Dear Arcadia Parents:
Although Mother Nature does not think summer is around the corner (Arcadia received 8 inches of snow last night), we know it is. The days will go by quickly between now and your daughter’s departure from home and arrival at Camp. As you know, the more you prepare for an experience the greater the experience will be.
We encourage you talk to your daughter about her thoughts of her upcoming time at Arcadia. Let her know that once she arrives at Camp and changes into her blues she becomes part of the Arcadia community, a community based on being inclusive where the playing field is level, where all abilities, sizes, colors, and backgrounds can live together free of judgment.
Uniform
We want to take a moment to remind everyone of why we have a uniform.
Simple living. Free of competition. Focus on the person not what they are wearing.
Therefore, we want to remind families that ripped or frayed jeans are not part of the uniform. When packing jeans for the summer remind your daughter that camp jeans are camp jeans. They are needed for warmth and safety while at certain activities.
Leggings are acceptable for nighttime but not to be worn during the day. Leggings do not replace jeans.
Two items that many girls had last summer that are not included on the packing list are goggles for swimming and “camp colors” flannel shirts (navy, royal blue, white, occasional red accent and maybe neutral tones like dark green). Old Navy and Woolrich sometimes have a royal blue and black buffalo print.
If you haven’t ordered your labels do so now! www.labeldaddy.com. The company offers a “camp package” which looks just right. No more ironing (or sewing!). Please note the tags are not great on socks and underwear. Use the code "ARCADIA" to receive a 25% discount
Lodges/Cabins The lodges at Arcadia are summer cabins with lot of windows so you can look at the lake and the pine trees. The lodges have double decker bunk beds and a few single beds. The lodges vary in size from four to ten campers and two or three counselors. The lodges for campers through sixth grade (First Year Senior) have sinks with running cold water and toilet facilities. The older campers use a common sink and toilet facility in a building close to their lodge. Some Junior lodges (1st -3rd grades), some First Year Plebe (4th grade) lodges, Point, Club and CTG have electricity. In other lodges campers and counselors live with the sun! Don’t forget to make sure your daughter has a flashlight or headlamp for the evenings.
Bed selection Each bed, in each cabin, will have a number. When you arrive the counselors will have a jar of sticks, each with a number. Your daughter will have the opportunity to pick a stick which will be her bed for her time at Arcadia. Girls staying for seven weeks will have the opportunity to move beds over parent visiting weekend.
Guardrails We have guardrails for every bed at Camp. Our philosophy, however, is that each child is an individual and should be able to choose if she wants a bed rail or not. Juniors and Plebes will have bed rail on their beds on opening day. If your daughter does not have a bed rail and would like one, no matter what age, please let us know and one will be installed for her.
Technology Make sure your daughter knows that her time at Arcadia is a break from technology and electronics. Discuss with her the benefits of time away from all electronics including but not only cell phones, iPods, iPads, gaming devices, Kindles, smart watches and all e-readers. We do not have the ability to charge cameras.
Once again, we are partnering with Bunk1 to provide an email service to you. Directions as to how to sign up with Bunk1 is in your online account under Forms and Documents. This year they have added an app so you can email your daughter on the go. Don’t forget to sign up for Bunk Replies if you would like to get a handwritten note back from your daughter via email.
Warm Showers All campers go to a central Shower House with hot and cold water. There are 13 separate showers with private changing areas. Every day campers have three opportunities to take a shower. Please talk to your daughter about the necessity to shower and proper hygiene and let her know that swimming in the lake does not qualify as a shower. For many young people this is the first time they are responsible for their personal hygiene. Counselors will be there to coach them through these routines.
Meals/Dining Room We offer three, family style meals each day. Campers and counselors sit together, mixed by age group, at tables of 8, 9 or 10. We rotate seating on a weekly basis. Meals are served in the Dining Room at the Main Lodge (we do have two or more outdoor meals each week). The meals consist of a warm option as well as a salad bar. For breakfast the salad bar offers fresh fruit, yogurt, and assorted hot and cold cereal. We do offer an option at each meal for vegetarians and other special dietary issues. Please let us know as soon as possible if your daughter has a dietary concern as we make one list for the summer.
Health Care Center/Camper Medication
We have a comfortable, stocked health care center at Camp with nurses. This is where your daughters’ medication will be kept. There is always a nurse on call in the health care center and your daughter can go there if she does not feel well, if she has a sore throat, if she has a headache, etc.
Please talk to your daughter about starting to take care of herself (with the help of counselors and nurses). Talk to her about getting her medication and vitamins and how often she needs to take them. Talk to her about keeping hydrated and what being thirsty means. Talk to her about eating and good nutrition and how food is fuel that helps her through the day. Talk to her about the daily need for sun block. Please make sure she knows that the counselors and nurses are there to help her.
As the start of camp gets closer please make sure to check your daughter for lice, rashes, bites, etc to make sure she is healthy coming into a residential community setting. If your daughter is not healthy on opening day we encourage you to get your daughter healthy before you bring her to Camp.
As a reminder, if your daughter is on medication during the year to help with concentration and school we ask that she remain on the medication while at Arcadia. She will need to be able to focus in her activities for many reasons, especially her safety. Please talk to your doctor about the timing of the medication as the school day is different than a camp day.
Should your daughter need to stay in the Healthcare Center or go to see a doctor, one of the nurses or the director will call and speak to you.
Returning Campers Parents of returning campers should take time to talk about the summer with their daughter. It is important for them to realize that Camp will not be exactly the same as it was last summer. Your daughter’s counselors and lodge-mates may be different. There is an adjustment period at the beginning of each summer for all of us.
Please let your daughter know that if she has not yet passed second level in our basic activities (Canoeing, Swimming, Campcraft, Boating) she will be expected to attend those activities three times per week until she has done so.
Questions/Concerns Please reassure your daughter that her counselors will go over many details the first few days of Camp. Her counselors are there to help and guide her. If she has questions or problems about her lodge or activities she should speak with her counselors.
There are many wonderful times ahead for all of us who will be together at Arcadia for our 104th season.
With kind regards,
Anne Henderson Fritts and Louise Fritts Johnson
PS – Tuition was due March 15th. To avoid late fee please send payment by April 30th or call Cyndi @ 207.627.4605 to arrange a payment plan.
PPS – Contact office@camparcadia.com for information to get set up with Bunk Notes – our email service. Please contact Bunk1 directly if you have any questions.