Camp News

If you would like to be a part of our e-mail list and receive Camp News updates via e-mail, then please register by clicking here.

March 10, 2008

4-H Camp Middlesex Quoted in Bay State Parent Magazine
I (Director Steve LaFountain) was recently quoted in a couple of articles by Bay State Parent Magazine. The articles were written by reporter Margueritte Paolino, and outlined what parents should consider before choosing a summer camp for their children. Complete text of the articles are available at the links below.

 

March 1, 2008

Logging Project
When you step onto camp this summer, you may notice a slight change of scenery. It will appear that some of the trees have been taken away! In fact, this past February a timber harvest was done on the property. The logging was done as part of a Forest Management Plan that was developed for the camp property, to provide regular maintenance and ensure good stewardship of our forest resource.

The result is that some familiar areas around camp may look somewhat different when families walk onto camp this summer. All of the trees logged were recommended for harvest and tagged by a licensed Forester. The Board of Directors met prior to the logging, and made the final decisions of which trees stayed and which needed to go.

One particular place that will look different to families this summer is the area around the Pineside cabins (shown to the right). These trees were the most difficult to decide, as no one wanted to destroy the “natural appearance” of this area. However, some of the trees were dead, diseased, poorly formed (weak) or at the end of their natural life span (dying), and were becoming a safety concern. With this growing concern, the Board decided it was best that some of these trees were cut down. On the bright side, the towels on the clotheslines will now dry faster, because there will be some sunshine coming through!

Another area that will be a major change is the space behind the Hillsides (as shown below). A lot of these trees were cut because they were diseased with red rot, a disease that kills the inside of the tree, and causes it to die (and fall!). Other trees were dead or dying from an invasive plant called Bittersweet, which creeps up the trees and strangles them.

A couple of other changes include the new access road that was created behind Blueberry cabin, and another that goes from the corner of the soccer field to the low ropes course. Pictures of what the camp now looks like are located on our online photo album here: http://campmiddlesex.com/v-web/gallery/. The project yielded some extra funds, which the camp used to pay off some debts and make some repairs.

A special thanks goes out to Board member Heide Messing and alumnus Charlie Thaxter for their hard work and dedication on this project!

Camp Clean-Up Weekend – April 5 th & 6 th - Come Help!!
As you can see from the pictures from the logging project, we need help to help clean-up the branches and sticks before the rental groups come in to use the facility this summer. Thus, we are hosting a clean-up weekend on April 5-6, 2008. Families that help will be fed and be allowed to stay overnight at camp (individual campers will not be allowed without their supervising families)! So if you can stay to help on Saturday, or would like to stay overnight with your family from Saturday until Sunday, please join us! Bring your marshmallows and guitar! If you are interested, e-mail me (Steve) at: director@campmiddlesex.com.

 

Camp Middlesex is Awarded Safety First Status for 2 nd Year
As proof of our continued commitment to safety and safety education for our campers, Markel Insurance Company announced that we have received the Safety First Award for our 2007 camping season.

According to Will Evans, Markel's Director of Safety Education, "Markel does not award this designation lightly - camps or clubs must have a proven safety record for at least three years, undergo formal assessments and inspections, and participate in continuing education and certification programs. These facilities deserve to be commended for making safety a top priority."

Pool Project Status
The camp received some exciting news this winter for the pool project, as we were awarded over $65,000 in funds for the project. $60,000 was received from 2 grants given to the camp from some local foundations ($50,000 from Winning Farm, and $10,000 from Sterilite Corporation). Another $5,000 was received from the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation.

Thus, the camp is in the final stages of moving forward of having the pool installed for the summer of 2009. While the board pushed to install the pool for the upcoming summer, bidding results indicated an amount of additional resources needed to move forward. It was decided to wait until the fall, ensuring that there was enough money in the fund to support the project. It was also felt that more time was needed to research some aspects of the project, and not to rush forward with a project of this magnitude.

Thus, the project will be put out to bid again this summer to be built in the fall of 2008, and completed in the spring of 2009. You can help support the project by continuing to contribute to the fund, ensuring that we have enough to support the project and keep the pool operating during its first year. If you haven’t purchased a brick yet, this is your last chance! Bricks will no longer be on sale after this summer!

Camp Food Booths – Volunteers Needed!!!
Camp is currently working on some fundraisers to help out with our pool project. On Saturday, March 29 th , volunteers are needed to help the Board of Directors run the lunch booth at the State 4-H visual presentations in Bedford, MA. During the event, the camp serves hot dogs, pizza, meatball subs, and sandwiches to hungry families!

We are also working on doing a similar fundraising event at the Earth Day Celebration at the Townsend Common on April 26 th. During this event, we will also be selling hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausage subs to hungry event goers!

Anyone that is interested in helping us out, either with time or donations, please e-mail me (Steve LaFountain) at: director@campmiddlesex.com. Volunteers are needed during the hours of 9am-2pm.

Happy Spring!
I usually joke that January 31st is the busiest day of the year for me, as I typically receive a mountain of registrations from families trying to register in time to receive the early bird special. This year was no exception, as I processed over 150 registrations from families trying to get their reservations in on time!! Registrations have been slowly trickling in since then, and there are some areas in camp that are currently waitlisted (Week 3 for overnight boys for aged 11-15 and Week 5 for overnight girls for aged 13-15). Be sure to check the dates and prices page before you register to see if there is still space available for the session you want (http://www.campmiddlesex.com/parents/dates_and_prices.html)!

I hope that all is well with your family this spring. Camp is right around the corner, and we’re all looking forward to another exciting year of camp! If you ever have any questions, e-mail me at: director@campmiddlesex.com.

Steve LaFountain, M.Ed.
Executive Director

Blueberry Boys waiting to go to the band concert

November 4, 2007

Another successful season has come to an end! Thank you to all the staff, campers, and CIT’s that worked to help make another memorable year at camp!

Registration is now open for the summer of 2008!
The camp website has been updated with the upcoming themes and information for the summer of 2008. The cost for overnight is $399/week and the cost of day camp is $250/week. Remember to register early to ensure that you save your spot for the week that you want (especially for Color Week)! Those that register before January 31, 2008, and pay in full, will receive $40 off per week for overnight camp, and $25 off per week for day camp.

New Kitchen Equipment
Thanks to a grant received this summer, the camp was able to receive $20,000 in new kitchen equipment. We were able to replace the 3-door refrigerator and oven/range unit. We were able to add 2 new convection ovens, a 2-door freezer unit, and a large gas grill. The equipment worked wonders this summer!

Pool Project Update
This summer, the pool project raised roughly $3,000 from the duck races, raffle, Barn Dance, and various donations. Thanks to those that continue to help support this project. Our current fund has a little over $38,000. We still have a ways to go to reach our goal of $92,500.

Haunted Happenings
This year proved to be another successful turnout for Haunted Happenings! It was good to see the campers, CIT’s, and staff return to help support this event. We were able to raise about $1,200 in support of Middlesex County 4-H and Camp Middlesex. A special thanks goes to the camp CIT’s and staff for helping with tours, as well as the Middlesex County 4-H clubs and Junior Fair Directors for putting together some great scenes.

Weekend Trip
This year we are trying to do a trip during one of the stayover weekends at camp. Since we traditionally walk to Willard Brook State Park during the weekends, more variety may be needed to help make the weekend stays more enjoyable. Thus, we will be going to Water Country during the first weekend at camp this summer. Due to the cost of bussing and admission, those staying over the first weekend will pay an additional $40. If the weekend trip proves successful, then it will be something that we will add to our weekend offerings in the future.

 

Another successful camping season has come to a close. As the fall rolls in, I am busy putting together the brochure for the upcoming season, hiring new staff, and processing camper registrations. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am usually up at camp on Saturday afternoons processing all of the paperwork that needs to be accomplished for the upcoming summer.

Best wishes this holiday season,

Steve LaFountain
Director

 

A special thanks to the following families and organization that donated to our pool and campership funds during the 2007 camping season:

$25-$100 Level Maureen & Bob Allen Julie Andrews Brain & Jodi Bates Penny Berube Karen Bircsak Nick Blanchard Christie Bliss Craig Boettcher Christine Brooks Amy Brown Gianna Carrabino Harold Chattaway Cecile Christie Mike Clancy June Cloutier Nancy Cormier Michael & Laurie Cote Claire Coupal Karen Crall-Fallon Anne Davison Elizabeth Dichiara Margaret Dixon Lynne Doherty Tim & Barbara Donovan Teresa Doran Iris Gabree Holly Giampapa Mario & Veronica Guay Gary Guzzi Tahna Hallet

George Hatch Stefanie Heiter Masutoshi Ishikawa James Kay Charles Kennerson Holly Kreidler-Phaneuf Joan Lockerby Sonia Lipsm Margaret MacDonald Terry & Karen Manley Susan Marston Susan Mauro Martha Morgan Robert & Joanne McLaughlin Heide Messing Nancy Miller Stephen Miller Susan Mills Renee & Matt Oesterlin Albert Ogonowski Alex Ogonowski Carol Ogonowski Elizabeth Oldrid Shari Pitkin John Robbins Brad & Melanie Railing Angela Rossi Sheryl Sanford Miriam Schwartz

Robert Smith Michael Stapp Michael Travis Elizabeth Toth Timothy & Elizabeth Toth Catherine Valentine Jackson Wai Barbara Waraksa Terrence & Nadine Whatley Adam Winter Maria Yakimchuk Donald & Janice Zupko $101-$250 Level Timothy McCabe $250-$500 Level Karen Fritzman Jack Messing Woburn Kiwanis $1,000+ Level Bob & Jane Hallet for our new copier machine.

April 1, 2007

Camp Middlesex Registration is Booming!
If you haven't registered yet for camp, now is the time! Spaces for certain weeks are currently waitlisted, especially Week 3: Color Week! Check out: http://www.campmiddlesex.com/parents/dates_and_prices.html before you register for information of which sessions are currently waitlisted.

Open House 2007: April 22 nd & June 3 rd , from 12-4
All are invited to come and see the camp, meet some of the staff and ask questions. Invite your friends that have never seen camp to come along!

First Annual Family Work Day, April 22nd, 2007
We are working on organizing a Family Work Day during the April Open House. We already have some families lined up that are interested in helping to make camp a better place! If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail us at: office@campmiddlesex.com. We will be volunteering from 11 until 4, with lunch for our volunteers at noon.

Pool Project
To date, we have raised $33,800 for the project. We need to raise at least $75,000 in order for the project to become a reality. Since 100% of the funds that camp currently receives from camper tuition goes into supporting the daily operations of camp, all of the money must be raised through grants or donations. You can help by purchasing a brick or checking off the donation box on your registration form. Every little bit helps camp to make our pool project a reality! Brick forms are located online: http://www.campmiddlesex.com/forms.htm.

Camp Fundraisers
Camp is currently working on some fundraisers to help out with with our pool project. On Saturday, March 31st, volunteers from the Board of Directors of camp, ran the lunch booth at the State 4-H visual presentations in Bedford, MA. The event went well as we served hot dogs, pizza, meathball subs, and sandwiches to hungry families! Thanks to all those that helped support the event with your donations and time!

We are working on doing a similar fundraising event at the Earth Day Celebration at the Townsend Common on April 28th. Anyone that is interested in helping us out, either with time or donations, please e-mail me (Steve LaFountain) at: director@campmiddlesex.com. The event will be going from 9:30-4:00.

We are also looking at other fundraisers for our pool project, including holding a Barn Dance sometime during the summer. We will also be continuing our Haunted Happenings event in the fall, which has been getting very popular with camper families! Anyone interested in helping out with either time or donations, is encouraged to contact me at: director@campmiddlesex.com. It is an exciting time to be helping camp grow!

4-H Camp Middlesex named a Safety 1st Camp!
Each year a certain number of camps/clubs are inducted into the Safety 1st Hall of Fame. This year, along with 34 other camps and clubs, we were inducted! Safety 1st is an honor given to camps that made safety a top priority during their previous camping season.

According to Will Evans, Markel's Director of Safety Education, "Markel does not award this designation lightly - camps or clubs must have a proven safety record for at least three years, undergo formal assessments and inspections, and participate in continuing education and certification programs. These facilities deserve to be commended for making safety a top priority." We are honored to have been inducted into the Safety 1st Hall of Fame for our wonderful 2006 camping season!


4-H Camp Middlesex receives Award for Exceptional Cultural Exchange
This year Camp Middlesex has received an award for providing exceptional avenues for cultural exchange from the Camp America program. The award is given based on recommendations from our international staff. The international staff “felt truly cared for and had their unique needs respected and looked out for (from The Camp America Team).”

 

 

December 10. 2006

Registration Now Open for 2007 Season!
Our online registration system has been updated with the new dates for the upcoming season. You can also download the 2007 registration form from our registration page and mail in your reservation as well (www.campmiddlesex.com/forms). Make sure that you register early to ensure that your camper receives the weeks that they want (especially for Color Week - Week 3!). Prices for the 2007 season are: $385/week for overnight, and $239/week for day camp. With the Early Bird Special, if you register and pay in full before January 31 st, you can receive up to $50 off per week!

Haunted Happenings 2006
The Haunted Happenings was a success this summer, as we raised over $1,200 in funds for Camp Middlesex and the Middlesex County 4-H programs. Thanks to all those that helped volunteer, and thanks to all those in the camp community that came by to visit! Pictures from the event are located in our online photo album.

Some campers pose for a shot during a
reunion at the Haunted Happenings

Camp Volunteers
This past summer we had some wonderful parent volunteers that came to help us paint some of the interiors of cabins. The volunteers were under the leadership of Hope Prockop from Groton, and visited us twice this summer to help make camp a little nicer! The group painted the inside of Lower Staff and Hill Side 4. We will be working hard to get other cabins painted for this upcoming summer! If you are interested in helping with our painting project or other camp projects, we are working on a community workday at camp on either April 21, 2007 or June 2, 2007. If you are interested in volunteering some time, please contact the camp office at: office@campmiddlesex.com.

Pool Project
Unfortunately, our pool project has not received enough funds to move forward next year. To date, we have raised $27,500 for the project. We need to raise at least $75,000 in order for the project to become a reality. Since 100% of the funds that camp currently receives from camper tuition goes into supporting the daily operations of camp, all of the money must be raised through grants or donations. You can help by purchasing a brick or checking off the donation box on your registration form. Every little bit helps camp to make our pool project a reality! Brick forms are located online: http://www.campmiddlesex.com/forms.htm.

New Policies for 2007
Thanks to the recommendations from all the parent evaluation forms, we have some new policies for the upcoming season. The new policies will help to make check-in and check-out run smoother for our families. We have also updated our Camper Code of Conduct with language more appropriate for younger campers as well as addressing graffiti, digital media, and electronic equipment at camp. A memo about the new policies is located up on our forms page, and will be sent home with your confirmation package when you register (www.campmiddlesex.com/forms).

Attention Alumni
We are looking to see if there is interest in having an Alumni Weekend next summer. If you are interested, we can set aside a weekend in September for old and new friends to gather and remember the past. Please e-mail me (Steve LaFountain) if you would be interested in attending an event in September: director@campmiddlesex.com.

Happy Holidays
We hope that your family has a nice holiday season this year! See you in 2007!

Coming soon to a camp near you....

 

September 10, 2006

An Amazing Summer!
The summer of 2006 was another sucessful year at camp! Campers and staff didn't want the summer to end! Thanks to all those those that helped to make the summer such an amazing one that is was!! If you have a minute, check out all the pictures on our on-line photo album.

Haunted Happenings
The 3rd Annual Haunted Happenings will be on Saturday, October 14, 2006, from 6:30-9:30. We hope that your family can attend this rain or shine event put on by the Middlesex County 4-H Advisory Board and Camp Middlesex. There will be a spooky ghost walk through camp, storytelling, games, facepainting, and lots of pumpkins and scarecrows around camp. The cost is $7 for adults, and $5 for children (under 12) and Seniors. The proceeds from the event are split between both organizations. The latest information on Haunted Happenings is located on our website: www.campmiddlesex.com/2006/hauntedhill06.htm.

Pool Project
The Pool Project is under way, but we still need your support! So far we have raised about $27,000 for the pool, thanks to donations and grants given to camp. However, we have a long ways to go to reach our target goal of $92,500.

We are still selling bricks for $50, and alumni and friends can purchase one on our website by going to our online registration system here: www.campmiddlesex.com/alumni/donation.htm. Please help camp continue to grow by making this tax-deductable contribution!

If you have any suggestions or would like to help us with our pool project, please e-mail us!

2006 Camp Improvements
Thanks to the dedication of George Hatch and the maintenance committee, a lot of repairs/additions were completed this summer. There was a new stage and backstage area added to Brown Hall. More work continued on the Mill foundation and siding. Also, the roof was repaired on top of the Gold Farm House.

A new well pump was installed in the dining hall, as the old one was not working correctly. The stones at Memorial Circle were repaired and a new ventilation fan was installed in the upper bathrooms thanks to board member Heide Messing and her brothers.

Alumni Lodge was completed this year, with a new ramp put on the back, fixtures added to different rooms, and a fresh coat of paint in all of the rooms (light blue). The preseason crew was able to finish painting all of Alumni Lodge, the lower bathrooms, and the outside of the Mill. High Speed Internet was added to Erickson and Alumni buildings. With this new wireless technology, we had Internet available in most of the buildings on the lower part of camp (which made the staff very happy). Mark Sumner built two ping pong tables and installed some tetherball poles around the camp, both of which became an instant hit with the campers this summer.

We would also like to spend a special thank-you to our parent volunteers from Groton. They came in a couple of times over the summer to paint Lower Staff and Hill Side 4 cabins. Both interiors of these cabins cabins were repainted thanks to the hard work of these volunteers.

Outdoor ping pong table used in lower camp

 

March 12, 2006

Alumni Lodge Grand Opening:
Our newest building, Alumni Lodge, is set to be open during the Open House on June 11th, 2006 at 2PM. All friends and alumni are encouraged to attend this grand opening celebration at camp. The newest structure on camp in over 20 years is to be named after all those that helped to make Camp Middlesex the great camp that it is!

During the year, the building serves as a conference center for rent. During camp, the building houses the staff lounge area, administrative offices, extra bathrooms, laundry facilities, CIT Meeting area, and the Camp Store.

 

February 18, 2006

Happy New Year! The Board of Directors have voted to move forward on the pool project at the last board meeting on Febuary 15, 2006. There is a lot of work in store for all of us, as we will be fundraising to gather the necessary funds for the project. This summer we will be selling bricks for $50/brick to be placed near the pool. For the latest information on the pool project, click here: POOL PROJECT!

Current projects for the summer of 2006 are:
* Completing the new building and applying for the permit (the back steps need to be put on)
* Grand Opening scheduled for the new building to be during one of the Open Houses
* Replacing the boards on the dam
* Grading the soccer field on the top of the hill
* Repairing the road going up the hill
* Rebuilding the stage in the Recreatation Hall
* Building ping pong tables up on the hill between the cabins / adding teatherball poles
* Building a new element (team wall) on the low ropes course
* Painting the outside of the mill, the lower bathrooms, the new building, and Erikson office

August 25, 2005

Well the summer season has drawn to a close for another year. It was an amazing year, and I hope that everyone learned a lot and had a great time.

We are currently working on new projects to camp for next season, so stay tuned for the latest camp news.

The Haunted Happenings is on Saturday, October 22, from 6:30-9:30. Former CITs as well as counselors are invited to stay and help out with the festivities. I hope to see everyone there, as it is a great time for an after camp get together.

 

March 24, 2005

Hello Everyone! Well spring is upon us and there are only a couple of more months left until camp begins! Here is some of the news from camp:

New Well:
A new well has been dug in Febuary to accommodate the water needs for the new staff building. The staff building houses the staff lounge area, as well as administrative offices for the camp admin. staff. There are a total of 4 bathrooms in the building, along with a laundry room and small kitchen. The bathrooms and laundry room will be used by the staff during the summer. During the off season, the building will be used as a conference center to rent out to different groups. Resources to dig the well came from an anonymous grant received to each of the five 4-H camps.

 

New Floor in Staff Building:
A new hardwood floor has been donated and installed in the staff building. The only part charged to camp was the cost of the wood (around $2,000). The floors were installed in late February, and 3 coats of polyurethane were added.

 

Window Donations:
Harvey Windows, Inc. have generously donated 11 windows to camp. 4 windows will be placed in the gold farm house located across the street from camp (this house belongs to the camp and our caretaker and his family are currently living there). The remaining windows will be placed in Hilltop cabin, and in one of the pineside cabins.

 

4-H Camp Middlesex
PO Box 185, 1031 Erickson Rd.
Ashby, MA 01431
Tel: (978) 386-7704 Fax: (978) 386-7046
office@campmiddlesex.com