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Camp Foley
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Cabin LivingWhether you are 8 or 16, a boy or a girl, a first time camper or a seasoned veteran, there is no mistaking that the cabin is one of the most important places where you will be spending time at camp. Coming to camp where you get to live and play with the other kids your age allows you time to really practice your independence as well as have fun with your friends. Even if you don't come to camp with a friend (and lots of kids don't) the cabin is a great place to meet kids your own age and get to know them really well. Although we can't show you every little piece of camp, this section of the website will allow you to get an idea of what things are going to be like in your cabin. Not every cabin is the same, but we will try to give you a good idea of how the cabins look. Most importantly, the cabin is a place that you should feel at home in (or at least your home away from home). Be sure to check out the pictures to give you a better idea! The NamesOne of the biggest questions we get at camp is: Where do the names of the cabins come from and why are they so hard to say? Never fear! All the names of the cabins come from a variety of Native American languages. Some are people that you have probably heard of (Pocahontas and Sacajawea) while others are obscure places and things (Mingo meaning treacherous in Algonquian). Sound Confusing?? Don't worry, the staff are there to help you and if you can't remember the name, just sort of sound it out and they will help. The Actual CabinsEach one of our cabins holds 7-12 campers and 2-3 staff. All of them have electricity and are equipped with wood burning stoves (just in case it gets cold). On the hot days a fan is available to help circulate the cooler outside air. The one thing that is consistent throughout all the cabins
is the beds. All of the beds are made out of wood (and of course we give you a
mattress) and most are bunk beds. All the top bunks have railings on
them to keep you in your bed at night. Although slightly skinnier than a twin
bed, twin size sheets fit just fine. When arriving at camp you will find a name
tag with your name on it already attached to one of the beds. Our creative
staff has the Each set of bunk beds also has built in shelves to give you plenty of space to store all your things. In general we call these cabinets or cubbies. This is great space to put all your clothes, toiletries, books, games, etc.
Each camper is also given space in a locker to store your shoes, hang towels, lifejackets, sweatshirts, etc. Hangers are provided. At the bottom of the locker there is plenty of space for your shoes and sandals. This is also a good place to store tennis rackets, tackle boxes or any other special equipment that you bring to camp. The lockers also have some sort of hook on them that are perfect for hanging laundry bags. On top of the lockers in another spot that a toiletry basket could be stored or folded towels could be kept. Some of the cabins have individual lockers, while others have a locker island that is shared by all. In this case, each camper is given a section to store their stuff in.
Last, but certainly not least, and probably most importantly, each cabin has a small gathering space. This is an area that is left for everyone to be able to sit in a circle (or at least close) and chat about the day or play an evening board game. This space is often in the center of the cabin or perhaps off to one side or the other. It is in this space that a lot of the bonding of camp happens and the group gathers for silly moments.
Cabin LifeOkay, now you have an idea about what your cabin looks
like, but more importantly is what we do in the cabins, A part of every traditional summer camp is cabin cleanup.
Each morning the counselors will wake you up in time to complete the morning
routine. Each cabin wakes up at a different time which allows those cabins that
are speedy with their clean up to sleep in. On the first night of camp your
cabin mates and you will decide on a method to complete your morning work.
Included in your tasks are: sweeping (inside and out), checking the
clotheslines for dry clothes, looking for trash around your cabin, straightening
your lockers and cabinets and of course making your bed. You also have to get
yourself ready for the day! Although it sounds like a lot of work, remember
that you have 8-10 other people in your cabin to help. Going into this with a
positive attitude is a great way show leadership and help out the rest of the
group. Another important time that is spent in the cabin is rest period. Each day after lunch, the whole camp will return to their cabins for a 30-45 minute rest time. This is a great time to get caught up on letters, read a book, listen to some music or if the day is keeping you too busy, take a nap! Each camper is required to be on their own bed and quiet to respect everyone else in the cabin. So far we have discussed cleaning and sleeping, what about
the fun stuff?? Well, don't worry, there is plenty of that as well. Each
evening after dinner for the campers that are 12 and under and after 6th
period for the campers that are 13 and over, we have evening program.
Many times this is a planned event with your cabin. On the first few nights When your planned activity is over, it is back to the cabin
for cabin time. This is time that is spent playing games, making
friendship bracelets, challenging your staff to fun competition or just When the evening is winding down, it is time to crawl into bed and enjoy flashlight time. This is one of the most popular times in the cabin and as the counselors read a short story or even work on a longer book throughout the session, you can settle in to your bed and write letters, read your own book, or listen quietly. During this time, the staff may ask you what the high points of your day are, or even your low points of the day so that they can help make it better the next day!! We consider cabin living to be one of, if not THE, most important part of camp. We hope that this brief look at what goes on in a cabin will help you to better understand where you will be living. Above all we hope that the cabin is a space that you can call your home away from home and that many lasting memories are created here.
If you are interested, here is the Cabin Living section from our video. It will be very helpful to have a fast internet connection and make sure your speakers are turned up a bit.
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job of making and hanging the name tags so that even the last
camper to arrive does not feel like they are being left out. Part of coming to
camp is to meet new people and even if you come with a friend, it is important
to branch out and make new friends. Being bunk mates with someone you
don't know is a great way to start that process. 
and what the feeling
of the cabin is like. Have you ever gone over to a friends house where you
felt like you were included as part of their family? Everyone was talking to
you and making sure that you had everything you needed. That is the same type
of feeling that we want you to feel at camp as well as make everyone in your
cabin feel. The great thing about camp is that we are a community on our own,
like our own little city or town. The counselors work very hard to make
everyone feel included in this town, but as a part of the town, it is
important that you are doing your part to contribute to the overall community
feel in the cabin.
of
camp you will have a hand in picking out some activities that you would like to
do with your cabin mates. Some examples include, making Rice Krispie treats
over the fire, doing a swim and sauna, playing human foosball against another
cabin, or just hanging out playing board games. Occasionally a large group of
kids will get together for a big game of three goal soccer or capture the flag.
This is the time that you really get to hang out with your cabin mates and get
to know them. Many, many of the most memorable times come during this fun time
each evening!!
chatting. Some nights the campers may choose what they are doing, while other
nights the staff may have something fun planned for the whole group. Cabin time
is usually accompanied by a snack that is handed out by one of the directors or
assistant directors. Most kids find that this is the time they really connect
with their cabin mates and counselors. The sense of belonging is what camp is
all about and all of the things that we plan for you are geared towards bringing
the group together.
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