Camp Kagama, through the ages!

Discovering Camp Kagama - Through the Eyes of a First-timer

The thought of being at an overnight camp for the very first time was a scary one. It was not something I had ever experienced before and I was not sure what to expect. As someone who lives in the city and always has lived in a downtown area, being out in nature away from "city life" was a first for me. It was Scary, but it was a good kind of scary. The best comparison I can think of is the good kind of scary you feel on your first day of school.

When I arrived, my initial thoughts were on how open and green it was. Camp Kagama is on the St. Lawrence River and the location is breathtaking. At camp, I did things I have never done before. I went canoeing, I swam in the St. Lawrence River. I stayed in authentic cabins that really enhanced that outdoor camp feeling. And that wasn't all, Every night I sat around a campfire with other campers, counsellors and staff and sang camp Songs. I played games which had us all running around the camp campus, laughing while competitively trying to win for our teams. And I went on hikes to the upper Canada Bird Sanctuary and to other nearby locations.

Camp Kagama offered me lots of firsts and went above and beyond in delivering that authentic, traditional camp experience to a first-timer like myself. It was my first time completely on my own as well without my friends and family by my side, but that was accompanied with having the exciting opportunity to make new friends. What I came to realize at the end of the summer is that the people I met at camp are more than just friends. Camp Kagama is a place that easily becomes your second home - a place that will welcome you back with open arms year after year.

To end, I want to reveal that I am not, and never was, a camper at Camp Kagama or any other camp for that matter. I was the Camp Administrator and Waterfront Supervisor during the summer of 2016. That said, my experiences very much mirror those of a first-time camper who is worried about the prospect of staying at an overnight camp with people they do not know. I discovered Camp Kagama. And this adventure was the most enriching one I have ever had in my 21 years and one which I would not trade for anything in this world.

Beanie (Deena Zand Vakili)