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Tak Talk Blog- Camp Takajo – July 3, 2018

By July 3, 2018 January 4th, 2019 Tak Talk
Camp Takajo campers 2018

The heat wave has finally made its way to Maine. For the first day at Camp Takajo this summer, we felt the heat wave that the East Coast has been feeling for the last several days. Nevertheless, there were still a lot of activities taking place at camp.

Camp Takajo tennis 2018Our Junior campers, finishing 5th and 6th grades, had their first field day competition against a neighboring camp. Our entire fifth grade division played on the road, while our boys finishing sixth grade hosted our friendly competitors. Our boys competed in baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis, and every boy had an opportunity to play in two competitive games throughout the day. We are making a great effort to offer golf this summer to those boys who have expressed an interest. Several Junior and Senior golf enthusiasts had the opportunity to play today at Point Sebago Golf Course.

We have always taken great pride in our pioneering and tripping program and provide a wonderful opportunity for our boys to explore the beautiful state of Maine. We feel that teaching children the skills to camp outdoors is the responsibility of any high quality summer camp. Our pioneering staff consists of sixteen counselors who arrived at Takajo weeks prior to opening day. These counselors were trained in CPR, first aid, and passed a course in emergency rescue. They also earned their certifications as trip leaders in the state of Maine.

Many of our Crow campers have already had their first experience sleeping outdoors in our tree houses, which are nestled in the woods on our 100-acre facility. Our little guys enjoyed roasting marshmallows over a roaring fire and sleeping under a starlit sky. Today a group of 14-year-olds traveled to Frankenstein Cliff and Arethusa Falls. This trip gave the campers the chance to hike one of the most scenic vistas in New Hampshire that overlooks the White Mountains. After this rigorous hike, our boys made their way to the Arethusa Falls, where they enjoyed a refreshing dip before making their way back to camp.

Camp Takajo campers 2018Camp life can create a multitude of challenges. Living in a bunk in close proximity to one’s peers requires patience but when you factor in stifling heat, it can make bunk life that much more difficult. Over the last few days, I have watched a group of 11-year-old boys face this challenge.

This group has lived together for three summers, and they have a genuine love and affection for one another. However, over the last few days, they seemed a little out of sync. Last night, when their counselor was going back into the bunk, the group of boys was huddled together in the back corner of the cabin, deep in conversation. Two of the boys very politely asked if they could have some privacy because they wanted to work out their differences. When the counselor closed the door, his curiosity got the best of him. He remained outside within earshot to make sure everything was okay.

This morning at breakfast, this counselor asked for a moment of my time and told me he had never experienced a more mature, articulate and brighter group of young men. He listened to them express their feelings and resolve their issues.

Camp Takajo basketball 2018As one would imagine, a few letters have gone home, and there were some nervous parents calling to check on their boys. Because this bunk has lived together for years, the parents have also become close. They were trying to figure out what might be going wrong in camp. To the boy’s credit, they used their words, expressed their feelings, and they resolved their issues without the assistance (or interference) of their parents.

What a great example for parents to see that what they are teaching in their homes can be implemented in their absence. That same bunk of boys competed in intercamp games today and did it shoulder-to-shoulder, representing each other and our camp. After a long, hot day, they were thrilled to retire to their bunk, their home for the summer.