Independence
Campers connect with counselors in a different way than they connect with school teachers and other adult role models. Under the guidance and support of counselors, camp becomes a safe place to try new things and become more self-assured. Developing new skills of all kinds increases independence.

Social Skills
Our campers come from all over the world, so children learn how to live and play with people with very different backgrounds and perspectives, helping them to develop social skills that they will use throughout life. They also learn resilience as it’s ok to fail at camp – it’s all about trying new things.

A Break from Screens
Unplugging is everything at camp! Children need a break from feeling like their online followers are defining their worth. Campers develop face-to-face, peer-to-peer and cross-age relationships.

New Skills
At camp, you are encouraged to participate in things you love while also trying new things, probably things you’d never try at home! There’s no safer space to develop new skills and interests!

Individuality & Peer Acceptance
At camp you find out who you really are and, over time, become who you want to be. Each individual is integral to our camp community. At camp, we focus on valuing, accepting and celebrating one another.

Building Self-Confidence
Trying new things, developing new friendships, learning to be yourself breeds confidence, confidence that spills out into the real world long after summer.

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Camp Colors: Blue and White

Camp Motto: “Leave your Image at the Gate.”
When entering through the gates of Owego, we want every camper to know that camp is a special place where you can be your true self.

“SFA”
We call it “SFA” (you can say it as a word- put the “SF” together and then add an “AH”)

Every night after dinner and on Thursday mornings, this special time is for campers to play freely. With counselors supervising, children get to choose from various activities such as basketball, followed by some tennis, and then head to the lake to go fishing.  Whatever they’re in the mood for that day!

Olympics and Frontier Week
Two big all-camp events. Olympics is in the first session and Frontier Week is in the second session. The camp is split into six teams, different countries for Olympics and different Native American Indian tribes for Frontier week. The two events start with an exciting, surprise “breakout.”

The Village
The location of the Junior and Intermediate bunks, grades 2nd-6th. All bunks are named after pioneers.

The Ridge
The location of the Senior and Hi-Senior bunks and tents, grades 7th-11th. All bunks are named after Native American Indian Tribes. Many of camp’s fields, courts and venues are named after camp’s founding family as well as many old-timers.

“Hughie Black Center”
The indoor basketball court, weight room and fencing room. Named after Hughie and Selma Black, the founders of the camp.

“Robinson’s Pool”
Named after our long-time head of pool and the original Papa Polar Bear.

“Shelly’s Cookout”
Location of our Thursday BBQ lunches and our end of Olympics Steak dinner. Named after Shelly Silver, long-time director of camp.

“Kyle’s Gathering”
A special area in camp for campers and counselors to relax, reflect and hang out. Named after current co-director Kyle Silver.

“Jacoby Field”
This is our upper field at camp where we play soccer, football, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and many other special events at camp. Named after long-time director, Tom Jacoby. Tom’s daughter, Melissa, currently works at Owego.

“South Courts”
One of our two sets of basketball courts. Named after Bill South, current Junior Head Counselor.

“Scotty’s Stage”
Camp’s covered stage where we gather to watch camp’s incredible shows.  Also used for rainy day activities and various other indoor camp activities.  Named after Scotty Myers, current head of Creative Arts.

Hopefully this list will help you and your child feel even more a part of our camp family as we count down to welcome you this summer.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have and we can’t wait to see you this summer up at camp!

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We often say that camp teaches you to be the best version of yourself, but that doesn’t always come easily. Nothing great does! It takes work to practice living away from your parents! It takes work to live with people from different neighborhoods or even countries who might have different views! It’s not easy to have face-to-face conversations instead of sending a text or email in camp’s tech-free zone!

So, what will your child get out of camp? We hope team-sport skills are perfected and outdoor cooking is given a real chance, but it’s so much bigger that. Your child will come home more confident for having stood up for a friend, happier for having spontaneously burst into song and cheer during dinner, more comfortable in his skin for having navigated both big and small tasks independently. Oh, and he’ll have a group of friends and community for life that are sacred, that are all his own, that he can always come back to and rely upon.

Camp takes a sense of adventure and grit and stick-to-it-ness and empathy and goofiness and a zest for life that we all wish for our kids! Those are the true gifts of camp, and what gifts could be more important?

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We can give our children many things, but as parents, we cannot give them character, independence, optimism, and enthusiasm – these are qualities that children have to discover and develop on their own. And that is the true gift of camp. Camp is a place that provides a safe environment to find adventure, friendship and ultimately to find one’s self, to find one’s true character.

At camp we often call ourselves a camp “family,” and for those summer months we really are. We are one community, relying on each other and looking out for one another. It feels like family. And at its heart, that is how Martin Luther King Jr. wanted us to look at the world around us: one family, each of us treated with respect and compassion. May the strength and love that we feel at camp send ripples to the world around us. For those of us lucky enough to go to camp, it’s our obligation to make it so.

Let us know what your kids are doing out in the world for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Email, tag or direct message us, or use the hashtag #LOCCares2017.

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PHILADELPHIA
Saturday, January 21st, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Philadelphia New Camper Bowling Event!
Devon Lanes
300 Lancaster Avenue
Devon, PA 19333

NEW YORK CITY
Sunday, January 22nd, 1:30pm-3:30pm
New York New Camper Event!
Chelsea Piers, Between Piers 61 & 62
23rd Street and the Hudson River
New York, New York 10011

Call us at the camp office for more information or to RSVP: (267) 639-2488.

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Our Open House is on Sunday, December 11th from 5-7pm. Directors from Camp Timber Tops and Pine Forest Camp will also be there.

Contact Lisa Fayne at 301-340-7373 or lisa@lakeowego.com for more information!

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It’s that time of the year! You forget what your living room floor looks like under all of that camp gear, you’re constantly hearing the most up-to-date countdown to camp (9 days!), and you miss them already. Take a deep breath. We are here for you as always! Below are some last minute tips as you make your final preparations for LOC 2016!

What to pack:
Plenty of underwear
A good flashlight
Lots of socks
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Stationary and stamps
Hopes and dreams

What not to pack:
Homework
Electronic devices (Kindle, iPod Touch, screens that play games or shows, cell phones)

Important dates:
Full season: Saturday, June 25-Saturday, August 13
First session: Saturday, June 25-Tuesday, July 19
First extended session: Saturday, June 25-Tuesday, August 2
Second session: Wednesday, July 20-Saturday, August 13
Second extended session: Wednesday, July 6-Saturday, August 13
Visiting Day: Sunday, July 24 @ 11:30AM

Important contact information:
LOC summer office: (570) 226-3636
Mountain Baggage: (570) 775-0556
R&B Baggage (for Florida families): (603) 536-2197
CampRx: (877) 302-3881

LOC mailing address:
1687 Route 6
Greeley, PA 18425

Policy reminders:
-Phone calls are not necessary, but one can be scheduled before Visiting Day and one after Visiting Day. You can schedule your first call once your camper arrives at camp.
-NO packages, please! If a necessity is inadvertently left behind, please call the camp office for a pre-approval code so that your package will be accepted and delivered to your camper. We do allow birthday packages, so please clearly label these as birthday packages with your child’s birth date. Remember: NO food is allowed!

Photos:
Photos from the day will be uploaded to CampInTouch almost every night. You can access them using the same login you use to fill out forms.
http://www.lakeowego.com/lake-owego-families/login.php

Expert tip: Mail a letter to your camper a few days before camp starts so that there’s one waiting for him on the first day of camp.

Follow us! You can find us on Facebook and Instagram using @LakeOwego and Twitter and Snapchat using @LakeOwegoCamp.

The post Reminders from LOC! appeared first on Lake Owego Camp for Boys.

2. You have a pile in your house for “camp stuff.”

3. You’re having dreams about that amazing moment on the first day of camp when get out of the car or the bus and smell the Greeley air for the first time!

4. You are doodling “LOC” on your papers at school.

5. Your chat with your bunkmates every day, trying to guess what cabin you’ll be in.

6. You’ve already made your Visiting Day list in your head

7. You’ve already started planning for Theme Bunk.

8. You know exactly what you want for your first canteen.

9. You check the weather in Greeley daily.

10. You check the camp website every day to see the countdown to camp number get smaller and smaller! (Its 30 days today!!!)

The post Top 10 Signs It’s Almost Time for Camp appeared first on Lake Owego Camp for Boys.

Gear: Your favorite hoodie (hooded sweatshirt), lots of socks (when you think you packed enough, pack more!), rain shoes, comfortable athletic shorts, white T-shirt for tie-dye, sunglasses.

Bedding: Warm blanket or comforter in addition to a light one. We know, we know- it’s summer! But we are in the rural mountains and the nights and mornings are cool! If you’re coming from overseas, don’t worry. We’ve got you!

Equipment: What will you be doing at camp? Will you need something specific for your activity? (Think baseball mitt, tennis racket, etc.)

Everyday Stuff: Sunscreen, water bottle, laundry bag, casual watch (you won’t have your phone with you to tell you the time!), headphones, pen and paper (to actually write letters!).

Fun: Theme-night clothes or wacky gear, clothes for a day off out of camp, bunk games like Jacks or a deck of cards.

Random awesomeness: Guitar (if you play), Diablo, juggling balls, playlist of music for your bunk, flag from your country, college gear, photos of your family and friends.

And most importantly, bring a camp state of mind: a sense of humor, enthusiasm, a great attitude, openness to try new things, excitement to meet new people and the realization that you are about to embark on an incredible, rewarding adventure that is truly life-changing!

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Happy Nurse Appreciation Week to all of our nurses and health staff!

With summer approaching, we look forward to welcoming an all-star team of 18 nurses to join the Lake Owego, Timber Tops and Pine Forest family. Please join us by welcoming them for summer 2016! They will be an extension of home to take care of all the campers when they need extra TLC, from a belly ache to a sting. Our health center has a great collection of skills; it’s made up of nurse practitioners, ER nurses, school nurses and professionally trained military nurses. Your children are in great hands! You are welcome to call the health center and speak to our nurses anytime when camp is in session!

A big thank you to all of the 2016 nursing team, this week and every week. Camp is lucky to have all of you this summer!

Also, a special thank you to the team of doctors we will have at camp this summer. Our doctors are so dedicated to camp and we can’t thank them enough for all that they do.

In good health,

Rachel Waszczak and the rest of the LOC family

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