Summer Camp for Seniors

Written by Paulette Lee

Iwent to “away” summer camp every summer from about the ages of seven to 12. I learned to ride and care for a horse, shoot a bow and arrow, shoot a target pistol, light a campfire and identify trees and plants at summer camp. I learned songs I still remember, how to braid strips of plastic into keyrings, how to row a boat on a lake and most importantly, how to function (well, at least survive) in a group social setting. Having never been particularly athletic or “outdoorsy,” I hated summer camp – and I loved it.

If you’re nostalgic for the traditional summer camp experience (or want it for the first time), local communities may have what you’re looking for. For example, the City of Sacramento’s 50+ Wellness Program has been hosting a short-week summer camp in California’s Eldorado National Forest since 1920. Its “Arts and Adventure in the Sierras” summer camp is designed especially for older people. Your local parks and recreation department or senior center may offer something similar, as might your local YM/WCA or church. Star Lake Lodge in Bloomingdale, N.J., has five and eight-day summer sessions for active, older adults with options to participate in a banquet, auction, variety show, tournaments, crafts, movies, daily Bible studies, health education, and/or the choir – or just sit and read and relax. The Clemson University Outdoor Lab on Lake Hartwell in Pendleton, S.C., has summer programs with a variety of activities, including overnight camping, archery, canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, drama, sailing, nature and more. If you like the idea of being more inter-generational and participating in as many or as few traditional (and some nontraditional) camp activities, check out Camp Bonfire, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., or Camp Grounded, with weekend camps in North Carolina, California, Texas and New York; both camps are for adults of all ages.

What I loved about summer camp was trying new things (for me it was all about the horses) and there are plenty of opportunities for adults – including older adults – to do that, as well, under the loosely-defined heading of “camp.” There are cooking retreats, painting holidays, language getaways, sports and physical fitness camps, music and singing camps, drama camps…in fact, you name it (as in, you define the internet search terms), you probably can find it. There one catch, though, may be the cost: special interest “camps” are not cheap, they typically don’t run for as long as two weeks, and you may have to purchase special equipment or supplies.

They also may not include lodging and meals, and if it’s a true traditional camp setting, the living conditions may be rough (as in NOT a “bed and breakfast”) and may be in a high altitude.

Of course, you could always just set up a tent in the backyard, light a campfire and roast some s’mores while singing “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp).”

Paulette Lee is a former award-winning broadcast journalist and retired nonprofit and international development communications consultant. She lives in Hagerstown, MD and hosts the audio podcast, “WomanWorthy: Real Talk About Real Issues for Women Over 60” online at womanworthy.podbean. com, or on most podcast apps.