Alford Lake Camp

Have you ever wondered about camp during the fall, or winter or spring?

When we all leave for our busy winter lives, camp stands still and quiet and yet ever changing too.  Most notably, our beautiful canvas tents are taken down and stored away and our camp buildings are shuttered against the seasons to come.  Can you just picture how beautiful the lake is this time of year ringed by the trees with their changing colored leaves?  Imagine how the sound of the wind blows through the trees of our summer home at this time of year.

Remember that Alford Lake Camp is waiting for your return next summer!

What do you think camp is like in the fall or the winter?  Share your stories with us on our blog!  Keep in touch…

We recently received a letter from an ALC family  with a fabulous idea that was too good not to share…

“My daughter, in true 11 year old form, has been talking a lot about her upcoming birthday party.  Day to day her thoughts of her 12th birthday celebration change:  a trip to the amusement park with a few special friends, a soccer match with her teammates, a movie night and sleepover, etc., etc. … I look at my daughter and marvel how quickly the time has gone and delight in what a wonderful young woman she is becoming.  After three summers at Alford Lake Camp, I can’t deny the role camp has played shaping the confident, kind and happy daughter I have.  She has soaked in the values of ALC.. community, kindness and friendship. These values have become part of who she is at school, in her activities and sports and in our community at home.  I see her reaching confidently for challenges and embracing new experiences.  Additionally, I recognize what a huge impression the counseling staff has made on her life:  their educational paths and enthusiasm for their chosen activities at camp… how else would my daughter have learned to love to sail???” I was thinking about the “big event” and wondering what special gift I should give her to mark her last year as a “pre-teen”. …   And then it came to me, I give her the gift of camp… another summer at Alford Lake…. please enroll her in ALC 2010!!

What a wonderful way to celebrate a special girl’s special day with the gift of enrollment to ALC 2010.

What are your 5 favorite things ? 
comment here  or send them to us.

Beach days, loons on the lake, Sundays, logs but MOST importantly that, 30 years later – my girls LOVE ALC! Thanks for doing such a great job and making summers special.
– Kelly

Just 5? The swim across the lake made me feel proud. 4th of July was always a super fun day topped off with the fire swim. Sunday in the Pines was a great time to reflect. I love that I sing camp songs to my son for laughs and while cuddling at night (Today is my favorite for bedtime). As a counselor, I loved days off in Camden (what could be fun than bringing foreign counselors to Walmart for the first time?) Overall, though, it was a place where I figured out who I was and what made me happy – and for that I will always be indebted to Alford Lake Camp.
– Elizabeth

Each summer, before our campers leave ALC, they participate in one of our traditions by writing down their five favorite things of their summer.
We cherish the fact that these small reflections of camper life embrace the range of camp life: favorite camp meals, special camp celebrations and traditions, dynamic activities, the natural beauty of camp and bonds of friendship with fellow campers and our outstanding counseling staff. 
We are happy to share a few of our 2009 campers’ “Five Favorite Things”. 
We are sure you will see the happiness, the sense of community and the value of camp expressed most wonderfully by our campers!

Only 290 days until campers start to arrive at camp again.  We are so excited about the campers who have already enrolled for next summer.

But let’s go back for a minute and remember some of the really fun things we did at the end of camp.  Remember the Camp Birthday with the amazing Chinese dragon …

and what about the Swim Across the Lake, the Counselor Show and the Camper Show?

How moving it was to see our Global Challenge trips re-enter – Nova Scotia rowing into shore with the sun setting behind them; AMT hiking up the hill with their packs; ALC Abroad running into the dining room chanting to us; and Alps yodeling and running to us through the trees to hug us all.  And how could we forget that 4:45 am wake up call with Pachabel playing for us?  Such a bitter sweet time as we shared fun and the sadness of our last days together.

So now what’s next . . .

stay tuned for more announcements of ALC adventures throughout the winter months.  Can’t wait to see you and spend next summer with all of you again!!
We are sending hugs to you all AND guess what???
THE SUN IS OUT!!!