Important Information for 2020

We are looking forward to a Great Summer!

I hope everyone is staying well and enjoying the beginning of Summer. Please check out the link buttons at the bottom of this post. The first one is a waiver that must be printed out, carefully read, and signed. Please return to me through US mail or scan and email back to director@campwachusett.com.  The second link button provides an option for an acceptable at-home FDA approved saliva test kit for the required  covid-19 test. Please recall that Vermont overnight camp guidelines require a seven day self quarantine for staff and campers prior to arrival at camp. The test can be administered three days into the quarantine to enable test results to be available as close to arrival at camp as possible, at which time a negative result will need to be presented. For Staff the test date should be Tuesday, July 7th. For Campers the test day should be Tuesday, July 14th or Wednesday, July 15th. We will provide a full refund if you obtain a positive result and can not attend camp. Vault Health is providing a service especially for summer camp testing. The preferred testing would be through a physician, but this is an alternative that may be helpful to some. I have also been consulting with two physicians at the retirement community, where I am VP of Operations, to make sure our guidelines and best practices for camp are as effective as possible. They have researched and agreed that the saliva test is a very accurate test. We recently had 600 tests performed by the National Guard on all of our employees and residents and fortunately found no cases of the virus.

Some General Guidelines

Drop off on July 19th may take place after 9:00 am and will last throughout the day ending before 6:30 pm. Remember that we only allow drop offs, and screening and temperatures will be performed on the driver and campers. Also, you must present a very recent negative covid 19 test at drop off to be in compliance with Camp Wachusett and VT guidelines.
Please do not pack any knives or sharp instruments. Cell phones are not permitted, but if you want to send one along, we can hold onto it for safekeeping until departure
We ask that you not call your boys for the first week. If you would like to call after that, mealtimes are best: Breakfast 8:30 - 9:00, Lunch 1:30 - 2:15, Dinner 6:30 - 7:15. The number is: (802) 273-2880. If you would like to reach me, those are also good times, but I will generally be available at that number or will call you back asap if you leave a message.  Stefanie Wilbur is our Registered Nurse.  She may be reached at the phone number above or through a cell number that is always monitored (202) 744-7130. 

A Reminder About Health and Photo Release Forms 

Please remember to download and return your health and photo release forms as soon as possible.  We know it's time consuming, but it is very important to have the health forms carefully filled out. Please mail them to us in VT or email to director@campwachusett.com
You can download the forms on this website at the Summer 2020 Forms Page. 

Packing Reminders

Laundry will go out weekly. It is important to write your camper's name on his articles of clothing.  Check out the packing list on our website. Some differences for 2020 include: Minimum of four cloth face-masks. Two or more may be bandannas. Camping gear is not necessary with the exception of hiking boots with ankle support for two weekers. We are planning to take a hiking or canoeing trip in the third week and will ask that you bring the recommended camping equipment if you are a three weeker. Please do not pack any sanitary wipes of any kind. We will provide all disinfectants and cleaners. Wipes somehow find their way into septic systems and will wreak havoc in our waste water systems (even if labeled flushable.) If you would like to send along alcohol based hand sanatizer, feel free, but we will have plenty on hand. 

For more information on camp guidelines see older posts below from June.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone!! Unaliyi, Phil

Waiver 2020

At Home Saliva Test Kit

Plans for operating July 19 to August 8, 2020

Dear Wachusett family,

We truly appreciate your patience as we have been waiting to determine if it would be possible to move forward with a summer program in 2020. The guidelines issued by the governor's office on May 28th, specifically addressing operation of overnight camps with out of state populations have been reviewed.

I am happy to announce that we will be able to adapt our program and move forward with a further shortened season of three weeks beginning on July 19th and ending August 8th. 

Staff will report to a one week preseason beginning July 11th, where they will help prepare our facility and receive training on guidelines and best practices. This will include a state required short course for which they will receive a certificate of completion.

Criteria for overnight camps to operate include: 

• Operating at 75% of bed capacity. My plan would have us operate well within that limit to ensure the best setting for social distancing in activities and for sleeping accommodations. We will be able to operate with an enrollment of between 30 and 50 campers.

• All staff and campers will need to quarantine for seven days prior to traveling to camp and according to state regulations must have a negative test result for Covid -19 within 24 hours of arriving at the camp. It is understood that since we will be starting on a Sunday that it may be difficult to get a result within that window, so please arrange testing to so that a negative result can be documented as close to departure as possible. You will need to provide a printed version of the negative result when dropping your camper off at camp. We will not be able to accommodate any flights this year. All transportation to and from camp will be by private vehicle, with only one parent or guardian dropping off or picking up. Carpooling is encouraged.  Once on the property the designated drop off point will be at our Headquarters building, where temperatures will be taken and campers will be dropped off for counselors to accompany to their assigned cabins to unpack and get settled in. 

Enrollment options are to sign up for the first two weeks or all three weeks, with all campers arriving on July 19th. This model allows for our property and use of the lake to be a group quarantine within the State of Vermont. Once we are there, we will remain on the property until it is time to leave. An exception in the planning stages would be to offer a voluntary overnight hiking or canoe trip for those who sign up for three weeks, during the final week. The departure date for two weekers will be Saturday, August 1st before noon and before 10:00 am on Saturday, August 8th for three weekers. We do not yet know whether families will be able to attend our final awards banquet and campfire on August 7th.  

Some details of how we will operate within the guidelines are: 
Under the direct supervision of our registered nurse, we will take daily temperatures of all staff and campers prior to entering the dining hall for breakfast and keep a temperature and daily screening log. We will install hand washing sinks on the porch of the dining hall for proper washing of hands prior to meals. Hand washing will also be performed immediately upon entering cabins.  We will also utilize alcohol based hand sanitizers as appropriate.  Staff will supervise frequent disinfecting of shared equipment, furnishings, shower stalls and bathroom fixtures. Campers and staff will need to bring at least four washable cloth masks. In addition, bandannas will be acceptable for use in most cases. Laundry will be sent out weekly. Masks will be worn when active in a cabin or on a cabin porch and when in other buildings. Masks will not be needed for many outdoor activities, during meals, and when active while social distancing outdoors. A very good thing is that our camp buildings are well ventilated with many open windows. Our cabins will only have a maximum of six occupants, including staff so that sleeping areas will be well ventilated and spread out. 

If there is a situation where a person gets ill or has a temperature, our camp nurse will evaluate the situation and the person will be isolated in our infirmary. A parent will be immediately notified and a decision for next steps to be taken will determined. It should be known up front that in some cases, a camper may have to be sent home in accordance with health department policies. These policies may change as Covid conditions improve. 

Once you decide to enroll, I will provide a letter from the camp that references the executive order of the State of Vermont requiring a 7 day self quarantine at home, with a negative test result for Covid-19 within 24 hours of travel to camp. The order also requires that travel be direct to the camp property with minimal stops and no activity during stops that could jeopardize the negative test reading.  

It is our foremost priority to provide a safe experience for those new and old to Wachusett. Our beautiful New England setting and program of land and water activities will enable everyone to escape the constant exposure to bad news, enjoy the outdoors with old friends and make new friends, while collectively forgetting all about being tethered to electronics. We have some very talented members of our staff who will use their creativity to weave the necessary guidelines into making our camp activities safe and incredibly fun. 

I look forward to further communications, and most of all to seeing our camp friends in person this summer. Further details will be provided to those interested in enrolling.

With Kind Regards and Unaliyi, Phil

Shorter Season in 2020?

Waiting for an answer!!!

Dear Camp Friends,

Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced on Friday, May 8th that child care programs and day camps will be allowed to open with certain health guidelines. Overnight camps will likely be allowed to open but guidance for those summer programs is still in progress and will be specifically addressed in coming weeks. The Vermont Camp Association is working with VT state health officials and the  American Camp Association to produce a guidebook that will summarize and define best practices and recommendations for day camps and overnight camps, aligned with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. Once that is approved and in place, it will be up to individual camps to decide whether they can reasonably comply with the regulations. 

At this point, even though it has not been determined whether Wachusett will open at all, it has become apparent that the best course for moving forward would be to shorten the season to four weeks beginning July 12th. Additionally, we would only offer two or four week sessions, eliminating the option of three weeks, so that no one would overlap one week with each other. I wanted to get this information out as soon as possible, since I know this will cause families who have signed up starting June 28th to have to alter their summer plans. We truly hope that those affected will seriously consider signing up for two weeks or four weeks between July 12th and August 8th. There is no need to make those changes until we announce whether we will open; hopefully in the next two weeks.

The alteration to our schedule will better allow us to adapt to any new regulations. We will change our preseason to two weeks for counselors, beginning June 28th. This will permit staff to be on the property for two weeks prior to campers arriving and give more time for educating staff on new procedures and provide more time to prepare our facility to meet new guidelines. 

The next update will very likely be to let you know whether our camp program will be able to realistically function within the guidelines put forth by the state health officials. If we do move forward, I will share very specific information about guidelines and procedures that will be adopted to provide the safest environment as is practically possible for our campers and staff.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I am sorry that this correspondence still leaves things up in the air as to finalizing summer plans. I remain hopeful that Wachusett boys will be able to expand their friendships in person this summer. 

With Kind Regards and Unaliyi, Phil

Camp 2020?

Greetings,

I hope this update to my previous letter of March 24th finds you and your family healthy and involved, as much as possible, in a variety of daily activities.

Over the past several weeks I have been paying close attention to notices and updates from the American Camp Association (ACA), the Vermont camp Association (VCA), and the Vermont Governor's office. Additionally, I have been participating in on line discussion groups made up of camp owners and directors, as well as consulting a close friend who is a veteran camp owner in NH about his plans for opening or not. Camps in general are still in a holding pattern until specific guidelines for summer camps to open are released by individual State Governors and local health departments. Vermont is likely to be a state that can open to tourism earlier than many.  If the guidelines for VT are similar to what Maine recently proposed, the small size of our camp may be advantageous to being able to open.  Maine has projected that groups and organizations of fifty or fewer will be able to function with restrictions beginning July 1st. 

If the State and local authorities allow our camp to open, we will then have to determine if the guidelines for operating safely are achievable and practical for our situation.  Along with the imposed government and health department requirements, I would implement best practices that have proven successful at the Continual Care Retirement Community where I serve as VP of Operations and disaster management officer. I am very happy to report that our 300 residents have remained safe from Covid-19  and that I have learned a great deal from the health care professionals I have been serving with during this challenging time. 

My best guess is that a firm decision will be in place by the end of the third week in May as to  whether we open on time, delay opening until July 12th and operate a four week program, or not open at all. If camp opens, we will have to see what the availability of testing will be prior to boys and staff arrivals. If things have not advanced to where testing is practical, we will require a two week self quarantine prior to camp and arrival by private vehicle instead of public transportation. 

I think we all need to have something to look forward to. I have included a link below to an article that recently appeared in the New York Times about summer camps titled: "Cozy Campfires. Capture the Flag. Coronavirus Tests?"  It is very relevant and worth reading:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/style/is-summer-camp-going-to-happen-coronavirus.html?smid=em-share

We will send more updates as soon as we hear specific information for Vermont summer camps.  

With Kind Regards and Unaliyi, Phil

2020 Wachusett Brochure

Summer Plans 2020

At this point in time Camp Wachusett is planning to "Stay the Course" in regard to operating our summer program in Vermont.  With more than 90 days before the start of our camp season we know that much remains to be seen, but we are hopeful that the threat of the Covid-19 virus to our nation will have dissipated to a point where it will be acceptable for us to adapt our program to move forward.

Outside of camp, my carer is in long term healthcare. Over the past several weeks, I have been part of a task force that has had to make tough and proactive change of lifestyle decisions, to protect our elderly residents and care givers. Likewise, we will apply the same criteria of taking the necessary steps, utilizing CDC's best practices and State guidelines, to making Wachusett the safest possible environment for all involved. RN, Stephanie Wilbur, is returning to run our infirmary and will be a key consultant as part of our team for making sure we are doing things right.

I have sent out flight information for the flights from BWI for those who have signed up from the Baltimore and DC areas. We will plan on providing a van for transportation (both ways) between Greenwich, CT and Wachusett on July 12th and July 26th. Please contact me if you would like further flight or van info.  

 We are all experiencing a great deal of uncertainty and must be very cautious in order to remain healthy and do our part to help break the chain. I hope everyone is well and that camp friends will be able to reunite, in person, this summer. We will send more updates as things develop.  

With Kind Regards and Unaliyi, Phil

Winter 2020

Things are quiet this time of year at camp. There is some activity on Lake Hortonia with ice fishing, but the only sign of life on the camp property consists of animal footprints in the snow.

 It won’t be long before we will be back to begin the summer of 2020!  We look forward to making new memories this year and hope you can join us!  Please feel free to share our website and brochure with anyone you think might be interested in our camp. 
UNALIYI,  Phil

Camp Begins June 28th.
Please visit our website: campwachusett.com for more details.

Check out our 2020 Wachusett Brochure

REMINDERS:

• New Families to Wachusett who sign up before March 31st will receive a 15% discount off tuition.

• Campers who bring a friend will receive a gift of $50.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Camp Wachusett!

 Our best wishes to Wachusett friends and families for a very happy and healthy new year.  We are looking very forward to the summer of 2020 and hope your summer plans will allow for a portion of your time to be spent with us on Lake Hortonia. If you have already signed up, we will see you then.

For those thinking about returning, we have decided to extend the offer of a trip to The Great Escape theme park if you sign up up before February 15th.  New families to Wachusett will receive 15% off tuition if registered before March 31st.

Camp Begins June 28th.

Fall Update

Dear Wachusett Community,

After a few beautiful fall visits, the gear is stowed and the property winterized. Beyond the amazing amount of work performed by the staff and Alumni volunteers on "Miracle Day" back in August, I would like to thank Ollie Martin, Jim and Maria Weiss, and Sam Weber for helping to clean up, secure buildings and winterize the plumbing during the post season. All is now quiet and awaiting the excitement of the 2020 camp season. 

If you live in the Washington, DC area or know families in that vicinity who might be interested in learning about Camp Wachusett, the Weinstein family will be hosting an open house at their home in Chevy Chase on Saturday, December 7th between 2:30 and 4:00 pm. Current and prospective families, kids, staff, alumni and friends of Wachusett are welcome.  There will be refreshments along with information about the upcoming camp season. Please e-mail Lori Weinstein to rsvp and for directions at: loriannweinstein@gmail.com. 

The 2019 Camp Log is in the process of final edits and will be printed and mailed to 2019 families between now and the new year. The "Log" is a collection of written daily accounts from campers and staff that were collected by Patrick Nolan and typed and assembled with pictures into a publication. We truly appreciate Patrick taking on this major undertaking!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on the past summer with sincere gratitude to all families, campers, staff and alumni who make up our camp family and for all of their collective efforts that made the 2019 season a success.

We hope you and your families have a Happy Thanksgiving and that you are planning on spending time with us during the summer of 2020.

Unaliyi, Phil

 
Camp Begins June 28th.
Please visit our website: campwachusett.com for more details.
 

The 10% off "Early Bird Special" ends January 1st. 

Forgotten about the perks of signing up early? Here's what you get when you sign up for "Early Bird."

• Reduced tuition for the 2020 Camp Wachusett Season.

• A trip to Six Flags Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in Lake George, NY.

Sign up between now and October 1st for Early Bird Special

The 15% off "Early Bird Special" ends October 1st, and will be followed by a 10% off "Early Bird" period until January 1st. 

Forgotten about the perks of signing up early? Here's what you get when you sign up for "Early Bird."

• Reduced tuition for the 2020 Camp Wachusett Season.

• A trip to Six Flags Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in Lake George, NY.

Week Six Update Plus 2020 Season Information

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Dear Parents and Friends,

The 2019 camp season ended with the completion of week six. It always seems like the last week flies by, due to the culmination of daily activities, Blue Grey, lodge initiations and other end of the summer events.  

Sunday began the week with sign up for activities. During the last week we ran as many activities as possible for boys trying to complete lodge requirements. Sunday evening the campers took turns performing cabin skits they had written and previously rehearsed. Everyone felt well entertained before heading to bed. 

We spent Tuesday off the property at the Great Escape for boys who had signed up as early birds and had not yet been. The rest of the campers went to Hillbilly Fun Park for mini golf, and then everyone met in the Village of Lake George. This trip was a bit different, since there was a power outage that affected a large area of the town. The outage and heavy rains forced the boys to try alternatives to their usual routines, which turned out to be a refreshing experience for everyone.  The weather for the rest of the week was beautiful and we made a point of spending more time enjoying the lake front with beach activities and extended general swim periods. 

We held initiations for Prospect and Chocorua Lodges. The Chocorua boys went to Mr. Ups in Middleberry, where they welcomed Austin Weiss and Devan Rimon into their fold, while dining on the side of Otter Creek. The ceremony for Prospect Lodge took place on the camp property, where members initiated Sam Weber, Joshua Weinstein, and Rudy Miliken. Two other campers who were not present at the initiation, but passed the requirements for Prospect Lodge were Charlie Lukens and Hayden Carpenter. This year there were no Wachusett Lodge initiates, but we know of a few who are very close. 

Friday, the final day, began quite normal during the morning with regular activities occurring after clean up.  Then after lunch we had an extended rest hour for boys to pack and put finishing touches on ghost rocks (One thing I have noted for next year is to ensure a more thorough supervision of packing. A lot of clothing was left behind. We will do our best to return items that have names written in them).

In the afternoon visiting parents began to trickle in for the end of season events. After rest period and store, we hosted the long awaited Blue Grey Apache Day!  Events included mini competitions in archery, soccer, lacrosse, riflery, tennis, basketball, canoeing and even bed making skills, while relay racing to each event. To quote Coach Avery, "The final season score was Grey: 14 and Blue: 13. Blue went into Apache leading 12 - 8, Blue won a point for scoring the higher target in archery, Grey, had the higher target in riflery, and then Grey won the race, which was five points." After the main event ended, we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on the beach for beach games with swimming and water skiing.  The final banquet dinner was held in the dining hall followed by the awards ceremony. Trophies and plaques were handed out to boys who were present. For those not in attendance, plaques were hung in their honor and trophies will be sent home. Following the award ceremony, we relocated to the council circle for the final council fire, where counselors gave their activity reports, challenges occurred, ghost rocks were placed in the circle and we stood in place with candles lit for the final camp song. The next day boys left for the airport or were picked up by parents. Counselors began the magic of "Miracle Day," where the entire camp is put away. In just a few hours the pier, ski dock and boats, along with all gear on land was properly taken down and stowed for the winter. 

As I close out my first season as director, I am very grateful to all of the help from staff, camp families and friends who made the success of the 2019 season possible. A lot was learned, and I look forward to applying new knowledge to getting off to a great start toward planning for the 2020 camp year. 

The website has been updated with the dates and rates and is ready to accept applications. Rates will remain the same for 2020 and the season will run from June 28th to August 8th. A 15% discount for Early Bird sign up will be in effect until October 1st. Again, Early Bird will include a trip to the Great Escape theme park.  We hope your plans for next summer will include some time with us on the shores of Lake Hortonia. Please feel free to spread the word about Camp Wachusett by sending prospective families to our website or have them directly contact me. Additionally, we plan to revive a past practice of offering a fifty dollar gift to current boys who bring others to Wachusett. 

I truly hope everyone reading this final account of the 2019 season is having an enjoyable rest of the summer and that the winter months will be well spent. I look forward to remaining in contact.

Thank you for making Camp Wachusett a part of your life. 

Best Regards, and Unaliyi, Phil

Week Five Newsletter

Dear Parents,

We are entering our final week, which brings with it a bit of mixed emotions, since there is much excitement over the events of the final week, but also a solemn reminder to all that camp will soon end.  Today we will be signing up for our final week of activities. The picture above is of the group assembling for signup in front of the gazebo.  We will strive to run as many activity periods as possible this week so that boys may complete tasks they have been working on and to provide as many opportunities as possible for those trying to fulfill lodge requirements in time for initiations later in the week.  

Week five was highlighted by overnight trips, which also included a challenging three day hike on the "Long Trail," which provided the hikers with breathtaking views while ridge running above the tree line (pictured above). Casino night, the log reading skit based on Wachusett Wrestling Federation (luckily no injuries to our counselor participants), beach-side campfire with s'mores, and outdoor night time games were all great evening hits with the boys before heading to bed.

At Council Fire, counselors gave their weekly reports on activity achievements, highlighted by announcements that Griffin Morse passed Wachusett Swimming this past week and that Hayden Carpenter passed all ten requirements for membership into Prospect Lodge. Additionally, Austin Weiss has accumulated all the requirements to enter Chocorua Lodge and will be recognized at the final council fire on Friday. A show of hands determined that there are a few other boys getting very close to passing Prospect Lodge and Chocorua Lodge and may be able to do so before the season ends. Wachusett Lodge is the highest level of achievement and there are a couple of boys with fewer than three tests left to fulfill the requirements.

The final banquet and awards ceremony will be held this Friday evening.  Parents are welcome to visit at any point on Friday and enjoy all activities leading up to dinner and awards, and final council fire.  We will have our final Blue - Grey team sports event, known as Apache Day, beginning in late afternoon. Dinner will be served at 6:30 in the dining hall, followed by our awards ceremony, where boys will be recognized in areas of outstanding achievements, and  trophies and plaques handed out. We will mail trophies to boys who are not in attendance.

If you are picking up your boys on Saturday, we hope you will consider driving up Friday to join us. There are several options in the local area for staying overnight. On Saturday, we ask that boys are picked up by 9:00 am, since our staff will be focused on putting the camp away for the year. Boys flying out of Albany to BWI will be on SWA flight #3625 arriving in Baltimore at 12:25 pm.  Please make sure to provide me with confirmation numbers so that I can print out the tickets.  

It has been a great summer and we look forward to ending on a high note. 

Unaliyi, and Best Regards, Phil

Week Four Newsletter

Week four flew by:

Dear Parents,

We began the week sending out overnight trips to Lake George for canoeing and to Holderness, NH to the old Wachusett camp property. The canoe trip paddled to an island where they set up camp, went swimming, and had dinner followed by campfire stories. The next day the group paddled back to Hulett's Landing to be picked up and driven back to camp. The trip to Squam Lake in NH was for boys with family ties to the old camp or boys who have been at Wachusett for many summers. The trip included a tour of the property and cabins; swimming, boating and skiing on the lake; a hike up Mt. Fayal; a hike through the Polar Caves; a trip to Squam Lakes Science Center where boys learned about the Lakes Region ecosystems and observed native wild animals. Evening activities included a cook out and a trip to Fun Spot, an arcade that was frequented by Wachusett campers many years ago. 

After trips returned, the regular weekly schedule of activities resumed.  At council fire, it was announced that Charlie Lukens had passed all ten of the requirements of Prospect Lodge. His final achievement earning him the lodge was fire-building. Last week I forgot to recognize Charlie New for achieving Wachusett water skiing, which is a very significant accomplishment. 

Another Wachusett level achievement was earned by Griffin Morse for writing and directing a skit. A clip of  "Wachusett Hunger Games" can be viewed on our camp Facebook page. The stage was also booked Friday night for our weekly Log Reading event. This week Preacher Lorenzo was driving to Camp Wachusett for his annual revival meeting and picked up many hitchhikers along the way (clip also on Facebook). 

Outside of activities we spent a lot of time on the waterfront to ease the effects of the recent heat and high humidity. Additionally the boys enjoyed an evening of "Minute to Win it" hosted by Matt Dandola and a trip to Rutland for a, competitive in some cases, evening of bowling.

Week five begins our final two week session and will likely also fly by, since end of summer tournaments will begin along with another set of overnight trips. I look forward to reporting on those events. 

Again, it is always sad to see campers leave, but we hope they leave having enjoyed their time here and having learned from their experiences. We welcome the newcomers for the final two weeks.

Unaliyi, and Best Regards, Phil

Week Three Newsletter

Week three is complete

Dear Parents,

Week three brought some new faces to camp. After waterfront orientation and council fire, where the camp history, general information and helpful guidelines were presented, the boys merged right into our daily program.
As we are three weeks into the summer, boys are receiving recognition for higher level achievements in activities. Our progressive levels of achievement are identified as "Prospect" "Chocorua" and "Wachusett"  Lodges. Boys must accumulate ten achievements at each level to become a member of one of the lodges.  At council fire last night recognition was given to Prospect accomplishments as well as a rising number of Chorcorua awards and Wachusett level achievements.  Achieving Wachusett level in any activity is quite impressive and we are happy to congratulate Jack Verdery and William Ghorbani for passing the requirements for Wachusett level swimming, and Jack Verdery and Kian Amouzgar for passing Wachusett water skiing.

On Tuesday, Early Birds enjoyed a trip to the Great Escape Amusement and Water Park while the balance of the camp went the Hillbilly Fun Park for a round of mini golf. We all met up in Lake George to check out the various sights, which included arcades, museums and other tourist attractions. All boys traveled in groups with a counselor and found a place for dinner prior to heading back to camp.

Later in the week we fit in a dinner out plus movie trip to Rutland. The choices were Toy Story-4, Spiderman, Yesterday and Aladen. Spiderman attracted the largest camp audience followed by Toy Story-4.  Afternoon activities included two Blue-Grey competitions over the past week. One day of friendly competition included Dodge Ball, Tennis and basketball, and the other afternoon a large game of "Crosby" took place.  Crosby is a Wachusett invention that dates back at least 50 years and is a cross between ultimate frisby and Lacrosse.   Although many of the matches this week were very close, the Blue team prevailed, bringing the league score to Blue 8 Grey 1.  

Saturday was a beautiful day, We took a hike up Eagle Rock, which is a near by peak overlooking Lake Bebe and Lake Hortonia.  It is a short, but very steep hike in some places. The challenge was well worth the view (pictured above).

We have some new boys arriving today and a few departing as well. We wish those leaving us a great rest of the summer and we look forward to the new boys joining us.  

Week four will be another busy
one.  We are sending a canoe trip to Lake George and a three day trip to the old Camp Wachusett property in Holderness, New Hampshire. I look forward to sharing those highlights with you next week. 

Unaliyi, and Best Regards, Phil

Week Two Newsletter

Dear Parents,

Yesterday, the rain held off while we were in Brandon participating in the fourth of July Parade. Once again, we entered our 1948 Ford flatbed truck as our float with a team of energetic counselors who represented various activities at camp on and around the float.  We have won "Most Whimsy" and "Most Enthusiastic" over the past two years. If we win another category this year, I will let you know.  In the afternoon, after returning to camp, a major cold front came through bringing heavy rain and two lightning strikes that were very close by and knocked out our main phone line. Repairs should be made tomorrow, but if you need to get through, you can contact my cell phone (202) 744-7130.  

We are expecting several new arrivals this afternoon and evening. If that includes your son, please remember we request that you not make contact for the first week; however, always feel free to contact me by e-mail or telephone if you have any questions or need information. We also ask that you not send care packages that any contain food or candy.  

Aside from the popular daily program of activities, other highlights of the week included a choice of two overnight camping trips that left camp on Tuesday. One was a canoe trip on nearby Lake Bomoseen, where the group paddled to a campground and returned to be picked up the next day.  The other group hiked 6.4 miles to the summit of Camel's Hump, Vermont's third highest peak.  Both groups returned on Wednesday with great stories to tell. On Thursday, July 4th, we woke up to "God Bless America" on the intercom and recited the pledge of allegiance at breakfast. After a full day of activities and the "Stud of the Week"contest, won by William Ghorbani dressed as the "State of Vermont" (a lot of green), we got on the bus and went to Crystal Beach where we experienced a spectacular display of fireworks.  Friday was another beautiful day. In the afternoon, we boarded the bus and went to nearby Orwell to "Lazy Dog" Farm, a dairy farm owned by Stephanie Wilber (our nurse) and her husband Jessie. They provided an incredible tour of their farm. In a period of two hours, the boys experienced just about every facet of a dairy farm, including the opportunity to milk a cow and to taste fresh organic milk.  

We look forward to greeting the next wave of boys arriving today, as well as continuing to entertain and teach new skills to the boys already here.  For those who departed this morning, we truly enjoyed having them with us and hope they continue to enjoy the rest of their summer. 

Unaliyi and Best Regards, Phil

Week One Newsletter

We are off to a great start:

Dear Parents,

The first wave of boys for the 2019 summer arrived on Sunday, June 23rd.  We had a great beginning day with waterfront orientation capped off by a council fire where counselors described the activities they teach, the history of the camp was shared, stories were told, and boys participated in campfire challenges. The camp song was sung followed by lights out.  Monday brought sign up, where boys chose the activities for periods one and two for the week. That evening, campers grouped together and enjoyed a guided tour of the lake, choosing either row boat, canoe, kayak or war canoe as their means of transportation. Other evening highlights during the week included a "Minute to Win it" competition in the Main Lodge led by Matt Dandola, where cabin mates competed against other cabins in numerous one minute challenges. I found it most entertaining as an observer. Another extremely creative evening event was the counselor skit that accompanied "Log  Reading"  This is a weekly event where the counselors create a consistently hilarious skit, while working into the play the daily logs written by the campers. This week's theme was a visit from some Texas business tycoons looking to cash out on the local denim market. Their visit to Camp Wachusett proved fruitful. You would have had to have seen see it. 

Each year the camp is divided into two teams (Blue Grey) where participants compete throughout the summer in a variety of events. The first such event occurred on Tuesday in the form of Capture the Flag, when regular activities were rained out. Blue pulled off the first victory of the season. The next competition took place Thursday on the waterfront with a modified Wachusett version of volleyball. Grey pulled out the victory.  That was followed by an intense canoe and kayak relay race starting at the beach stretching around the ski dock and back to the beach, where paddles were handed off to the next teammate. Blue came up with the very close victory in that event.  The over all score is Blue-2 Grey-1.  The editor will remain unbiased, although he was on the grey team when a camper.  

Friday was a full day off the property for Early Birds to the Great Escape Amusement Park and Water Park followed by an excursion to the village of Lake George to enjoy the arcades, wax museum, Ben and Jerry's and numerous other hotspots, before heading back to camp in time for bed.  

Saturday as this is being written, we are off to a normal morning of activities. There is a strong likelihood of thunderstorms in the afternoon, which will send us to Rutland for a few rounds of bowling. Tonight we will have council fire with counselor reports and awards, followed by challenges.  

Letters written home by campers were put in the mail today, so if you have not already received communications from your son, the letters are on their way.

Airline transportation for the boys returning home on July 7th is SWA #5719 departing Albany at 11:35 am on July 7th and arriving at BWI at 12:50pm. Boys arriving on July 7th will use SWA Flight #4214 Departing BWI at 2:35pm.

We will also send a van or bus to the Scott Residence in Greenwich, CT (109 Byram Shore Road, Greenwich, CT 06830) to pick up boys on July 7th and drop off on July 20th. The Scott Family has offered to provide sandwiches, water and cookies at their home on the 7th. We will plan to arrive at 12:30 and be on the road to VT by 1:00 pm.  We will need an accurate headcount for passengers and luggage.  Please e-mail me as soon as you can with that information.

That is a wrap for week one. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 Unaliyi from the staff at Camp Wachusett!  Best Regards, Phil

A note to 2019 Parents:

Dear Parents:

The 2019 Wachusett summer is almost here. You are receiving this message if you have enrolled or have communicated with me about enrolling your child for one of our sessions this summer.  We have a great staff made up of loyal young men who have been associated with the camp for many summers as well as two new  staff members from the Washington, DC area who will be helping out with tennis and basketball. Once they are all congregated in Vermont, we will post pictures and short biographies of each of our 2019 staff. You will notice if you look at the website, it still shows the group from 2018.  We will be providing balanced meals and healthy alternatives at meals to ensure everyone eats well to provide the energy and drive to take full advantage of each day's fun activities.

Some guidelines I want to share that will help as you prepare for camp are as follows:  Please do not pack any knives or sharp instruments. Cell phones are not permitted, but if you want to send one along, we can hold onto it for safekeeping until departure. We will provide spending money to boys when we go on day trips, but if you would like to provide extra cash, we will keep it safe and labeled so that they can withdrawal prior to leaving the property. Any left over will be returned.  Care packages should not contain food of any kind.  

Please provide letter or post card materials. We will plan on having boys send two letters per week. I know you will love hearing from them! Also, we plan to send out a weekly news letter, in the form of an e-mail. Let me know if you would rather have a copy mailed to your home address.

We ask that you not call your boys for the first week. If you would like to call after that, mealtimes are best: Breakfast 8:30 - 9:00, Lunch 1:30 - 2:15, Dinner 6:30 - 7:15. The number is: (802) 273-2880. If you would like to reach me, those are also good times, but I will generally be available at that number or will call you back asap if you leave a message.  We will have a nurse and nursing assistant this summer. The Infirmary number is (802) 273-2789.  Please be sure to carefully fill out the health form and e-mail back or mail to the camp address: 1430 Camp Road, Brandon, VT 05733, along with the media release form. If you did not receive one of these forms in the mail, you may find them on line at our website. 

Transportation is up to you. You may enjoy the drive to beautiful New England and take advantage of visiting some sights, or wish to utilize other means.  We will provide transportation between Albany and camp to meet flights on the following dates and times: 
SWA Flight #4214 Departing BWI at 2:35pm on: June 23rd, July 7th, July 14th and July 21st. Flight SWA #5719 departing Albany at 11:35 am on July 7th and July 14th and arriving at BWI at 12:50pm.  SWA Flight #3625 departing Albany, July 20 and August 3rd  at 11:10 AM and arriving in Baltimore at 12:25 pm.  We will also send a van or bus to Greenwich, CT to pick up boys on July 7th and drop off on July 20th. We will provide an ETA at a later time.  It is very important that you provide flight information for Albany or let me know how many will be utilizing our "Greenwich Shuttle" so that we can get an accurate headcount for passengers and luggage.  Please e-mail me as soon as you can with that information.

That is about all I can think of for now. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or to remind me that I left out an important bit of information that should be further shared.  Our staff is looking very forward to a great summer with your boys. 

Best Regards, Phil
 

Spring Gathering For DC area Families and Friends

Please join us on Saturday, April 27th, between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm at the Landon Lower school multi purpose room for a spring "Open House.” Drop by to visit us anytime during the two hour event and bring any prospective families who would like to find out about our camp. We will have a slide show of pictures from last summer and will provide updates and information for the fast approaching 2019 season.

Landon School is located at 6101 Wilson Land in Bethesda, Maryland. The Lower School (Wilson Building) is located past the Gym and behind the Lower school athletic field.  If you need more precise directions or have any questions about the event, please feel free to e-mail me: director@campwachusett.com or call (804) 438-6250.

We hope to see you there.  Unaliyi! -Phil

March 1st Early Bird Deadline and 2019 Summer updates

Dear Wachusett Families and Friends,

I hope the winter months are going well for you, and like us, you are looking ahead to summer and thinking about Wachusett.  While things are quiet on Lake Hortonia, we have been planning and recruiting for the 2019 camp season, which is just a few months ahead. If you haven't signed up yet, please remember that March 1st is the Early Bird deadline for a trip to the Great Escape theme park and 10% off of tuition.

Our recruiting team has been working hard to market camp to new and current families for 2019.  We have attended camp fairs in New England and Maryland and were pleased to be joined by some dedicated campers and staff to help promote Wachusett to prospective families. We would also really appreciate any help you could provide to spread the word about camp to people you may know with boys who would enjoy a summer at Wachusett. The following link: https://www.flipsnack.com/thumpercralle/camp-wachusett.html will take you to an electronic version of our brochure. Please take a look at it and feel free to forward it on to people who you think might be interested in our camp. Hopefully, anyone who looks at our brochure will be inspired to check out our website http://campwachusett.com for further information. 

A couple of enhancements for next summer include: new basketball backboards, and a special three day trip during the week of July 14th to the old camp property in Holderness, NH, limited to ten boys in 7th grade or older, to hike and enjoy the Squam Lakes region. A glance at our brochure will show a daily schedule, which includes the return of "Store."  

So far, we have an enthusiastic contingency of staff returning for next summer who are looking forward to providing six weeks of entertaining, educational and fulfilling land and water activities including hiking, canoeing and  special trips to the surrounding areas. Matt Dandola will be sharing his expertise in staff development during preseason and will oversee the leadership programs for CITs and Junior Counselors. We are excited to announce the return of senior staff members: Ollie Martin, George Dobud, Peter Krogh, Nick (Chief) Avery and Matt Oxley.  Also, Una will be returning as our cook to provide delicious camp meals.

If you have any questions, suggestions,or would like any further information please feel free to e-mail me anytime.  We are looking forward to a great summer!

Unaliyi, Phil

"The Camp Where Friendships Grow"

Camp Begins June 23.
Please visit our website:campwachusett.com for more details.
Don't forget to sign up before March 1st!  

Here's what you get when you sign up before March 1st:

• 10% off tuition for the 2019 Camp Wachusett Season.

• A trip to Six Flags Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in Lake George, NY.

Register Here!

Happy New Year!

Greetings. I hope everyone had a great holiday season. We are getting off to a great start with the new year. The Early Bird discount will be extended to March 1 with 10% off of tuition for those returning to Wachusett and 15% off for those new to Wachusett. We will be attending four camp recruiting events in January. Come join us if we are near your neck of the woods: January 12 we will be in Mt Kisco, NY attending the Westchester Family Camp Fair from 12 - 3:00 PM at the NY Grand Prix on Bedford Avenue; January 13 we will be in Mamaroneck, NY attending a second Westchester Family Camp Fair from 12 - 3:00 PM at the Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club on Barry Avenue. On January 23 we will be in Greenwich, CT attending the “Greenwich Summer Fare,” held at the Greenwich High School from 6 - 8:00 PM; and finally on January 27th we will be at Montgomery County Camp & Summer Fun Expo in Rockville, Maryland at the Hilton on Rockville Pike from 10 - 4:00PM. We are planning other recruiting opportunities for February and March.

This year we are trying a new approach to our brochure. We understand that parents are our customers, but also we know that their boys have a major say in how they want to spend their valuable summer vacation time. We are dedicated to considering prospective campers just as much a customer as their parents while looking into summer programs. Our 2019 brochure is being marketed to the camper customer in hopes it will pique their interest to ask their parents to find out more about Camp Wachusett and to visit the website for more detailed information.

Pictured below is the cover of our 2019 Camp Brochure. I will be mailling out copies to the Wachusett community over the next few weeks. If you do not receive one or are not currently on our mailing list please contact me and I’d be glad to put a copy or more in the mail to you to read and pass on to any prospects.

Cover of 2019 Camp Brochure.

EARLY BIRD HOLIDAY SPECIAL

Greetings from Camp Wachusett! Please join us as we celebrate the holiday season with a 15% off Early Bird sign up between now and January 1st.

Camp Begins June 23.

Forgotten about the perks of signing up early? Here's what you get when you sign up before January 1st:

• 15% off tuition for the 2019 Camp Wachusett Season.

• A trip to Six Flags Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in Lake George, NY.

Don't forget to sign up before January 1st!