This summer, we’ll be “loving” lots of new toys at camp.

• A new Hobe Bravo (sailboat) for Small Crafts;
• 8 new stand-up paddle boards;
• A fleet of new bikes for Mountain Biking
• New goals for the soccer field
• The Ropes Course has a new 350-foot zipline and an exciting new element called the Whale Watch
• Ceramics has a new kiln and 3 new kick-wheels
• Cheerleading and Newspaper are 2 new activities
• A pavilion was erected by Archery
• We resurfaced the lower Tennis Courts and are redesigning the gazebos and seating areas
• Expansions to Bunks B2, B3 and B6

So, as we start the Summer of 2013, we’d admire the new toys but, only for a moment!  We will use them, enjoy them and love them!

We welcomed 24 mothers with open arms, only a few hours after our campers departed. Together, with their 30 daughters they experienced the best Matoaka has to offer. Moms and daughters went sailing, fishing, water-skiing, and climbing. It was a truly special weekend!

Many of the Moms were former Matoaka campers themselves, so it was touching to see them share stories and memories with their precious daughters, as well as creating many new ones!

As the Moms arrived on Saturday they were welcomed with a tote bag filled with fantastic Matoaka gifts. Then they jumped right into activities! Water-ski, Ropes, and Fishing were just a few of the departments that were open. Then everyone gathered in the Dining Hall for appetizers and dinner. It was so much fun to see the campers, Moms, and staff all singing and cheering together! The looks on the Mom’s faces as their daughters cheered were priceless. They were a mix of pride, awe, and love. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Then everyone gathered in the Gym for a fun game of Dutch Auction! Teams were created based upon which cabin they were living in, and it was fun seeing everyone participate so intensely! Moms were screaming and jumping right alongside their daughters. They even made team cheers! It was an incredible experience for everyone involved!

Sunday morning we all gathered in the Dining Hall for an amazing breakfast! There was a station where everyone could customize the perfect omelet! Mushrooms, feta, tomatoes, spinach, you name it! Yum! There were bagels, cereal, homemade muffins, and plenty of other offerings as well.

Then we began a full day of busy activities. There were yoga, archery, step aerobics, and art classes! But still, the most popular activities were Ropes and Waterski! We had many Moms and daughters catching the Pamper Pole and becoming Matoaka skiers! What a special experience for them to share together!

After lunch all the Mom’s and daughters hopped in the camp vans towards Smithfield Ice Cream for a special treat. Then, later that afternoon, everyone gathered together for a Pool Party! There’s nothing better than appetizers and waterslides with your Mom! Everyone was smiling and having the time of their lives!

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, we were treated to a New England Feast in the Dining Hall! There were lobsters, steamed clams, corn on the cob, steak, chicken, potatoes, salad, and more! To top it off, there was an ice cream sundae bar complete with Gifford’s ice cream and all the toppings you could dream of! And no Matoaka meal is complete without cheering!

After that we gathered in the PAC for “Matoaka Movies”- a fantastic slideshow and video presentation put together by our fantastic Media team. The slide show and video montage included events and shots from the weekend, including footage had there that had only been captured barely an hour before! Wow! At the theater, each family was presented with a Matoaka picture frame with a photo of the Moms and daughters.

Sunday morning there was another fantastic breakfast buffet with more customized omelets as well as pancakes too! And then we had one last activity period before it was time to say goodbye. It was sad to see everyone go, as it was such a fantastic weekend! No one wanted it to end! But the same can be said about the entire Summer 2012!

We already have a terrific group of moms and daughters registered for Mother-Daughter 2013. If you want to be a part of the Magic, register now!

The rain falling from the sky reflected the mood when the tears flowed as everyone said their goodbyes and boarded the buses to take them back home.

We gave Summer 2012 a proper send off though! Yesterday was a busy day. We had a few General Rec. periods where campers could visit their favorite activities for the final time this summer.  Meanwhile, the Queens were hard at work decorating the Dining Hall for Banquet. This event is the highlight of the summer, and Bunk 15 had been preparing for this night all summer long. It was finally time to put on the finishing touches and set everything up.

Meanwhile, down the bunkline the campers’ anticipation was building. They couldn’t contain their excitement, and once they were all ready they held an impromptu parade through the bunkline while they waited for the bugle to announce the start of the Banquet. One Bunk of girls linked hands, and then travelled bunk by bunk to recruit more campers to join their chain. The chain grew bigger and bigger, until we had well over 200 girls holding hands and singing as they encircled the bunkline. They laughed, smiled, and sang songs. It was the perfect way to pass the time and an incredible sight to see!

Finally, the big moment had arrived and everyone was called to the front lawn to line up with their bunkmates. Girls were jumping, screaming and just bustling with anticipation! The Banquet theme was a highly guarded secret all summer long and girls were eager to finally see everything!

Everyone entered a dark hallway that was glowing orange and red emulating flames. What could this possibly be? The Olympic torch of course! When they broke through the end of the flaming tunnel, they emerged at the London Olympic Games! The Olympic theme was playing, there were video clips looping, and flags from all the different countries were on display. We feasted on Greek salad, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, and sports bars. The fifteen year olds put on a fantastic performance for us, representing many Olympic sports. The amount of time and effort they invested into this event was clear, everything was perfect!

After dinner, we switched gears and rather than Olympic Medals, we handed out our prestigious end-of-year awards. Each activity gave out small plaques to one camper from each division who was outstanding in that department this summer. Girls were thrilled to hear their name called as the rest of the camp cheered!

Outside, the rain clouds were moving in, so Jason made a quick decision to start the fireworks earlier than planned. We gathered outside in the Council Ring and viewed the most stunning fireworks display East Pond has ever seen. Campers and counselors held hands, linked arms, and oohed and aaahed together over the magical display. The perfect example of Matoaka Magic, beautiful moments like this are what these girls will remember for the rest of their lives.

The timing could not have been better, because as we returned to the Dining Hall for the rest of the awards ceremonies, the rain started to fall. It was as if nature was waiting for our fireworks to finish. Nothing could ruin this special night!

In the Rec Hall we resumed our ceremonies by distributing Five and Ten –Year Sweatshirts to the eligible campers and counselors. We also honored this year’s Distinguished Counselors, revealed our new Color War plaque, and revealed our Honor Roll honorees.

Then everyone was dismissed back to their bunks while the Rec Hall was cleared, cleaned, and reassembled. When we brought everyone back, we held the much-anticipated crowning ceremony. The Queens of 2012 welcomed Bunk 14 to kneel before them and they placed a personally designed crown on each girl’s head. This officially marked the end of the Queens of 2012’s reign and welcomed the Queens of 2013. It’s a beautiful and emotional moment steeped in history and tradition.

After that, everyone retreated to their cozy cabins for one last night at One Great Place. Office Staff and counselors traveled down the rainy bunkline serenading each cabin with a favorite soothing camp song. They huddled together by candlelight, singing songs and wishing each camper a good night.

This morning the rain continued paralleling the tears that flowed as we said goodbye to all of our beloved campers. They boarded cars, buses, and vans and were whisked away from One Great Place and back to their homes all over the world. Thank you all for an incredible summer, we miss you already! 

Although we’re sad to see everyone go, we’re absolutely THRILLED to begin our first ever Mother-Daughter Weekend! Moms are arriving and everyone’s eager to kick off a fantastic weekend of Matoaka Magic together!

The day was like any other with plenty of fun activities. Campers scrambled to reach goals they’d set for themselves over the summer. Girls wanted to take advantage of the last opportunities to catch the Pamper Pole, or to become a one-ski skier, or to shoot a bullseye. It was a busy day and everyone made the most of every moment they had; because at Matoaka, since camp is unfortunately coming to an end.

After dinner, everyone dressed in their best Matoaka clothing, while the staff dressed to impress. Each department took the stage to present weekly Campfire Awards to their outstanding campers, and to present their painted plaques featuring the names of their most dedicated campers, or “bums”. We may not have had a red carpet, but every camper certainly felt like a star as they hopped onstage to accept their awards.

And what’s an award show without performances? We had dance numbers from our counselors who were former campers and the Mean Machine, and two female counselors serenaded us with a beautiful vocal performance with guitar accompaniment. They sang the lyrics “You feel like home to me” which was hauntingly appropriate, since Matoaka does feel like home to all of us.

To close the night everyone was treated to two spectacular multimedia presentations. First we watched an intricate slideshow of photographs taken by our Photo guru, Jason Kauffin. This slide show featured over 200 photos, and every camper was shown at least once. It was set to music, and was a great way to reflect on the last three and a half weeks.  Next up was a video pieced together by our videographer savant Eric Coppa-Cross. This reflection allowed us to relive everything from Session including Color War, Funtown Splashtown, Aquaboggin, College League, as well as Campfires and Friday Night Services. It was a beautiful production perfectly capturing the essence of what Camp Matoaka is all about-Matoaka Magic.  

The Whoopies were a fantastic occasion, and we look forward to holding this event for many years to come.

Wednesday was a busy day with a lot of preparation for that evening’s Song Festival (or “The Sing” as we call it). After lunch there were practice sessions for campers, scheduled time to shower, time to get their hair French braided, and a chance to get their treasured team t-shirts. The excitement and energy was contagious, and everyone was eagerly anticipating the big event that night.

At the highly anticipated festival, each team performed three songs: a cheer, a remembrance, and an alma mater. The Cheers were loud, proud, and thrilling. Each team sang about their team pride, and the pep, zest, and determination each College League competition requires. The Remembrance is a beautiful and melodic song that serves as a letter of sorts, to the rest of the camp, recalling the ups and downs of the summer.  Finally, the Alma is a metaphor, where the team relates their summer experiences to something else. This year’s metaphors compared College League to bungee jumping, riding a bike, getting married, and enlisting into the military. This shows how important College League is to the girls if they’re equating the summer to such intense milestones. Also during the Alma, the team Captain recites a thank you letter to her team and the rest of the Matoaka family. It’s a very emotional event, and the perfect way to conclude the College League competition.

After the musical portion of the night was over it was time to announce the winners. While the judges gathered in the Conference Room to tally the results, the campers ate fudgesicles and gathered around the stage as the team’s plaques were revealed and admired.

When the results were ready the anticipation was palpable as everyone waited for the big announcements.

Song Festival 2012 Results

1.)    Siena Sharks and Spalding Sabers (tie)

2.)    Porter Pandas

3.)    Pierce Panthers

College League 2012 Results

1.)    Siena Sharks

2.)    Porter Pandas

3.)    Pierce Panthers

4.)    Spalding Sabers

 The morning started with an extended clean-up, in order to prepare for packing. We held Sing practice in the afternoon. Each team got the opportunity to practice their songs in the Rec Hall for the first time, emulating what the actual event will be like.

It was also a special day, because the 2011 College League Captains returned home to Matoaka for a visit! All of the campers were thrilled to see the four familiar faces again. The squeals echoed across camp as the girls ran across the soccer field towards camp. Their enthusiasm and love for camp was infectious, and made the day truly memorable.

After dinner, everyone gathered in the PAC for the fantastic Fashion and Dance show. The girls have been preparing for this special night all summer long! The fashion portion was first, and all the girls from the Sewing classes modeled the stylish outfits that they’ve designed and assembled themselves. NYC’s “Fashion Week “has nothing on the Matoaka Fashion Show. These girls were confident models working the runway, and the designs looked as if they were done by seasoned professionals. Great work girls! Some girls even designed multi-piece lines all reflecting a theme. It was incredible!

The Dance portion of the show was fantastic as well. It was clear the girls put many hours of practice into their routines. All dance styles were covered: jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, and lyrical. The inter and junior girls did a fun routine to a mash-up of a few popular hip-hop songs and they entitled it “Pretty Girls Rock!” There was a hauntingly beautiful ballet routine to Taylor Swift’s “Safe And Sound”. Other songs featured were “Mercy”, “Burlesque”, and “Sail”.  Two thirteen year olds did a thrilling jazz number to “Greyhound”. Each dancer dressed in all black, providing a sense of uniformity and coordination between all the numbers. There were even a few cameo performances by Mean Machine and even our Owner/Director Leslie who accompanied Sloan Rosen on an adorable ballet number.

Congratulations to all the girls who participated in the Fashion and Dance show! All your hard work and effort certainly paid off! The show was fantastic and shows that practice DOES in fact make perfect!

Camper Newsflash!

-Congratulations to Jackie Clarke for becoming a Purple Rider in Mtn. Biking!

-Congratulations to Maia Katz for becoming both a “First Mate” and a “Solo Sailor” in one day!

These lyrics could be heard echoing across East Pond this morning as 42 campers and 14 staff members made the 1.5 mile swim from Matoaka Island back home to camp.

It was the moment they were training for all summer long. The prestigious Matoaka Island Swim! These daring campers and staff were awake at sunrise, boated out to the Island, and dropped in the water to make the swim back. 53 Lake Patrol members encircled the swimmers in various boats to ensure their safety, and offer words (or songs) of encouragement! As the swimmers returned to dry land, they were greeted by over a hundred of their bunkmates cheering them on, and a giant cup of hot chocolate. Every single swimmer made the swim successfully, and the Swim Staff could not be more proud!

We had accomplished so much before breakfast even started, and then we still had a busy day ahead of us! We had to “just keep swimming” though! We hosted a U10 soccer game against Camp Laurel. It was a fantastic game. Teams remained scoreless until the last minute of play when Matoaka scored a single goal! Wow!

The rest of the day was jam-packed with the regular amazing activities that we offer at Matoaka. Campers had a blast at Archery, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding, Water-ski and more! After dinner there were a series of social activities with Camp Caribou. Our youngest, the 8s and 9s, had a cake decorating contest amongst themselves. The 10s and 11s hosted the Caribou boys here for a playdate,  while the 12s and 13s had a social. The 14s and 15s boarded a bus over to Caribou for a social there. It was our last social event with the boys this summer, and everyone had a fantastic time!

With less than a week to go, we’re not slowing down, we “just keep swimming!”

The four teams met like gladiators on the soccer field. Each and every camper was dressed in all black, with their faces painted their team’s signature color. Red, orange, blue, and pink faces surrounded camp. It was a sight to see!

The four teams assembled on the field for the first event, Bash the Captain. Everyone encircled their captains who took turns blindfoldedly searching for their opponent with the jousting pillows while their teammates cheered them on wildly.

The teams also competed in the shoe race, tug of war, leap frog, and a series of relay races. Each player gave it their all, while their teammates shouted words of support.

Then it was time for part two, on the waterfront! There, the Captains and Co-Captains battled it out on a floating surface to see who could reign as “Queen of the Mat”. The teams’ counselor advisors also battled it out, wrestling a slippery watermelon from the dock to the shoreline. Finally, the Captains sat perched in a canoe with their teammates surrounding them, racing to see who could sink the canoe first, by splashing water into the canoe.

As you can imagine it was the epitome of what College League is all about. The spirit and energy spread through the camp, while everyone gave everything they had for their team. All while having the time of their lives!

Later that evening, we gathered inside for a Campfire. Everyone met in the Rec Hall, where activity awards were passed out. The night’s theme was “Decades” so everyone dressed in costumes to represent the theme. Some of the top costumes included: a growth chart, the “Year  3000”, the 1980s, and many representing Matoaka over the years. At the conclusion of the Campfire, Chad announced the big winner of the Greek Games, the Porter Pandas! Second place was a tie between the Siena Sharks and the Pierce Panthers, with the Spalding Sabers finishing last.

With less than a week to go, the spirit and fun at Matoaka is at it’s peak! Everyone is relishing their final moments here, and are eager for the fun events that the rest of the week will bring!

Baloo the bear sings these words of wisdom in Disney’s classic “The Jungle Book”, and our campers belted them out last night on stage in our final musical of the summer. It’s the perfect way to summarize our camp experiences. Camp is the ideal place to just forget about your worries and cares, and find the joy in the simple things in life, like adventure, spirit, fun, and friendship.

We started off the day in normal activities, but by the time lunch rolled around the heat and humidity were intensifying. So during the afternoon, we held waterfront rotations instead of regular activities. Campers and staff splashed in the lake and the pool and cooled off considerably, while having a blast! The waterslides were going, the boats were out, and everyone was smiling as they embraced the little moments with their friends, and beat the heat on a beautiful summer day!

Earlier that morning, our horseback riders travelled to Camp Runoia for a competition! We had 3 first place finishes, 3 second place finishes, and 4 third place finishes. It was a huge success for everyone involved.

After lunch, the stifling heat and humidity necessitated a change of plans. We changed things up a bit, and held waterfront rotations in the afternoon. Campers had a chance to enjoy the lake and the waterslides for two hours before settling down with a Sing practice for College League.

Then, after dinner it was showtime! Everyone gathered in the P.A.C. for “The Jungle Book” and we were blown away. The talent and professionalism onstage was unheard of for a camp production. Everyone nailed their performances and there wasn’t a single line flub or misstep. The entire camp was transported to the jungle and followed Mowgli’s adventures of figuring out where he belongs. Our Owner/Director Jason Silberman stole the show with his cameo as King Louie. He sang a rousing solo of “I Wanna Be Like You” that had the crowd roaring with approval.

There wasn’t a single worry or strife at Matoaka yesterday! We had the “bear necessities” in our grasp!

The USTA Tournament was a HUGE success! We had over 40 of our own campers compete, as well as many from Camp Vega, and a few from the local community. The event ran all day, and everyone who participated had a fantastic time. The semi-final matches will continue today, stay tuned for results!

The Archery trip to Maine Central Archery was a hit as well. The staff there was very gracious and welcoming, and helped our girls shoot at their indoor range. The girls were able to shoot targets and balloons.  The professional archers were also highly impressed with our campers’ skill and technique! It was a great compliment to our Archery staff and campers!

The Ceramic s trip was a lot of fun for everyone involved as well. Portland Pottery is a quaint little studio, and the girls got to meet people who were successful in making their artwork a lifelong career. The studio had an impressive setup with spacious room for wheel work, clay work, kiln firing, and even jewelry making! The girls got to experience some of this hands-on, and had an incredible time.

All those campers not participating in the trips or tennis tournament still had a super day. The Photography Department was busy making scrapbook pages with pictures they’ve taken. Right next door, the Arts and Crafts department was making really cool artwork with duct tape! They used tape of all different colors and designs, and they were making jewelry, wallets, and other cool projects.

It was also a busy day of preparation. Our dancers were hard at work on their routines for their upcoming Dance Show. The Sewing Department was focused on finishing their projects for the forthcoming Fashion Show. And our Theater Department has been in rehearsal for their production of the Jungle Book on Saturday night. I’m sure all of their hard work will result in fantastic finished projects!