Scamp Spirit FALL 2021
Dear Aloha 2021, You may remember from my daily readings at morning assemblies that I love the poet Mary Oliver. She once advised readers that we keep some room in our hearts for the unimaginable, words that resonated with me all of last spring as I eagerly awaited the summer of 2021. The idea that Aloha could be “unimaginable” to me may seem silly to some of you; at this point, the songs, the traditions, and the land have all written themselves into me over time in myriad ways. Yet each spring I find some aspects of the upcoming camp season to be unimaginable — because we will create our Aloha summer together in a way I could never have seen fully on my own.
as soon as the first counselor ran down the hill to greet their camper, I knew it was going to be another summer of Aloha magic. This summer was particularly outside the realm of my imagination. After a year of being away physically from family and friends, it was hard to picture everyone coming back together on the shores of Lake Morey. Yet as soon as the first counselor ran down the hill to greet their camper, I knew it was going to be another summer of Aloha magic. In what felt like an instant, we were jumping in the
lake, portaging canoes, channeling creativity in the Art Barn, filling the Hale with music, and walking up to the units arm-in-arm with friends. Even though I’ve seen Aloha come together as a community almost thirty times, the unique fabric of each summer never fails to amaze me. As I reflect on our time together, I’ve been thinking a lot about our summer theme, “together we can...”. Together, we figured out trips and rank work after a summer away. We worked through meals and singing in a set-up that included both a dining room and the anarchy tent. We made a birthday last for an entire summer. Together, we worked to create a sense of belonging for every member of our community. That sense of connectedness doesn’t have to stop just because we are no longer physically proximal to one another. No matter where we are, we can continue to be our best Aloha selves, and keep taking care of each other. If we do that, the magic of another Aloha summer will be upon us in no time at all. Until then I’ll be leaving room in my heart for Aloha 2022, and for the unimaginable. Aloha and love always,
Sarah littlefield Director of Aloha
special times We asked some campers to tell us about a special Aloha moment they experienced at camp this summer. Here’s what they said… “One of my fondest memories from this summer were the pre-taps conversations I had with friends on Club Hill. We would lay out a rain poncho to use as a sit-upon and relive all of our favorite moments from the day. What made this so special is that in all the fun camp provides, we found time to reflect quietly together. I miss it every day!” ELSIE PAXTON
“There were many special experiences I had this summer but the best were the evenings with my tent family where we would share our Rose, Bud, Thorn and Corn. The Corn was something random or crazy that happened to us that day and they almost always made us burst out laughing. We would get really off track all the time and we almost never finished sharing but we were always laughing and having a great time.” SAM KOFMAN
2
the aloha foundation
“I was recently prompted for an English assignment to explain what makes a home a home. I think the answer is simple. The place you feel safest and completely yourself is what makes a home a home. For me, that place is camp. There has never been a place I have felt more at home. Feeling truly free is something that I only experience to its full extent when I’m at camp. Maybe it’s the scent of pine trees, or the warm feeling of belonging. Maybe it’s being somewhere that you can see the entire galaxy just by looking up at night. Or maybe it’s all of it. Every year, those seven weeks surrounded by Vermont trees and the most loving community I’ve ever known are the best weeks of my life. A home isn’t a home because it’s a house. When I’m at camp, I don’t even live in a house. A home is a home because of the things it makes you feel.” AYLA SCHWARTZ
“Two of my tentmates (and my twin!) had birthdays during camp. We got to decorate three cakes and we used so many sprinkles it almost made us sick!” KARYS KEELER
“Getting my club pin after a long and rewarding summer.”
“A special moment I experienced this summer was going on the five-day pack. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and it was great to feel so rewarded after hiking for days and living in the outdoors.”
“This year at Aloha was my first, but I felt that I learned so much; like how to be myself, “and when I look inside of me, I am who I want to be.” I discovered how much I love making my own decisions. And I learned how to truly connect with nature and actually “unplug” after spending a year on my devices. My eighth grade year is already off to a great start because of my summer at Aloha. I wake up every morning much happier, I appreciate the time I get to spend outdoors a lot more, and I notice more and more how Aloha helped to prepare me for “the real world.” Before this summer, I had never gone to sleepaway camp. I had never known the joy of tenting with others, or waking up every morning to crisp late summer air and dewy ground (and Reveille!). I never experienced staying up past dark and reading silently alongside my tentmates, with only the rain or quiet hoot of an owl (or Club) to break the silence. I had never seen the night sky as I did during those three and a half weeks in Fairlee.” KATHERINE CHANDLER
HOPE HAMILTON
AVA MARCHAND
Scamp Spirit • fall 2021
3
counselor spotlight Tess Butler Lanai Assistant
SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s one of your favorite memories from camp this summer? TESS: Evening programs were my favorite part of the day. It was so much fun to come down the hill and get to hang out with the campers and other counselors. I think a dance party on Aloha field could brighten even the gloomiest days. SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s something you’re looking forward to for next summer? TESS: This was my first summer at Aloha, so everything was very fresh and new. I’m really looking forward to being able to return and continue to build on the connections and growth from summer 2021. SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s one way you keep the spirit of Aloha with you during the year? TESS: It isn’t always on purpose, but I often find that I’ve got an Aloha song stuck in my head. It brings me back to the person I got to be on the shore of Lake Morey and reminds me to try and be that person wherever I happen to find myself.
Brianna Bailey Canoeing Counselor
SCAMP SPIRIT: What department were you in this summer? BRIANNA: I was a counselor in the Canoeing department. I was an apprentice in Canoeing when I was a Clubber so it was so special for me to be in the same department for my first year as a counselor! SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s one of your favorite memories from camp this summer? BRIANNA: One of my favorite moments from camp this summer was being in the tent with my campers in the evening. I knew I wanted to have a way of sharing what we all did for the day so as a tent we decided to share our rose, bud, thorn, and corn from the day. The rose represents something good, the bud is something you look forward to, the thorn is something that was not so great, and (my personal favorite) the corn represents something random from the day. It could be something funny, weird, or a random observation made about anything. We all got very creative and ended up all of us laughing uncontrollably. SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s something you’re looking forward to for next summer? BRIANNA: I am so excited to get back to the Aloha community and reconnect. We all change so much throughout the year and I love seeing how everyone has grown and hopefully became more of their true selves. At the same time, I look forward to meeting new people and creating new friendships! SCAMP SPIRIT: What’s one way you keep the spirit of Aloha with you during the year? BRIANNA: Most days I wish I could just sit in a canoe in the middle of Lake Morey, however living in Arkansas that is a little difficult to accomplish. Thankfully I have pictures and journal entries to look back on. If I need a little extra support, I will wear my Aloha sweatshirt to remind myself of how strong I am and how I should always be my true self. I am always reminded by my camp friends how loved and lucky I am to be a part of such a loving community. 4
the aloha foundation
CAMPER spotlight WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DEPARTMENT THIS SUMMER? EMILY: Oh definitely Arts and Crafts! It’s so fun!
Sailing! I don’t get to sail outside of camp so being on Lake Morey in a sailboat really feels like Aloha to me. I am so excited to go back next summer for Club and begin to work on my high rank in sailing. graicen:
Emily Pastrana
WHAT’S ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM THIS SUMMER?
Seeing the fireworks on Fourth of July from Winships has to be one of my favorite memories! It’s normally something we don’t get to do. Also, it was my first full summer and I’m not usually at Aloha for Independence Day, so that was really an exciting time! graicen:
EMILY: My favorite memories of the summer would definitely
be the conversations I’d have in the Art Barn with my friends while working. WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU ACHIEVED THIS SUMMER THAT YOU’RE PROUD OF? EMILY: Something I achieved this summer that I’m proud of is
going on a canoeing overnight and paddling 16 miles! Definitely getting my 2nd rank in Sailing — and coming in first in one of the regattas! Another achievement I’m proud of is my quilt. I committed to finishing it before the end of the summer and, after a skipped lunch or two, I finished it right before packing day! graicen:
Graicen Van Blarcom-DeLuise IF YOU COULD ADD ANY CAMP ACTIVITY TO SCHOOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
An “exploration” class that held activities like they did in the Woodchuck Hole would be cool. Learning how to pack for trips properly, wilderness survival, understanding constellations, navigation, fire-building, etc. I think the girls in my school would benefit from a class like that, and it includes material you don’t get to learn everyday! graicen:
EMILY: If I could add any camp activity to school it would be
swimming.
Scamp Spirit • fall 2021
5
Traditions of Aloha
Wedding Ring On Sunday evenings, we gather in a natural amphitheater in the woods behind camp, in front of a roaring fire and under a canopy of trees, for reflection, music, and community recognitions. The Director usually reads letters from camper and counselor alums, and we take time to think about the week that just ended. While different pieces of the evening — like the letters and recognitions – have been added over time, this has been a well-loved tradition at Aloha for decades.
High ranks/ high recognitions lunch On the last Sunday of camp, we celebrate together those campers who have achieved the highest rank or recognition in a certain department that summer. Earning a high rank or recognition takes dedication, organization, and perseverance over the course of many summers, and the accomplishment includes elements of skill refinement, teaching, leading, and giving back to the camp community as a whole. Recipients of this honor receive a pin to put on their tie, as well as a special garment that may be worn at certain times with our camp uniform (Surfers in Kayaking wear a cape, Senior Skippers in Sailing wear a hat, etc.). The oldest high ranks at Aloha are the Guide in Campcraft and the Admiral in Canoeing, while the newest high ranks are the Dolphin in Swimming and the Racer in Biking. High recognitions were introduced in the 1990s as a way to honor those campers with outstanding achievement over time in a department that does not have ranks.
Puzzle pieces Introduced in the mid-1990s, the tradition of exchanging puzzle pieces within units on the last Sunday of the summer has become one of our most treasured practices. Each member of our community draws the name of someone else in their unit, keeping it a secret until the pieces are exchanged. During the week after names are drawn, we each design and decorate a puzzle piece, creating something we believe captures the spirit and interests of the person whose name we’ve been given. On the final Sunday of camp, each unit puts together their puzzle and sees a visual representation of the unique collection of people and memories formed in the unit that summer. We each take home the piece that was made for us by someone else who was at camp that summer.
6
the aloha foundation
Club Vespers
NAME THAT tune!
While we have assemblies almost every morning at Aloha, our Sunday assemblies are special because they tend to be more introspective than the programs we enjoy on other days.
can you name the CAMp song from just these lyrics?
One Sunday each summer, Clubbers (our first-year CITs) put together an evening assembly, which is our Club Vespers service. During the vespers, each Clubber shares something — a song, a poem, a speech — that feels meaningful to them and communicates something important about their personal journey at camp.
2. For we’re Aloha in the present, you and I
This is a special event in our summer and a time for Clubbers to band together and lead the entire camp community in meaningful celebration and self-reflection.
1. A nd I can sing, and I can play, I feel a peace that lasts throughout the day 3. I cannot tell a lie — I hocked an apple pie, It’s on a tree beneath the sea above the bright blue sky! 4. Summer is a mountain bright with sun 5. Y ou belong among the wildflowers You belong somewhere close to me Far away from your trouble and worry You belong somewhere you feel free 6. D on’t take on life with a feeling of gloom Let it take wing, stand aside, give it room 7. B ut Friendship’s a diamond, And trouble’s a diamond mine 8. T ake my hand come along Lend your voice to my song 9. W hen to evade destruction’s hand, to hide they all proceeded No soldier in that gallant band hid half as well as he did 10. M y country’s skies are bluer than the ocean And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine
Answers on page 8 Scamp Spirit • FALL 2021
7
Answers to Name That Tune! on page 7: 1.) Here on the Water 2.) Gulicking Up Song 3.) The Midi Song 4.) Helen Shaw Song 5.) Wildflowers 6.) Bum Diddley Oh 7.) It’s a Pleasure to Know You 8.) Free to Be…You and Me 9.) The Duke of Plaza Toro 10.) Finlandia
2968 Lake Morey Road Fairlee, Vermont 05045
Mark your calendars FOR 2022! FULL SEASON: Friday, June 24–Wednesday, August 10 1st SESSION: Friday, June 24–Sunday, July 17 2nd SESSION: Tuesday, July 19–Wednesday, August 10