Category Archives: News Reports

It’s Been a Beautiful Thing.

Saturday, August 15th, 2020

It’s Been a Beautiful Thing.

“Well we’re seeing democracy in action this morning and it is a beautiful thing….”

Good morning all. After a long night of ballot counting and re-counting, mustering the chickens and wrangling the mini-ponies we are now ready to call the 2020 Election for.. (drum roll please) HAMILTON!!!

Winning by an extremely narrow 2 votes Hamilton synched victory over Otis last night and made his acceptance speech to a crowd of chickens at the animal barn.

For full coverage of election night 2020 and a breakdown of the polls, you can check out Atlantis Camp News correspondence desk where our dedicated team of political analysis are breaking down the numbers district by district and bringing you all the news you need to know.

With the election, all finished up and Hamilton beginning day 1 of his presidency we are wrapping up the 2020 virtual summer! Everyone here at At Home With HVC has loved being a part of your summer even though we have had to be apart. Thanks for voting for Hamilton or Otis, Watching the wheel, laughing at our morning announcements, Learning with us on Sundays, sending in your videos and pictures, and helping us say Hey You Guys. We’ve missed all of you so much this summer and we can’t wait to be reunited in June 2021 for a summer of new memories!

Make sure you keep tuning in throughout the fall on Sundays while we cover the upcoming federal election and Celie and Peter discuss the Democratic and Republican candidates.  Across our social media channels over the next 10 months, we will continue to post the occasional At Home With HVC project to keep everyone entertained as we head into the cooler months. There will also be plenty of throwback photos to get us all excited for summer 2021 and of course, the team here at Justin will be checking in with you all throughout the winter to keep you update on all the goings-on down in the valley.

Until we can be together again in person stay safe, keep laughing and watch out for those trees.

Yours Always

 

George of the Jungle

Not to be corny but we love The at home with HVC crew

Thanks for laughing along with the PD’s we couldn’t have done it without you!

 

Oh how lovely is the Election.

Thursday, August 13th, 2020

Oh how lovely is the Election

 

Welcome back all,

George of the Jungle here, ’m taking a brief break from my post at the 2020 Decision Desk: HVC decides to catch up with you all about the goings-on up here Hidden Valley Camp.

Last night we had a terrific closing campfire. Songs were sung, poems were shared and it was great to close out the summer with a fire and a few of the songs we normally share at Pinegrove. I particularly enjoyed singing and dancing along to the penguin song, I do love drinking tea after all. In case you missed the live campfire you can check it all out here!

The big news across the valley is the election between Hamilton and Otis. Polls have just closed across the globe and we are eagerly awaiting the results. Ballots will be counted and results will be collated by the lake shark, HVC’s most honest and present creature. Make sure you tune in tomorrow for the most important political announcement of the summer! Atlantis Camper News will be breaking into regularly scheduled content with the election results and you won’t want to miss it.

I’ll be back tomorrow to wrap up the election and The At Home with HVC’s final day of programming. Until then it has been a pleasure sharing the news with you this summer.

Stay Safe, Keep laughing

and watch out for those trees

George of the Jungle.

The Polls are Open, the Fires Ready and We Gotta Whole Lotta Links for Ya!

Hey you guys!

G of the J here coming at you live from the Animal Barn where exit polls are beginning to flood Otis for POTUS’ campaign headquarters. With Polls live across all seven continents The Alpacas are feeling confident that camp roamer Hamilton will steal the deal and take over the presidency. Alternately hear at the Animal barn the atmosphere is electric. Campaign workers remain optimistic that their candidate Otis, the front runner according to the latest Canter Polls, will reign supreme as we enter into the last 24 hours of voting.

Polls will remain open via Instagram and Facebook stories (you can also email votes into [email protected]  if you or your camper doesn’t have access to Facebook or Instagram.) Every vote counts so jump on and cast your ballot asap!

In other news after another great round of Pizza and some really interesting updates on Fast Fashion over the weekend the At Home With HVC is back in action putting together their final week of content for the summer…

It was an amazing morning on Monday with the social event of the (summer vegetable) season taking place in Founders Park. The brine was prepped the cucumbers harvested and we all gathered around for the moment of moments… The Pickle Sacrifice. Check it out here!

We are very excited tonight to be hosting our closing campfire tonight. You can tune in live on Instagram or Facebook at 7:30 pm tonight otherwise the campfire will be accessible via Instagram or Facebook for the next 24 hours.

To get everyone in the sing-along mood for our campfire tonight check out two awesome Pinegrove-esq videos. The first The ‘Pizzaman’ with Peter! Make sure you warm up your eh-oh-bo-didly-bop for this song you can watch it here!

We’re also lucky enough to share with you a video made by some allstar HVC Campers Nate, Aya, and Davi. This crew lost power a few days ago and in true camp spirit found some candles and sung a camp favorite song ‘The Farthest FIeld… I’m not crying you are. We loved seeing this and are sure you will too have a squizz right here. 

Anyhoozle the Polls are calling my name so I am off to check in with the chickens about their election thoughts.

Tune in tomorrow for more election news and a recap on our campfire. Hopefully, we will see you all Tonight at 7:30!

Stay safe, keep swinging through the jungle, and watching out for those trees!

George of the Jungle.

 

Our awesome campers singing the Farthest Field

“Solar power inexpesinve energy” AND a great way to dry your clothes!!

Sunday, August 9th, 2020

“Solar power inexpesinve energy” AND a great way to dry your clothes!!

G’day All,

George of the Jungle swinging at you from the slide down at the Lake with a not so lazy Sunday afternoon update!  First and foremost a very Happy Bagel Sunday to you all. I hope that wherever you are your day has been filled with cream cheese, everything seasoning, butter, lox, or whatever your favourite bagel topping involves!

I hope you’ve all had a chance to watch Fridays At Home With HVC video featuring the one, the only  KIM AND REGGIE! We’ve been hearing from counselors and campers new and old about how much fun it was getting to sing wade in the water from their kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, dorm rooms, cars, apartments, and houses all over the US and around the world!

If you haven’t seen the video yet you can check it out on youtube right here or log onto HVC’s Facebook or Instagram to see more.

For a look at all the fun that Kim and Reggie have brought to HVC in previous summers check out some of today’s Justin photos.

As I write this the Hidden Valley Camp Pizza Crew are getting prepared for this afternoon’s pizza production. The dough is being rolled. Elise is hard at work mixing up our special sauce and out there in the valley James is shredding copious amounts of cheese.  If you’re new to Justin News updates please allow me to fill you in. The Sunday Afternoon Pizza Production has been happening all summer long. Each week the small but mighty summer crew have been cooking up pizzas in our wood-fired oven and handing them out for free at the end of Camp Road. Any donations we have received over recent weeks have been donated to  Waldo County Food Bounty. Making pizza every Sunday has been a really meaningful part of our summer here.

In a world that is becoming increasingly more digital and during a summer where we have all been on our phones and computers much more than usual we’ve all loved getting a chance to interact with our local community here in Montville!

Community interaction has been a big part of our summer and the PDs and counselors behind At Home With HVC have been putting together community-minded social justice pieces each Sunday to broaden the way our social media engages with the world around us.  This week we are talking about Fast Fashion.

Fast Fashion is when inexpensive clothing is produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Fast Fashion is extremely damaging to the environment and workers in the garment industry. This week as a part of our post on the topic the PDs are providing some information on Fast Fashion as well as some really easy and cool ways you can reduce your footprint and make more sustainable clothing choices. The best way to interact with our Fast Fashion posts is to jump on to either our Facebook or Instagram stories and check out the links we have included. You can also view our stories as a youtube clip by clicking on this link!

I can hear the pizza chefs calling my name so I am off to roll some dough and hopefully snag a slice or two.

Stay safe out there and watch out for those trees,

George of the Jungle.

A quick look at today’s Social Intention Post about Fast Fashion!

Trampin’ up to the Horse Barn!!

Thursday, August 6th, 2020

Trampin’ up to the Horse Barn!!

Greetings all George of the Jungle here swinging in from the trees on a lovely sunny day in the  Valley.

The At Home with HVC team has been hard at work again this week helping Otis and Hamilton’s campaigns get ready for the big Election next week. Things are really heating up as we head into the final week before the Big Dance. Keep checking out our Instagram and Facebook Stories over the next few days for Perspectives from the Animal Barn.  

While we’ve been busy in the Animal Barn listening to the Donkey’s petition for greater hay access, Some awesome former Counsellors and Pro-staff members have been spending time with some larger four-legged friends! 

Check out 2020 Horse Director Angela and former Equestrian Staff Robin and Leslie showing off their tack techniques, grooming genius and Equestrian Expertise in TWO NEW At Home with HVC videos that focus on a favorite HVC area, The Horses.

Leslie, Robin, and Angela’s video will introduce you to the horses that they work with all year round outside of camp and give you a little taste of what the Horse Program is like at Hidden Valley.  

 

The Horse Barn at HVC is a big and beloved program that encompasses a full equestrian staff, and more than 15 four-legged Horse friends who join us each summer to help teach and instruct campers. Every summer at Hidden Valley dozens of campers take horse riding lessons to improve upon their skills or learn the basics of horse riding. 

Alongside regular horse riding lessons, Hidden Valley is also home to the Brumby Program where campers with riding experience spend the summer helping to care, tack, feed, and groom the horses as well as expanding upon their riding abilities. The Brumby program always culminates in a Horse Show on Fair Day known as the Brumby Fun Show. And let me tell you, they aren’t lying when they call it the ‘fun show’, one of my favorite parts of the summer is watching campers vault, canter, and jump on horseback… It’s AMAZING.. plus the promise of fried dough later in the day really sweetens the morning. 

Check out some great pictures below that showcase the HVC horse program in previous summers. 

The At Home with HVC crew also have some super special secret guest stars that will be making their debut on Hidden Valley’s Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube channels tomorrow.

I’m not allowed to say exactly who it is just yet but I can tell you that this dynamic duo are absolute Hidden Valley Legends and the campers and counselors alike go nuts when these two come TRAMPIN’ down Camp Road. Make sure you check in tomorrow to learn more about our special guest. 

Anyhoozle I’m off to tend to my sooooooooooooolar power fields so until next time stay safe, have fun and watch out for those trees!!! 

 

George of the Jungle

 

 

 

 

 

   

Stay Hydrated y’all

Tuesday, July 14th, 2020

Greetings All

George of the Jungle here popping in after a lengthy retirement to update you all on HYDRATION NATION!!! An amazing take over that 2019 staffers Haley and Anna put together to help keep us cool this summer!

Click here to check out Anna and Haley’s Hydration Nation! 

Staying hydrated is a big part of our life at camp. We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many bodies of water, from the pool to the lake all the way to deer meadows field the sight of many epic water balloon battles!

During the day at camp when we are out climbing the ropes course, making glass beads, shooting hoops at the basketball court, and rehearsing for the musical we always make sure we’re carrying our drink bottles and are visiting the many water fountains around camp.

Another great way to stay hydrated is by stopping in at the snack shack for some nice cool shelters. My personal favorite is Mermaid Lollipops yum! Maybe we should talk to THe Leon King or Snack Sailor Sam about getting some of Anna and Haley’s awesome Maine inspired seltzer drinks over at the shack … delicious!!

Once I grab my snack my favorite thing to do is sit under the apple tree staying nice and cool or running under the sprinkler at Meg’s planet for a nice late afternoon cool down.

Hmm, actually that sounds pretty good right about now!

Thanks, Mag-O-Llama for indulging ole’ George of the Jungle and letting me get back to my roots here at Justin!

To everybody else stay hydrated out there and watch out for those trees.

George of the Jungle.

 

 

Camp friendship: everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth

Sunday, December 16th, 2018

Happy holidays, HVC! Hummingbird here! As the weather gets colder and the shortest day of the year rapidly approaches, I hope these pictures warm your heart and brighten your day just a little, and remind you of the REAL most wonderful time of the year… CAMP TIME!!

The community we create as a camp over those all-too-short months is unique and dynamic. The magic that surrounds camp has a special way of bonding people together. Those relationships are lasting, and extend long after the last Funky Chicken has been danced on departure day! Some camp friends see each other during the school year– some even live in the same home! Some don’t talk for months until the next arrival day, but it feels like no time has passed at all. And we know that we can always lean on our HVC family for support any time of the year. No matter the distance in space or time, for campers and counselors alike, the bonds we form at HVC leave a lasting imprint on all of our hearts. We can feel the glow of camp friendship even during the coldest winter months. It’s just like that old favorite Taj Mahal thought du jour, “Friendship is like peeing your pants; everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth!”

Stay warm, and don’t forget to tell a camp friend you love them so they can feel the warmth too 🙂

Humming along,
Hummingbird

 

CAMP FRIENDS!! I’ll be there for you (when the schvitz starts to pour)

Monday, November 12th, 2018

Hello, camp friends and family! Hummingbird here, enjoying the crisp Autumn air beneath my wings!! Last week was the highly anticipated camper reunion in New York. Peter and Meg met up with tons and tons of campers from this summer to catch up, sing our favorite songs, and of course get moving with The Jellyfish dance!!

Over the course of the summer we create a community of caring, deeply connected campers, counselors, and staff. We see each other every day in our classes, cabins, and cafeteria. The relationships we form can last lifetimes– in fact, sometimes the summer can feel like a lifetime totally separate from the rest of our year! So when the colder weather hits, and we bring technology into the mix, and school and work come back into play, camp reunions bring a little of that camp magic into the real world!

Whether you could make it out to NYC or you Jellyfished from home, thank you for being part of our camp community! We love having you as part of our family, and we look forward to reuniting again in the summer of 2019!

Hands up, wrists together,
Hummingbird

The leaves are changing and so is CAMP!

Saturday, November 3rd, 2018

Look at it, nestled in there!

Happy post-Halloween! Hummingbird here, munchin’ on some leftover Kit Kats and all a-hum about what’s been happening in Montville! Camp got all decked out in preparation for Halloween last month, and you’ll hardly recognize it!

Maybe you’ve heard whisperings that camp is getting a brand spankin’ new photo studio… Maybe you’ve even seen some teaser pictures… But today, for the first time EVER, I present to you the full structure of the photo studio! The building is located behind the pottery studio, overlooking the skate park and the metal dome! It’s coming along so beautifully because Carmi, Tim, and Al have put in so much hard work to bring the building together. And that’s not all they’ve been working on this Fall. In addition to the photo studio, construction has been ongoing to build a BRAND NEW WOMBLES!! Nestled between Avalon and French Quarter, Wombles is a staple of our Backyard neighborhood. Check out how construction is going on the new cabin!

The leaves are changing and so is camp, ever evolving and updating so that when the trees are green again and the sun warms our beautiful corner of the earth, campers can return to have the BEST SUMMER EVER!! Only 6 more months until we all come back in the Valley! Until then, enjoy some candy 🙂

Munch munch,
Hummingbird

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the COSTUME CLOSET!

Saturday, October 20th, 2018

Play us some music, Pan!

Greetings, friends and HVC family! Hummingbird here with your October update! As I was humming around the Valley checking in on all our annual autumnal adjustments, the smell of brand new floors drew me into the Rec Hall. Floating around, taking in the fall Maine air and the view of Tipi Hill, and doing a little Cotton Eyed Joe on the stage of course, I happened upon our kooky costume closet, where I was brought back to all the fun times we had this summer with our costumes!

We use our costumes for all kinds of program areas, from the theatrical performances our campers put on (dressed to the nines by our fabulous costuming classes), to our silly game of Candy Crush; from the wildest mayhem in the Wheel of Misfortune, to our wacky themed dances! Dressing up in costume extends the invitation to embrace creativity, to explore the infinite possibilities of play, and to answer the question, “What do I want to be today?” Camp provides a unique opportunity for campers and counselors alike to dress up and branch out. During our evening programs we can all suspend our disbelief together, and embark as a camp community on an expedition through our imagination.

We had an incredible summer of costumed creativity in 2018, check out these silly pictures! We can’t wait to see how our dress up inspires us in the summer of 2019! Ooh! I just found the dragon costume from the first session play, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe! Time to play some dress up myself– who says a little hummingbird like me can’t breathe fire? I’m off to practice 🙂

*Fire breath*
Humming Bird

PS: If you or someone you know has any costume clothing lying around, consider donating it to camp! You can email [email protected] or call us at 207-342-5177, and check back on the blog– you may see your costume in the next camp production! 

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