Alford Lake Camp

Since the inception of this blog, which is a new phenomenon for ALC (and sort of for me, other than our Family Blog which has almost gone by the wayside), we have had no posted comments and would LOVE to have some of your thoughts.  Perhaps it is my newly formed technique or perhaps the length with which I seem to ‘go on with things’ – so let me try again! 

During this time of year especially, my mind wonders to such thoughts as how can we best affect others when we are not in camp; how can I encourage my family to give of themselves to help better our community (or our greater community where ever we might be); how can we collectively make a difference.

Soooo, that leads me to ask, how do you help to build community service spirit in your household; how do you make the connections to create where giving is appreciated and needed; how do you teach your children or young adults to realize how much ‘power’ they have when it comes to helping others?  Can you offer suggestions or thoughts that might be helpful for all of us to use or practice?  Go All Of Us – to make a difference in others’ lives!!!!!  We would LOVE to hear from you.

Please know that we, here at ALC, are ALL are thinking of you this holiday season.  We send love, warmth and best wishes to you all!!!!!

As we gaze at the freshly fallen snow in these pictures from camp and absorb all its glory and quiet, the calm and relaxed atmosphere is, for me, quickly and seamlessly intertwined by the thought of CAMPERS, STAFF and all the sights and sounds from these diverse personalities.  I continue to remember, even in the middle of winter, all the challenges of helping to raise a summer family of 340 children (and young adults) – not to mention the honor and challenge of being an involved and caring parent myself.  Parents, what are your biggest challenges in parenting at the moment?

• When to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to vague and seemingly innocent invitations to ‘chill’ at a friends house
• Who makes the choice of the latest movie watched, what snacks will be served at this weekend’s birthday party?
• When to intervene in a sibling ‘discussion’ that could ‘go bad’?
• When do we monitor homework or should we?
• Who chooses the apparel for the day?
• Should the cell phone go to school or should there be a cell at all?
• How long should the laptop be used for things other than homework?
• How do we know what our children are like when they are away from us?
• When do we call to check on our children’s evening plans?

What are your biggest challenges as a parent or as an important adult in a child’s life and more importantly, how do you handle these challenges?  Share your thoughts and suggestions around important parenting topics.

Betsy & I are getting ready for our gatherings this weekend in the Mid West! Hope to see you there!!!

If you have lost your invite or need directions, please call Donna at the office on Friday from 9-4pm at (207)799-3005.

Chicago, IL  – Saturday 12/8 2:30pm at the home of Brian & Mary Hickey

Cleveland, OH – Sunday 12/9 3:00pm at the home of Peter & Heidi Robertson

Come and join us if you can, and next week be sure to check out the photos on our site!!!
  

Welcome to the newly launched ALC Blog!  As you explore the new ALC website under the Parent Section, you will find the option of “Conversation” which was a spin off idea of providing a place for us to communicate with parents about topics of interest – whether it be parenting issues, great books recently read, topics that reflect children’s/young adult behavior and how camp handles each opportunity or what is ALC’s philosophy around these items of interest.  The outcome was to be the opportunity for parents to have an inside glance or an in-depth look at how ALC responds to, believes in or interacts with campers and young adults through years of experience and growing perceptions to response or handling.

The Blog is the morphed version of The Conversation, hence how your ‘click’ has brought you here!  Our hope is that we will post a topic, thought or conversation of interest.  You are welcome to take it in, make comments, or make suggestions for further topics.  It should be fun, informative, thoughtful, sensitive and supportive –it should reflect all the reasons why you have a relationship with ALC and with us as leaders in camp.  During this ‘time of the Blog’, we may ask for Guest Bloggers, for continued thoughts on an issue, or as previously stated, ask for topics or questions in which you have an interest or that you think may help others.

Good luck with your weekly reading – have fun, enjoy – this should be an interesting journey!

OK, so here we go with the very first ALC Blog!!!  My intention was to write this blog about the importance or power of connection and I will get to that . . . some one of these blogs.  But in case you did not know this about me, I do my best thinking in the shower, have ever since I had infants in the car seat just outside the shower while I was inside  – thinking, the only time sort of, by myself.  Today, my thought in the shower went to the concept of It Takes a Village to Raise a Child and for some reason, I cannot shake that thought since it seems to be the core of ALC. 

Let’s think of history that the Penny Candy Store owner (of eons ago – remember those 1950’s movies?) took pride knowing all the neighborhood children, their parents, maybe their grandparents AND because of this could lovingly speak to each child and help them to learn whatever came their way in the candy store – manners, taking their turn, being polite, making healthy choices by not buying $10. worth of candy for one sitting (that was a lot of $$ then),  saying ‘thank you’ when passed the candy bag and realizing that there was another adult in their lives who cared enough about them to speak up or maybe even call or talk with their parents if behavior needed some ‘re-arranging’!

Ahhhh haaaaa, you say, the connection — Well, shall I say that in a very short paragraph I have described part of what happens in camp.  The multi-generational dimension of giving to campers AND as adults, receiving from them as well – goodwill, honesty, warmth, caring (but no penny candy) and connection to families.  THE VILLAGE is that community where connection matters to us as parents, knowing that others with similar values, respect and love for our children will help us to raise productive, responsible and level-headed young (or older) adults – our children! 

Now before we equate camp, specifically ALC, to the 1950’s, I would like to add that ALC has stayed current here in the millenium, but some things about human nature may remain constant even since the 50ies.  We, all of us, still need people in our lives who like to have fun with us, to laugh with us, to care about us, to think that we are awesome.  We need people who are willing to challenge us about decisions we might make, about the way we might be treating others, about the relationships we create, about our health and about our contributions as citizens.  WOW, there was certainly some real value inside that Penny Candy Store – my parents must have been thrilled to drop me off, especially me since I really needed some ‘re-arranging’ at times in my life OR as we say in camp, I really needed to be ‘invited to make another choice’ with my behavior!

Are you willing to acknowledge the importance of The Village, trust in the concept and run with it?  We are and that is our commitment to our active future – our children and young adults– the ALC Community!!!