Grandparents and Grandchildren’s Intergenerational Camp at Great Camp Sagamore
“Camp Sagamore was special to me. I made lots of new friends and had fun in arts and crafts. I liked being with my grandma. Sagamore is special because of the lake and wild animals. We saw bunnies and loons and ducks, birds and fish. Music class was fun too. I want to go back to Sagamore next year.” Lillie Swan Simpson
Picture a place that you could go to that took you back in time. Set on a beautiful, private lake surrounded by thousands of acres of forest within the Adriondacks Park, Camp Sagamore was once a private retreat for the Vanderbilts. It is now a National Historic Landmark that provides educational and environmental programs where you share nature and can also experience a bit of history.
Great Camp Sagamore’s “Grands” program is a chance for a grandparent and grandchild to share a truly special experience. They say the most important thing to know about this camp is that ‘NO PARENTS ARE ALLOWED” (and no iPhone for me!) — and they meant it! 
When Lillie and I crossed the bridge that took us from the mainland onto the peninsula of Camp Sagamore, we stepped back into a different time; one that I remembered and that Lillie discovered. The week we spent there together, bonded us in a profound way.
For me, it was a nostalgic trip back to the 1950′s and the fond memories I had of my own experiences at camp in the Adirondacks. Watching Lillie experience it for the first time was wonderful and inspiring. Together we did all those “old-fashioned” things you do at camp: canoe trips, hiking, swimming, crafts and especially music. I had forgotten how much fun it is to sing all those old folksongs together in a group around a campfire. Songs like “There’s a Hole in My Bucket” are timeless big hits in a place like Camp Sagamore and have now become some of Lillie’s favorite songs.
So, for those Grandmas and Grandpas out there, I couldn’t recommend the “Grands Camp” program at Camp Sagamore more whole-heartedly. The entire week was beyond what I expected. It was an amazing, spiritual and bonding experience for both of us. These will be our own special memories that Lillie and I will share for life.
Here’s something Lillie and I wrote together for Skit night…we recited it together. It nicely sums up our shared experience:
CAMP SAGAMORE ALPHABET
Our Memories
By Gaga and Lillie
- A – Adirondacks’ beautiful lakes and mountains, and Andrew
- B – Boathouse, Bell, Bugs and Bananagrams
- C – Campfire, cloggin, canoes, cabins and Christian
- D – Deep water Test, Dining Hall and Dessert
- E – Eagle
- F – Freda the Hawk, ferns, fiddle, flashlights, fish and friends
- G – Grandmas and Granddaughters
- H – Hikes
- I – Itchy
- J – Jumprope
- K – Kitchen Duty, Kayaks
- L – Lake, lodge and Loons
- M – Maple trees maple syrup and mist
- N – Nancy Sue, nature and new friends
- O – Ovoviviparous, and old fashioned
- P – Playhouse, pancakes, pinecones and Pat
- Q – Quiet
- R – Red Adirondack Chairs, raft and riddles
- S – Swimming, Scooter and smores
- T – Tess the Barn Owl, tres toads and Trist
- U – Ukuleles
- V – Virginia Reel
- W – Water, Wild and Wigwam
- X – Xtra fun
- Y – Your special place
- Z – Zen
Visit their website to learn more about all of their overnight programs, events and day tours: www.greatcampsagamore.org
Thank you Camp Sagamore for this wonderful program!
Click images to enlarge
