For Camp Cobbossee, Friendship, Sportsmanship, and Community Are the Heart of a Tradition That’s More Than a Century Old
Maine’s Camp Cobbossee is situated on the long shore of Lake Cobbosseecontee, 15 miles west of state capital Augusta and an hour’s drive north of Portland. Nestled in deep evergreen forests and surrounded by crystal-clear lakes, picturesque mountains, and national parks, the idyllic setting represents the best that the wilds of Maine have to offer. The lake waterfront is equipped with a small armada of sailboats, fishing pontoons, ski boats, kayaks, and canoes, and the camp boasts top-flight facilities for every athletic pursuit imaginable. There are multiple baseball, soccer, and football fields for matches and skills training, as well as tennis and basketball courts, a lacrosse field, and an NHL-sized hockey rink.
A Summer in the Wilds of Maine
For Josh Holland, summer camp is a calling. As a teenager, his parents reluctantly allowed him to work at a camp in the mountains of Idaho. “I was out there for ten weeks of pure heaven,” Holland recalls. He never looked back. It’s been 28 years since that fateful summer, and in between earning his BA, MA, and most recently a PhD, Holland always made summer camp a priority. “I’ve held pretty much every position you can at a camp, from archery instructor to waterfront director, from kitchen staff to director of the camp.” Today, Holland is the Director of Camp Cobbossee—Monmouth, Maine’s, summer camp for boys—and there’s nowhere he’d rather be: “…summer camp has always been the calling. The ‘why’ part is not complicated for me, and it’s the most true at Cobbossee than at any camp where I’ve worked: you come to Cobbossee, you change for the better. Your son comes to Cobbossee, and he will change for the better.”
For over 100 years, the facility in Monmouth has hosted boys ages 7–15, offering an acclaimed sports program as well as the opportunity to take advantage of Maine’s natural beauty. The young men at Camp Cobbossee set out into Maine’s woods and onto its waters in search of adventure. They learn to camp, make fires, sail, mountain-bike, throw tomahawks, canoe, climb, and fish. And just as they do while playing sports, the young men grow closer to each other in the process.
Camp Cobbossee is among the oldest continuously operating boys’ camps in the country, having welcomed campers every summer since 1902. At the forefront of its philosophy are what leaders at the camp call the Nunway Values: friendship, sportsmanship, and community. From the phrase “Ion Keeway Nunway,” meaning “friendships for a lifetime,” the Nunway Values are incorporated into every activity at the camp. Campers work to honor this code and tend the roots of a tradition that’s more than a century old. Awards at Cobbossee are given to boys who demonstrate these values in the best tradition of the camp, rather than being awarded for simply “winning” or being “the best.”
Cobbossee is competitive, with an emphasis on brotherhood through sports: while campers compete, they learn to accept wins and losses with grace. At Cobbossee, the boys improve as athletes, but also as people.
A typical day for campers at Cobbossee involves a mix of scheduled activities and free time. A 7:30 wakeup is followed by breakfast in the grand dining hall. The boys return to their cabins to clean up, and the action-packed day begins. Whether on the baseball diamond or archery range, in the woodshop or kitchen, or making camp and building a fire, campers enjoy a variety of skill, dexterity, and athleticism-building activities to fill their day. The youngest boys learn to camp on Cobbossee’s own Spirit Island. From there, campers embark on a series of trips, from day hikes and cliff jumping at Coos Canyon, climbing above the ocean at Acadia National Park, to whitewater rafting on the mighty Kennebec River. At day’s end, after dinner and a camp activity, the boys retreat to their lakeview cabins to get some much-needed rest—or to whisper at lights-out. For many campers, they will have just completed one of the best days of their lives, and tomorrow is just a few hours away!
In a day jam-packed with a full slate of sports, exploration, and adventure, it’s not surprising that campers work up a healthy appetite. For more than 30 years, Camp Cobbossee’s Chef Louis has kept campers and staff going strong with meals prepared from scratch each day. Utilizing the camp’s own organic garden, Louis and his staff pluck produce off the vine for use in the day’s meals. Campers pitch in, learning to prepare food at the grilling pavilion, and the boys eat with their counselors and bunkmates at great wooden tables. Chef Louis’ family-style meals are legendary, particularly his famous fried chicken—from a secret family recipe.
Unlike many summer camps that start the encampment session with a bonfire, Cobbossee begins the session with a “bunk night.” Campers have a chance to meet each other as well as get to know their counselors, so that everyone feels at home right away. Cobbossee is a picturesque place, with cutting-edge athletic instruction and outdoor skills development, but it is the connections between people that make it a home away from home.
The counselors, three or four to each cabin, keep the young men at camp safe—but also help them to grow. Campers celebrate victories with their counselors, and learn to overcome challenges and defeat as well. By the end of the session, campers form bonds with each other, and with their counselors and coaches, that last decades, even lifetimes. This is the Camp Cobbassee Brotherhood, where everyone has a role to play and everyone belongs.
Camp Cobbassee offers two identical 25-day sessions for all campers, as well as two identical two-week sessions for first-time campers leaving grades 2, 3, and 4. Space is limited, so for information, including all-inclusive rates and frequently asked questions, or to book a tour, visit https://www.campcobbossee.com. At Camp Cobbossee, boys can expect to take advantage of everything Maine has to offer, and experience summer the way it should be! Parents can expect to welcome their sons home after camp with a measure of personal growth and athletic achievement, not to mention a long list of new friends and breathless stories. Visit https://www.campcobbossee.com and register today!
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Tradition That Spans Generations
Every Day an Adventure
Chow Time!
Counselors and Coaches Dedicated to Inclusiveness and Personal Development
How to Join the Next Century of Brotherhood at Cobbossee
THE EXPERIENCE
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