We are staring a brand-new series called “New Camper Series”. We will be publishing blogs twice a month that will focus on topics geared specifically towards our new camper families.
Today, we are kicking off with details on why this summer specifically is the very BEST summer to be a new camper at Foley. Let’s go!
Reason #1: Everyone is confused. What a way to start the list, right? As a new camper family, it’s natural to have LOTS of questions. It’s very normal when you’re trusting someone new with your child or children. With all of our updates to our normal camp routine, it’s going to feel like every camper is a new camper in some ways. No camper is going to know exactly how the schedule works on day 1 or exactly how to sign up for activities, until the counselors explain it to them. New campers aren’t even going to feel like new campers; they are going to feel like everybody else! Remember, this summer, for the very first time everyone will be coming for 3 weeks! Our camper experiences are diverse, with some coming for just 1 week and some coming for 3 or 4. But now everyone will be in camp for 3 weeks all together for the whole session. A Foley First for everyone!
Reason #2: You will receive more communication from Foley than ever before. Because of the changes to our camp routine and programming, we have been and will continue sharing and communicating changes and policies with all our parents. We want ALL of our campers to know what’s coming. New camper families will learning right alongside returning families who have been attending for 8+ years, and we will send you many updated communications along the way.
Reason #3: You won’t even realize what you’re missing; it’s all going to feel normal! For some of our returning campers, camp will seem different in some ways. But for a new camper? It’s just going to seem awesome! Because they’ve never eaten in our Dining Hall before, you won’t realize that it feels different to eat outdoors surrounded by nature. Because you’ve never been to the Grand Dance Festival, you’ll just embrace the new way of doing things as AWESOME, without comparing it to anything else. You get all the joy and fun with every new thing you do; it will be great!
Reason #4: You’ll get to experience two years worth of excitement in your very first summer. We love doing new things at camp, and our directors Marie and Alli pour so much time and resources into improving what we do. When we had to cancel our 2020 summer, we were already well into planning, that summer…and all of a sudden, those plans were just put on hold. Well, once we started planning for summer 2021, we didn’t just roll over all of those 2020 plans and call it a day. Instead, we started fresh again, as we brainstormed many new ways to make this summer the best. So, you’ll be getting the incredible things we had planned last summer (like our new Zup board down at the Marina) combined with new things this summer (like our custom planned evening programs). Is it too much NEW stuff for one summer to handle? Never!
Reason #5: We’ve thought about YOU more than ever before. Our new camper experience is always a big priority for us, and we spend a lot of time every year thinking through how that transition to camp is going to go. This year? Take what we normally do and magnify it! This year specifically, we have been thinking and talking about how it will feel to be a new camper with every single decision we make. Because we are thinking through things, new campers are on our minds more than ever, and the new camper experience is being refined at every turn. We have no doubt that this is only going to make the experience that much better in every way!
There are so many other reasons why being a new camper is the BEST, but these are just a few that come to mind. We will dive into some topics a little deeper in the coming weeks, so check back here as we post our New Camper Counsel Series. We cannot wait to welcome you to camp for your first summer at Foley!