Camp News

Breathe in. Do you smell that?

Breathe out. Think about it.

B’s and D’s on the grill. Sunscreen down by the lake. Freshly cut grass on the Upper Field. The scents of Owego.

In about 50 days, you will step foot onto 1687 Route 6 and your senses will be awakened by the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of your summer home. As you enter the gates and the invigorating scent of pine wafts over you from above, you’ll feel like you never left.

Our 7 weeks at camp are filled with memorable moments, and each of those moments is defined by the sensory experience that takes root in our brain and helps to form a core memory. It goes without saying that even in the middle of January, you remember the smell of a Friday night campfire.

As the start of camp draws nearer, we look forward to seeing our friends step off the bus onto the Lower Field, hearing the cheers spilling out of the Dining Hall, and tasting that first bite of Friday night Challah. But there’s nothing that triggers our memories of camp quite like our sense of smell.

Think about Morning Lineup. The smell of 200 boys gathered around the flagpole, many of whom are still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Smells a bit like teen spirit, doesn’t it?

Others areas of camp have their own distinct fragrance as well. You’ll find yourself walking through the HBC this summer and recognize the rubbery odor of the basketballs. As campers whiz by on mountain bikes, you’ll smell the tires spinning against the asphalt. Burning embers will float through the air from behind Scotty’s Stage as another Campcraft period comes to a close. The pungent kerosene from Frontier Week torches will fill your nostrils as you march arm in arm to the Upper Field. Even the savory aroma of the Matzo Ball soup at Friday night dinner will remind you that you are at Owego. You are home.

As you spend the next month packing your trunks and labeling your bathing suits, stop and think about the aromas that will engage your senses and trigger your memories on June 28th. Whether pleasantly fragrant (or not so much), these scents define camp in a way that is almost indescribable. If you’ve experienced them before, you know.

You can smell the Owego air already, can’t you?

As sure as March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, the third month of the year marks the much-anticipated (and slightly burdensome) release of Camp Forms. Campers, do not fret! Your parents will dot the “i”s and cross the “t”s to ensure that come June 28th, your arrival at camp will be seamless and nothing will be left to chance.

There are always a few families who require some gentle reminders as the summer draws near. Combine that reality with the annual influx of new Owego families, and we figured it might not be a bad idea to provide a crash course on our forms and how best to approach them.

So, without further ado, here is the Official A-Z Guide to Owego Camper Forms:

A is for (Parent) Authorization: This form requires that you photocopy the front and back of your insurance card to authorize camp to seek medical treatment and/or obtain medication in the event of illness/injury.

B is for Bunk Requests: You may provide a list of up to three names of fellow campers with whom your camper would like to bunk. Bed requests are also included on this form. This is extremely important if your camper has a strong preference of upper or bottom bunk.

C is for Camper Confidential: One of the most important forms to complete, this tells your camper’s counselors everything you want them to know about your child. From social anxiety to sleep habits, this is the place to lay it all out. This form is read and discussed by counselors and key staff during pre-camp counselor training.

D is for Doctor Exam: Every camper must provide a current (within the past year) examination report from his family physician.

E is for Epi-Pen: SEE “F” BELOW!

F is for FARE: This form is exclusively for families whose camper has allergies to which the camp should be made aware. Foods, medicines, insects — all should be included on the FARE form. We want to keep every camper safe. The more information we have, the better.

G is for (Top) Golf: SEE “O” BELOW!

H is for Health History: Our health center keeps these records on hand for every camper. When a camper visits the health center, whether because of a headache or a sprained ankle, our esteemed Nurses look at the Health History form to ensure that no stone is left unturned.

I is for Immunizations: Camp requires a record of every camper’s immunization history. This can typically be obtained at the time of the Doctor’s Exam.

J, K, L…If you are still reading this, you’ll indulge us a little shortcut towards “Z.” Thanks.

M is for MMR Acknowledgement: New this summer, we ask that you sign an acknowledgement of our policy to require the MMR vaccine in all campers.

N is for Nurses: Have we mentioned how integral a role our nurses play in the health and safety of every camper? Many of these Camper Forms are used on a daily basis by our nurses. So please FILL THEM OUT!

O is for Optional Activities: Whether your camper is a future Chef or Professional Soccer Player, there is an opportunity at camp to participate in a special program which goes above and beyond the typical camp schedule. ACE Tennis, Fitness, Horseback Riding, and all the “TOPS” — Basketball, Cooks, Golf, Gymnastics, and Soccer — come at an additional cost to families.

P is for Packing List: Print it out today and start shopping for socks! P is also for Photo: We ask that you update your camper’s photo every summer for two very important reasons. One, the CampMinder software will find your camper in photos much quicker if it has a current image to use as a reference. Two, our camp office will recognize your Hi-Senior camper much better if the photo in his profile is more recent than his Boone summer!

Q is for Nothing: Drawing a complete blank.

R is for Requirements: If a form is labeled as “Required,” we ask that you complete and submit it by the deadline listed on CampMinder.

S is for (Camp Community) Standards: We ask that you acknowledge camp’s mission to maintain a nurturing, supportive community through positive camper interactions and appropriate behavior.

T is for Transportation: Let us know if your child will be driving to camp with family in a car, riding the big coach bus, or flying from an exotic location like Florida or California. Baggage arrangements are included on this form as well.

U, V, W, X, Y, and Z…Sorry, end of the alphabet. There is simply no more room for cleverness left in this blog.

Camp is about 100 days away! Fill out your camper forms and submit them by the deadline! Summer 2025 is loading. We can’t wait to see you!

February’s 28 glorious days begin with a prognosticating groundhog, who is quickly replaced by homemade cards, red roses, stuffed bears, and heart-shaped EVERYTHING. As Valentines Day looms over the late-winter horizon, declarations of candy-coated love are everywhere.

If you need a break from the pink-hued, treacly sweetness of this Cupid-obsessed Hallmark holiday, you are not alone. Forget the romantic love and the pressure to couple-up just so you can enjoy a crowded restaurant and sub-par chocolate, and focus on the love you have for our summer home. Camp love is real, and it is life-changing.

Our love for camp leaves us longing for summer as the snow falls outside. It makes us weepy on closing day when we have to depart. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder — and with less than 150 days remaining until the first day of camp, our hearts are bursting with fondness. We are counting down the days until we can be reunited with our true summer love.

Our love for camp makes us feel independent, brave, capable, and SEEN. We love choosing our schedules, deciding what to wear, and figuring out what to eat. We take risks that we might not normally take while at home, and we push ourselves to try new things. We love the feeling of succeeding at something new and challenging, and we thrive from sharing our talents with our fellow campers.

One of the biggest reasons why we love camp is that we feel more like our authentic selves in Greeley than we do anywhere else. We arrive on day one with a breath of fresh air, and abandon all preconceived notions at the gate. When you strip away the hustle-bustle of everyday life, along with the electronic devices on which we so rely for constant entertainment and engagement, you get emerging leaders, role models, and individuals who are able to slow down, look around, and take it all in. We can go out into the woods and get our hands dirty. We can be silly. We can be anything.

Our love for camp says that we crave genuine friendship. It is the bonds we form over the 7 weeks of summer that teach us what qualities we need in a friend and what qualities we aspire to carry within ourselves. Our camp friends see us first thing in the morning, as we wipe the sleep from our tired eyes, and they see us at our lowest moments, from missed basketball shots to missing home. They stand by our side as we process a crushing Frontier Week loss. They accept our pure and honest reactions because they, too, understand the significance of the moment. We feel safe, and we feel like a part of something that is bigger than any one person.

This Valentines Day, whether you are celebrating with a loved one or rolling your eyes at Cupid, remember your love for camp and how that makes you feel. Then close your eyes and think about the love that awaits you on June 28th.

Happy 4 months until camp!

Happy New Year!

As this blog goes to press, 2024 is history (so yesterday), 2025 is here (get used to it), and camp begins in just about 170 days (less than half a year away!). Faster than you can say “packing list,” you’ll find yourself boarding the big coach bus bound for Greeley.

Arriving at camp on day one is a lot like starting a new year: a little bit intimidating, a whole lot unknown, yet filled with limitless possibilities.

Saying goodbye to your parents on the first day of camp is like bidding adieu to a year gone by. You remember the good times and you’re sad to see your family retreating in the rearview mirror, but you’re ready for a change in routine. There are new memories to be made. Cherish the familiar, but embrace the unknown. Every new summer at camp is like the start of a new year: a clean slate.

When camp begins in June, you’ve just finished a long school year. Similar to the whirlwind of the winter holiday season leading up to the New Year, the final weeks of school are a maelstrom of tests and projects, parties, and other pomp and circumstance. School ends and camp begins. Voila! You arrive at camp, and you can breathe. No matter what has happened from September through June, you can reset and move forward. And there’s no better place to move forward than at camp.

Similarly, the clock strikes midnight on December 31st and you get to “restart” the calendar. Let’s say you chose a desk calendar with a nature theme for 2024. Once that final page is turned, there’s nowhere to go but onwards and upwards. You can select a completely new calendar for 2025, especially if your interests have changed over the course of the year. Maybe you’ll opt for a wall calendar filled with photos of dogs in yoga poses. Go for it. It’s your call.

The first day of camp evokes the same potential for reinvention. Whether you are completely new to Owego or a seasoned Old-Timer, you have the unique opportunity to reintroduce yourself on day one. Although you don’t necessarily know what the summer has in store for you, you are hopeful and optimistic. This could be your best summer yet. You are setting goals and aspiring to accomplish things you’ve never done before.

As you venture into 2025 and look forward to all of the memorable moments and monumental changes that will occur, think about Summer 2025 and what goals and desires you’ll bring with you on the first day. You’ll have 7 weeks laid out before you, during which you can become the best version of yourself. For better or for worse, last summer is history. All that matters is what is here and now.

Though we can never be sure what lies ahead, we can speculate on all of the wonderful things we will get to experience. New friends, new activities, new achievements, new awards. It’s YOUR blank page. How will YOU fill it?

At the strike of midnight on December 31st, Owegans everywhere will usher in the year 2025. Some will celebrate with family, some with friends, and some may actually be asleep before the ball drops in Times Square. Though our camp family will be spread out across the globe on New Year’s Eve, we can all look forward to a time (about 200 days from now) when we will once again be together.

As the holiday season quickly approaches and goals are set for the year ahead, we reflect on the past year and determine what changes we will make as we venture into the uncertainty of tomorrow. These New Year’s “Resolutions” hold us accountable for our behaviors, allow us to strive for great things, and remind us that there is still so much left to do. Our time at camp is no exception.

And so, it is with great fanfare and a little tongue-in-cheek humor that the Owego Blog presents its “Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Summer 2025.” Adapt them to your particular experience, as needed.

10. Try some new foods! — Fruit Loops are tasty, and dry pasta is a reliable staple, but why not dip your toes into the culinary waters with some baked ziti or Greek falafel? Even Juniors should aspire to expand their dietary horizons this summer by resolving to make French fries a side dish and try some new (gasp!) vegetables. P.S. The Tzatziki and guacamole are DELICIOUS!

9. Go for a hike! — Or a bike ride, or a canoe trip. Get out of camp! Take advantage of one of the many opportunities you have to see the world beyond 1687 Route 6. Never been on a bike trip with Freedo? Give it a try! Sign up for a waterskiing trip on Lake Wally. Canoe down the Delaware River with our amazing Tripping staff. Resolve to do something different instead of being confined by the boundaries of camp.

8. Audition for Scotty’s Show! — From the youngest Junior campers up through Key Staff, everyone who participates in the Show has a blast! Check your ego at the door and take a chance by appearing on stage in front of an audience of your peers. You’ll sing, you’ll dance, you’ll make friends. Everyone is welcome — the more, the merrier!

7. Go all-in for Frontier Week! — It doesn’t matter if you’re not chosen to be Chief, Warrior, or Med Man. You can bring the spirit and inspire your Tribe with your positive attitude and impressive effort. Gather wood without being asked, encourage the Juniors to get involved, and cheer loudly for your friends, no matter what Tribe they belong to.

6. Don’t lose all of your stuff! — Instead of shoving sports equipment, pieces of mail, and dirty socks under your bed, try your best to stay organized throughout the summer. Need an Official for an out-of-camp trip? You should know where to find one. If you came to camp with four bathing suits, you should leave camp with four bathing suits. Making a conscious effort to keep track of your belongings will make your unit leaders less stressed and your parents very proud!

5. Take a new camper “under your wing!” — Remember when you first arrived at Owego and didn’t know anyone? It’s an intimidating feeling to be the “new camper.” You don’t understand the inside jokes, you are clueless about Owego traditions (Little Red Wagon???), and you have no idea how to play Bombardment. Veteran campers have the unique ability to help ease a new camper’s anxiety by befriending him and showing him the ropes. Everyone wins!

4. Write more letters to family and friends! — While your ultimate motivation for letter-writing may be the promise of Canteen, your Mom or Grandfather or best friend is sitting at home eagerly waiting to hear from you. You came to camp with stationary, envelopes, and stamps (Please!!!). Now you have to write! If you can’t think of anything to write, just make a list of the activities you did that day, or even the food you ate. Anything is better than nothing! Don’t hesitate to ask for help — those envelopes aren’t going to address themselves!

3. Join an Intercamp team for a sport at which you DON’T excel! — Campers are chomping at the bit to sign up for Intercamp soccer, basketball, and baseball. But have you ever considered entering a swim meet or participating in an art competition? Camp is for trying EVERYTHING. Flag football, fencing, archery — don’t be afraid to compete at something new. You might surprise yourself!

2. Start Summer 2025 with an Open Mind! — What you accomplished last summer is great and all, but starting fresh with no expectations allows you to make the most of your time at camp. It doesn’t matter who your closest friends were or what activities you’ve already tried. There is always room for change and growth. You can be the best version of yourself at camp, but you have to be willing to take risks and move beyond your comfort zone. Hence, the real purpose of this list of resolutions!

And, perhaps the most important New Year’s “Camp” Resolution of all:

1. ???????????

Only YOU can decide. What do YOU resolve to accomplish at camp this coming summer? The possibilities are endless, even though the summer is not.

Happy New Year!!!

“Look around! Look around! At how lucky we are to be alive right now.”

— The Schuyler Sisters

We are three months closer to the start of a new camp session, and camp itself is fully swathed in the colors of Fall. November is upon us, and we are busy thinking about Thanksgiving break, Thanksgiving football games, and Thanksgiving food. During the month of November, you may be asked, “What are you grateful for?” Typical answers include family, friends, and good health (aka The Big Three)  but we shouldn’t discount the smaller moments sprinkled throughout our day when it’s time for us to give thanks.

The thing about gratitude is that it sneaks up on you. It’s not something you search for. Rather than seeking it out, you simply FEEL it. On a sunny Friday afternoon, attending your favorite team’s playoff game, snuggling with your dog on the sofa — gratitude makes your senses tingle and sometimes takes your breath away. When you’re at camp, gratitude is everywhere. No need to look for it; it will find you.

Gratitude surprises you during Frontier Week breakout, while you are running toward the bonfire on the Upper Field. It appears on the Ropes course, as you reach the top of the rock wall for the very first time. It catches you in the Dining Hall, when Dave announces that it’s a Canteen Day. It materializes in the HBC, as you cheer on your friends to a decisive Intercamp victory. Gratitude isn’t always big and flashy and earth-shattering. Sometimes, it’s brief and quiet and yet still manages to rock your world.

Gratitude is found in the moments when you’re laughing with your bunkmates before bedtime. It pops out and yells “Peek-a-Boo!” when you are careening down a waterslide at Costas. Gratitude is there when you see the bus parked on the Lower Field and you know you’re about to visit with your sister at TimberTops. Whether you’ve just caught a fish in the lake, performed in Scotty’s show, or received a letter from home, gratitude slides in and fills your heart with warmth.

It is often said (mostly by wise parents of lucky campers) that camp IS the gift. How true this has proven to be. The opportunity to spend time away from home and live with your friends is undeniably a gift. To spend your mornings on the fields and courts, your afternoons in the pool and the lake, and your evenings by the campfire, is a privilege.

Gratitude can strike anytime, anywhere. You may find yourself on the Junior Gathering Deck, playing a game of Magic with your bunkmates or challenging Freedo to a game of Ping-Pong. You look around at the scene and feel a sense of clarity. There’s simply no place you’d rather be at this moment. You are lucky. You are grateful.

Gratitude sneaks up on you as you’re marching arm-in-arm with your teammates to the Olympics Closing Ceremony on the Lower Field, U2’s “Walk On” blasting from the speakers. You feel part of something special, something bigger than you. Many campers have come before you and many will come after you. And your name will forever be etched into the Owego Brotherhood.

Lucky you.

Autumn is here, the trees are looking magnificent, and a cool breeze has begun to blow across camp. Two months after the end of Summer 2024, we find ourselves knee-deep in school work, sports, and extracurricular activities. Throw in a couple High Holidays (Shana Tova!) and camp seems like a distant memory. What you may not realize, however, is how the lessons learned at camp are relevant in your everyday life — making that inexplicable camp feeling accessible from anywhere and everywhere, all 12 months of the year.

At camp, the Unit Leaders wake you most mornings at 7:45, rousing you from your cozy slumber with alt-pop-rock blasting from the Pyle speakers. You are then required to roll (or climb) out of bed, brush your teeth, and make your first big decision of the day: What will you wear??? Although you may ultimately choose to remain in your pajama bottoms for line-up, you are still demonstrating independence by choosing a shirt from your cubby and (preferably, ahem) a new pair of socks and underwear. Many of you did it for 7 straight weeks this summer, so there’s no reason to believe you aren’t fully capable of selecting your daily fit once the school year is underway.

Morning line-up at camp gives you even more opportunities for decision-making. Will you sign up for Intercamp soccer? Will you go on a waterskiing trip? Do you need to remember to attend play practice during 2nd period? All of these choices you make at camp on a daily basis may seem insignificant at the time, but you are learning time management and prioritization. One of the most unique aspects of attending camp at Lake Owego is the abundance of choices you get to make for yourself. Sure, there are bunk periods and instructional swim built into the schedule, but sprinkled throughout the day are choice periods which allow you to advocate for yourself without an adult telling you where to go or what to do. And that’s pretty significant.

At camp, there’s no one asking what you would like to eat for dinner. There’s just dinner. When you’re at home and you don’t love what’s being served in your kitchen, remember that you survived all summer by learning to try new foods. And you didn’t starve! Maybe you tried your first green vegetable on Greek night. Maybe you started eating pasta with red sauce, or realized you really do like hamburgers — the point is, you learned to expand your palate and to respect that your bunkmates may not like the same foods as you.

Speaking of bunkmates, one of the most worthwhile lessons you learn at camp is how to coexist with a dozen or so “roommates.” You are sharing your personal space with your Owego brothers for an extended period of time — some for as long as 7 weeks! You sleep in the same room, share the bathroom, and learn to tolerate everyone’s quirks. There are good days and not-so-good days. You learn to sacrifice certain things for the benefit of the group. Is your flashlight keeping everyone awake? You will have to put down the book and go to sleep. Does your “upstairs” neighbor snore like a locomotive? You’ll have to accept it as a minor inconvenience and figure out a way to sleep despite the noise. All of these little compromises make you more flexible and more tolerant of others’ differences. This will serve you well as an adult, when the world refuses to stop turning just because you’re having a bad day.

While many of the lessons learned at camp come from positive experiences, like learning how to paddle a canoe or how to cook over an open flame, the most beneficial lessons are happening when you find yourself in more challenging situations. Whether you are missing home, struggling with a friendship, longing for your favorite foods, or stressing over a missing pair of sneakers, you are learning and growing. These are the life lessons that develop us into well-adjusted adults.

We return to camp year after year for the fun and excitement, for the lifelong friendships, and for the really big bonfires. In the midst of all this merriment, however, we are learning to become the best versions of ourselves. Camp gives us a safe space to make mistakes, get messy, and try again. We are learning to be good humans. And that is the most valuable lesson of all.