Who is a Winnebago Counselor and what does “quiet” have to do with it?

Posted by: Ej Kerwin | Jan 30, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments »

A recent op/ed that appeared in the New York Times, “The Joy of Quiet”, by Pico Iyer, spoke of a growing movement to find time to unplug and disconnect. Iyer offered examples of Internet rescue camps in S. Korea and China, Intel scheduling no screen time for employees and resorts catering to individuals seeking respite from the onslaught of information.One of the many attributes that make Camp Winnebago so special is the focus on preserving some of the universal values and elements so important to young boys since 1919 (ho). Using flashlights at night, leaving phones/computers and the constant buzz of the media behind while being open to engage with the world around them in perhaps a different way.  Whether it be sitting on the docks after dinner gazing across the lake in deep thought, building a dam in the creek that runs through camp or engaged in a conversations walking across the lawn or while sitting on the porch of the lodge,  the space created by leaving technology behind is filled almost effortlessly by our innate human need for genuine connections.

Which brings us back to the important role of the counselors at Winnebago.  The glue that holds camp together for the summer, they instruct, play, and keep the boys safe. It is staggering to think of all the individuals who have made up the staff at Winnebago for the past 92 summers. Men and women of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities have helped shape camper experiences, both at camp and throughout their lives away from summer camp. During our  orientation week or S.A.L.T (Staff and Leadership Training) prior to camp, one of our oft repeated phrases is “to lead by example”. This phrase is  not foreign to the staff as it is a theme talked about during their job interviews as part of a larger conversation about role models and relationships.

We know that campers are profoundly influenced by their counselors at camp and that young people are generally drawn to individuals who exemplify qualities they admire. We believe that the Winnebago staff should not only be proficient in the skill they are teaching but more importantly, have a clearly defined value system that informs the way they chose to live. The incredible ground stroke of a tennis counselor plays second fiddle to their ability to role model kindness, compassion and willingness to succeed or fail with grace .

In a similar tone to Uncle Howie Lilienthal who once stated, “Winnebago is not for the boy who can but for the boy who will,” A Camp Winnebago counselor is not defined by what they have done, but by how they have lived. By leaving technology at the gates of Winnebago, we believe young boys become more aware, receptive and able to take advantage of the teachings of the quality individuals who make up the camp staff.

Happiness and Success

Posted by: Ej Kerwin | Jan 16, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments »

At the final campfire this summer there was a profound question expressed by campers and staff; once we leave Winnebago can we take the experience of camp and carry it with us to our own corner of the world?

This last week was a sad one for the Camp Winnebago family as we lost a beloved member of our community, former counselor Andrew “LSU” Raborn. LSU was an individual who was admired for his ability to embrace the joy in life and spread that positivity to whomever he happened to encounter. LSU carried the Winnebago values and lessons back to his life away from camp and whether it was a Winnebegan, an old high school friend or a current colleague, they all spoke of LSU’s happiness, his acceptance of each for their own and the vigor in which he embraced life.

In a recent article in Camping Magazine Teaching Happiness — Positive Emotions Are Skills to Be Learned Christine Carter, PhD wrote of the concept that happiness is a teachable skill and described research that supports the correlation of happiness as a strong predictor for success in life.  What a powerful message! With this idea in mind, all of the fun and deep relationships formed at Winnebago are actually preparing boys to become happy and successful men.  Winnebago is not just a place to have incredible amounts of summer fun, but a place where happiness is taught as a core value.

Carter goes on to say, “…a person’s happiness is best predicted by the breadth and the depth of their social connections – their ties to other people.”  Beginning this Blog two weeks ago I have watched our community come together via Camp Winnebago’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/campwinnebagomaine.  I have become aware of how connected many campers are despite the miles between each other. I have seen fun interactions and heartfelt support. I am excited to witness the expression of the “breadth and depth” of camper and staff relationships and in turn the happiness that camp facilitates, which according to Carter “helps us fulfill our potential”.

Please feel free to leave any comments or thoughts.

Announcement of 2012 Summer Theme

Posted by: Ej Kerwin | Jan 3, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments »

Happy New Year from Camp Winnebago! This is our first ever blog and we plan to post them bi-weekly hereafter. As most of you know, every year we select a theme for the summer that guides us from camp preparation all the way through final campfire.

The 93rd summer of boy’s camp at Camp Winnebago will be the Summer of Virtue. What does virtue mean to you? Virtue conveys a sense of moral excellence without defining these values absolutely.  When preparing for camp this summer we will do so with inquisitiveness about what moral fibers we weave together to make camp an excellent, unique, dynamic, positive and friend filled community.

SOME ADDITIONS THIS SUMMER:
Due to positive camper and parent feedback about our small experimental garden located on the side of the kitchen (where each day campers and staff watched peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and a variety of herbs grow into mature plants) we have expanded the garden into the space between arts and crafts and the library. The garden will be part of the Nature program and also a regular Sunday sign up where interested campers will tend to and harvest the fruits of their labor for use by the kitchen.

Additionally, during our regular end of the summer meetings with the three oldest divisions, there was a strong desire for Stand Up Surfboards to appear at the waterfront. Get ready to stand up and paddle to Turtle Island, White Rock and the dam as they are already waiting for you!

We hope you enjoy a great start to 2012 and can’t wait to see everyone at camp in only 172 days. 

Camp Winnebago Facebook Post

Posted by: campwinnebago | Jan 2, 2012 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Camp Winnebago can now post news to Facebook!

Welcome to Our New Website

Posted by: campwinnebago | Nov 4, 2010 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Hope you like our new website, check back often for some interesting Camp Winnebago news!