Dear Parents and Potential Campers,

Camp is a place for young people to get outside, unplugged, and back to the best of things in life—friendships, fresh air, discovery, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging.  Tanglewood summer programs emphasize community living, respect for others, fun, safety, responsibility and the joy of being a part of the natural world. Whether it’s Day or Residential Camp, Discovery or Leadership Programs, our summer campers make friends and feel good knowing they can just be themselves! 

For summer of 2008, we are expanding our offerings to include several new programs, including residential and family camps at Blueberry Cove Camp in Tenant’s Harbor.  You will also notice that we are introducing a sliding scale payment plan this year.  After many years of subsidizing our summer programs, our board of directors has determined that we need to “walk our talk” and that means being financially sustainable. You will find more information about our new fee schedule in the registration/payment section.
We hope you enjoy reading about the exciting summer opportunities at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove.  We know that choosing to go to camp is a big decision, and please contact us if you have any questions (jdecke@umext.maine.edu or 207-789-5802).  We are always willing to learn about your concerns and to share our thoughts with you. 

We look forward to seeing you at camp this summer! 

Sincerely,                               
Jim and Cindy Dunham, Summer Camp Directors
Jessica Decke, Summer Program Coordinator

For a brochure or inquiries about summer camp registration, please contact us at (207) 789-5868 or 1-877-944-2267 (Maine only).

Our Summer Staff

We believe that our camp staff is the key to a successful program, and we strive to bring together a terrific group of leaders who will create a unique and special camp experience. Our staff is chosen for their personality, creativity, maturity, experience and knowledge.  We recruit former campers, college graduates and leaders from other countries.  Their understanding of youth, leadership ability, first-aid skills and sensitivity to the Earth provide a safe, nurturing and enjoyable experience for all.

Summer Camp 2008 

Day Programs

Tanglewood Camp (Ages 6-8) (9-day session: ages 7-9)  Session & Fees  
Day Camp at Tanglewood is a unique experience designed for younger campers. Each morning begins with the discovery of a theme that will tug at campers' imaginations as they explore the natural world. Throughout the day, campers connect with each other and their environment through games, exploration, songs and artwork. And what hot summer day would be complete without a refreshing dip in the chilly Ducktrap River or a water game just for the fun of it. Most sessions are 5-days long; the 9-day session is for slightly older campers (Ages 7-9), and includes a special evening program and an overnight campout. Day Camp hours are: Mon-Fri., 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  

NOTE: Tanglewood Day Campers are limited to 2 weeks per summer, unless openings are available after June 15th.

Blueberry Cove Camp (Ages 6-10)  Session & Fees
Day Camp at Blueberry Cove creates a fun-filled atmosphere encouraging personal growth in harmony with nature. Activities are centered on the salt-water living themes: marine ecology, creative arts, boating, water safety and sustainable living.  Each day involves exploration including seaside forest, salt marsh, meadow, intertidal beach and harbor. Daily routines allow campers to learn new skills and connect with each other and their environment through games, exploration, songs and artwork. On hot days, we will surely get wet and probably even muddy!  Five day camp sessions run: Mon.-Fri.– 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

NOTE: Blueberry Cove Day Campers are limited to 2 weeks per summer, unless openings are available after June 15th.     

Overnight Programs at Tanglewood Camp

Mini-Camp(Ages 8-11) Session & Fees
Ready for something more than day camp, but not sure about a full week away? This specially requested program is designed to give younger campers the experiences and joys of our residential camp, but for a shorter time period. This unique program features nature explorations, group games, swimming, crafts, special evening programs (including a campfire), sleeping in a cabin, making friends and lots of fun!

Testimonial: "Out of all the camps I've been to, this is the only one I want to return to." Summer Camper

Residential Camp (Ages 8-14)  Session & Fees
Tanglewood’s traditional 6-day/5-night sessions start with a welcoming circle, community building activities and a refreshing dip in the Ducktrap River. Campers choose their daily morning “focus” from such options as: Forest Life, Gardening, Creative Arts, Outdoor Living, Drama, Nature Study, Group Challenge, Global Cultures, Sustainability, Music, or Watershed Exploration. Afternoon “electives” offer many additional choices of educational and recreational fun.  Campers can enjoy hikes, pond study, court and field sports, swim instruction, creative art projects, cultural activities, woodworking, music, cooking, and…. water games!  There are also two daily recreation periods for swimming, playing, and relaxing with new friends.  All this excitement means hungry campers and Tanglewood strives to provide healthy, fresh meals made with as many local products as possible. Creative evening programs include the entire camp community, culminating with a campfire on Thursdays. Up to eight campers and two counselors are housed together in each cabin. All sessions end with presentations and a closing circle.

Testimonial: "I liked meeting new people from different parts of Maine and learning the backgrounds of them." — Summer Camper

The "2-Week" Session (Ages 10-14)   Session & Fees
Join us in July for a 12-day/11-night session (SC-2-08) offering all the fun of a one-week session, plus some extra surprises! Exciting performances, guest artists, day-long adventures, theme nights, Tanglewoodstock, and a camp-wide trip to the beach are traditional “two-week” session highlights. Beginning on a Sunday and ending two Thursdays later, this session is designed for youth who are looking for a longer camp experience.

Focus Plus: The Nature of Movement! (Ages 10-14)
If you enjoy residential summer camp, and want your focus time to be a little different, consider choosing to participate in Focus Plus: The Nature of Movement.  Discover the art of choreography through your unique body movements and natural surroundings.  You’ll use the tools learned from daily exercises exploring elements like: special patterns, time, energy, rhythm, and use of the senses to make your own performance art piece.  Let your imagination lead you to dance, sing, act, and move in a self-composed live performance inspired by the environment!  Space is limited: sign up early to reserve your spot in this new focus when you register.  

NOTE: An extra $50 fee will be included to cover costs of instruction and materials.

Focus Plus: Art in Global Cultures (Ages 10-14)
If you enjoy residential summer camp, and want your focus time to be a little different, consider choosing to participate in Focus Plus: Art in Global Cultures.  Throughout the week you will learn about the arts and rituals of cultures from all over the world. Use your knowledge to create ceremonies and crafts based on your experiences at Tanglewood, with a focus on your connection to the natural world.  This focus will incorporate art, dance and meditation. Create costumes and decoration, use local clay for sculpture, carve wood and much more. Come enjoy a week of cultural adventure and fun!Space is limited: sign up early to reserve your spot in this new focus when you register. 

NOTE: An extra $50 fee will be included to cover costs of instruction. 

Overnight Programs at Blueberry Cove Camp

Blueberry Cove Residential Camp—NEW!  (Ages 10-14) Session & Fees
An exciting two-week residential camp will be offered at Blueberry Cove Camp in Tenants Harbor.  Campers will live in rustic cabins, swim in the ocean, explore the mud, and make great friendships.  Each participant will spend part of every day in their focus area which will be one of three themes: sailing, marine life, or arts.  These in-depth foci will provide opportunities for young people to gain greater knowledge and develop skills in a topic of their choice.  At other times of the day, campers will choose electives such as gardening, field and forest activities, arts, music, woodworking, swimming, boating, and intertidal exploration.  The total camp population will be small (36 campers) and this will help to create a strong sense of community.  Scrumptious meals will be provided in the newly renovated camp dining hall.  Please sign up for your first and second focus choices when registering for this session.

Blueberry Cove Family Camp—NEW! Session & Fees
(Ages 6-99, youth, parents, grandparents, guardians)
Feeling tangled up with daily routines?  The meadow reaching down to the shore at Blueberry Cove is the perfect place for a family to relax, play, and learn together.  There will be time each day for a wide variety of family activities, as well as age-specific opportunities for young and old.  Electives will include boating, marine ecology, sustainable living activities, creative arts, swimming, and more.  Bring your family (any configuration with 2 generations will do), and come to Tenants Harbor to dig in the garden, check out tide pool critters, create artworks, relax, share home-style meals, and enjoy time with your family. Parents and/or guardians will be housed in cabins with their youth.  A maximum of 30 people will create a sense of community at this beautiful seashore site.

Outdoor Discovery Programs 
Discovery Programs take place entirely outdoors and appeal to campers who are looking for a smaller group size and a more physically challenging experience.  Rain or shine, participants spend their nights in tents and their days on the trail or in boats. These unique camping trips are designed to immerse youth in Maine’s beautiful outdoors and to teach skills in cooperation, natural history, communication and living lightly on the Earth. Maine’s coastal waters and inland hills provide a perfect setting for campers to discover their connections with the earth and practice outdoor group living skills. All trips practice “Leave No Trace” camping procedures which require participants to leave behind most of the usual comforts of home. Backpacking is defined as carrying your food, clothing, and shelter in a backpack while hiking from site to site.  Discovery Programs are generally limited to ten campers, under the guidance of two skilled and caring trip leaders.

All Discovery Programs are rated as follows:

LEVEL 1: Basic skills will be taught; no experience necessary; good physical condition recommended
LEVEL 2: Some experience preferred; good physical condition important
LEVEL 3: Prior experience and good physical condition required

Please read each program description carefully, as prior hiking, camping and/or canoeing experience may be necessary.

Living With the Earth  Session & Fees
Level 1: Hiking & Canoeing (Ages 9-11)
This Discovery Program was designed for young people who want to experience the excitement of living outdoors but for a shorter time period. Participants will hike at least 2 miles each day, create a campsite, sleep in tents, cook meals outdoors, learn fire building techniques, and live with the rhythms of nature.  They will also learn skills in basic outdoor safety and hygiene, canoeing and low-impact camping.  Having fun outdoors and working together as a group are key themes of this trip!  Participants must be able to swim and feel comfortable on the water. No other experience is necessary.

Farm Living  Session & Fees
Level 1: Low Impact Camping  (Ages 12-14)
A popular camping trip, Farm Living lets you enjoy a week on a Maine organic farm! Campers will spend their mornings learning about farming and doing chores: weeding and harvesting vegetables, tending animals, grooming horses, and helping out where needed.  Afternoons are spent with recreational activities such as hiking, swimming, games and visits to other farms.  Meals are cooked outdoors with fresh produce. This unique experience is designed for those interested in a hands-on, hands-dirty kind of good time! Although this trip is located on a farm, it is still a remote camping experience without modern facilities.

Ducktrap Exploration  Session & Fees
Level 2: Backpacking and Canoeing  (Ages 11-13)
One of our most popular discovery programs! Come explore the mountains, forest, river and sea of the Ducktrap River watershed.  Campers backpack through the local forest, canoe in nearby ponds and bogs, and camp in several locations, including a remote site along the Ducktrap River.  The trip features a 4-mile backpacking trip, culminating with an ascent of Bald Rock Mountain.  It also offers a ferry ride to Islesboro and camping at Warren Island State Park. Wildlife exploration will take place daily as this trip passes through the Ducktrap Wildlife Preserve, home to a diverse community of living things (besides Tanglewood campers!) including eagles, osprey, deer, beaver, otter, turkey, salmon, and porcupines. Learn the skills necessary to travel lightly with the least impact and to find your way through the forest without paths. Participants must be able to swim and feel comfortable on the water. Some experience hiking and canoeing is recommended, and campers should be in good physical condition.

Vaughn Island Venture (Ages 12-14)  Session & Fees
Level 2:  Camping and Canoeing
From the minute you set foot on Vaughn Island 'til the moment you leave, you're part of an exciting learning adventure! This unique 6-day offering was designed to compliment the successful programs created by the York County Cooperative Extension. Vaughn Island Venture will feature canoe trips around Cape Porpoise Harbor, a visit to a U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouse, community service at a local wetland preserve, plus other activities geared towards learning about human interactions with the natural environment. Vaughn Island is a 40-acre stretch of beaches, rocky shore, salt marsh, and oak/pine forest owned and cared for by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust; it is accessible by foot during low tides and by canoe otherwise. Rich tide pools come alive with sea stars, urchins, mussels and an occasional lobster or seal pup. Participants should be able to swim and feel comfortable on the water.

NOTE: This program originates in Kennebunkport. Transportation from mid-coast Maine is available for an additional fee.