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November 2023
By Itayi Mangah

I grew up in a small country called Zimbabwe. A country approximately 7600 miles away from here. Never in my young life did I ever imagine leaving home and raising a family in a foreign land. I had a wonderful childhood and I was fortunate to have many opportunities and I had the love and support of many people around me. I had my community of friends, church, schoolmates and family, and I had a strong sense of belonging. Now fast forward to years later, I found myself a parent to a young girl in a foreign land here in the United States, and I wanted my daughter to have the same experiences and sense of belonging just as I had when growing up, but, being an immigrant with no family and very little guidance, I was challenged and could not do it by myself!

A friend told me about Onaway, and I decided to give it a shot. Honestly, I took my chances because I had no idea what Onaway was really about. However, I quickly realized that I had made the right choice. Maita at first was reluctant but with every summer she came back and she thrived. It took her 3 summers to move from “minnows” in swimming. It was at Onaway that she found out that she had a passion for singing and acting, and she took classical music in high school. She took boating, canoeing, and the first summer she made a candle holder which I proudly show off to everyone who visits our home. There were some challenging summers as well where she almost came home, but in all this, she was supported either by adults or friends around her and came home a better person. While Maita is no longer a camper, she has made strong friendships and her love for camp is deep! This summer Maita did not return as a counselor however she was very concerned and curious to know if opening day went well and even offered to help if needed. When it comes to Onaway, I have seen a sense of responsibility and care that I have not seen in her for other things. You see that’s the spirit of Onaway, that sense of belonging, you can’t explain it but you feel it.

One of Onaway’s values is COMMUNITY which states …. COMMUNITY: Guided by tradition and through a spirit of belonging, love, and independence, Onaway encourages cooperation, compromise, awareness of others, and development of individual strengths, all of which build community.

I did not go to Onaway and cannot relate to a lot of camp traditions, however as a parent I am happy that Onaway provided that community for my daughter to thrive, be herself and develop into the confident young woman that she is today. I am on the board today because of her, and my hope is that Onaway will continue to be that special place where everyone feels they belong.

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April 2023
By Kendra Demopoulos (mom to Lizzie-Birches, Ally-Skytops and Aide Cate) and Alison Quinan (mom to Onaway alums: counselors Misses Emmy, Sarah, and Aide Jocelyn)

Dear Fellow Onaway Families,

Hello and Welcome (or Welcome Back) to Camp!

As we roll into spring and the warmer weather, thoughts turn to summer and getting ready for camp and with that, the packing list! We know it can be a little overwhelming at first glance and as two moms who attended camp in the ‘80s and ‘90s and have each sent 3 girls to camp over the last 10 years, we thought a little explanation/expansion might be helpful. While the official packing list is quite comprehensive for the necessities of day-to-day camp life, there are a few items that might need a little more explanation and a few items our daughters always add to their lists.

Let’s start with the dress-up clothes for Sundays. This does not mean formal wear and it does not mean bringing along your full Elsa costume. Sunday evening supper is typically a casual picnic and each cabin group picks a fun theme for their outfits. Girls create costumes to fit the theme from items they have or they can borrow from each other – our girls have found that their best option is to bring a small assortment of solid colored items (t-shirts in assorted solid rainbow colors, bandanas, shorts, even a random tutu left over from spirit week!) that they can mix and match to fit their needs. Definitely don’t go crazy with this as cabin space is limited!

Next, a suggestion for the laundry bag: The cotton ones on Amazon came with backpack/shoulder straps and they tell me it made life a lot easier when it came time to haul the full bag down the hill for weekly laundry pickup! Don’t forget to personalize it!

The emery board/nail clippers are on the list to help the girls prep their nails for daily nails inspection. Our girls preferred a small nail kit that included cuticle tools in addition to nail clippers and a nail file.

Our girls learned the hard way how important it is that their raincoats and hiking shoes/boots are truly waterproof. And make sure to break in those hiking shoes/boots (or pack plenty of moleskin).

Beyond the items on the packing list, here are some items our girls found helpful to include:

• Thumb tacks
• Masking tape or duct tape
• Extra Sharpie pen(s)
• Self-stick envelopes + stamps (humidity can stick the lick-em kind shut). If you prefer stationary without the self-stick option, we recommend a small plastic container or Ziploc bag for the envelopes to keep the humidity out
• Swim goggles (if your child typically uses them to swim)
• Box of tissues (the square, boutique size fit best on the bedside table)
• Toothbrush case/cover – always a bummer to accidentally drop a toothbrush in the dirt/pine needles on the way to the sink!
• A few small cabin decorations: photos of family/friends, a favorite stuffed animal, small artwork
• Waterproof sandals/shoes for canoe or sailing trips

Lastly, while it’s a pain in the neck, don’t forget to put names on EVERYTHING! You can even use a Sharpie to put a name on the shampoo bottle in case it gets left in the shower house by mistake. A Sharpie or a clothing stamp makes putting names on the many pairs of socks and underwear much easier. For dark clothing, iron-on name tapes work well.

The good news is many of the items on the packing list can be purchased for the first summer and then used for years to come so it gets easier! The cabins are tiny, so don’t bring lots of stuff because it only makes it harder to keep the cabin clean for inspection. Simple living is one of Onaway’s greatest life lessons.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to either of us if you have any questions – about the packing list or anything else!

Bring on Onaway Summer 2023!

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April 2023
By Lydia Romano Barhight (Alumna, Trustee)

The other day, I was sitting on the pool deck during my five-year-old daughter’s swim lesson. Within a couple minutes, I started to feel antsy and pulled out my phone. The options are endless- shall I find a new recipe to try? Peruse photos of my friends’ travels and families? I could select which yoga class to take later, play a word game, see who is texting me…and so on. It took too long for me to hear my daughter calling “Mommy! Mommy!”—she wanted me to see a new skill she had accomplished, and I had missed it. I made a concerted effort to put my phone away for the rest of the lesson and be more present.

I know I’m not alone- many of us enjoy Pinterest sessions, online shopping, making playlists, reading the news, or using apps for audiobooks, for example. All of these tools can be wonderful, letting us learn and connect. Many schools are teaching the basics of programming with coding classes, teaching important skills for the future. However, technology being omnipresent in our lives can also take a toll. Now that we essentially have access to most information we could want, right in our pockets and purses, the temptation to be checking keeps us all looking down and missing connections around us. Finding time to unplug can have great benefits.

One of the unique aspects of a Camp Onaway summer is the opportunity to detangle and unplug all of our cords. Below are some of the possible benefits of a tech-free summer, and some ways that unplugging supports Camp Onaway values.

1. Community

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone who is staring at their phone? It can be distracting and even hurtful, because it can seem as though someone cares more about their notifications than what you are saying. It is difficult to attend to what is happening around you if you are looking down at a device. You can miss social cues (both verbal and nonverbal). Unplugging lets us make eye contact, connect, respond appropriately, and give another person our full attention. When we attend to one another, we build respect, love, admiration, and connection, which builds our community.

2. Self-Discovery

One of the greatest gifts of a Camp Onaway summer is the chance to try new things. Going out of our comfort zones and testing our limits is uncomfortable, but it is also how we grow. Sometimes, it is hard to try something new if you feel as though others are watching and maybe judging. Social media often focuses on how we “show” what we are doing. Taking a break from social media gives campers a chance to hit the pause button on “showing” and instead just sink in and appreciate what is happening right now, around people they trust. It takes away the pressure to document, record, and post. It takes away the worry of seeing how others will respond with “likes” and lets us focus on feeling validated by our own accomplishments, or from the support of friends and mentors around us in person. More of our energy and mental focus can be spent on the present moment.

3. Simplicity

Unplugging allows us to focus on minimalism. It is no secret that advertisers and marketers target kids and teens. Social media is full of “influencers” who are given free goods in exchange for discussing them, sampling them, and reporting back to their wider audience. This can make kids and teens feel pressured to purchase items, have the “right” clothes, and to generally keep consuming. At camp, we learn to make do with what we have in our trunks, and relax with the effortless uniform. We learn that we need much less than we think we do. We share and borrow from friends, further enhancing community. Of course, the appropriate gear for our activities keep us warm, dry, and safe, but we do not need a closet full of shoes or the latest serum. We can find beauty and peace in nature, with the calls of loons and the smell of pine needles. This is all easier to enjoy without the advertising bombardment from social media.

Unplugging also has many health benefits. Studies have linked social media use to problematic sleep, including less total sleep time, disrupted sleep (waking during the night), and delayed sleep (going to bed later; you can read more here or here). Social media use can increase feelings of sadness, loneliness, missing out, or anxiety (you can find more information here from the Child Mind Institute). Even children and adolescents are starting to present with symptoms of “Text Neck” or “Tech Neck,” which refers to pain associated with poor posture and looking down for long periods of time.

In summary, technology has many benefits, and it is unlikely that any of us would stop using our devices, or cancel all of our social media accounts, completely. However, the opportunity to put down the phones, close the apps, and cease the scrolling can give us health benefits, let us be present and mindful, and build real social connection with our Camp community.

April 2023
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By Liz Porter Hawkins (Alumna and Trustee)

The Onaway Board of Trustees moves around the country for two of its three meetings annually. Every summer we hold our meeting at Camp so that we can observe all the programs in action and learn from the camp community. This spring, for the first time, the board meeting was held in Colorado where a few of our trustees live. The staff and trustees gathered in Evergreen, CO on Friday, March 31 for a weekend full of meetings and a dinner with the local alumnae.

Our full agenda always includes a careful analysis of our budget and finances. Onaway continues to be among the most affordable sleep-away camps, and we are committed to providing financial assistance to the best of our ability. The Onaway Fund is key to this commitment and to hiring excellent staff and providing quality programs and activities and healthy meals. At the spring meeting, trustees personalized the director’s Onaway Fund letters to encourage philanthropic support from our alumnae and families. We take time to do this because we simply couldn’t run camp effectively with our Onaway Fund supporters!

We also review the state of our facilities. This spring we saw pictures of all the great work Mr. Gene is managing at camp including the construction progress at Off-Away and Woodland Hall. We are excited for the girls to enjoy the new Arts & Crafts and Ceramics rooms, the spaceous Ping Pong Piazza, and the expanded stage inside our beautiful Woodland Hall with the new Stage Craft area beneath it. These much needed improvements are the result of trustees, staff, donors, and volunteers committing tremendous time, talent, and treasure to the WIDE AWAKE Capital Campaign. There was much gratitude in the air at this spring meeting!

Onaway staff and trustees must always be learning about issues that impact girls and women today. We had open-hearted conversations about gender identity and the challenge of being true to our Onaway mission while supporting campers in becoming their true and best selves. These are sensitive conversations calling for everyone’s commitment to learn, listen, research, and speak one’s mind and heart. And we are fortunate to have subject experts among us, as well as strong, respectful leadership, allowing the group to “meet the challenges of today’s world with honesty, sensitivity, and courage.”

Saturday evening we enjoyed a gathering with alumnae from the greater Denver area. Director Barrie Pendergast gave an update about camp, we managed to sing grace in a round, and shared a delicious dinner with lots of stories and laughs. It is wonderful for trustees to meet former campers and counselors as well as the alums to meet the trustees and staff. It’s always fun to reconnect and network with other Onaway people. When an Onaway Board of Trustees meeting is held in a location near you, please try to join us for the social gathering so we can keep our Onaway community connected!

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