Somerset A to Z

Bunk Night

An evening activity when the camp travels to a nearby attraction (i.e., movies, bowling, roller skating, etc.)

Campfire

Our traditional Friday night evening activity includes a candle-lighting ceremony, speeches, songs, patch presentations, and more.

Changeover

The period of the summer when first-session campers leave and second-session campers arrive. Full Somer campers go on an overnight trip.

Closing Meeting

A nightly sharing circle in the cabin, usually that includes cookies. All counselors and campers are expected to participate, but it is not a requirement to share. Usually, it’s good to reflect on a highlight of the day, something nice that happened to you, something you want to try, etc.

Divisions

Groups of cabins by grade. (Note: a division differs from a camper’s cabin assignment). Little Den (campers having finished 1st to 2nd grade) Lower Den (campers having finished 3rd grade) Upper Den (campers having finished 4th grade) Lower Deer Trail (campers having finished 5th grade) Upper Deer Trail (campers having finished 6th grade) Lower Grove (campers having finished 7th grade) Upper Grove (campers having finished 8th grade) Hideaway (campers having finished 9th grade)

Division Head (DH)

A member of our head staff in charge of one of the divisions in camp.

Early Riser Activity

An activity held most days at 7:15 am for Den campers only who are ready to get the day going! From dodgeball, to yoga, to art projects, there’s always something different to do each day.

Free Play

Held twice a week on “S” days (special days), this is a two-hour morning block where only select activities are open, and the campers may choose how they would like to spend their period. They can do one activity or rotate around to multiple activities.

Head Staff

The people that oversees activity departments, divisions, and all the other parts of to camp to assist Kate and Josh with the running of Somerset.

Instructionals

A central component of our daily program. Instructionals take place four days per week on “R” days (regular days). There are five periods each day, three in the morning nad two in the afternoon. Regardless of the activity, they are environments dedicated to fun, safety, and skill development.

ICP and ICS

ICP (The Ice Cream Place) in Smithfield and ICS (Ice Cream Shoppe) in Oakland are two of Somerset’s go to spots for delicious ice cream, sundaes, shakes, and more.

Intercamp

Competitive athletic games played against other camps in our area. At times, our teams will travel to other camps, while other camps may visit Somerset from time to time.

Lakefront

The last afternoon period where all campers and all assigned staff must be at the waterfront. Campers may swim, boat, fish, or relax on the lawn with games, books, music, etc. A fun and relaxing way to end the day before dinner!

The League

Our first session competition, lasting 3 weeks (not every day). Each summer, the theme and team names change and remain a surprise until the “break.” All campers and staff are on one of four teams. Each team is led by one veteran counselor called the “Head Coach.”

After weeks of events, the final night is Sing-Song and the winning team celebrates in the lake!

Manitou

Our brother camp down the road (and across the lake). Manitou has been in existence for more than 70 years. Many Somerset girls have brothers and cousins. Josh went to Manitou and Kate worked there during college.

Cabin Cookies

A nightly snack in the cabin after evening activity. It’s chocolate chip most nights and sugar cookies on Fridays.

On Duty (OD)

Every day, one counselor per cabin is On Duty “OD” during rest period, and another counselor is OD during the night once everyone is in the cabin in settled. At all other times, all four counselors are together in the cabins.

Pavilion

The building at the north end of the property is home to dance, yoga, and many evening activities.

Patches

All campers have a Somerset blanket, and they collect patches each summer for their cabins, teams, participation, achievements, and more. This is one of the week’s highlights at the Friday campfire, and the campers work hard to collect as many patches as possible to fill their blankets. The most important patches are the “ring” patches for Grow Every Day, Be a Good Friend, Make an Impact, or Be You. Campers can only earn these patches when nominated by a counselor and then selected by Kate and Josh.

R-S-T Days

A day at Somerset follows one of three schedule patterns. “R” days are “regular” days with three morning instructionals, two afternoon instructionals, lakefront, and evening activity. “S” days are “special” days that begin with lazy morning breakfast followed by morning Free Play. Afternoons include special events and Lakefront, followed by evening activity after dinner. “T” days are “trip” days where we leave camp after breakfast for an out-of-camp excursion, returning in time for a cookout dinner and movie night.

Recall

The end of a period that calls you to the next activity or back to the cabins.

Rest Period

The hour after lunch when all the campers are required to be in their cabins for downtime. This is when they get their mail from home and typically write letters home, read, relax, or play games.

Sessions

Campers attend Somerset for one of three sessions of varying lengths. Full Somer - The longest session–approximately 7 weeks. Half Somer - Approximately 3 weeks. Some campers do the first half from opening day to mid-July. Others come in mid-July and stay until the last day of camp. Short Somer - The first two weeks of either session. Short Somer is only available to campers in the Den (4th grade and younger) and only in the first summer attending.

Sing Song

An original song competition that serves as The League’s culminating event. Each of the four League teams performs three songs. The teams will also present their plaques.

Somer 7

The final seven days of camp in August. Every day is a new surprise event or activity. On the final night of camp, the surprise is a themed party known as the “Somer Sendoff.” Each summer, the campers in Hideaway are responsible for choosing the theme and planning the Sendoff.

Somer Cup

Our second session competition, lasting 3 days, pitting the red team against the blue team. All campers are on a team, as are all counselors, known as coaches. The team is led by one veteran staff member called the “Captain.” No one know when Somer Cup will start and it always begins with an exciting “break.”

Somer Sun

The daily morning “newspaper” you can find in the dining hall at breakfast. The Sun includes the schedule, menu, birthday announcements, and other important messages. It gets emailed home to parents every morning too!

Somersault

This building at the north end of the property is home to fitness, cycling, martial arts, and gymnastics.

Taps

A short song we sing each night, quietly and softly, to signify the end of the day. After we sing Taps, we cheer each division off to bed, youngest to oldest. On Fridays, we sing Taps but do not cheer the divisions off.

Trip Day

A weekly out-of-camp excursion (usually Tuesday or Thursday on “T” days). Destinations include the beach, amusement or water parks, Portland or other small Maine towns, and much more.