I absolutely hated leaving home for four weeks, but now that I am much older, I miss you. Thank you for the lessons learned and the memories.

Dear Camp Newfound-Owatonna,

You taught me so much. I learned how to be away from mom and dad for three to four weeks. When mom and dad finished getting me settled in in my cabin and cubie for the year, I knew that they would be leaving soon, and go back to Virginia while I was up in Maine.

I absolutely hated the Big Float Test! The Big Float was anchored out in Long Lake and we had to swim out to it, tread water for a few minutes, put life-jackets on and swim back to the dock. The first two years, no matter how hard I tried, I just could not pass. I was so afraid. The last two years, I passed and wrote everyone back home a letter saying that I had FINALLY passed the ominous test that determined whether you could kayak, water ski or paddle board. I didn't just have to stick with canoeing everyday.

However, on the weekends, we could sleep in and didn't have to go to any classes. We could play in the lake or do art projects in the gazebo. We also had Socials where we got together with Owatonna and had a theme party, such as a hoedown, disco or Christmas in July. Sundays were the best. We got dressed in our Sunday School attire, which was khakis again, and a collared Newfound shirt. We went to Sunday School after a complete inspection of our hygiene, cabin, and cubie. After Sunday School, we had to mark our books for the next week, and after that it was a "beach party." The boy camp, Owatonna would come down and the motor boats towed tubes around the lake and many other activities happened.

The absolute best was Friday nights when we had Cabin Nights. They were nights in which your cabin spent time together. Some examples are taking a bath in a canoe, making cookies, getting to spend a night in the Counselor Cabin up the hill, which had a TV and air-conditioning!

I could explain each and every memory I have from Trips where we explored Maine for a few days and nights or went to Popham Beach for the day. I miss all of the memories. I took it for granted. I wish I could go back and experience it all again. Someday, I will come back and visit. Thank you for every adventure and friend I met along the way, Camp Newfound.

"N-E-W-F-O-U-N-D, NEWFOUND, We love you. Yes we do."

Love,

One of your many campers