Open Camp & Open House Weekend

It is time to get camp ready for the kids!  We are trying something new this year the weekend of Open House, we are extending a free weekend at camp to families and friends who are willing to lend a hand.  There are some basic maintenance things and general "gussying up" of the camp that needs to happen before the Open House.  Any and all help is welcome!

People who want to spend the whole weekend at camp can arrive as early as Friday.  We will have projects on Saturday during the day.  After dinner on Saturday we will have s'mores around the campfire and relax.  On Sunday, we will do any last minute stuff to get ready to welcome folks at the Open House.  We welcome anyone who can help either day.  SO if you cannot help on Sunday but can give a few hours on Saturday or if you can only help on Sunday for Open House then that is good too!

These weekends are actually pretty fun, even though there is a bit of community service involved.  The weekend we are doing this is Friday, April 29th - Sunday, May 1st.    Open House is Sunday, May 1st from 1-4pm.  Hope to see you there!

The value of Camp!

If you have a child who goes to camp or you yourself went to camp as a kid, you know the value that camp can have on kids.  For me, camp played a HUGE part in developing who I am today.  I learned how to be confident, make friends, share close living quarters, happily clean the bath house and I learned to compromise when cabin or tent mates wanted to do something different than I did.  Research has gone further and discovered that camp also has a profound effect on kids ability to make good choices in life and avoiding (or saying no in) dangerous behaviors/situations. 

In the most recent issue of Camping Magazine, published by the American Camp Association, they shared much of this research.  Please take a moment to read it and share with friends who may not already send their kids to camp.  Camp CAN give kids a world of good but we have to get them to camp to work our magic!  Enjoy!

Camping Magazine article - American Camp Association

Staffing is well underway!

When I got here, I hoped that I would have several return staff come back this year to help me learn.  Since this is my first year at this camp and Carysbrook has TONS of traditions, I knew I would need lots of guidance.  I am happy to say that we have 9 return staff!  I have only been here 3 weeks and we had not started hiring when I arrived.  We have a total of 12 right now so we are over half way done and I have several more interviews lined up.  I am excited with the staff hired and some of the potenial hires that I still have not spoken to yet. It looks like it is shaping up to be a great staff!  Go Purple Team!!

As for camper registration, it is filling up fast!  If you haven't already signed up you should do so quick...you do not want to miss out! 

Hello from the Director!

Hello Everyone!  I want to introduce myself since I am new to Camp Carysbrook.  My name is Maggie and I am so excited to be joining the Carysbrook family! 

I grew up in Tennessee and graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee with my Masters in Education.  I was a student when Payton Manning was the quarterback so needless to say, my blood runs orange...go Vols! 

I wanted to travel after graduation so I packed up and headed West to the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  I intended to only spend one winter sesson snowboarding but before I knew it, 8 years  had passes & I had aquired a husband, a dog and a full time career in camping!  How did that happen?

I have worked in the camping industry for over 15 years.  Not including the many years I was a camper.  I will not give you all those year b/c then I would give away my age!  I have travelled to many states for summer camp jobs and have seen LOTS of different programs and methods for running camps.  When I left Colorado I was the director of a rustic Girl Scout camp right outside of Estes Park, CO.

My husband & I decided to come closer to my family since we wanted to start a family ourselves.  So for the last few years I have directed a 4-H Camp in western NC.  I am SO EXCITED to be back at an all-girl environment b/c I feel like the biggest impact on helping girls grow into strong women is working with them in a single-gender environment.  Girls learn and mature differently than boys and (believe me) they have plenty of time to deal with co-ed situations at school.  Hopefully what we teach them here will help them to make good decisions when they are faced with situations outside of our camp. 

We want our girls to "take home" the life skills we teach them here.  We want them to think back on the achievements and safe challenges that they work through at camp and use those experiences to make healthy decisions for their future.  

I look forward to meeting everyone and welcome contact from current camp families, as well as, alumni!  I can't wait to have my first "summer to remember" this summer!