Goodbye 2011; Welcome 2012

Well, 2012 is now upon us, and it came around very fast!  What a year 2011 was.  I can honestly say I am glad it is over, and am very much looking forward to 2012 being a great year.

Last year there were many negatives I could talk about, the deadly earthquake in Christchurch, NZ and it’s many aftershocks which continue today; the horrible earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan and the resulting nuclear drama and loss of life, and closer to home, the challenges of a summer at camp with a new leader who didn’t live up to expectations of staff and campers.  Those days are over, well Christchurch is still suffering from regular earthquakes, but this is the new world we live in.

We often spend too much time focusing on the negatives, and overlooking the positives.  I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the highlights of my 2011…

• NZ Scout Jamboree – reflecting on my past life in Dunedin by joining up with my old Troop for the jamboree and seeing many children who were Scouts when I was still a leader in Dunedin, and them all telling me I HAD to come back!
• Having an amazing send off from my work colleagues and friends in NZ before my departure for Summer Camp 2011.
• Hosting a new senior camper with some serious allergies, and seeing him have a successful time at camp and then having the pleasure of being invited to his home for a dinner with his family where he expressed an interest in returning in 2012 for two sessions.  It was so rewarding to see him so happy and excited after camp.  I can’t wait to see him back next summer.
• Seeing another camper getting through two sessions at camp despite being very homesick (and a mother who was child sick) and dealing with other challenges
• Seeing a quiet camper prove to everyone that he has what it takes to be a fantastic counselor
• Watching a group of teenagers grow and develop over the course of the summer, leaving camp as mature young men.
• Attending a very successful CIT night out where we chilled and grilled at a random small lake.
• Time spent interacting with the campers throughout the summer.  Some of my favourite memories are things such as impromptu swims with cabins as I wander around camp, to random conversations with campers about life’s dramas.
• Getting to know family campers and just being able to hang out and have some fun with them – young and old. Everything from greeting them at Y Landing when they arrive, to saying goodbye at the end, and all that happened in between.
• Surviving a hurricane at camp – hardly worth writing about though.  It wasn’t what I would call a hurricane!
• Visiting the Rhode Island Families and being hosted by the Miranda’s was one of my favourite and most enjoyable times of 2011!  Thank you all for having us and being such great hosts!
• Spending a weekend in Boston with my good friend Matt, hitting up a Red Sox vs Yankees game before a wonderful tour of the Sam Adams brewery.
• Building a professional career through membership with ACA and ICF as well as developing stronger bonds with other professionals in the camping community.
• Successfully surviving a challenging summer at camp – no matter what anyone says, I grew a lot as a person and professionally through this experience and learnt a lot!
• Attending my old Scout Group’s Centennial celebrations in Dunedin, and sharing in the memories of a long history of Scouting and camaraderie.
• I attended an Armageddon expo – now that was an experience…
• I went to a NZ Breakers basketball game (and am planning on going to another in a couple of weeks).
• A 2006 CIT who was finishing a student exchange at my old University stopped and spent 10 days with me I Auckland.  It was a pleasure to host him, and even though it rained the entire time he was here, he got to see some of the sights, and we got to catch up and talk camp way too much.  It was nice to get a camp fix while in NZ, and nice to be able to continue the camping relationships beyond the island.
• I celebrated 2011 and welcomed in 2012 in a fantastic bush setting on Waiheke Island with my two good friends Mike and Michelle.

Wow – when I look at the list of positives from 2011, it is hard to still think of it as such a bad year.  Who would have thought that a few events could overshadow all these great ones…

Despite being glad 2011 is over, upon reflection I had a great year, and it wouldn’t have been what it was without everyone’s input.  Thanks for being a part of my life, and I look forward to seeing you again.

There is a lot of talk about 2012 being destined for an apocalypse, or end of the world as many interpret it.  I do not believe this will happen, but who knows…  In reality, an apocalypse is defined as a “revelation” or “lifting of a veil”.  So I think if anything, we might learn something new rather than be destroyed in a catastrophic destruction of the planet.

I plan to live 2012 as if it was going to be my last year, and this is something I plan to do every year until I reach the ripe old age of 120!  Life is good.  I have two amazing jobs – one where I get to do what I love for 3-4 months of the year, hanging out on an island paradise having fun with a bunch of awesome children, teenagers, and staff, while guiding them from child to young adult, watching them grow up and mature is the most rewarding thing in the world to me.  The other job, is back in New Zealand where I am lucky enough to be able to spend the rest of the year working on sharing this experience with other New Zealanders who are interested in working at summer camps across the USA.  One day I hope to be able to work at Summer Camp year round, but for now I cannot complain!

BRING ON 2012!

I hope to see you all there…

Why I do what I do and what it means to me…

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a fellow Camp Lawrence Alumni. He stayed with me for ten days after his semester studying abroad in New Zealand before he returned home.  On his last day in NZ I went to see him off at the airport, and he handed me a thank you note.  The contents of that note, while I’m not going to go into details, exemplify why I do what I do.  Everything in my life is about having an impact on the lives of others.  Some paint masterpieces (Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Da Vinci), some write symphonies (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven), some spilt atoms (Earnest Rutherford), some fight battles (ANZAC Troops) and then there are the ‘unsung heroes’, those who go unnoticed, who work long hours and dedicate their lives to helping others survive, grow, learn and reach their potential (the teachers, the nurses, the social workers, the camp counselors).  I guess I am one of those unsung heroes, one of those who dedicates their lives to making sure others can make the most of theirs and offer their contribution to society, be that as a firefighter, a teacher, a war hero, or simply a mechanic or electrician.  We may not be Justin Bieber, or have invented the iPad or Facebook, but we all play an important part in the makeup of our society, and I love what I do.  It is who I am, and it is what makes me happy.  Regardless of the long hours, and the financial commitment I make to my ‘calling’ I am committed to continuing with it and having a lasting impact on the lives of others.  That is what I do, and that is why I do it.  There is no greater feeling than helping someone realise their future – be it simply shooting an arrow with success, or deciding on a future career path, knowing that you helped with that growth is magical and more valuable than anything else you can imagine.

Thank you for the kind words in your note, they mean the world to me and really reinforce the value of what I have committed my life to.  And to those of you reading these ramblings, thank you for taking the time to try and understand what drives a career Summer Camper.  Despite what some parents might say, it can be a career, and you too can turn your passion into your career – all you need to do is apply yourself and never give up.  If you are committed you can make anything happen.  I may not be there yet, but I am on the way.  Stay tuned and you can join me on my journey into a career/commitment to camping…

Camp is now over…

Camp is over… the campers have departed; the staff have left; the camp is deserted and desolate…

What now…

We have a few rentals groups coming in, and an Alumni weekend as well.  We focus on packing down and cleaning up camp, as well as meeting the needs of the rental groups.  End of season paperwork gets ignored for a while as we take a breather…

As an aside – Alumni weekend was a blast!  We socialised and soaked up the camp’s atmosphere, talked old camp stories, and did I mention we had a blast?  If you are 21+ and alumni I recommend heading to camp for the next Alumni weekend –it’ll be the best weekend of your year! If you haven’t already, you can register as an Alumni here.

I thought I’d take this chance to reflect on the impact of camping on the staff – the counselors who make camp happen.  We spend a lot of time analysing the impact of this experience on the campers, but there is little information out there on what this means to the counselors.  Recently two articles were shared with me from various sources, and I think they help to explain this impact.  The first is an a comparison of spending a summer as a camp counselor to that of completing an internship, the second is reflecting on camp as a community, compared to, of all things, the community of Harvard.

Camp is better than an internship:

http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/blog/opinion-skip-the-internship-go-to-camp

At camp, a community (comparison to Harvard):

http://harvardmagazine.com/2011/11/at-camp-a-community#article-images

Have a read, and think about what impact camp has had on you.  I encourage you to consider your thoughts, and if you feel that your experience has in any way shaped your life post-camp, post a comment, or send a message sharing your story.

Change Day – Third session to Forth

So this is getting late and I want to finish the story of the summer of 2011…

The end of Third session saw me taking our French campers back to Logan Airport for their departing flight.  Due to some other logistical issues I was also accompanied by another senior camper who was at camp for his first summer.  He has proven to be a fantastic addition to the Camp Lawrence family, and one I hope to see back again not just next year, but well into the future as a staff member.  Now I may be biased… When arranging his departure from camp, and due to the special nature of his transportation, I was invited to his home for a family dinner by his mother.  Again, when his mother picked him up from the carpark of Logan Airport, she invited us for dinner (I had another staff member with me).  This time, I said I’d love to join them for dinner.  What an honour, I thought, to be invited to share an evening with the family, just reunited after two weeks separated.  Not only that, but I also got to hear first-hand the impact that camp had had on this camper.  It was an extraordinary night for me, and one of my favorites in my camping career.  Now dinner was fantastic – steak tips, salmon, and fresh salad, but more important, the feeling of being part of a family, and so readily welcomed into their home, made this change day the most special yet.

If they happen to read this, I want to extend my greatest of thanks to them, and ensure they know just how much I appreciate their hospitality.  The food was fantastic, and the company even better.

Thank you.

BICA/Alumni Day, DCH visit, etc…

BICA, or Bear Island Camps Association (now referred to as Alumni) Day has arrived.  It is going to be a big day this year as DCH, David Carter Hetherly, our esteemed Director of 17 years, returns to the Island to be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with his trusty sidekick Lois.  As I said it is going to be a big day.  There are a lot of Alimni registered for today, and we are responsible for getting them all to the island on the MV Sophie C, the Lake’s mailboat which we borrow for our special day.  I am assigned to the Y-Landing to oversee the traffic management, but really I just want to be there to see everyone arrive and say hi.  It is a big day, and a lot of ex-staff who I know are coming as well as older Alumni.  David has had a huge impact on this camp and all the campers and staff who have been there over the years.  Usually Alumni day is a day which isn’t very exciting for the campers/staff, but ths year is different.  Everyone is looking forward to seeing David and sharing in his induction to the Hall of Fame.

Once everyone is on the island, there is a lot of catching up among the current staff and Alumni.  It is fantastic to see this network of people so excited to see each other and share camp.  After lunch, we get the whole camp sorted and over to the Chapel on the Cliff for the awards and presentation.  Matt and I have been given the opportunity to talk in honour of David, and this is something we have been talking about for a while now.  We want to make sure we do it right!  Matt surprises me by having a speech already written.  Something I had planned to do but I never got the time to get around to it.  In fact, I kind of cheated by using something which someone else had written, actually, I felt I couldn’t have said it better.  This contribution to my ‘DCH’ book (which I am still working on…) was the first entry I received, and by far the best.  It really outlined what David meant to everyone, and the impact he had on their lives.  As a camp director, one has an immense responsibility to lead and inspire.  David did this so well, and in such a way as to create a strong family atmosphere at camp.  We are not just a bunch of guys who work or attend the same camp.  We are not just Alumni.  We are a family.  David created this, and for that I am eternally grateful.  He was, and still is, committed to the campers and loved spending time with them.  I have more respect for him than for any other person I have met.

Myself, David, and Matt

Camp visits – Maine visit with OMC, How Bizarre on the radio

As it is now halfway through the summer, it is time for me to get onto arranging my camp visits.  As a part of my job with IEP/BUNAC who place international staff into camps, I visit several camps to check in on the staff we placed there, and make sure everything is going well, from both the staff and the directors perspectives.  I love doing this, and although it eats into my days off, I find it a valuable experience.  I have a few favourites this summer, including YMCA Camp Coniston, Camp Cody, and Camp Marist.  I’m also off to Maine to visit Camp Pinecliffe, a camp I have wanted to visit for a while now.  I finally make it off the island and am driving through the wonderful countryside heading North to Maine, and as I cross the boarder into Maine, I can’t help but notice the song playing on the radio is a favourite of mine – How Bizarre by OMC (Otara Millionaires Club) – An Auckland, NZ group who made it big with this song in the mid-90’s.  It never ceases to amaze me how much of an impact New Zealand has on the rest of the world, and this song is no exception, and a great example of how far we can make it…

Session 2-3, Cabin Night

Change Day number 2!  The switch-over from session 2 to session 3 is a standard one for me with a 4am start.  There is no airport run this time round though, so I only have to go as far as Andover to oversee the luggage and bus camper drop-off and pickup.  As I was back earlier, I was able to make it to a couple of cabin nights that evening.  One of my favourite memories of the summer was joining cabin 17 at West Beach for their cabin night, and joining them in the water.  I hadn’t planned on going in the water, but certain challenges offered by the cabin staff meant I really had no choice.  Besides – the water was fantastic!  What a nice, relaxed way to mark the halfway point of the summer.

Orange and Grey = Colour-wars!!!

Second session brings us our biggest program of the summer –Orange and Grey (otherwise known in the industry as colour wars).  Here we split the camp into two teams and take each other on.  Only one can be victorious, and the battle is epic!  With two days of competitions taking over the program, culminating in a giant omnibus (relay race) which every camper is involved in and which takes all afternoon to complete.  The winning team gets grilled chicken for dinner, the losing team gets something along the lines of worse…  Events include team competitions, a track meet, individual target competitions, and cover every aspect of camp activities.  Meals include everything from chant meal, in which you can’t really hear anything in the dining hall, to silent meal, where you can hear a pin drop in a dining hall filled with over 200 people!  It is quite a time, and one which would rival any other camp in terms of competitiveness and atmosphere – it is what the 160 campers who come to second session sign up for!

Somehow I managed to miss most of this epic weekend.  I don’t plan to let this happen again!

Teaching Rugby, talking to campers, why I am here…

First session was crazy for me…  It was all paperwork and planning, and I had very little time to spend with the campers.  Second session we are full, over full in fact, and I plan to spend more time with the campers, after all, that is why I am here!  As we are so full, our activity staffing is stretched, and as such I take on two activity periods.  A morning water skiing class with Tim Spinney, and a touch rugby class in the afternoons.  I have a lot of fun with water skiing, and get to know Tim a little more as this is his first summer at Camp Lawrence.  My rugby class in the afternoons is a lot of fun as well.  Even though we have a ridiculous heat wave, and we are playing in the hottest part of the day, the kids are totally into it, and much better than the last time I taught this activity.  Out of the 9 campers who signed up for rugby, a couple of them play it already, and a couple of others knew enough about it to be able to play, so the others picked it up quickly, and we had a lot of fun playing and hanging out.  I also spend my meals sitting with different tables around the dining hall, giving me a chance to talk to the campers and catch up with everyone from last summer as well as get to know the new guys.

This is why I am here.  I love working with kids, and hanging out with the campers is the most rewarding part of the job.  It doesn’t matter if it is instructing an activity, eating a meal with them, or just hanging out at a cabin night or on the picnic tables during afternoon general.  Spending time with the campers, and getting to know them is the best part of my job. Even if it means staying up all night to get my paperwork done!

First Change Day – Airport pick-up and Camp Otter visit…

So we made it to the first change day of the summer – between session one and two.  As one of the few 21+ drivers, the usual airport driver, and the parents’ point of contact for the last couple of years, I have the privilege of going to Logan Airport in Boston to pick up our French campers.  BUT – we don’t have a vehicle available for this pick up…  This means a last minute call to the director of the YMCA’s day camp, Camp Otter which is closed on weekends to arrange to borrow their van.  As usual I am up at 4am to get things sorted for the day and am ready to roll at 5am down at the main dock.  My change day starts as usual with an early morning boat ride and then I jump in the luggage truck for the ride toAndover.  After unloading the departing campers’ luggage, I jump in the short bus which does the Andover run, and am taken to the next town of Salem to pick up the van from Otter.  When we get to Otter, I finally have a chance to take a breather and look around our day camp.  I must admit it is a little eerie when there is no one there…  So, next stop is Logan Airport where I arrive and pick up the two French campers without any dramas and head back to camp.  We stop for dinner, and arrive at camp at about 7.30pm.  After dumping bags in the cabins, and sorting out activity signups, I take the boys to meet up with the rest of their cabins and then head back to my cabin for a rest after a 16 hour day.

The next day our waterfront director, and I head off south to Camp Otter to return the van.  This gives us some much needed time to catch up on a range of topics, on the way back anyway, as we have to travel down in separate vehicles of course…  After two days of travelling the roads of New England, we get back to camp after a great lunch at D’Angelos and get stuck into our regular camp lives.