Contagious Camp
Written: Mar 31 '02 (Updated Apr 01 '02)
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Pros: The staff, activities, and campers,are unforgettable and make amazing memories.
Cons: That its not year round!!
The Bottom Line: Come! Its an amazing place and you'll leave a better person. You'll have more GOOD memories from one summer at SMA than all others combined.
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| smadventurer's Full Review: Stone Mountain Adventures |
Going to SMA is an unforgettable experience. Pam, Biff, and Susan, the directors of the camp pick the most amazing staff and are wonderful people themselves. I have never met a better-rounded group of people than in my time at SMA and I loved every moment of it except having to leave. This place has such a great effect on everyone. I'm still looking into the possibility that maybe there is some disease called SMA that makes you never want to leave. The atmospheres contagious! The campers are SMAlcoholics, I count the days till camp and keep in touch with many of my friends.
SMA offers two sessions, each 23 days long.
First Session: June 23rd - July 16th
tuition: $2790
Second Session: July 18th - August 10th
tuition: $2790
Tuiton for both sessions: $5200
The optional program of Horsemasters (an additional $200)is a fun and challenging program for the experienced riders. Boys-this is a great opportunity to meet girls! No boys will make fun of you when you have 15 horsie chics hanging around you!! Horsemasters meet every morning activity time however it is your choice whether to show up. Other expenses, such as laundry, Hershey Park, and rafting, are covered by tuition.
Laundry takes up an activity time however it's quite an experience in itself! Many of the campers at SMA have'nt done their own laundry before so it is rather entertaining to watch them struggle!!! After satisfaction from this cruel form of entertainment we all pitch in and help them. Laundry is offered every week and you go as needed. The counselors that drive us in to town for laundry always make it fun and there are always vending machines at the laundry shop for those of you with a sweet tooth. As hard to believe as this may be, I have some wonderful memories from doing Laundry. There is a cute bagel shop down the street where we often drive to while waiting for the cycles to finish. The musically talented or talentless share their musical abilities on the piano in the shop. Some like counselor John prefer to surprise us and play a jingle with their toes!!
Applications and deposits of $475 are accepted on a rolling basis; billing balances are due by May 1.
Financial aid is available on the basis of need and availability. Prospective campers and their parents may call, write, or e-mail the main office to receive a scholarship application.
What's so special about this place is that its small so you get to know everyone, and whether you were expecting to or not, you leave camps with friendships that are lifelong. Not only in the other 49 campers, but the directors and Staff as well. I returned from camp after my first summer a different person. I brought some of my SMA character home with me. I am more outgoing and willing to try new things. I have made friends from all around the world not to mention most every state in the U.S! I have friends in Australia, New Zealand, England, France, and South Korea amongst others.
Now, adults may look at SMA and say to their kids "why would you ever want to go to a camp where the rooms are small wood cabins, and the activities aren't even on camp property for the most part? Why don't you want to go to one of the larger camps with air conditioned rooms and more activities?" I know, my parents have said that. But those small cabins open many opportunities for bonding with the other boys or girls. Staying up at night sharing the candy mom sent in a package while discussing who likes who, comforting the home sick (which is rare because SMA is a home away from home), and just being together. Its part of what makes it so great. And the off campus activities, I would never give up the van rides full of singing silly songs, laughing, those are the memories that camps all about.
There are six cabins located on the hill above the main house where we eat and hang out. Three cabins are for the ladies and 3 for the gents aka Wild Hooligans. These are where many memories are made. The boys three cabins are Lower, Middle, and Upper. The girls cabins are Right, Middle, and Left. Cabins are not separated by age although it usually works out pretty close to Right and Lower being for the 12/13 year olds, Middle 14/15 and Upper and Left 15/16/ and the occasional Super Camper, a 17 year old. During the day between activities we have the run of our cabin, no constant supervision however adults are always nearby. At night we retreat to our bunkbeds where there are four bunkbeds for 8-campers. One counselor, same gender joins you before you go to sleep or are in bed(counselors are lax with bedtimes, "lightsout" means lights go out, flash lights on and the whispers, giggles, late night snacks and pranks begin.) Counselors are usually okay with this because they know that the above make camp all the more memorable. Inside each cabin are traditional bunkbeds and lots of shelves.
The bathrooms and showers are all attached to the main house, just a few steps away from each cabin. There are two showers for the girls and two for the boys. Two toilets per gender as well. With 25 girls and 25 boys, not to mention that our water is from a spring that during the summer often can get pretty low or even dry out weather permitting, showers have to be VERY short and only once a day. Toilet occupants get used to shouting "flushing!" so the occupants of the showers don't get a nasty surprise. Often, so as to ensure hot water, friends(and believe me you'll have 49 + counselors) will squeeze into a shower stall often for others to hear "hey can you get that spot behind my neck." Yes, we're a VERY close knit family at SMA. Parents, don't worry, the boys and girls DO NOT shower together, although I can't honestly say it hasn't been attempted!
No spam is served at SMA in terms of food, however some campers may acquire the nickname or be jokingly served some from their secret friends(A camp tradition where you are given a fellow camper or counselor to secretly give small gifts and notes to, you are revealed a week later!). Spam is definitely a big NO NO at SMA. Since camp is so small, Ethel, one of the kitchen staff, makes sure we campers get the best! Homecooking, just like mom! Even better sometimes. Cooking is often an activity so the campers often are able to contribute to meals. Meals range from Italian dishes such as Lasgna, spaghetti and garlic bread, Eggplant Parmesan, Pizza and Pasta Salad to Mexican enchiladas, tacos burritos and nachos, Greek meals of Tabouleh, hummus and pretzels, the All American BBQ chicken, hotdogs and hamburgers. Also, at evey meal are cold cuts or peanut butter and jelly for those of you more conservative eatters.Salad, fresh fruit, breads, veggies and desserts are also available at every meal. It really is just like at home. If in the middle of the day you feel a little hungry, just walk into the kitchen and help yourself!
Every evening we gather to discuss "warm fuzzies and cold prickleys" otherwise referred to as out good and bad points of the day. We also discuss anything on our minds. Jokes, stories, and learn what our evening activity is. Most importantly however, we choose our activities for the following day. You read it right, we choose. Every day we have two activities, morning and afternoon. This way we are not rushed around from activity to activity and can really have time to try something new. Morning activities are about 3 hours and afternoon activities about 4. Activities are in abundance at SMA, even with the small staff of 17. There are about 8-12 activities offered each morning and some same and some new ones in the afternoon. Activities change on a daily basis but if popularity demands one activity not being offered it is usually added on no problem. On the farm some activities include: riding, volleyball, rock climbing(75ft +/- rock faces),rappelling, ultimate frisbee, mountain biking and along the beatiful roads in amish country, arts and crafts or as we call it, farts and laughs, hiking, basketball, creative writing, cooking, touch rugby, skits, dances, soccor, ping pong, foosball, campfires,touch football, music, yoga(so fun!),capture the flag(we play at a bed and breakfast, its amazing fun!),team building games, tie dying(everything from shirts to undies!), and berry picking. Many of the activities are off the camp property(100 + acres). We use the surrounding resources for great times. Waterskiing, wind surfing, knee boarding, wake boarding, fishing, sailing, kayaking, caving(the best activity, also the rarest offered, a must do),tennis, biking, river anoeing, lake canoeing, river"floats" (where we let the river take us where it may, great fun!),overnights(rock climbing, waterskiing, trail),swimming, Cubing(Summer sled riding, come to camp to find out why summer sled riding is so cold!), and paddle boats. Every activity is an experience! Beginners are welcomed with opened arms and advanced alike. Water activities are held often at Lake Raystown, a 26 mile expanse and man made lake. You get to custom design your own summer! Weekends we do a community service activity such as going to an elderly home to conduct a game of bingo, old as they are, they are wonderful people! Kurt Warner, the NFL Rams quarterback's grandmother is there and makes us all laugh with her quirky comments. Sundays we sleep in till 10, than have donuts for breakfast and have a picnic at the lake.
I am going back for my third summer and I wish that I'd learned of it two years earlier so I could have started at age 11 rather than 13 so I could just have those extra two years of memories. I think everyone, whether you are a teenager, a college student, or grandparent should have to go to SMA, this world needs more people like those in Huntingdon at the farm. When camp time comes around and you've been picked up by a van or your parents are driving you there and you see the funny little gas station, and than the horsepower sign and the deer farm and there's Elwood!"(The barn hand who tops the age of all the campers combines (Elwood, if you read this you know I love you!)) It's like coming home after being on a vacation for a really long time.
You can visit the Amish market on Wednesdays if you'd liek and go shopping. It's quite an experience. We are also allowed to adopt pets there. Rabbits and ducks. You may either leave them at the end of camp or take them home. You'll notice the abundance of "wild bunnies" around camp if you come, which you should!! There
We take exciting day trips to Hershey Park, The Yough for white water rafting (TONS OF FUN and GREAT BONDING EXPERIENCE), Ice Skating, Disco Bowling(where we make fools of ourselves and love every moment!), Penn State, and Dairy Queen amongst other places. Camp is located near a hospital and on location Aussie Nurse Fiona, so we are prepared for the late night tummy ache or broken bone.
All year I'm in a good mood because I have more than just summer to look forward to, I have camp. Even the smallest things mean so much to me. Like how at evening meetings, when Ethel one of the camp cooks, also an older member of the camp gets in her little station wagon and the engine comes roaring on and she turns out of the driveway. The meeting stops and we all yell "Bye Ethel!" and she beeps her horn making the whole circle smile, its all memories.
I can remember things that seem so unimportant but were part of camp so they become important. For example, on the drive up, I remember how many times the counselors stopped for coffee and how many more they made more bathroom breaks! Also, who sat next to me on every van ride (and believe me there were lots!), doing dishes, or when I first got up the courage to speak to so and so who is now one of my closest friends! Then there are memories from activities. Everyone remembers that day when you finally get up on the water skis, or you climbed that rock face that you hadn't made before! How proud you were of yourself and how when you shared the news as a 'warm fuzzy' at meeting time everyone applauded you on your success.
This may seem weird to you, but it's so meaningful to me. You can't understand the love any other camper or staff member or I have for SMA until you experience it. Then you'll be like me, full of memories that mean everything in the world to you and seem silly or like babble to someone else. Yet in this I hope you can at least make out how wonderfully amazing Stone Mountain is. There's no word to describe how magnificent it is, just those three letters, its initials, are the best description. For you, SMA is the camp, a place. For me, SMA, is like an adjective, for me heaven would be SMA.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $2790
Type of Camp: Adventure
Best Suited For: 13 to 17 years
Camper to Counselor Ratio: Fine mix of campers and counselors
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Epinions.com ID:
smadventurer
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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