'Camp' Camp Blog - A Vacation for the LGBTQ Community

in memoriam

December 14, 2015 By Camp Camp Leave a Comment

It is with a heavy heart that we note the tragic passing of one of our Campers, Brittany James. Brittany passed away unexpectedly on Monday, November 9 at the too-young age of 37. Though she was only able to join us for one summer back in 2013, Brittany loved Camp and her spirit inspired us all as we watched her blossom during her week at ‘Camp’ Camp.

This is one of our favorite pictures of Brittany from her week at Camp, taken during “54!”, our disco-inspired evening event from Camp 2013 with her best Camp pal, Darin, our Dining Hall Manager. As Darin posted soon after her untimely passing: “What an honor it was to get to know such a special person. My heart is breaking for her family. I hope she finds the peace that she deserves. My second year at Camp will always be the most meaningful. Brittany was the reason for that!!”

We have established a special memorial fund in Brittany’s honor as part of our Campership Fund. We will earmark all donations made in Brittany’s name for a special Campership Fund only to be awarded to a transgender individual. If enough funds are collected, some lucky first-time transgender Camper will get to experience the spirit & camaraderie of ‘Camp’ Camp that meant so much to Brittany, all for free. Details on applying for this special Campership will be available sometime this spring.

To make a donation in Brittany’s name, you may either send us a check (payable to ‘Camp’ Camp) with “Brittany James Memorial” in the memo line – or you can make a donation online with a credit/debit card by clicking here. If you pay via the website, we just ask that you also email us and let us know where to allocate your payment since our online payment portal doesn’t offer any sort of memo field.

Rest in Peace, sweet Brittany. You will be missed.

camp gives back 2015

August 10, 2015 By Camp Camp Leave a Comment

Wow! This summer has flown by… We can’t believe that ‘Camp’ Camp 2015 is less than two weeks away! Very soon, approximately 215 people from across the U.S., plus Canada, Australia, and the U.K. will be converging on a summer camp in southwestern Maine ready to dive in to another best-time-ever week of summer camp activities, fun evening social events, and smiles & laughter with new friends. Forty-six of this year’s Campers have been with us for an unbelievable 10 years or more, including this year’s 15th-Year Campers: Nick D. of Caldwell, NJ, Jes Q. of Bedford, NH, David K. of New York, NY, Char P. of Provincetown, MA, Ann G. of Topsham, ME, and Mark “Princess” C. of Atlanta, GA. We will be donating $100 in each of their names to the It Gets Better Project in honor of their noteworthy Camp anniversary, a tradition we began since instituting our Camp Gives Back campaign three years ago.

Each summer, our “Camp Gives Back” campaign also recognizes and supports an organization that serves the LGBT community via a combination of donations from our Campers & Staff and a pledge of 10% of our Camp Store sales. Past beneficiaries of the campaign include Mainers United for Marriage ($1100 raised in 2012), Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund ($1435 raised in 2013), and, last year’s recipient, SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) ($1888).

In recognition of our commitment to welcome, embrace, and support all members of the LGBT community, we are pleased to announce that Camp Aranu’tiq, a New Hampshire-based summer camp program serving transgender & gender-variant youth and their families, is the beneficiary of this summer’s Camp Gives Back campaign. Camp Aranu’tiq (pronounced “Ar-a-NOO-tick”) w Screenshot 2015-08-10 12.19.14 as founded in 2009 and currently serves over 400 campers over the course of the year via their flagship summer camps in New Hampshire and California, as well leadership programs for older teens and weekend family camps. (Camp Aranu’tiq is just one of several programs run by Harbor Camps, a non-profit organization that provides camps for youth and families of populations that may often feel marginalized.) We know first-hand the supportive and encouraging community that can develop around a summer camp experience, so we are thrilled to support Camp Aranu’tiq in their efforts to provide such an important & amazing experience to transgender & gender-variant youth from across the country.

If you are attending Camp this summer, you can help support Camp Aranu’tiq by just buying an extra Camp t-shirt or souvenir or two (or three) in the Camp Store. You’ll also be able to make additional donations to Aranu’tiq via your Cashless ‘Camp’ Camp account. If you aren’t able to join us this summer, we suggest that you pop over to Harbor Camp’s website and make a donation. (Be sure to note that you were referred by ‘Camp’ Camp.)

Aranu’tiq is a chugach (Yup’ik, an Indigenous people of Alaska) word for a person who was thought to embody both the male and female spirit. Aranu’tiq people were often revered and thought to be very lucky because their existence transcended traditional boundaries. Unfortunately, in today’s society, transgender & gender-variant youth are often bullied, ridiculed, and made to feel less-than. We encourage you to join us in supporting Camp Aranu’tiq in providing an invaluable experience that helps these youth maintain a sense of worth and belonging by making a donation today.

campers converge from coast to coast

July 10, 2015 By Camp Camp 2 Comments

Our first-year Campers always tell us the one thing that surprises them most about Camp is “the people”. And when we ask our returning Campers why they return to Camp, we always get that very same answer. Well, those people who seem to be such a big part of what makes Camp a best-time-ever week don’t just come from a few places. Since Camp’s first year 19 summer ago, LGBT folks from across the U.S. – and, indeed, around the world – have converged on a green, shimmering-lakeside, pine-scented summer camp in rural southwestern Maine to experience the most unique LGBT vacation in the country, with many of them returning year after year.

‘Camp’ Camp 2015 – our 19th crazy-amazing summer – is definitely shaping up to be another fun week of fun, laughter & great new friends, with Campers & Staff arriving from 29 different states in the U.S., as well as Puerto Rico, two different provinces in Canada, Australia, and the U.K. As of July 10, the 195 Campers & Staff confirmed to join us this summer call the following cities home:

Ann Arbor, MI (3)
Apex, NC
Aptos, CA (2)
Arlington, VA
Atlanta, GA (2)
Austin, TX
Bailey Island, ME (2)
Bath, ME
Bayonne, NJ
Bedford, NH
Birdsboro, PA
Bolton, CT
Boston, MA
Brewster, MA
Brick, NJ
Brick, NJ
Brighton, MA (2)
Bronx, NY
Brookline, NH
Brooklyn, NY (12)
Buda, TX
Byford, Western Australia
Caldwell, NJ
Calgary, AB
Cambridge, MA (4)
Charlotte, NC
Charlton, MA
Chelsea, MA
Chicago, IL (4)
Cincinnati, OH
Claremont, NH
Colrain, MA
Columbus, OH
Concord, MA
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Dallas, TX (2)
Decatur, GA
Del Mar, CA
Deptford, NJ (2)
Dorchester, MA
Dover, NH
Durham, NC (2)

East Boston, MA
Edison, NJ
Edmonton, AB
Elkins, AR
Entiat, WA
Exeter, NH
Falls Church, VA
Florence, MA
Fort Bragg, CA
Frankford, DE
Galveston, TX
Greensboro, NC
Hamden, CT
Harrisburg, PA
Holden, ME (2)
Holland, MI (2)
Hollis, ME
Holyoke, MA
Hyde Park, MA
Jackson, MS
Jamaica Plain, MA
Jersey City, NJ
Key West, FL
Knoxville, MD
Lafayette, IN
Las Vegas, NV
Lawndale, CA
Lexington, KY
Limerick, ME
Lincoln, RI
London, UK (2)
Long Beach, CA (2)
Los Angeles, CA (2)
Lowell, MA (2)
Malden, MA (2)
Marlborough, MA
Medford, MA (3)
Montreal, QC (2)
New Orleans, LA (3)
New York, NY (6)
Newark, DE
North Eastham, MA
Norwich, CT
Oakland, CA (2)

Orlando, FL (3)
Pensacola, FL
Philadelphia, PA (2)
Plymouth Meeting, PA
Portland, ME
Provincetown, MA
Quincy, MA (2)
Raleigh, NC (3)
Randolph, MA
Remsen, NY
Richardson, TX
Rio Piedras, PR
Rio Rancho, NM
Riverdale, NY
Roslindale, MA (2)
Royal Palm Beach, FL
Salem, MA
San Francisco, CA
Santa Monica, CA
Scarborough, ME
Scituate, MA
Silver Spring, MD
Slaughter, LA (2)
St. Petersburg, FL (2)
Tacoma, WA
Tampa, FL (2)
Topsham, ME (2)
Tucson, AZ
Tukwila, WA (2)
Utica, NY
Valley Village, CA
Virginia Beach, VA
Wallingford, CT
Washington, DC (4)
Watertown, MA
Wellington, FL
West Roxbury, MA (2)
Wilbraham, MA
Williamstown, PA
Woodland Hills, CA
Wyoming, MI
Yonkers, NY (2)
Ypsilanti, MI (5)

2014 Brown Rainbow Group at 'Camp' Camp, a summer camp vacation for LGBT adults in Maine — Mary Beth’s 2014 Brown Rainbow Group hailed from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Maine, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico.

We love that folks come from all over the planet to frolic in Maine each August. If your hometown isn’t on the list, you really need to change that by registering today and discovering for yourself why our Campers say ‘Camp’ Camp is the best time ever!

win a free week at camp!

July 9, 2015 By Camp Camp 1 Comment

It’s baaaack… That’s right: we did it on Facebook in 2009, 2010, and 2012 – and now 2015 is gonna be another lucky year for two ‘Camp’ Camper Wannabes! We’re sponsoring another Best Time Ever Giveaway, and two lucky people out there in InternetLand will win a FREE week at ‘Camp’ Camp this August 23-30.

That’s right, two lucky people who’ve never been to ‘Camp’ Camp will get the opportunity to experience America’s premier summer camp for LGBT adults live & in person next month… for FREE! This offer comes with no strings, no secret catches – not even a time share presentation to sit through! Most of the winners of our previous Giveways are still attending Camp. Once they discovered for themselves that we aren’t kidding when we say Camp is the best time ever, they just couldn’t stay away! So, maybe you should take a chance and enter this year’s Giveaway – and you could get to experience the most unique LGBT vacation in the country for yourself …and it will be absolutely & positively FREE!

2010 Giveaway winner Kat Emet of Florence, MA (R, with partner Barb Chalfonte) looking happy & adorable at ‘Camp’ Camp 2012’s Tea Dance. Kat will be back for her sixth summer in 2015.

Here are the Giveaway Rules:

Members of the LGBT community age 21 & over who have never been to ‘Camp’ Camp may enter the Giveaway. Those who have attended ‘Camp’ Camp in the past or who have already registered or been accepted as Staff for ‘Camp’ Camp 2015 are not eligible.
‘Camp’ Camp 2015 is August 23-30, so please be sure you are available that week before entering.
The winner will be responsible for their own round-trip transportation to Portland, Maine. The Giveaway only covers your registration fees – a $1725 value – and does not include transportation to & from Maine. Camp will, however, provide our usual complimentary round-trip transportation between Camp and the Portland Jetport or Portland bus or train stations. If you cannot afford the transportation to & from Maine, please do not submit an entry.

To enter, simply send an e-mail to freeweek@campcamp.com with the subject line “Send ME to Camp!” before midnight E.S.T. on Sunday, July 19. Be sure to include your full name, date of birth, and address in the body of the e-mail. Then, on Monday, July 20, we’ll draw two e-mails that we’ve received at random and those two lucky people will get to experience all of ‘Camp’ Camp’s fun & challenging activities, fabulous social events, delicious food – and meet a great group of over 200 LGBT people from all over the country. All for free!

That’s really all there is to it…

Good luck – and we’ll see two of you in August!

*****

Complete rules & restrictions for ‘Camp’ Camp’s “2015 Best Time Ever Giveaway!” :

The 2015 Best Time Ever Giveaway (the “Giveaway”) is sponsored by ‘Camp’ Camp II, LLC d/b/a ‘Camp’ Camp (“Camp”).
Anyone age 21 & over who identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or genderqueer who are potential first-time Camp attendees are eligible to enter. Those who have attended Camp in any capacity prior to 2015, or who have already registered or been accepted for a Staff position at ‘Camp’ Camp 2015 prior to July 10, 2015, are not eligible.
All entries must be submitted via e-mail to freeweek@campcamp.com before midnight E.S.T. on Sunday, July 19, 2015. The subject line of the e-mail must read “Send ME to Camp!” with the Contestant’s full name, date of birth, and complete address in the body of the e-mail. Incomplete submissions, or submissions via other means (Facebook posts or private messages, text messages, etc.) will not be eligible to win.
Two winning e-mails will be selected at random on Monday, July 20, 2015 and announced on Camp’s Facebook page and via Twitter. The winners of the Giveway (the “Winners”) will also be notified personally via e-mail.
Winners shall each receive a Discount Code good for a waiver of all registration fees for ‘Camp’ Camp 2015, a value of $1725. This Discount Code is not transferable to another individual and is only applicable towards Camp’s 2015 session from August 23-30, 2015.
Winners will be responsible for providing their own round-trip transportation to Portland, Maine, as well as any incidental charges (Camp Store purchases, massages, etc.) incurred during their week at Camp. Camp will provide Winners with round-trip transportation between Camp and Portland, Maine airport or bus and train stations.
Winners must agree to all Camp rules & regulations, etc. via submission of a 2015 ‘Camp’ Camp Registration Form available either for download or via electronic submission at www.campcamp.com/register. Winner must submit their registration form no later than August 1, 2015.
Winners, at their sole discretion & request, may exchange the Giveaway’s original Discount Code prize for a Discount Code good for two (2) half-price registrations for ‘Camp’ Camp 2015 valued at $862.50 each. All Giveaway rules & regulations are applicable to this prize option as well.
The Giveaway is currently scheduled to end on Sunday, July 19, 2015; however, Camp reserves the right to extend the deadline for entries and/or the date of Winner selection.
Questions regarding these rules & restrictions – including eligibility and Winners’ rights or responsibilities – may be submitted via e-mail to info@campcamp.com.

camp gives back 2014

August 16, 2014 By Camp Camp 1 Comment

We can hardly believe it: ‘Camp’ Camp 2014 is only a week away! For the fourth year in a row, Camp will host a sold-out crowd of over 240 people from across the U.S., plus Canada, Spain, Mexico, and the U.K. – all of them geared up and ready to have the best time ever! Forty of this year’s Campers have been with us for an unbelievable 10 years or more, including this year’s 15th-Year Campers, Nick D. of Caldwell, NJ, Darcy G. of Brooklyn, NY, and Michael L. of Tucson, AZ. As we’ve done the past four years, we will be donating $100 in each of their names to the It Gets Better Project in honor of their noteworthy Camp anniversary.

Additionally, we will continue our ongoing support of the GLBT community even further with our “Camp Gives Back” campaign, now in its third year. With this campaign, we collect donations from our Campers & Staff and, in combination with our own donation of 10% of our Camp Store sales, make a donation to an organization benefitting the GLBT community. In 2012, we raised almost $1100 for Mainers United for Marriage, one of the organizations instrumental in helping Maine become the first state in the country to pass marriage equality by voter referendum. Last year, we raised $1435 for Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund which aims to inspire and engage everyone, especially straight people, to become active participants in the advancement of equality for all and, most importantly, helps to raise awareness about and bring an end to GLBT youth homeless.

In recognition of the proud fact that one of the strengths of ‘Camp’ Camp is that it is multi-generational, we are pleased to announce that this summer’s Camp Gives Back campaign will benefit SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). SAGE, which was originally Senior Action in a Gay Environment, was founded in New York City in 1978 by a group of activitists who recognized that GLBT seniors often did not have adequate social and financial resources and support. Over the past 36 years, SAGE has grown from a tiny NY-centric organization to a national support and advocacy organization that is working tirelessly to address the needs of older GLBT folks.

If you are attending Camp this summer, you can help SAGE in their efforts by just buying an extra Camp t-shirt or souvenir or two (or three) in the Camp Store. You’ll also be able to make additional donations to SAGE via your Cashless ‘Camp’ Camp account. Not coming to Camp this summer? Well, then we suggest popping over to SAGE’s website and making a donation. Let’s face it: none of us are getting any younger. (Alas!) But, with SAGE leading the way in offering supportive services and consumer resources for LGBT older adults and their caregivers, as well as advocating for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people and providing training for aging providers and LGBT organizations, we can help make sure – if only in a small way – that all of us receive the support and care we may need in our later years. So, won’t you join us and make a donation today?

in memoriam

camp gives back 2015

campers converge from coast to coast

win a free week at camp!

camp gives back 2014

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