Summer is right around the corner and parents are beginning to think about what their children will be doing when the final homework assignment is handed in and the school bell rings for the last time in June.  Time spent at summer camp is one of the most wonderful gifts you can give to your child.  You want to make sure that you choose a camp that will provide a safe, happy and nurturing environment that has a long term heritage of both camper and parental satisfaction.

The first step in searching for a camp is to speak with other parents or ask friends where they have sent their children.  Call the camp to request information such as a brochure or camp DVD.  Attending camp open houses, meeting the directors and taking a tour of the camp are essential.  This will allow you the opportunity to ask specific questions of the Director and the staff.

In my 25 years of camping, I have been asked many questions by many parents.  I have chosen the top six questions parents have asked of me. I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they will help in your search for the perfect camp for your child.

1.  What is the camp’s philosophy?  Each camp is unique and has its own views and ideas of what the camping experience should be.  Make sure that you are comfortable with the camp’s message and goals.  Does the curriculum focus on competition or collaboration?  Does it complement what you want for your child?
2. How are the staff recruited, screened and trained?  You may visit a camp that has unbelievable facilities and amazing programming but make no mistake; the staff is the heart and soul of the camp.  The staff members will be spending each day with your child.  They are the role models for the campers. They are responsible for keeping your children safe and happy. You want to know who they are so don’t hesitate to ask about hiring practices.  Are reference checks performed?  Are Criminal background checks (CORI) and Sex Offender checks (SORI) done on each person who comes into contact with the campers?  How old are the Head Counselors and Junior Counselors.  What is the retention rate of the staff and how many years have they been with the camp?  What type of training/orientation is held for the staff members? All staff members need to be knowledgeable about camp policies, emergency procedures, behavior management techniques, child abuse prevention, group management and supervision. Parents, you want to ensure that the group is being run by highly trained, experienced adults.  You should also ask if the camp owners are on premise every day to insure that this level of experience is both maintained and consistent.  To know that the camp owners are on site and running the day to day operations of the camp should provide you with a high level of comfort and security.
3. What is the ratio of counselors to campers?  You want to make sure that your child is receiving the best care possible.  Small staff to camper ratios will allow this to happen.  American Camping Guidelines for day camps call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8, 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for children ages 15-18.
4. What does a typical camp day schedule look like?  You want to know how your child will be spending their day.  Ask to see a group schedule.  Review the schedule with your child so they can participate in the process.  Look at the level of physical activity. Is the curriculum diverse or does it tend more towards sports or the arts?  How structured is the program?  Do campers have the option for electives within the structure of the program?  You know your child and their likes and dislikes.  By becoming familiar with the schedule you can determine if a particular program will be a good match.
5. Does the camp have medical care on sight for the campers?  The camper’s safety always comes first.  Ask if a nurse or physician is on site to care for campers who may need medical attention.
6. Is the camp accredited by the American Camping Association?  A camp that is accredited by American Camping has to meet over 300 health and safety standards.  Accredited camps are making a real commitment to provide a safe, nurturing and risk-free environment for each child.

So parents, my advice to you is, do your homework before the kids get out of school.  Asking the right questions now will ensure that your child will have a fun and memorable camp experience this summer.

 Why Your Child Needs Swimming Lessons:

What to Look for to Ensure Fun &  Safety

By Susan Reardon, Director, Maplewood Day Camp & Enrichment Center

It’s the winter, but parents are already planning to ensure that their children are enrolled in the right summer camp program, and a key concern is the quality of the swimming program.

It’s easy to understand why swimming is such a popular activity:  It’s a great exercise, it instills confidence, and perhaps most of all, it’s just plain fun!  But it is important to learn the proper techniques in the proper environment to maximize the enjoyment and the safety of our children.

Swimming is like riding a bicycle — once you learn how to do it, the skill will last forever.  However, the initial training is critical, and that’s why parents should be careful about finding the right kind of swim program.

Based on my 25 years of experience teaching swimming, I believe the most important aspect of any swim program is safety. Parents should understand that the best programs need the right instructors, and they should ask questions about the staff:

• Are instructors properly trained and certified in Lifeguarding, CPR, First Aid, and Water Safety?
• How many years of teaching experience do they have?  (The more seasoned and experienced swim instructors on staff, the stronger the program will be.)
• What is the staff-to-camper ratio, with four-to-one an ideal equation.

What else should you look for before you sign up your child?

• You should make sure your child is getting individualized, personal instruction in a small group setting.
• Instruction should be progression-based, building on each skill that is learned.  The program should also follow a set swim curriculum such as a Red Cross program to ensure your child is mastering the essential skills at each level.
• If your child is new to swimming or has a fear of the water, make sure  the instructors know how to work with those who need water adjustment skills such as blowing bubbles and going underwater.

Comfort Level

It is essential that the instructor knows how to make each child feel comfortable and secure not only in swallow water but also in the deep water.

Research shows that children learn best when they can comfortably stand in the water.  So make sure the swim program has an area where children can plant their feet firmly on the ground with their heads above water.  This will promote their sense of security and lead to greater success in learning how to swim.

Parents should ensure that the swim curriculum accents the swallow-water program, focusing on the basics, but that also allows the children to swim in water over their heads.  It is wonderful when your child learns to float on his or her front or back and perhaps master the breast stroke.  But it is essential that they also feel comfortable swimming in deeper water, and this may occur as early as pre-school and kindergarten.  To be sure, when children can float and tread in water where they can’t stand, they can have complete control in the water.  And you as a parent will have peace of mind, knowing that your kids feel comfortable swimming at any depth.

Parents often ask us which is a better place to learn how to swim:  pool or lake?   While we have taught swimming in both, we have found that a pool provides a better teaching environment.  Children feel safer and warmer in a pool where they can stand and actually see the bottom, and they tend to enjoy heated pools.  Also, the clarity of the pool allows the instructor to view each child’s strokes and make corrections as needed.

Swimming is a skill that can provide children with additional opportunities as they grow.  Many of our campers participate in competitive swim team programs and also become swim instructors.

But the most important thing about swimming is the sheer fun.  Most of us have memories of our parents dragging us out of the pool with our fingertips all pruned and our noses and cheeks bright red from the sun.  While adults tend to go in the water just to cool off, for children, the water affords endless possibilities for play and pretend.  This is the aspect of swimming that we love the best.  We love to watch campers interact during free swim, with some practicing their strokes and others playing “tea party” or “Marco Polo.”  Most are just jumping and splashing and having a ball with their friends.

At the end of the day, the fun is what children remember most.  But as parents, we must first ensure that the fun is responsibly grounded in safety.

By: Doug Reardon

Most of us, at one point or another, have seen a wood carving performance. Whether it was at a fair, a festival or simply as we were passing by a performance somewhere and decided to steal a glance, one thing is unanimous – woodcarving somehow has the power to captivate all of us.

Its uniqueness can’t help but leave audiences starry eyed and wondering, how did that work of art come from such an unassuming piece of wood?  And it’s funny, because that’s sort of the same reaction you get while talking with Michael Higgins.

For the past 15 years, Michael has been a professional performance wood carver.  He can make anything out of wood – just ask him and he’ll tell you.  He’s not bragging, he simply acknowledges that with a little imagination and some planning, anything is possible.  He can take an ordinary, everyday stump and turn it into a bear or a dragon in less than 30 minutes.  He can transform your average tree trunk into a giant replication of a Coca-Cola bottle that looks good enough to drink on the spot.  Like I said…anything.

That includes several well-known pieces of Maplewood architecture as well.  The new sign that greets you as you drive into the complex was a Michael Higgins original, as were the gigantic flowers that dwarf even the tallest campers on their way into the building.  The totem pole down by the boating area that displays all of the names of the campers from that summer was another creation by Michael and his most recent addition to Maplewood are the life-like butterflies fluttering around the sign at the entrance.

Michael loves what he does, it is very evident.  In any line of work, passion is essential to obtaining happiness and with Michael, there is no shortage of either.  To confirm that, we need look no farther than his decision 15 years ago to abandon a lucrative job with a jewelry wholesale company in order to make the switch to performance carving.

Michael Higgins

Michael started with the company when he was 12 and worked his way up the cutthroat business over time, eventually becoming the Vice President of the entire organization.  He had the title, and he had the money, but for Michael those things didn’t matter.

“Something was just missing,” he said.  “I always loved outdoor work and for me, the decision was a long time coming.”

Art was never far off the path for Michael.  He was artistic as a kid, though most of his self taught abilities focused around cartooning.  He attended Rhode Island College to study art and even played baseball there for a while.

Even as art remained a large part of Michael’s life though, he stayed at the jewelry company for 37 years before finally realizing that he wanted to pursue carving.  He got started by crafting white birch reindeers around the holiday season and selling them while working side jobs as a limo driver and security personnel to pick up extra funds.  Make no mistake about it, giving up the job with the jewelry company took its toll financially, but when I asked Michael if he minded he simply smiled and replied that the happiness he found while carving made it all worth it.

There’s a certain amount of pride that comes with the profession of carving that Michael just couldn’t find with wholesale.  He mentioned that the carving he is still most proud of today is his very first one.  It was a 14-foot white birch dragon.  As if that isn’t cool enough, the dragon had strobe light eyes and, wait for it…breathed smoke.  The sculpture was made for the Rhode Island flower show in 1995.

His first live performance snuck up on him while he was vending for the popular Massachusetts Halloween attraction, Spooky World.  Michael and some of his partners were at the fair to sell wood creations they had previously made when the fair coordinator asked him to do some performance carving.  He agreed and proceeded to carve for six to eight hours nightly for an astounding 31 nights in a row – the entire month of October.

Since then, performance carving has been Michael’s life.  He does performances at schools, mostly elementary aged, and has found a way to seriously spice up his sessions.  If you’re under the impression that he goes in, waves a chainsaw around for an hour then leaves, you could not be more wrong.  Michael preaches the importance of planning and applies a variety of subjects to all of his programs, instilling youngsters with the vital message that if you want to get something done you simply must have a bit of patience and a lot of planning.

“A lot of groundwork and research go into the sculptures,” Michael said.  “During a performance, I spend most of my time planning.  Patience is the key.  But going through all of that trouble will lead to something unique.  The middle school kids get it the most. They understand that math, science and physics all apply to crafting.”

At 56 years old, Michael shows no signs of slowing down despite the physical hardships that come with the job.  Often times, he is responsible for moving logs weighing up to 900 pounds with little to no help but his own two hands.  That’s when he puts his knowledge of math and physics to work.

Besides his work at Maplewood, there is a good chance you’ve seen some other examples of Michael’s work.  He carved the Pawtucket Red Sox mascot at McCoy stadium in Rhode Island and has done work at Southwick Zoo in Menden, Roger Williams Park and Stone Zoo in Stoneham.

But of course, our personal favorites have to be Maplewood.

“The Maplewood sign recognizes that it’s a place for kids and the flowers are attention getting and they make people smile; make them feel comfortable,” Michael said.  “There’s a functionality to all the work.  You have to find what makes the most sense.  I do every project as if it’s my own but I also pay a lot of attention to the customer’s input.”

Michael is constantly striving to leave people happier and hopefully, with more knowledge after his shows then when they arrived.  The average attention span of an audience during a performance carving is 30 minutes, so he only has so long to accomplish his goal of leaving an impression.

“Positive impact, that’s what its all about,” Michael said.  “For me, it’s more important to make preschoolers smile than to make a million dollars.”

Michael is continuing to make a positive impact in the community.  He is currently mentoring a girl who is interested in entering the profession of wood carving and ironically enough, its all thanks to Michael.  She saw him during one of his performances at a middle school, and now a college student, Michael is serving as her mentor.

If ever there were living proof that happiness will always trump money, Michael Higgins is it.  His fervor and passion for his work is overwhelming in the best of ways and should serve as a true inspiration to all those who have a dream of someday doing what they love.

If you ask a lot of Maplewood staff members, they will tell you without hesitation that their camp colleagues are like a summer family to them; and if the Maplewood staff is in fact like a family, then Kevin Doucette is the patriarch.

Kevin has been on the staff for 23 consecutive summers and is looking forward to his 24^th this coming year.  He is one of the growing number of staff members that have been at camp for over two decades and when it comes to embodying the fundamental Maplewood counselor principles of fun and fairness, few people do it better.

2008 Magpie

It all started for Kevin back in 1989.  He was 19 years old at the time and like everyone else his age, he was in search of a job.  After seeing an add in the paper for a position as a camp counselor at Maplewood, Kevin responded immediately to former camp owners Hal and Sandy Pinstein.

“I remember a young man coming down to what used to be the snack bar at Maplewood Shores,” Sandy recalls.  “He was looking for a job but we unfortunately had no positions open. As he was walking away I turned and said to Hal, ‘this kid is too good, we can’t pass him up.’ So we gave him the job.”

23 years later, Sandy still does not regret her decision.

“I couldn’t imagine camp without Kevin,” she said.

Kevin serves as a middle school guidance counselor in Taunton during the off seasons.  He has been doing that for nearly 16 years, so clearly, he knows a thing or two about being passionate and maintaining longevity in a job.

For Kevin though, the best part of the job isn’t the sun or the hours, or even the pay.  Its something much more meaningful.

The 2011 Sharks Counselors

“The best part for me is having the opportunity to see these kids not just when they’re young, but as they grow,” Kevin said.  “Its funny too to see how much they haven’t grown, from the time they were seven year old kids running around camp to when they eventually end up working on the staff.”

Having been at Maplewood for so long, Kevin has an understanding of the camp unparalleled by most others.  He has seen many counselors come and go and many changes occur to the general infrastructure of camp, all for the better, he says.

There have been additions to the camp since 1989.  Maplewood Shores now serves as the boating area, the snack bar where Kevin first got his start at camp has since been converted into the maintenance shed, and a slew of new activities have been added to the Maplewood curriculum over the years but one thing certainly hasn’t changed according to Kevin: the focus has always remained on the campers.

“A lot has changed since I started there,” said Kevin.  “The expansion of activities and facilities has made camp bigger and better, and as far as staff, there are a lot of different age groups working at Maplewood but there are really no cliques or anything like that. Everyone’s there for one reason, and that’s the kids.”

It is counselors like Kevin that have inspired generations of Maplewood campers and staff members, myself included, to strive for excellence, always try their best and above all else, have fun.

The Halloway Family

Many people are often shaped by their experiences at summer camp. For Jay Halloway, that’s an understatement. He started going to Maplewood when he was eight years old and heading into the third grade. He remembers the fun bus ride to camp and that moment when the bus turned and started down the hill leading into camp.  Every morning he would get excited just seeing the pond with the boats, the pools, all the playing fields and the smiling counselors greeting him as he got off the bus.  Jay stayed at Maplewood as a camper for years and worked his way up to a Sr. Counselor position.  Every summer brought new experiences and new memories but the one memory that stands out above all the rest came when Halloway was in his first summer as a senior counselor.

It was the first weekend of orientation and Jay was always the first there and the last to leave. He was greeting the staff and noticed a young woman, Lisa, walking towards the staff meeting place. He kindly asked her if she wanted a ride. She accepted and one of the many successful Maplewood relationships was launched.

“From the moment I saw her, I knew it was going to lead to something more,” Halloway said.

After working together that summer, their relationship grew stronger and they continued to date for four years. In 2009, Jay and Lisa got married. They are now proud parents to 5-month old James Robert, or as everyone around Maplewood calls him, JR.

Halloway continues to call Maplewood home, working there year-round for the past 9 years. As the memories continue to grow, Jay recalls all of the fun he had as a camper.

“Color Wars,” he said without hesitation about his favorite childhood event. “Green team and white team. “White is dynamite, don’t mess with dynamite,” that was the chant.”

Another fond memory Jay has is of ‘Uncle’ Hal. Hal Pinstein and his wife Sandy opened the camp in 1965, and the family tradition is carried on as the camp is now run by two of their children, Lee and Sue.

“I remember Uncle Hal throwing ice cubes in the pool. Also, he would hold you in his arms on the diving board, and jump in with you.  It was always a big thrill when he did that” Halloway said.

Halloway also recalls the dock that used to be in the pond as well as ‘kiss the fish.’

“Fishing was fun, there was a dock in the middle of the pond we’d go and tie our boats up to and we’d fish,” he said. “Dave Gould, the counselor that did fishing, always asked if you wanted to kiss the fish. You didn’t have to but it was a tradition. Dave was probably my all time favorite counselor.”

After being a camper for 7 years, Halloway left for 2 years and returned  the summer before his senior year of high school. He was a junior counselor for the Vikings for six years with Mike Hughes who Halloway says was “an awesome counselor.” He’s been with the Vikings ever since, the last seven as the senior counselor and next year will be his 14^th year with the group and his 20^th year at the camp!!

“I like the age group,” Halloway said of why he stays with the Vikings every summer. “They’re just beginning to learn the games and be competitive in the sense that they’re willing to learn but have fun playing the games.”

One thing that hasn’t changed through all of his years at Maplewood is that Jay still loves club day. He recalls helping out with the nature program his first five years.

“I got to sit on Al the Alligator, a six-foot long alligator, and hold his mouth shout,” Jay said with a smile.

Jay has seen Maplewood evolve in his 20 years at the establishment and has nothing but positive things to say.

“The program just gets better and better,” he said. “It’s all improved since when I started.”  Jay looks forward to the time when his son JR can attend Maplewood.

Did you go to Maplewood? Would you like to share your story, memories and photos? E-mail ryan.lanigan@hotmail.com!

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