Alford Lake Camp

By Barb Sullivan

Where in the world is Alford Lake Camp?!  How is the best way to get to camp to drop off or pick up my camper?  Here are a few helpful hints:

Alford Lake Camp’s Summer Address is:
258 Alford Lake Road
Hope, ME  04847  USA

(NOTE:  Believe it or not a few confused families have thought the Camp’s Winter Office was their destination… so just to be clear — nothing but filing cabinets in Cape Elizabeth during the summer!! Head to 258 Alford Lake Road, HOPE, ME for ALC summer fun!!)

If you are driving — RESIST the urge to take scenic Route 1…. the beautiful, winding coastal route in Maine is lovely but completely jammed during the summer months.  Take Route 295 — it is still “Maine-like” and you will arrive on time.

According to Mapquest… Camp is approximately:

• 7 hours and 30 minutes from New York, NY
• 3 hours and 45 minutes from Boston, MA
• 1 hour and 30 minutes from Portland, ME

When you arrive at Camp you will see a group of counselor’s in training (CT’s) with clipboards standing on the side of the Alford Lake Road.  They will point you in the right direction for unloading your car, finding your camper’s tent and meeting your camper’s counselor, and Sue and Betsy!  Don’t worry, camp will have people available to help you carry your camper’s trunk & gear.

Questions along the way? Just call camp and we can help you.
The Summer Camp Office opens June 7th and our number is 207-785-2400.

Barb Sullivan
ALC Alum, Parent and Staff Member

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