I am a card-carrying member of Sewataro Nation. This camp has had a very profound impact on my family, and for that I am eternally grateful. In September of 2004, my dear friend Robin Jones called me to say, "Today is the day! You HAVE to get your application up to Sewataro right now -- it's first come, first served, and I heard people are already lined up..." Although I didn't want my then-kindergartner to miss out on a what I (being relatively new to Sudbury) had heard was THE camp to end all camps, I had a bit of a dilemma in that my then-infant son was taking his morning nap. (Don't know about you, but when my kids were babies, nap time meant ME TIME, and nothing short of a natural disaster came between me and Me Time. But I digress...) I told Robin I couldn't make it to camp until later in the day, and that I would just have to take my chances that 8-week spots would still be available. Bless her tenacious heart, she told me to get my application ready, and before I knew it, she had picked it up and dropped it off, (along with her own son's application), on my behalf. To this day, I still thank Robin every June for getting us into Camp Sewataro. It's now almost seven years later, and with the exception of my husband and the two frogs we somehow acquired, the whole family goes to camp...and we love it!
Nowadays there are many terrific programs out there, and families have more options than in previous years. My kids have both had experiences in other programs, some they liked all right, some they didn't. For us, nothing compares to Camp Sewataro. It is in a league of its own. So what is it that makes this place so special? Hmmm...since I have only been allotted 3 paragraphs, I'm not sure I can fully answer that question. I'll do my best...
I only have to pull into the driveway to know that I'm in a special place. (Cue John Fitz singing "Inch by Inch": "...Mother Earth will make you strong if you give her love and care...") The grounds are impeccable, and it is quite obvious that every blade of grass, every rock and every shrub is tended to with love and care, compliments of Mark Taylor himself. Equally as beautiful are the smiles that abound from both campers and counselors as they laugh, sing, cheer and chant their way from activity to activity. Warms my heart every time. These counselors really care, and it shows. Many years have passed since that first summer, and my then-kindergartner has somehow become a soon-to-be 7th grader, right before my eyes. Camp Sewataro has been a mainstay in his life all these years, a place he calls home. I believe it is a combination of the counselors, (who in addition to being downright hilarious and fun, have also been excellent role models), the lifelong friendships he has made, (about which I could write an entire blog entry...which gives me an idea...:)), the exciting, diverse activities this camp has to offer, (year after year I think, "How can they top this summer?", and then year after year, they do...), and of course, the daily shenanigans, (like, "Who's Got the Green Gizmo?!"), that ensue each day. There is no doubt much more I could add to the list, but I would say these are the key ingredients that when combined, have created what is in my humble opinion...Magic.
Posted by: Amy
Amy Podolsky lives in Sudbury with her husband Scott and their two boys, Josh and Danny, both of whom are seasoned Sewataro campers. A self-proclaimed "People Person", Amy's professional background is in Television, where she has worked both as a news producer, and as a Researcher for WGBH's Emmy Award winning children's series, "ZOOM". These days she can most often be found cheering and chatting on the sidelines at her kids' baseball and basketball games, joyfully teaching movement (The Nia Technique) to both kids and adults in West Concord, or during the summer, (her favorite time of year), at Camp Sewataro, where she co-directs the "Sewataro Sprouts" preschool program, and is a Young Tribe Head Counselor during the regular camp season.
