Turning of the Seasons

By Kathy Knotts, CBM Bay Weekly Managing Editor

Here we are again, at the cusp of a seasonal change as winter temperatures linger but spring-like weather taunts us at least once a week. Hopefully, you took full advantage of the sunshine and 70-degree days to get outside and soak up the sun. (Don’t forget to change your clocks this Sunday for Daylight Saving Time!) Days like that have us dreaming of all the potential that awaits us in spring and summer.

If you’re a parent, it may also have you panicking a little at what you will do to keep your children engaged, entertained and busy this summer. We know the feeling all too well and that’s why we continue to bring our Camp Guide to you every year. We used to call it the “Early Bird” Camp Guide, but we have witnessed firsthand that we are actually late to the camp party. Camps begin filling up almost as soon as their registrations open. But don’t worry—you still have options if you haven’t secured your spot. In this week’s paper, you will find camps from Solomons to Millersville and points in between. Day camps and residential camps, art camps and music camps and then just good old-fashioned camps with swimming and arts and crafts.

Summer camp for me was usually either a church camp or with the Girl Scouts at Camp Wawbansee in the piney woods of North Louisiana. I remember learning to paddle a canoe at summer camp, swimming in the little lake and lots of skit nights and talent shows.

Although my family often went camping together, summer camp with a bunch of girls my own age was a different affair.  Sometimes it was a little scary, being away from home for a whole week (truth is, my little brain didn’t realize camp was less than an hour away from home). But I remember making friends at those camps that made the heat and insects bearable.

The girls of Troop 110 and I still keep in touch on social media. We share tales of creepy bathrooms, thunderstorms at night while huddled in our cabins with flashlights, popsicle stick crafts, wildlife sightings and songs we sang every day, every summer, for years.

Today’s camps look a little different, I’ve learned. Campers can learn how to code, play a musical instrument, ride a horse, play lacrosse, learn to fence and even drive a boat. While the formats and themes may change, the appeal of summer camp remains. A time of exploration and discovery that can last a lifetime.

We’d love to hear some of your favorite camp memories, too. Send an email to [email protected] or find us on social media. Here’s to happy campers!