to the airlines. We likely won’t have this information until a week before travel.
We also will provide someone to accompany any unaccompanied minors through security and to their gate and stay with them until they have boarded and the plane has taken off.
Your Lodge
You will be staying in a cabin with 8 to 10 boys your age. The cabins are similar, but each have their own look. Each lodge is named after an animal: Eagle, Falcon, Pinetree, Moose, Wildcat, Bear, Lynx, Loon, and Coyote. The cabins are grouped together based upon the ages of the campers. You will have 2 lodge counselors who help take care of you, show you what to do when you don’t know and to make sure you are enjoying camp. On opening day, you will find out the name of the lodge you will move into, as well as the name of your counselors. Together you will get to know all your lodge mates.
Most lodges have some single beds as well as bunk beds. There are no bathrooms in the lodge.
There are shelves beside each bed where you can put your belongings and clothes.
“The Fort”
The Fort is in the center of camp. This is where the bathrooms and showers are. There is a junior and a senior side of the Fort. The toilets and showers are all private and there are hooks to put your towel on so you can dry off when you are done showering and get dressed there. Campers bring their own shampoo, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste to camp, either kept in a toiletries bag or small plastic crate with a handle.
What does a typical day look like at camp?
You won’t need a watch, we just listen to the bell being rung to help us keep track of our day at camp. The first day will look a bit different as we are getting to know each other, but in general, with some exceptions, a typical day will have the following flow:
First Bell-7 AM
If you want to enjoy the refreshing Polar Bear morning swim, this is when you get up and walk to the shore by the swimming dock. Once the lifeguards on duty call:”Campers, take the dock” you will walk out on the dock as a group and wait for the “special chant” you will learn before jumping in the lake together.
After Polarbear, you enter your name in the logbook so that you can qualify for a special mark on your paddle signifying your participation. Then you go get changed for breakfast.
Second Bell-7:15
Time to get up and get ready for breakfast
Third Bell-7:30
Gather in front of the Dining Hall for raising of the flag.
Breakfast: Each lodge has its own table. The appointed camper waiter will bring the food. You sit with your lodge for breakfast and dinner. At the end of breakfast there are announcements for the day.
When you are finished eating, one of your lodge mates will be the stacker. The stacker clears the table, puts the dishes on the cart, brings the cart up to the counter, then wipes the table and sweeps. Each lodge will decide how they determine who is the waiter or stacker. Some will do a stack sign game, some will make a schedule and take turns, some will just all help out.
Cleaning of the lodge & Mr. Clean Inspection
As a lodge, you work together to prepare your lodge for inspection. This means you make your bed, tidy up your area, sweep the floor, etc.
Each lodge will have a different schedule of activities for each day that they will rotate through. Usually the schedule is given out to your table at breakfast.
First Period
Campers go to scheduled activity
Second Period
Campers go to scheduled activity
Free Time
There are some activities that are always a free time choice:
-Gaga Ball
-Rec Hall that has games, LEGO, table tennis and books
Each day there will be a schedule of what other activities will be free time choices.
Lunch
You can choose to sit at your lodge table, with friends at other table inside or outside on porch (weather permitting)
When you are finished eating, you clear your own dishes.
Lunch Announcements & Mr. Clean Inspection Results
Stacker still wipes the table and sweeps the floor around the table.
Rest Hour
Following Lunch, each lodge will spend Rest Hour in their lodge. The lodge counselors together with lodge mates will come up with what the expectations are for this time. It is a good time to rest, read a book, or maybe write a note to send home.
Third Period
Campers go to scheduled activity
Fourth Period–
Campers go to scheduled activity
Free Time-
Campers can choose their own activity
Waiter Bell-If you are the waiter for your lodge this day, you go up to the dining hall to prepare your lodge’s table for dinner
Dinner-Same procedure as breakfast
Announcements
Free Time
Bell-Time to get cleaned up and ready for bedtime: visit the Fort (Kawanhee’s name for the bathroom and shower) to shower, use the bathroom and brush your teeth.
TAPS– Time to be inside your cabin
Lights Out-Varies depending on age group
Friday Night CampFire
A whole camp, campfire where songs and games are played, campers are recognized for various achievements and contributions to the camp community
Saturday
Grey and Maroon competitions in the afternoon. These may include an all camp capture the flag, counselor hunt, swim meet, athletics days, woodsman’s day or other activities where campers can participate and earn points for their assigned team
Sunday
Sunday Gathering and Reflections
This is a time where the whole camp gathers to talk about and reflect on topics which include what being a good camp citizen is, courage, the importance of trying new things and the lessons you get from making mistakes or not doing something as well as you would like, and others relevant to the camper experience.
You might remember the first time you dropped off your child at school or child care and your child (and maybe even you yourself!) had emotions of being a bit sad or upset. At the end of the day, you and your son made it through that first day, and the next day, and the next. Believe it or not, this is a very similar feeling and connection to Homesickness or missing home.
Even Though this feeling of missing home or separating from your parents might feel hard and sad in the moment, research and studies show that this is not a bad thing. This just means that your son has a strong connection to his family and home. This is a great thing! Knowing that you love your family and home is a good thing and knowing that is a great reflection for campers.
Please know that having feelings of missing home or being homesick is normal and often typical the first couple of days in a new environment. For a lot of our campers, it is their first time away from their parents. This is a big step for both the child and the parents!
How can you help yourself and your son prepare for camp?
Make a plan for how you will say goodbye. Setting expectations ahead of time and having a plan, will help set up yourself and your son for a successful separation. Maybe you might een want to come up with a special “good-bye ritual or saying”
Some ideas:
- After we get you checked in and help you unpack, we will stay for 30 more minutes, then we will do 4 hugs and our family handshake.
- Once we have met your Lodge Counselor, I am going to give you a big hug and say “I can’t wait to hear all about the fun stuff you are going to do!”
- “This is not goodbye, it’s see you later”
Talk to your son about how it might feel challenging to be away from each other and home the first few days.
- Say that it is ok to miss each other. This is totally normal.
- Remind him that at the end of camp, you will be together again.
Discuss what are some strategies that might help him if he has these feelings of missing home. Such as:
- Engage with your lodge mates, campers, counselors and staff-stay busy!
The first few days, your son will be busy getting to know new people and learning the new routine. Keeping your mind busy is a great way to keep your mind of that you might miss home. - Think in a positive way: think about all the possibilities and fun things you can choose to do at camp.
- Would a printed out photo of the family help to have?
- You can write a postcard or a letter to send home.
- Do some calm breathing techniques help you?
Oftentimes, the days at camp are very busy. It is often at night that your son has time to allow himself to have these feelings of missing home. Having some falling asleep techniques could be a good idea: “Listen to the frogs croak, take a deep breath in through your nose, and then out through your mouth.” Or “Relax your body, starting at each toe, then your feet, then your legs, etc”.
For More Information-Read some great tips from our Parent Handbook:
Some things that parents can do to prepare for the summer and aide in the process:
- When writing from home, please try not to write about anything that will make your child miss home or encourage homesickness.
- Camp is a big step into the unknown and a big change for you and your child. It is normal to have mixed emotions of excitement and anxiety.
- Do NOT overreact to a negative phone call, letter, or e-mail. Consider that a letter was written probably 3 days prior to reflecting a “bad morning”. Probe for positives, not negatives. When talking with your child, ask him to relate positive experiences, stories and events.
- Children use negativity in stories/situations to initiate a rescue response from you. This is not unusual and assures a child that his parents are still there for him. This form of bonding can be directed toward the positive and ultimately save both parent and child a lot of heartache.
- Reassure your son that the adults at camp are there to help boys feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. If things are not feeling okay, reach out to the adults and let them try to help.
We will be in contact with you should homesickness or lodge problems become out of the ordinary. Most problems are remedied by early intervention.
Whether it is a personal or program related issue, chances are we’ve dealt with it before. Remember: parents and camp are a team.
How do I communicate with my son?
Phone Calls
After your son’s first two weeks of camp, he will be able to call home once a week. There is a phone schedule for each lodge that can be found in the Parent Handbook on our website kawanhee.com. Campers will call during the free time periods or in the evenings.
Mail/Care Packages
Your son can receive mail at camp! He will have his own mailbox with his name on it, located next to the camp store and rec hall. The address is :
Your Son’s Name
C/o Camp Kawanhee
58 Kawanhee Lane
Weld ME 04285
A friendly reminder that there is no candy allowed at camp, so please don’t send any candy or sugary drinks in the care packages. In the parent handbook there is a list of suggestions for care packages.
Your son can also send mail to you and/or other family and friends while at camp. He can bring pre-stamped and pre-addressed envelopes and stationary.
Camper Emails
You can also send emails to your son. The email address is:
In the Subject line, please put your son’s First and last name as well as what lodge he is in. These will be printed off, usually in the afternoon and put in your son’s mailbox.
I am homesick?
It is important to talk to someone about how you feel. You will feel better after talking about it. Who do you feel comfortable talking to? For example, you can talk to your lodge counselor, Camp Mom Therese, a staff member, or a friend.
I am scared?
Again, it is important to let others know how you feel; don’t keep it to yourself. Let your lodge counselor, Camp Mom Therese or other staff member know how you feel so we can help you.
I don’t feel well?
We have a nurse and Health Center/Infirmary in camp. If it is during the day, you can visit the nurse and she will help you. If you don’t feel well during the night, wake up your lodge counselor and he will help you get to the Health Center/infirmary for care.
I wet the bed?
It happens and it is normal! If it does happen, just let your lodge counselor know and he will help you. He will understand and help to make sure to protect your privacy and to help prevent you from being teased.
If you know that this is something that happens to your son from time to time, it would be helpful for you to write this in the notes of your son’s registration form so that your son’s lodge counselor can be prepared and develop a plan with your son just in case….
You are not sure what to do?
Ask for help! There are always campers and staff around. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. We are all there to help each other.
I am homesick?
It is important to talk to someone about how you feel. You will feel better after talking about it. Who do you feel comfortable talking to? For example, you can talk to your lodge counselor, Camp Mom Therese, a staff member, or a friend.
I am scared?
Again, it is important to let others know how you feel; don’t keep it to yourself. Let your lodge counselor, Camp Mom Therese or other staff member know how you feel so we can help you.
I don’t feel well?
We have a nurse and Health Center/Infirmary in camp. If it is during the day, you can visit the nurse and she will help you. If you don’t feel well during the night, wake up your lodge counselor and he will help you get to the Health Center/infirmary for care.
I wet the bed?
It happens and it is normal! If it does happen, just let your lodge counselor know and he will help you. He will understand and help to make sure to protect your privacy and to help prevent you from being teased.
If you know that this is something that happens to your son from time to time, it would be helpful for you to write this in the notes of your son’s registration form so that your son’s lodge counselor can be prepared and develop a plan with your son just in case….
You are not sure what to do?
Ask for help! There are always campers and staff around. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. We are all there to help each other.
Some Thoughts From Our Campers:
-Everyone was new to camp once! If you don’t know what to do, just ask anyone and they will help you.
-It doesn’t matter which bunk you are in, they are all good!
-You might think that it feels weird and scary to talk and get to know all these new people, but they are all so nice and will make you feel like family.
-I was sad and upset about something. I didn’t know what to do. My counselor saw me. He said: “Let’s go for a walk.” This helped me calm down and he helped me find my words.
-I didn’t know if I would like the food and if it would be a lot different from home. The food is so good! You can always find something you like. There are lots of choices.
-There are so many fun things to do, you need more time just to do it all!
