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Tak Talk Blog- Camp Takajo – August 2, 2021

By August 2, 2021 Tak Talk
Junior Campers

I was heading into breakfast this morning with our Warrior campers and an eight-year-old camper greeted me with a huge smile. Admittedly, it was a perfect way to start my day. I’m sure we can all admit a smile can be infectious, fill our hearts with love, and set us on a happy path. When I asked this little boy if he was excited about the day, he replied with an amazing answer, “My bunk mom is not my actual mom, but she is the best substitute while I am away from home.”

Always in earshot of one another, other bunkmates and little guys quickly chimed in, “My bunk mom is the best. She tucks me in bed at night and asks me to tell her about my happiest part of the day before I go to sleep.”

Another boy weighed in, “My bunk mom reads to us every night, just like my parents do at home.”

It’s not just our female staff that create a nurturing safe haven for our boys to spend their summer. Our male staff are equal partners in providing our boys this incredible camp experience. I’ve often commented that no matter how beautiful the facilities, a camp is only as good as its staff. 

When we hired our counselors this year, we spent significant time discussing how critical their role would be in providing our boys with this much-needed reboot. Asking a staff member to commit to a two-week preseason orientation, followed by a seven-week camp season without significant time off and without the opportunity to leave the property was asking more than most could endure. Far more critical than playing a college sport, the most important employment criterion is whether the applicant possesses high moral standards and lives a life of integrity.

I have spoken at my share of camp conferences over the years about the critical role a camp counselor plays in the development of a child. Attracting staff to live with children in a bunk for seven weeks for modest pay, with little chance of promotion, and no holiday bonuses takes a special person with patience, empathy, and a strong desire to help others. During the preseason orientation, I do my best to impart that the life skills our staff will develop during this summer journey will pay dividends throughout the rest of their lives. I stress that the skills they will hone here in camp will be the same skills that their future employers seek:

Leadership- not only the kind of leadership that motivates large groups of people, but also the leadership that encourages a person to step outside his comfort zone and take on healthy challenges. 

Adaptability- we all need to learn how to adapt to different people and new situations. No one wants to be around a rigid, inflexible person. We all want people who are open-minded, flexible, and adaptable in our lives. Our staff learned to adapt to all kinds of situations, cabin responsibilities, and curfews, especially this summer when we have asked our staff to live in our “bubble.” 

Problem-solving skills are so critical in a professional environment and in our personal lives. Having strong problem-solving skills and learning how to listen, be open-minded, compassionate, and thoughtful are skills learned in camp and are critical to success and happiness throughout one’s life.

Team players- people who are willing to work with others and stay focused on the task until the job is complete. This is the skill set we look for in individuals we hire and is an important factor for your son’s success in camp this summer. 

This evening at 8:00 PM, buses pulled in front of the Abrams Dining Hall to take our staff two miles into town to board the Songo River Queen II, a double-deck paddle boat that cruises on Long Lake. Tonight, it was exclusively our boat and a fun way to say thank you to our staff, who have devoted their summer to your sons’ emotional and physical wellness. Catered by Rick’s Cafe, our staff enjoyed a couple of hours of delicious food, cruising in the fresh Maine air, and taking in the beautiful scenery around Long Lake. Meanwhile back at camp, yours truly deputized Warren Davis and a small posse of administrators who did not set sail. We took on the prodigious task of OD (on duty), keeping the boys safe and restful while the staff enjoyed the fun evening aboard.