Bonding at Pine Tree Camp June 30, 2010

“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.” Henry Ford

Each summer, Pine Tree Camp campers and staff work and strive to come together as a family. And cabin camaraderie is a primary goal and theme throughout each session of camp. During their stay, campers work together each day during different activity sessions, and are encouraged to bond with their cabin-mates. Whether through tie-dyeing their Pine Tree Camp t-shirts with their cabin’s special colors, singing songs together at each meal, or having a special “overnight” experience away from their cabin, campers learn from each other and build life skills through relationship building activities all week long.

“the overnight”

One of the traditional Pine Tree Camp bonding experiences, and camper highlights, is the off-site excursion for each cabin’s annual “overnight.” While at camp, each cabin will spend one night outside of their cabin walls, tenting out in an open field down one of Pine Tree Camp’s nature pathways. Known as one of the most exciting and adventuresome nights of camp, the “overnight” is an opportunity for each cabin to bond as one and build relationships away from camp’s commotion. Activities include having dinner over an open campfire, singing songs, telling ghost stories, toasting marshmallows, and tenting out under the stars along North Pond. This remarkable experience is available to each and every camper. Camp counselors and staff prepare well in advance, to accommodate all safety measures and specific dietary and living needs of each camper. It is truly considered one the most valuable memories campers have while attending Pine Tree Camp. Leaving the “overnight” site the following morning, campers feel a sense of unity and closeness with their cabin-mates and counselors upon their return to Pine Tree Camp’s facilities.

“ropes course for cabin two”

Last summer, Pine Tree Camp’s cabin two learned the importance of sticking together, while having a little fun at the same time. Cabin two is typically home to the younger boys during the children session’s each summer. Josh, one of cabin two’s counselors, struggled to find a way to keep his typical rambunctious boys from running around camp, and teaching them to walk and stick together during each activity. In the middle of their camp session, Josh came back to his cabin one afternoon with a long rope and a plan to help teach the boys how to stick together and have fun at the same time.

“All of a sudden, you see all the little boys, single file, marching one by one holding on to a rope with giant smiles from ear to ear!” commented Kerry Brown, counselor supervisor.

Josh had found a way to connect with his campers in a way that was fun and beneficial for each of them. He had learned how to connect with them on a personal level so that he would be able to still instill a valuable life lesson, but in a playful manner. For the rest of the session, the boys would march together holding a rope to each activity and meal.

“game of telephone”

The importance of bonding at Pine Tree Camp is evident well before camp’s doors open each summer. Pine Tree Camp staff arrive early to take part in extensive communication and relationship building trainings. It is important for staff that in order to teach and engage campers in relationship building activities, the camp staff must first be able to build relationships and bond with each other.

Linda Bonnar-Ivery, director of Communication Pathways, a program of Pine Tree Society, attended this summer’s camp staff training to help teach the importance of nonverbal communication. In a bonding exercise of “telephone,” camp staff were divided into groups of six and sat in chairs behind one another. The first staff member in the line was asked to go outside, where they were given a statement that they were required to go back and act out to their team, without using their words. Each staff member was to pass the statement on, using only their body language to communicate, to relay the statement to the last person in line. This light-hearted game of nonverbal “telephone” taught camp staff the importance of nonverbal communication, while coming together a team to work towards one common goal.

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Share with us your favorite bonding experience while at Pine Tree Camp!