Offseason musings from the Director and other voices regarding Kabeyun’s philosophy and the role of camp in developing strong, confident, and caring boys.
You can learn a lot about boys summer camps from websites, personal recommendations, and conversations with camp directors, but there is no better way to evaluate an overnight camp than visiting while it is in session. How do you make the most of your visit? Here are a few suggestions for visiting Kabeyun and other boys summer camps.
The view across the lake from the Kabeyun waterfront is beautiful and oft-photographed, usually featuring five classic Towne sailboats bobbing at their moorings. Soon, a new boat will join this vista – a Drascombe Gig. The Gig brings new opportunities for both the sailing and Trips departments, thanks to an extraordinarily generous gift from a family long devoted to our boys summer camp.
The 2019 Kabeyun staff is looking forward to opening day, just 24 hours away now! Kabeyun's own Liam Duncan spent an afternoon capturing the excitement of the staff as they make final preparations for camper's arrival, and wanted to share a bit of that energy with you. Enjoy!
Every single Kabeyun camper and staff member knows Kevin Wilcox. As the head nurse of our boys summer camp, Kevin watches out for everyone’s health and safety. Kevin first came to Kabeyun in 1993 as a member of the swim staff. Over the years, he has worked on the waterfront, athletic fields, and as a Trips counselor. He also served as Head of Trips and spent many summers in the Panthers cabin. The breadth of Kevin’s Kabeyun experiences give him unique insights into keeping campers healthy and safe.
Kabeyun’s waterfront director, Eliot Golding, is adding a crucial new role to his portfolio this summer: coordinating camp’s re-accreditation process with the American Camp Association. The ACA calls accreditation “a voluntary commitment by camps to the highest standards of health, safety, and program quality,” and a way “to assist the public in selecting camps that meet industry-accepted and government-recognized standards.”
When I stroll through camp at different times of year, whether camp is in full swing and echoing with sounds of adventure and play or in the quiet of winter, I marvel at the history in every tree, cabin, and unique feature. While so many aspects of life feel recent and temporary, everything at Kabeyun breathes permanence, as if it has been here forever and I am only the latest visitor, preceded and to be followed by those with their own stories.