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

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

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.

Guest Blog by Matt Hamilton

According to ALC lore, the antidote to feeling “bluish” on account of being “newish” is to…”reach in your trunk, put on your Blueberry Blues!”
“Ba-da-da Ba-da-da Ba-da-da-da-da!”
“Miles apart,” now I am – and even rather close to one of “Wherever You Go”’s sung cities – Tel Aviv, as Israel is just a ways over the Jordan River from Amman, Jordan. Just two weeks ago I came to this capital city of Jordan to work as a teacher to Iraqi refugees while studying the Arabic language. The work is fun, the culture is different, and yes, I am very far from home, my parents, friends, and my brother Dave (known to the Rangers as Davina, the Tennis Playing Diva).
Like at camp though, when you are far from loved ones and comfortable places, two things happen: you realize how much you do love your family, friends, and home but as well, you see the vastness of the world, the people in it, and the commonalities shared among us all.
Homesickness is inevitable. Like those first nights for campers at ALC, my first night here I laid in bed, unable to sleep; my bed was thousands of miles away, the air felt different, and the noises were unfamiliar. No longer was I hearing taps, reveille, and the chilling screams of the loon, but the bustle of the city cars and the Islamic call to prayer issuing five times each day from the minaret of the mosque located across the street from my apartment.
My second day here, though, I did reach down into my suitcase and, quite unexpectedly, pulled out my blue ALC t-shirt. Far away from home and from camp, I put it on and felt better – empowered, even, to stop feeling sad, and to look at this new and challenging place as I would Mt. Sugarloaf, Mt. Battie, or Mt. Katahdin – an opportunity! I had helped to lead campers to these summits – now I had to lead myself through unknown, foreign territory.
After two weeks, Amman has become a new type of home, with new friends, new lessons, and unexpected personal growth and maturing. My Arabic is improving and my knowledge of the city has increased. The homesickness has ebbed, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss home; like the camper starting a new school, a new year in college, or life in a new city or state, a longing for family and friends remains.  The longing just signifies love, though, and love always is a good thing.
From Amman,
Matt

An Out-of-Camp Trip Leader during the 2009 Summer, Matt Hamilton is a recent graduate of Boston College now working as a teacher and student in Amman, Jordan. Matt enjoys Congo Bars with cheese and honey, pie, and peanut butter M&Ms.

Guest Blog by Sharon Hughes Kern (’75-’81)

Sue McMullan and Betsy Brayley are ‘thawing out’ in Key West Florida with a few old Alford Lake friends from decades gone by. -  IRENE WYCKOFF (’71-’86), GANO TSCHUDY HAINE ‘61, ‘70-’73, ‘76,’77, ‘79, ‘85) JANE HADDEN GEISSE, (’66-’79, 2007) and me.  Jane and Sharon met the others at the airport in costumes and Sue, Betsy, Irene and Gano walked off the plane with fake teeth. We surprised each other while providing entertainment for the other people in the terminal.  Thanks to the Miss Be Witched Contest, the Dress Your Counselors and the Counselor Shows, we have no inhibitions and stage fright.
Whether we are at the beach (minus the Beach Day “hotdogs and brownies, potato chips too”), walking, eating, sitting on the bed together giggling late at night, there is always an ALC memory that comes to our minds and sends us into hysterics.  Many years and other memories have come and gone but it seems that the ALC memories are the bond that holds us together.  Isn’t it amazing when you don’t see friends for years or decades, but the moment you see each other, it’s like you have seen each other every day.

Please send us your crazy photo and story of reunions with your ALC friends.

How many of you have reunited with ALC friends recently?  How about letting us know about your connections so that we can post your news on this blog?