Alford Lake Camp

Guest Blog by Kim Libby

There are mornings at Alford Lake when the water is glass-flat, and the hills reflected on the lake’s surface appear every bit as clear as they do above the waterline.  There are mornings when the wind plucks at the top of the water and lifts it up into small waves.  And there are mornings where a light gray fog does not burn away with the dawn but stays crouched on top of the lake, and when we come down from breakfast to canoe or kayak or swim, we can enjoy the last minutes of the mist

It was on one of these mist-covered mornings that a group of campers and I (their counselor) paddled into the nearby cove beside the McMullan’s Hut.  Our colorful little line of boats stood out against the deep greens and browns of a Maine summer cove.  For long minutes, we drifted and talked softly, discovering things as we went, like how the stems of water plants feel glossy or how turtles blend in with the logs and rocks on which they rest.  Moving along the outer edge of the cove, we felt as though we were sliding through the forest, low to the ground and without the disruption of our own footsteps.  On the far side, opposite Mrs. M’s home, we came across something extraordinary in a cleared-out spot of land: two large, smooth, perfectly shaped ovals the color of stone.  Based on the voice and behavior of a nearby loon, it did not take us long to realize to whom these eggs belonged.  We had discovered the eggs of the loon.  Carefully, respectfully, we backed away.  We took only our story away with us (“Guess what we saw…,” we’d begin.) and vowed to protect the precious space of the mother loon.

While I was never a camper at Alford Lake, I was fortunate to have spent a great deal of my childhood outdoors.  I played…a lot.  With brothers and cousins and friends, I ran and swam and explored and discovered things and made up stories to explain all the things I’d seen.  There was so much land to cover, so much to figure out, and so much of it was just plain mysterious.

I miss the mystery of play, and I fear that while our culture has given us much (speed, information, access, resources, lots Facebook friends), it has taken away some of the mystery that is always part of direct, tangible experience.

At camp, there was much that I did not know.  I could not predict how the lake would appear on a given morning or how it would change throughout the day.  I did not know what the weather would bring and relied on the shape and color of the clouds and the direction of the wind rather than on “Weather.com.”  I could not always tell my campers the name or source of all the things we saw and heard, and yet, I did not feel the need to “Google” them or search for them on “Wikipedia.”  It was sometimes just enough to hear and to see.  To wonder.

The outdoor living of camp requires full participation in the world, but more importantly, camp relationships are built on direct engagement.  When my campers and I conversed with one another, we did not exchange words on a screen, alternating “Send” and “Reply.”  Our voices made a sound.  Our friendships were “Confirmed” not by the quick click of a moving arrow but through meaningful gestures like smiles or expressions of concern made by the movements of our faces rather than the typing of emoticons.  During tent time, we wrote letters on actual paper and with actual pens and sent them miles beyond ALC.  We dropped them in the mailbox and felt the exhilaration of mailing thoughts that are irretrievable, that cannot be called up and reread in a “Sent” folder.  Our words were sent with faith and after a patient time, we received other words back, all wrapped up in paper and delightfully sealed.  And what gifts, these words.   What gifts.

Camp cultivates the mystery of play.  The mystery of the full, direct experience.  I have heard that camping has become “countercultural.”  I disagree; I think camp does not work “against” culture as much as it works to protect it.  Camp represents a distillation of the most vital qualities of our culture, the essence of what cannot and should not ever be sacrificed for the sake of speed and convenience.

By Barb Sullivan, ALC Parent

I am preparing for summer #4 for my daughter and I am happy to share a few things I have learned in the annual process of preparing her for camp:

1. Make a copy of the ALC the packing list and carry it with you… mark it off as you shop for items.  Remember if you are ordering from MCO online that shipping takes time and you want to have everything at home, ready to pack by early June.
2. Sew on those name tapes… okay, I have my local dry cleaner do it…but it is really important…. don’t think your child is going to be the only one with a red raincoat!  Water bottles, flashlights, hairbrushes, etc. are best labeled with a black Sharpie.
3. Buy stamps & print address labels of family and friends that your camper may wish to write to while she is at camp. The easier it is for them to write… the more likely it will be that you will get letters from your happy, busy camper!
4. Send a couple pictures of family and friends with your daughter.  Pack a couple push pins for her to tack these images up in her tent.  It is how ALC campers decorate/personalize their spaces.
5. When packing your child’s trunk:  remember to roll socks & underwear and place them in rain-boots, hiking boots, etc.  It really saves space!  Place most of the bulky items in her day pack (allowed on the camp bus) such as footwear, flashlights, etc. and use the trunk for uniforms, towels, etc.  I have used ‘space saver’ bags — the kind that you vacuum out the air — works like a charm!!
6. Fun pajamas are awesome… lots of evening activities are in “evening attire,” meaning the campers and counselors wear their pajamas to watch plays, etc.  Fun, fun, fun
7. Remind family and friends that there is a no-exceptions NO PACKAGE policy… it will only make these special and kind people feel sad if they spend time and money to send treats only to have them returned, unopened.
8. Share summer newsletters and photos with extended family through your Campminder account so they can stay connected too!!
9. Don’t send too many extras… too many books, stuffed animals, sets of stationery, card games, etc. It will only make it overwhelming for your camper to keep her things organized.
10. If you have ANY questions… call camp!! They can help you, give you advice and help you feel ready for the summer.  The phone number is 207-799-3005

If you have any other questions about camp, post them here and I will do my best to give you the right answer, best advice or point you in the direction of those who can help!

Thanks and Happy Packing!

Barb Sullivan
ALC Alum, Parent and Staff Member

By Barb Sullivan, ALC Parent

I was nervous.  I was hopeful.  I was excited.  Sending my little girl, age 9, to her first summer at Alford Lake Camp.  I knew it was going to be a wonderful experience for her because I had been a camper at Alford Lake in the 1970s.  Simply stated:  I loved camp!  But, I was also a little worried that she might not love it.  She might not embrace it as I did.

So, as the ALC bus pulled away from that busy NYC street, I had a few tears in my eyes.  And then I waited for the letters to arrive in my mailbox…. oooh, it felt like years before that first BRIEF note arrived.  She liked her tent, her counselor was from New Jersey, she was working on a project in Art and she missed me.  I read, and re-read, that letter over and over.  I wondered if she was really happy.  I couldn’t know.  I had to trust.  I had to trust that she was having fun, she was making new friends, she was growing and experiencing new things.  Trust was the key.  I trusted my decision to choose a residential camp experience for my daughter.  I trusted that the Directors were leading a safe and fun camp community and I trusted that she was well cared for by a dedicated counseling staff.  Equally important I trusted that my daughter was ready for this new experience in her life.

My trust was rewarded three and half weeks later when I picked up my daughter at Alford Lake Camp.  Here, running into my arms, was my happy daughter.  Her eyes alive with pride as she showed me HER tent, introduced me to HER counselor, showed me around HER camp!  She looked older, bolder and more confident than I had remembered her in those weeks leading up to camp.  She was happy and, TRUST me, I was happy too.  All the trust I had in her and in camp has made a lasting impression on my daughter.  She sensed that I trusted she would be able to navigate camp life without me and thus, she was able to believe in her self.  I learned I must give her that gift.  This has been the most important and lasting impact of camp life for my daughter.

To all families preparing to send your daughters to camp, I urge you to trust in your decision to choose Alford Lake Camp.  It is normal to be excited and nervous at the same time.  But, I can honestly say, it will be an amazing experience for your child — and for you!

Barb Sullivan
ALC Alum & ALC Parent

Hello ALC Parents!

My name is Barb (Leahey) Sullivan and I have a long connection to Alford Lake Camp.  My first summers were spent at Camp Chewonki where my father was Head Counselor.  I arrived for my first summer there when I was THREE DAYS OLD!!  I spent eight magical summers at Camp Chewonki as a staff child but my heart and mind were focused on when I would FINALLY be old enough to follow my older sister (Ann-Marie Leahey) to become a camper at ALC.  I spent four wonderful summers at Alford Lake in the 1970s.  The days I spent at ALC are some of the happiest memories of my childhood.

As soon as my daughter was born, I started counting the years until she could have her first summer at ALC.  Her first summer was Session I in 2007 and I was introduced to the reality of being a camp parent:  wading through camp forms, figuring out transportation to and from camp, worrying about homesickness and hoping that her summer would be magical, etc., etc., etc.   Reconnecting with camp, I was invited to join the summer office staff and have spent the last two summers working at ALC and enjoying being both a camp parent and camp staff member.

In the summer office, I have had the opportunity to speak with numerous families.  These interactions are the highlight of my work at camp.  I have often thought that there should be a forum for us to share insights, experiences, tips and ideas.  So, with Sue McMullan’s support, I am beginning an ALC parent blog.  I hope to answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) and explore topics that might be on your minds as you prepare to send your camper to ALC.

Thanks for your continued support of ALC. I know you agree with me that it truly is a MAGICAL place!!

Barb Sullivan
Virginia Beach, Virginia
ALC Alum, Parent and Summer Staff Member

• …that your daughter is returning from school more and more stressed at the end of her day?
• …that she is spending too much time watching television or on Facebook?
• …that she may be more anxious about her friendships and life in general?
• …that your daughter wishes she were better at soccer, tennis, or sailing?

And are YOU concerned about how to fill her unstructured moments when you have other commitments?  There is a solution! 

ALC is a place where your daughter can….

• * Spend time being unplugged.
• * Build life-long friendships.
• * Discover and build on her strengths that will compliment future successes.

All of this is possible through the challenge and adventure of an Alford Lake Camp summer experience!

Imagine all of the young women who have been campers at Alford Lake Camp – so many we put the number in the tens of thousands… Imagine them as mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, wives, role models, colleagues and friends!!  Imagine the gift of the Alford Lake Camp experience they have shared with the world.  The lessons and values they honed during their summers at camp have made a difference in so many ways.  Imagine the amazing impact these legions of women have had on their families, their communities, their places of work and worship.  In ways both big and small they have shared their confidence, character, work ethic and can-do-spirit with the world!

We know the value of camp is multi-layered.  Campers gain important skills and feelings of confidence and self-awareness through experiences that last a lifetime. Living in community, challenging themselves to try new things, and meeting people from all around the globe are just a few of the life-changing experiences that help our campers gain the skills to confidently navigate school, work and family life.  Alford Lake Campers have had, for generations, amazing role models in the counselors and staff who have made a lasting impact on their lives.  Camp life has inspired young women to reach for their goals, believe in themselves and trust in a community that stands for unchanging values.

Thank you, women of ALC, for 104 years of camp!  Thank you for making camp come alive all over the globe through your leadership, involvement and dedication to the experiences you had on the shores of Alford Lake.  To all of you who are mothers, we wish you a “Happy Mother’s Day”.  And to all of you, caretakers of the spirit of Alford Lake Camp, “Thank you!”

Warmly,

Sue McMullan, Director
Betsy Brayley, Assistant Director

Today we celebrate Earth Day, a day to recognize and appreciate this earth that has given us so much, but at Alford Lake we celebrate Earth Day every day.  After all, we have so much ‘earth’ to appreciate, with over 416 acres of woods, fields, open space, waterfront, tree farm acreage, brooks, encampment areas, situated on a 500 acre glacial lake with a mile and third of waterfront! WOW that was a mouthful!

John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club and leading US environmentalist, stated:  “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to the body and soul.”

We echo John Muir with our appreciation for the nature that gives Alford Lakers a place to play, grow and learn each summer.  We are grateful for our towering pine trees, our crystal clear lake, the rocky Maine coast, and the inspiring mountains and rivers by which we are surrounded!!

The natural world is slipping away from a lot of today’s youth.  Time to connect with the earth is limited, as our suburban and urban lives surround us more and more.  Yet, we know how important it is for the human soul to connect with the natural world, to be a part of open spaces, and to feel a part of earth.  We share our days with nature’s companions: the horses in our stables, loons on the lake and chipmunks scampering around.  Campers spend their days under the sun (and in the rain) and sleep under a canvas of brilliant stars.

We witness the powerful impact of nature when we see the confidence of our campers after they have harnessed the wind for a glorious sail on Alford Lake, have hiked to the summit of a Maine mountain, have returned from an exhilarating trail ride on their favorite horse or have braved a series of rapids on a canoeing trip.  Through each activity, ALC campers learn to respect, enjoy and interact with their environment.

Our pristine environment gives campers an opportunity to slow down, to reflect and to be inspired by the wilderness.  Their days are richer, their souls are lighter and their confidence is stronger by interacting with the world around them.  Alford Lakers crave the simplicity of camp life, they savor the friendships forged under the canopy of pine trees and they are buoyed by the experiences of challenges faced and conquered on wilderness trips.

One of our most favorite camp songs is:

I’m Going Back (words and music by Jane Robinson)

I’m going back where the earth meets the sky
and there’s no yesterday, and there’s no by and by.
With the moon and the stars always watching over me,
I’m as lonesome as a mountain, I’m as wild as the sea.

I come from a place where the pine trees grow tall
and the sound of night is the loon’s ghostly call,
Where there’s time to wait for the dawn to catch the day,
and there’s no beaten path so you cannot lose your way.

There’s beauty all around in the sparkling dancing stream,
and the morning mist leaves me walking in a dream.
But I never knew all the beauty it could hold
till I saw a sunset all crimson, blue and gold.

The wind whispers secrets into the ear of night,
and the waves break gently on sands of dusty white
Where the sounds of peace keep calling out to me
to come back to this land so beautiful and free.

I’m going back where the earth meets the sky
and there’s no yesterday, and there’s no by and by.
With the moon and the stars always watching over me,
I’m as lonesome as a mountain, I’m as wild as the sea.

We hope you will think of Alford Lake Camp on this Earth Day.  Remember what your summers were like when you were a camper or imagine how your child can benefit from our natural surroundings!

Warmly,

Sue McMullan, Director
Betsy Brayley, Assistant Director

Guest Blog by Whitney McMullan

As I sit here and reflect on my younger summers at camp, listening to the ALC CD for inspiration, I remember one thing distinctly. “I can walk ALL over camp in the dark without tripping!” Which was always followed by a hum of “You can? How? Don’t you get lost? Or trip?” I was proud. I knew where every rock and protruding root lay across the uneven ground.

Today I have a new perspective for my night walking talent. As a Bungalow counselor I always took my flashlight on night rounds so that I would not startle the counselors sitting outside the tents on duty. I began to notice that I had become clumsy and tripped over everything. This was odd, I thought, as I had always had a steady step without my flashlight and simply the blanket of stars that covered the Maine sky.

It was then that I realized something. When one walks with a flashlight, they are only able to see inside the bright circle created by the light. Everything outside of the light is too dark to make out. I was only able to see within the constraints of light, the rest was just darkness to me.

I switched my light off for the remainder of my walk. At first I could see nothing, but slowly my eyes adjusted. Not only could I see what the light would have shown, but I could make out everything that was surrounding me. You see, ALC encourages you to see beyond the specks of light; the familiar and safe images of life and allows you to walk outside of the light so as not to miss a single piece of beauty, even if it is a dark image. The point is, you can see it all.

You never know where Alford Lake Camp might pop up!!  We are thrilled that our photo of ALC campers is part of “A Rebecca Mystery:  Secrets at Camp Nokomis.”  Alford Lake Camp shared historical information and photos with the American Girl author Jaqueline Dembar Greene as she researched residential camp experiences for girls in the early 1900s.

The heroine of the story, Rebecca, is a child from New York City attending camp for the first time during the height of the polio crisis.  Reading the book our campers will marvel in how much of camp life seems the same:  travel to camp, sleeping in canvas tents, swims in the lake, reveille in the morning and taps at night!  It is fun to imagine how revolutionary it was for girls to wear “bloomers” and bathing suits and to embark on such an adventure as camp in the early part of the 1900s.

We are pleased that American Girl, through this book, is highlighting the history and traditions of residential camping and chose Alford Lake Camp as a camp to feature.  At 104 years old, Alford Lake Camp is one of the oldest girls’ camps in the world.  We are proud of our traditions, experiences and values that have enriched the lives of thousands of young women and are honored to continue to do so!

We will have copies of “A Rebecca Mystery: Secrets at Camp Nokomis” in our Library this summer.  If you have had a chance to read the book, we would love to hear how you felt about it!!

Warmly,

Sue McMullan, Director
Betsy Brayley, Assistant Director

A nine-year-old camper spending her first summer at Alford Lake chose Challenge for her morning activity.  She arrived with her fellow campers to tackle our 36-foot climbing wall.  Soon it was her time to climb.  Safely harnessed, helmeted and instructed by the Challenge counselor she began her ascent.  Half way up the wall she stopped, frozen, unsure and began to cry.  The counselor called up to the camper:  “You are fine, you are safe and you have three options.  I can climb up and help you down, you can climb down yourself or you can keep going.  It is your choice and I am here to help you.” Her fellow campers sat quietly with sensitivity but watched intensely to see what the camper would do.  A minute or two later, the tears stopped and the camper weakly said, “I think I will try to keep going.”  Slowly, steadily and with lots of concentration the camper proceeded up and over the climbing wall.  Once back on the ground, she smiled, rejoined her group to watch and support the next camper as she began her climb.  Soon it was time for another activity and our camper bounded off with energy to the next part of her camp day.  Off to have fun, to play with her friends, and to be a camper at Alford Lake.

I learned of this camper’s experience from the camper’s mother who said, “this is why camp is so important to my child and these are the skills I want her to have as she journeys through her life”.  Yes, the mother agreed, it is wonderful that her camper decided to continue on the climbing wall, to have learned that she was brave and strong enough to complete what felt like such a daunting task.  But more importantly, the camper was presented with three equally solid options by the counselor.  They were supportive and encouraging and none was portrayed as being a better choice than another.  The counselor’s message was clear: you are safe, you have choices and I am here to help you.  “Life will bring her challenges,” the mother said, “and I want her to always know how to find help, to seek safe options, and to feel personal strength within herself”.

Think of how powerful a metaphor the Climbing Wall is for all of us.  In school, in work, and in life, each of us will encounter a wall standing in our way, a challenge to face, a situation that makes us pause and wonder, “Can I do this?” The answer must come from deep within us through experiences that have taught us the most important life skills: to try hard, to seek help when we need it and to believe that we will find a solid solution.

In the camper’s story, the counselor did not say “You will climb the wall” or “You must climb the wall”.  Too often our children are pushed to succeed, to compete and achieve.  Some places encourage competition and reward winners.  We are a much different community!  Every Sunday evening, counselors from our activities verbally recognize campers who have contributed to their activities.  These appreciations are presented to the entire camp community and are focused on effort, consideration, helpfulness and dedication to an activity.  Campers are applauded for learning, for making honest efforts, and yes, sometimes for achieving.  We are a community that believes in the glory of learning, the thrill of knowing yourself and celebrating that each camper has the emerging skills to face life’s challenges!

I urge you to consider this young camper’s experience.  Imagine how such an opportunity could contribute to the strength of that special young person in your life.  We, as adults should look beyond each summer’s experiences and realize the potential long-lasting value of the camp experience for our daughters. And, if you or she should face a wall to climb, please remember what our counselor said to our camper:  “I am here to help you as you climb”!

Warmly,

Sue McMullan, Director
Betsy Brayley, Assistant Director