All about the Caribou Collaborative Initiative

A prominent summer camp that has been in operation since 1922, Camp Caribou offers a variety of land and water sports, as well as creative and culinary arts to its campers. Camp Caribou also expands youth access to camp opportunities through its affiliated Caribou Collaborative Initiative (CCI).

The CCI is a nonprofit that was created for the sole purpose of ensuring that deserving children from families without adequate financial resources could experience the joy of summer camp. The focus of efforts in this regard is on children from underrepresented backgrounds, and the CCI is supported by numerous other nonprofit youth programs in rural Maine, Boston, and New York City.

The program also helps the camp promote unity among adolescents in its care while celebrating individual differences in order to break down economic, racial, religious, and geographic barriers. The goal is that, at the end of camp, participants will have a greater understanding of these differences and leverage their experience to become compassionate, open-minded adults.

To learn more about the CCI or donate online, select Campership Initiative at CampCaribou.com/prospective-families.

Helping Shy Children Feel Comfortable at Summer Camp

Located on a 200-acre peninsula in Winslow, Maine, Camp Caribou provides boys between the ages of 7 and 15 with a welcoming, high-quality overnight summer camp experience. Campers stay at Camp Caribou for either three-and-a-half weeks or seven weeks, during which time they build self-esteem, develop life skills, and form new friendships.

Summer camps are a great place for children who are outgoing and make new friends easily, however, Camp Caribou's mission is to try to help each and every camper, whether outgoing or shy, to feel comfortable and happy during their time at camp. 

The process of helping a child become more comfortable with summer camp can start at home. While discussing camp, parents should focus on the positive aspects of going to camp, such as the fun the child will have and the activities they will enjoy. When doing so, parents must be careful not to ignore their child’s fears, but rather to project confidence in his new experience. 

Camp Caribou strives to find out what makes each child special, and celebrates them for their individuality. 

Learning Woodworking Skills Offers Several Benefits

Located on a 200-acre peninsula in Winslow, Maine, Camp Caribou focuses on creating unforgettable summer-camp experiences for boys. In addition to a diverse array of land and water sports, Camp Caribou offers creative arts activities, including woodworking.

A proficient high-school woodshop teacher leads the camp’s woodworking program, where children have the chance to build a variety of interesting projects. Learning how to build or create something with wood incorporates a wide variety of transferable skills.

For instance, kids practice math competencies when they measure and hone fine-motor skills when they operate tools and machinery. Woodworking also encourages children to observe safety protocols and learn project planning while developing their creativity.

Research has shown that hands-on learning opportunities like woodworking enable children to acquire new abilities rapidly. A Purdue University study concluded that students who learned with their hands not only did so faster, but also retained their knowledge better compared with those that studied in a passive way.

Camp Caribou Maintains a Social Media Presence Online

With a bright red, white, and blue emblem of a caribou branding its name, Camp Caribou in Maine stays connected to its returning and prospective camper families through a variety of social media and online channels. Situated on a 200-acre peninsula in Winslow, the overnight summer camp provides a wealth of wilderness, outdoor, and creative programs for boys, all led by experienced and enthusiastic staff. Through online presence, Camp Caribou showcases plenty of current and vintage photos from previous years, demonstrating its warm family-like atmosphere.

The camp’s Instagram and Facebook feeds contain images that highlight the many ways campers have fun in a safe and nurturing environment that also challenges them to become the best and most well-rounded individuals they can be. Pictures feature regular camp activities, such as swim parties, lacrosse, volleyball on the beach, and opportunities to learn new skills from counselors. The Camp Caribou photographer often makes posts in real time, allowing campers’ families to share in their experiences.

Additionally, the camp’s secure online portal at CampCaribou.com provides parents and alumni with a means of staying current on camp news, managing applications and registrations, and purchasing camp memorabilia for the whole family.

Preparing Your Child for Overnight Summer Camp

Accredited by the American Camp Association, Camp Caribou features countless indoor and outdoor programming for boys aged 7-15 in the Winslow, Maine, area. Camp Caribou is an overnight camp that allows its campers to experience these activities for either a half or full session each summer.

For children, the idea of staying at an overnight camp can be both exciting and intimidating. While they will have the opportunity to try new activities, make new friends, and have tons of fun, they will also need to spend some time away from home. To ensure that your child has the most rewarding camp experience, you will need to help them prepare well before their arrival.

You should spend some time with your child going over the various things that they can expect from an overnight camp. For instance, you should explain the etiquette of sharing a bedroom with other children and go over the brochure for the camp they’re attending. You can even talk about your own experiences with overnight summer camps to give them a better understanding.

It is also important to let your child help you when it comes time to pack. You should follow the general packing list that the camp directors provide, but make sure to let them include any belongings that will make their time at camp more comfortable. Allowing your child to help pack will also make the idea of the upcoming experience all the more exciting.

Camp Caribou Celebrates 50th Anniversary under Lerman Family

An overnight summer camp for boys, Camp Caribou in Winslow, Maine, allows campers to form lifelong friendships and provides them with a broad variety of fun and educational activities. Camp Caribou’s experienced counselors also help campers build self-confidence by striking a balance between improving current skills and exploring new interests.

A three-generation family business, the camp celebrated its 50th anniversary under the ownership of the Lerman family in 2018. Purchased by Al and Evelyn Lerman in 1968, it was passed down to their son, Bill, and his wife, Martha, a decade later before falling into the hands of their grandchildren. Bobby Lerman recruits new campers and leads Caribou’s daily management, while his siblings Lori and Alex handle all other matters.

To ensure genuine interest in the family business, Bill and Martha imposed a rule that their children must work elsewhere before they can apply to join the Caribou staff. This policy has enabled the camp to build a close-knit team and contributes to inspiring campers to return as counselors later in life.

Despite society’s reliance on mobile technology, Martha and Bill Lerman believe that traditional camp experiences like the one at Caribou will continue to survive. The camp has seen a trend in recent years of families with an interest in sending their children to a place where they can form lasting friendships without the distraction of technology. Bill Lerman also believes that traditional-style camps are replacing playgrounds as the setting where children learn skills for settling differences and social interaction.

High and Low Ropes Courses - What’s the Difference?

As a family-owned summer camp for boys, Camp Caribou is dedicated to building positive relationships and helping campers to discover what they can do. Essential to this mission is the ropes course, complete with high and low elements, that lies at the heart of Camp Caribou.

High and low ropes courses have a lot in common. They both cultivate cooperation, communication, trust, and the ability to lead, as well as follow. A ropes course of any level of intensity requires that all members of a team work together and encourage one another in a positive manner, avoiding both criticism and pressure.

Of course, a high ropes course involves being farther off of the ground. Whereas the activities of low ropes courses range from ground level to 12 or 13 feet in the air, a high ropes course is typically 25 to 50 feet high. This extra height is more challenging on both a physical and mental scale.

A high ropes course allows participants to face and overcome their fears. It can also help the participants and his supporters to deal with elevated emotional situations, and relate in new ways to their surroundings. It is intended as a challenging experience and safety is at the core of the operation. 

A low ropes course is designed to be a collaborative and non-intimidating experience. The focus is on solving problems and surmounting obstacles as a group, drawing on each person’s particular strengths and knowledge. These exercises are less of a challenge on the individual level, but demand a great deal in terms of a team's ability to cooperate and encourage outside-of-the-box thinking.

CAMP CARIBOU

THE BEST OF SUMMER CAMPS IN THE USA 2019

Located on a stunning, 200-acre peninsula in Winslow, Maine, Camp Caribou is a premier overnight summer camp for boys ages 7-15. Dedicated staff facilitates a comprehensive assortment of land and water sports, challenging adventure and wilderness opportunities, as well as creative and culinary arts.

Wayland family marks 50 years of owning Maine's Camp Caribou

Wayland family marks 50 years of owning Maine's Camp Caribou

Camp Caribou in Maine has been around for 96 years. For 50 of them, the camp has been owned by the Lerman family.