Many months ago we filled out forms, made an appointment for a physical, and sent in the check for Camp Roosevelt. This year we knew the drill for signing him up for Merit badges, since the cool ones fill up very quickly and last summer he was stuck with astronomy, fishing, and leatherwork badges. This week we found out that during his two weeks of camp he will work on small boat sailing, swimming, environmental science, archery, and a much coveted spot in the rifle session. Of course I signed everyone up for swimming lessons at the local pool and Mary starts riding lessons tomorrow. Out of the three towns that the kids have taken sailing lessons from, apparently only one is offering lessons this year and of course it is the most expensive and an hour away.
But despite all the opportunities, Mary still whined, "How come Will gets to go to camp and I never do...." I couldn't tell her the truth, "Well dear, because Boy Scout camp is reasonably priced and wholesome, while the options for you are Girl Scout camp where it is likely that the counselors are lesbians, or the typical Maine camp for rich kids from Boston and New York."
I am serious about needing to be rich to afford Camp Hiawatha, most of these places are for 45-50 days and cost between $6000-$10,000. The typical description in the Maine Summer Camps guide include horseback riding, windsurfing, sailing, rock climbing, jewelery making, videography, kayaking, gymnastics, dramatics, etc, etc, etc. They include transportation from the major airports and boast that their camp is the opportunity of a lifetime for each child to reach their individual potential and make lifelong friends. It took all my willpower while reading the guide to not take out a loan to be able to send Mary to one of these camps, but good sense prevailed. I did find an entry for a camp recommended by a dad after a race last year in a neighboring town. After calling the director, I found that because of the economy, there were still spaces available and they offer horseback riding. Best of all, it is even cheaper than Boy Scout camp.
So, sight unseen, but on good recommendation (several others have given the place a thumbs up), Mary will spend a week away from home, eating camp food and doing crafts. She won't be hanging out with any rich kids from Manhattan in her bunk, but making friends with real Maine kids and having a grand time.
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4 comments:
Oh, wonderful that Mary gets this opportunity as well. I hope she has a blast!
I wonder if the Saint Benedict Ctr in MA is still running the Morning Star girls camp. I had a few friends send their girls when we lived back East and they had GREAT time. Something to look in to.
"...Girl Scout camp where it is likely that the counselors are lesbians."
This is a gross mischaracterization of the Girl Scout program. The GS leaders and camp counselors are moms just like you and I. I was a GS leader for three years and my co-leaders were other Christian, homeschooling moms. While I do agree that GS is vastly inferior to BSA in many ways, I never had any issues with the materials given to either the girls or the leaders. And believe me, I was looking! If there had been anything inappropriate I would have had my daughter out of there immediately.
I completely understand the arguments against the GS. We each have to make decisions about which companies we give our money to or with whom we affiliate ourselves. Because I never found the politics of the national level GS to trickle down to the local level, I was comfortable with having my daughter be in a troop. I also knew that the moms of "my" girls trusted me to keep the program wholesome, which was not a problem at all.
Criticize GS for their politics at the national level, boycott their cookies, whatever - but please be more careful with your generalizations.
for girls: Morning Star Camp
When the bugle blew in the midst of the cabin "villages" at 7:15, its was time to get out of bed and get ready for another Morning Star day! Tidying up for cabin inspection, breakfast, religion class, attending the beautiful daily Mass, crafts and music made up the morning; then after lunch began an afternoon of sailing, boating, swimming, hiking and games; Rosary and Benediction were a incredible experience in the newly furnished chapel... and then came a delicious dinner, followed by a variety of evening activities which ranged from sunset canoe rides, volleyball, basketball, races and competitions, or maybe a little....karate? Of course the campfire was the booming finale, and then the day was completed by Night Prayers. What better way to show that Catholic Girls can, and should be, Catholic everything they do!
slideshow from last year:
http://www.saintbenedict.com/movies/msc209.mov
That's Fr Vander Putten, FSSP saying Mass.
My two older girls went the summer before we left Maine. They have a gorgeous permanent camp site now w/log cabins. I believe out of state girls need to be 12 to attend but I'd call to double-check just in case.
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