Session 1, Week 3 Recap

Hello families!

So pleased you’re a part of our Camp Alvernia community this summer! Even after over 25 years of working here, Alvernia has not lost its magic for me. I do what I do because Camp Alvernia is so much more than summer recreation. It’s a place of patience, belief, commitment, and care.

Much has been written about the erosion of community since the pandemic shutdown, and the unchecked spread of distrust and division between friends, neighbors, and family over politics. Not much has been written about how that community can be repaired and rebuilt - through shared experiences, spending time with people, and being willing to embrace the challenges and the little frictions that come along with communicating and learning about each other.

Alvernia sits bravely right in that spot, patiently committed to fostering the kind of community our children so desperately need, with plenty of new adventures and experiences along the way! Thank you for bravely going there with us. What a special privilege for our children!

Here’s to a fantastic 2025 summer!

-Benjamin Esposito, Director

Badyr’s Quote of the Week

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

-Denis Waitley

From Our Special Days Team

This week, Camp Alvernia was truly in it to win it! Thursday, July 17th, was our very first Special Day: In the Game! Throughout the day, campers were transformed into players: from ghosts in Pac-Man to becoming the biggest snake during Slither.io! Campers hopped along during Frogger, battled it out during Fortnite, tried their best to Connect 4, and even attempted to sink each other’s “ships” with waterballoons during Battleship. However, the highlights of the afternoon came down to two campaigns.

Firstly, older campers took to a watery raceway during Mario Kart. The usual go-karts were replaced with Hobie Cats provided by our wonderful waterfront staff, but campers were still able to pick their racers. From a selection of Mario characters, campers were able to fly sails featuring their favorites. The racetrack spanned across Centerport Harbor, complete with giant inflatable bananas! Secondly, the younger campers were transported to the super sweet world of Candyland! Through the woods of Camp Alvernia, players were able to navigate through the peppermint forest while admiring the scenery. The path was decorated with swirling lollipops and gumdrops at every turn. Finally, all campers were able to wade around in Zora’s Domain, cooling off in the pools as the sun shone brightly. Overall, the entire day was an experience the campers will never forget: they were truly in the game!

Tara & Anne, Special Days Supervisors

Eagles

Hello everyone and welcome to the last week of Session One. The Eagles had an absolute blast at camp this week, soaking up every moment of sunshine! One of the week’s biggest highlights was horseback riding. The excitement was contagious as they saddled up and hit the trails as the other half got to meet the horses.

Whether it was their first time riding or they were already pros, everyone loved bonding with the horses and enjoying the peaceful nature around them. Calder was paired up with the lead horse “Jose” and had a great time helping lead the group. There were lots of smiles, a few brave trotting attempts, and even some rain to cool down the long ride.

Back at camp, things got colorful in the best way with tie-dye day! The Eagles let their creativity shine as they twisted, tied, and dyed their t-shirts with all kinds of bold patterns and bright colors. The Eagles had a design contest for our new Eagles exclusive T-shirts. The designs that had the most votes were Mikaela Rosa and Chloe Zelda and we decided to combined them to make one extra extraordinary shirt. Between the outdoor adventures and artistic fun, it’s safe to say this has been one unforgettable week for the Eagles!

Claude, Kierstin & Erin, Eagles Supervisors

Herons

The Heron age group had an incredible final week of the first session at Camp Alvernia! Groups 1 and 3 had a blast tie-dyeing. Wednesday was extra special as we celebrated Camp Kindness Day. Campers and counselors took time to share kind words and compliments with one another, spreading positivity throughout the group. We also had a visit from the fire department, and Herons had an unforgettable time running through the fire hose to cool off in the summer sun. Thursday’s “In The Game” day was full of excitement, with campers enjoying board and video game themed activities.

As we wrap up the week, there’s no better way to celebrate than with Friday’s talent show! Heron campers like Shiloh, Reese, and Spencer are stepping into the spotlight to show their unique talents. This first session has been filled with laughter, creativity, and friendship, and we’re so proud of everything the Heron group has accomplished.

Thank you to all our campers and families for making it such a special time, we can’t wait to see what fun and adventure awaits in sessions two and three!

Jack, Herons Supervisor

Ospreys

We had a busy week in the Ospreys! We celebrated two birthdays this week. Christopher turned 9 and Henry turned 10! Wednesday was camp kindness day and campers were encouraged to leave compliments for other campers and staff. The fire truck also paid us a visit and it was an awesome way to cool off on a hot day. All of the Ospreys went in and had a blast. Thursday was our “In the Game” special day and everyone showed up in their best video game attire. Calista went all out and had an awesome Toad costume and Mac and counselor Mekhi matched as Mario. We played camp versions of games like Fortnite and Connect 4 and had a Mariokart themed sailing race. We are going to miss all of our session 1 campers who aren’t coming back but we are so excited for our new session 2 campers to come on Monday!

Juliet, Ospreys Supervisor

Plovers

Plovers had many exciting water activities this week. As usual, the pool was busy with free swim, swimming lessons, and even extra pool periods on hot days! Down at the waterfront, many Plovers enjoyed the kayaks. Even Plovers who hit the waterfront during low tide had a fantastic time searching for crabs. We even had a surprise visit from the fire truck Wednesday afternoon!

Thursday’s Special Day was a blast! The Plover’s especially enjoyed showing off their gaming skills in Connect4, Just Dance, and Pac-Man.

We are so sad to see some friends leave, but we are looking forward to making new friends and new memories in session 2!

Bree, Plovers Supervisor

Sandpipers

What a week for our sensational Sandpipers! Session 1 wrapped up with a bang as campers went all-in for Thursday’s all-day Game Day — think nonstop fun, team challenges, and big smiles all around. With the sun blazing all week, we cranked up the sprinklers, stretched out pool time, and even got a special visit from the Centerport Fire Department! Their giant fire hose turned our field into a splash zone, and the campers couldn’t get enough. While some friends are heading off after Session 1, many are sticking around — and we’re excited to welcome new faces as we gear up for even more summer magic in Session 2!

Parents, a few sunny-day reminders as we dive into the next session: Please send your campers to camp in their swimsuits with sunscreen already applied — even if the sky looks cloudy (trust us, the sun still sneaks through!). Every day, campers should have a towel, dry clothes, a refillable water bottle, and an extra dose of sunshine-ready energy. Don’t forget to check backpacks for notes from staff, and please label everything including towels, bottles, clothes, socks, you name it — with your camper’s name and group number so nothing gets lost on our adventures!

Talia & Brad, Sandpipers Supervisors

Ducklings

During Week 3 at camp, the Ducklings got to experience lots of special camp activities! When the firetruck came on Wednesday, they got to cool off in the water after a long, hot day! They were so excited when they found out what the big surprise was, and Elio and Joe had fun holding hands and going through the water together!

As they arrived at camp on Thursday for our “In the Game” special day, they got to see all the fun game-themed decorations and activities that were set up. All the Ducklings loved getting involved in the theme, especially at the Candy Land activity, where Cora and Juliette had fun going through the life-sized game board!

Finally, for the last day of Session 1, the Ducklings got to perform at the talent show! They got to sing and dance with their friends while performing for the other campers. They’re coming out of their shell and getting more confident, and we’re so proud of them! They even went out for a sailboat ride!

We also got to celebrate our wonderful JCs, Amiah, Jordan, and Shae, as they move on to other age groups. They were wonderful with the Ducklings and we’re very thankful for their help! We can’t wait for Session 2!

Linda & Matty, Ducklings Supervisors