The Three C’s- Camp, Communication, ConnectionPosted by Beigette Gill on March 27, 2017
Fernwood Cove operates in two, twenty-five day sessions each summer. Activities are intentionally and purposefully planned allowing campers, CITs, and staff to explore, learn, connect, and grow. Fernwood Cove’s activities and events are more than an experience. They are opportunities to develop the three c’s – collaboration, communication, and creative thinking. Through safe risk taking and a stronger understanding of Fernwood Cove values, Fernwood Cove girls develop a greater sense of self.
Camp is a unique world where campers, CITs, and staff become the best versions of themselves. They also develop meaningful relationships and contribute to the greater good of the Fernwood Cove community. The unique support system of camp helps each individual grow in immeasurable ways, impacting each of us for a lifetime.
The Power of Communication
In recent years, we have recognized the need to focus on skills related to communication. In today’s world of texting, emails, Snapchat, and Instagram we’re losing the valuable skills of face-to-face communication. At camp, where we disconnect from our devices, we truly connect with each other as we reconnect with the important life skill of communication. We connect through stories, shared experiences, and the welcoming community that allows us to be ourselves. Former camper and CIT, Charlotte D’Acierno says it best, “It’s this desire to connect, the readiness to maintain such strong lines of communication that ties us all together. Every member of the Fernwood Cove community is inextricably linked, for there is no one here who does not understand this. Here, it is never unusual to smile hello to everyone you pass on your way to the waterfront.”
Through the development of important life skills, we experience the power of communication. The importance is not in the words that we speak or the nuances of our expressions. It is in how those things create connections within the Fernwood Cove community. These connections continue to grow each summer as campers become CITs, who then work to become counselors. Watching members of the Fernwood Cove community grow into individuals who contribute to their communities is so incredibly fulfilling. When campers, CITs, and staff continue to be the best versions of themselves after they leave camp they ensure the impact of Fernwood Cove continues all 365 days of the year. When this occurs the camp community is no longer something that exists solely along Island Pond Road. It is a community that spans the globe, reaching to mountain towns, city suburbs, villages, and downtown hubs on all seven continents.
What Ties Us All Together
Continuing to embody Fernwood Cove values and the skills we learn at camp solidifies the impact that camp has on each of us. Our connections developed through our shared camp experiences provide a foundation for lifelong friendships that continue no matter the distance between us. In today’s fast-paced, technology driven world we can easily connect with our camp friends around the world. While the methods may not be what we experienced at camp, the desire to connect remains the same. As Charlotte said, this is what ties us all together.
Next year Fernwood Cove will be celebrating its 20th year. We will continue to build connections with current Fernwood Cove families while we maintain connections with Fernwood Cove alumni. In 2018 we will be celebrating Fernwood Cove’s 20th Year through a variety of alumni events. These combined with our traditional camper reunions will allow us to enjoy the face-to-face connections we experience at camp. We encourage members of the Fernwood Cove community to connect with each other as well. (Remember to share your personal reunions, celebrations, and life moments with us!) With each connection the Fernwood Cove community grows and the ties that bind us strengthen. And the magic of camp is as vibrant as it is throughout the days of summer.