Maine Camps, Coming Together

It’s often during tough times, that we realize what’s most important to us. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been thankful that our experiences at Maine Camps have taught us to stay busy, stay positive, be resourceful and care for others. And, nothing has made us more appreciative of our Maine Camps than seeing Maine camp alumni of all ages come together (virtually, of course!) for laughter, comfort, support, and meaning during the unknowns. Staying connected starts with our directors of Maine Camp Experience (MCE) camps who come together as a community via weekly Zoom meetings and beyond to discuss summer 2020. It’s wonderful to see our bright camp leaders share ideas and thoughts, and support each other as they actively monitor developments and discuss plans for the upcoming season. Just as our directors have been coming together, so have our Maine Camp communities. Throughout our many MCE camps, campers and counselors alike have been using digital platforms to bring their favorite summer activities into their homes. MCE Blogger Ali’s Maine Camp has been hosting weekly Zoom “campfires” each Sunday evening, where campers and alumni can sign up in advance to sing a campfire song for the 200+ weekly attendees. When Ali scrolls through the people who have joined, she is equally unsurprised and incredibly touched to see everyone from 10-year-old current campers to 80-year-old former campers tuned in to listen and sing. Synonymous with Sunday campfires in Maine, the virtual campfires help her be to reflect on her past week, prepare for the upcoming week and remind her of the camp family that she is a part of. This past Sunday, she, her two sisters and her mom (all alumni of the same Maine camp) joined together to sing a campfire song.For campers looking to stay active, Ali’s camp has invited counselors from across the globe to share their workouts online! Two counselors (who happen to be brothers!) have been hosting a weekly workout from the Netherlands via Instagram live. Younger campers are even welcome to share a photo of their cleanroom, as a mock “bunk inspection”— and in an effort to help our MCE parents. At MCE Blogger Emma’s Maine Camp, over 200 campers and alums logged on to Zoom to sing camp songs in a virtual assembly that brought smiles to faces from all over the country! And this is just a sample of the many virtual camp activities happening on a daily basis!Additionally, camp age groups have been setting up times to reconnect as a group. Blogger Emma notes, “As we’ve grown up and left camp, the fast pace of our lives can make it difficult to keep in touch with camp friends to the degree we wish we could! Moments like these have given my camp friends time to check in with each other. We’ve spent hours on Zoom calls remembering our camp days and staying up to date in each other’s lives. We’ve even found old tapes of our camp productions at eight years old! As I watch my sisters do the same, I know that campers from all stages of life are ‘gathering’— as best we can— during this time!”Yes, times aren’t easy, but seeing each of our Maine camp communities come together has reminded us once again of the power of camp. It is amazing to see our MCE communities come together and support one another during this historic moment. When you sign up for camp, you’re joining a lifelong community that will be there for you during the ups and downs of life. At the end of the day, no matter how old you are, you are always a part of the Maine Camp family, and in moments like this that we feel especially grateful to have our camp communities to fall back on! — Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our website.

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.