Kamp Kohut

Alexandra

My girls have been going to Kamp Kohut for the last 5 years. This will be the fifth year for Jeanne and her younger sister, Justine, will be her 3rd year. Justine was only 7 years old when she joined the Kamp Kohut family. Some people might think she was too young to leave for 2 weeks. I also thought she was too young and wouldn’t be able to be away from home. Was I wrong!!! Justine was to stay only two weeks but ended up staying the whole session, just about 4 weeks. When came time to pick up Justine, we got a phone call from Lisa letting us know Justine wanted to stay 2 more weeks. We knew she was having the time of her life after seeing all the picture Kamp Kohut had posted and her letters where always filled with Wow! Cool! But two more weeks!!My baby girl was growing and was having an amazing summer. I wanted to see her but I had to let her learn and grow. She wanted to catch more fish, play the drums, have fun with her new friends, be part of the Kohut family. How could I say no? I’m proud of myself for sending my kids each summer to Kamp Kohut. It’s one of my best decisions I’ve made for my girls. They are part of an amazing family with great values. Thank you Kamp Kohut!

Alexandra

For the last four years, my daughter Justine watched with envy her sister Jeanne leave for Kamp Kohut. Every day, Justine would look at all the pictures sent by Kamp Kohut. She would constantly ask us when she would be able to go to to Kamp Kohut. When we told her she would be going to Kamp Kohut this year, she was so excited. I was reluctant at first, wondering if she was too young to go to camp. My 7 year old baby would be gone for 2 weeks. How would she manage without her mommy? Would she be able to communicate with others since she only spoke French? I had to trust Kamp Kohut and my daughter. She had wanted to go to Kamp Kohut for such a long time. It was now her chance to be part of an amazing family. Justine helped out packing and made sure shw brought all her favorite stuffies with her. When we arrived at Kamp Kohut, Justine was all smiles. She was trilled to meet her bunkmates and counsellors. I helped her settled in and gave her all the advice a mom could give her baby girl. Time had come for us to leave our girls. We would be picking up Justine in 2 weeks and Jeanne in 4. Both girls were excited to have the best summer ever! No tears from Justine! I wasn’t expecting that!She told us to have a safe drive home and off she went with Jeanne to greet the buses arriving with the campers. Early each morning, I would read the Kamp Kohut’s newsletter filled with loads of pictures. This made us feel like we were with our daughters and seeing them having fun at Kamp Kohut was so reassuring. We knew our daughters would come home transformed. The 2 weeks went by so fast! It was time to drive down to the States to pick up Justine. All day, I was planning our trip to the States Sandwiches and snacks were in the cooler. Passports were in my purse. Butterflies in my belly! Couldn’t wait to see my girls! Well Justine had other plans! Lisa and Justine phoned us in the afternoon to let us know that Justine wanted to stay 2 more weeks. We were so surprised! We couldn’t believe our baby girl was ready to stay the whole session. I wanted to see my girls so badly! As a mother, I realized Justine was growing up and needed others to teach her. You might have heard the saying: It takes a village to raise a child. Well, Justine needed Kamp Kohut to help her grow. I put aside my feelings and let her stay 2 more weeks. She wanted to catch more fish, play the drums, have fun with her friends, to be part of the Kamp Kohut family. How could I say no? I’m proud of myself for sending my kids each summer to Kamp Kohut. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made for my girls. They are part of an amazing family with great values. Thank you Kamp Kohut!

Kristin

We sent our girls, ages 8 and 11 to Kamp Kohut in Oxford, Maine during the summer of 2014. To phrase it simply: It was a WONDERFUL experience for them and for us. Kohut is situated an hour from our home on Thompson Lake. The grounds are pristine and vast, the facilities are clean, well maintained and have both a modern feel and classic camp style. The process of looking at camps started when the director, Lisa Tripler met with our girls and discussed what camp life was like. Lisa also discussed camp “readiness” and the culture of Kohut. We knew that her kindness and responsiveness set the tone of the overall milieu of the camp. Kohut felt like and easy choice for us all. The camp experience extended beyond the weeks they were away from home. The directors paired our 1st-timers with seasons camp veterans who contacted them via phone and snail mail. Our girls loved having a pall to connect with on arrival day. That same pen-pal became am ambassador for other new friends and helped our girls navigate day-to-day camp life. The counselors were all well spoken and gregarious. We appreciated that they reached out to us to make us feel comfortable in letting our girls “go” as we helped them unpack. Kohut’s directors choose a diverse and well-educated group of leaders for its counseling positions. Our girls were encouraged to try new activities each week and we were thrilled that they both enhanced the skills they had ( swimming, crafts, dance and singing) as well as tried new activities (water-skiing, mountaineering, fishing). Kohut’s culture is one of connection, caring and warmth. Our girls made terrific friends and were treated with great respect and mutuality. We knew our girls were in great hands. They loved the time they spent away and were so happy and full-of-life the day we came to pick them up. Their time spent at Kohut only strengthened their beauty (inside and out). We highly recommend Kohut to any family searching for an ideal place for well-rounded growth and fun for their children.

Michael

Kamp Kohut is an AMAZING experience that will stay with our children for a lifetime. We have sent our three oldest children to Kamp Kohut and we have greatly valued the happy memories that they have shared (hoping our youngest will soon will have Kohut memories of her own!). They fondly remember laughter with bunkmates, sailing on Lake Thompson, and trips around the beautiful state of Maine. Every part of Kamp Kohut was a positive life-forming event for our children. They met bunkmates and counselors from around the world, developed life-long friendships, and accomplished goals large and small. Among the great activities were fantastic sports and crafts instruction, GREAT FOOD, the College Days competitions, and group activities that fostered positive relationships with their peers. Our oldest son (now in college) attended Kamp Kohut for seven years and the friendships with his bunkmates continues to grow. Our other children who attended have the same experience with friendships that began at Kamp Kohut.

Merrill

Kamp Kohut has been the most wonderful gift we have given our daughter. She values her Kamp Kohut summers more than anything else and considers her “campies” among her best friends. From the moment she stepped onto the Kohut bus almost six years ago she has appreciated every day she spends on gorgeous Lake Thomson. She treasures the friendships she has built, her relationship with the Kohut directors and staff, the opportunity to try new things, and the chance to slow down a little and be a young girl enjoying the simple pleasures in life- fresh blueberries, a dip in an emerald watering hole, a camp fire, talking with bunk-mates at sunrise, or a sail in the early evening. I have saved every letter from my daughter and each one is filled with joy. As time goes on, I continue to see what a special place Kohut is for Francesca. She writes about her Kamp experiences in English class throughout the year. I truly believe Kamp Kohut is the best gift I could have given her.