Camp Walden

Camp Walden for girls in Maine has been a wonderful experience for my daughter. She joined the camp later than most — at age 12– and was warmly embraced by both her bunk mates and camp staff. I have never seen her so happy as she is at camp. There is no pretension or obsession with material things that you sometimes see at other camps. Everyone is down to earth and genuine. When I saw her on visiting day I was amazed how she knew absolutely everyone, everyone knew her and how happy everyone was. The girls are incredibly close and supportive of one another. It has taken me many years to develop the friendship bonds that she has developed at Walden. Like the other poster, my son is at Skylemar, and I love that camp for my son, and it does have a wonderful energy that has been great for my son. But I love Walden just as much for what is has offered my daughter. She has developed a confidence that comes from being in an environment where she is accepted and cherished for who she is. Kathy has done an amazing job keeping the camp organized, flourishing, and keeping the girls safe. I am grateful that Camp Walden exists and highly recommend it.

There are a lot of good camps in Maine, but unfortunately some are not. I have three kids who have attended camps in Maine for years. The Walden facilities are dated and activities somewhat limited, but the main problem with this camp is the current head. It pains me to hear my daughter cry that she wants out. At Skylemar (for boys) they’ve got Shep who radiates fun and enthusiasm that permeates the camp so all the kids are jazzed to be there and have a blast. Other camps have a variety of ways to keep the kids interested. The key problem with Walden is the head person named Kathy. According to my daughter «all of the kids hate her». I’ve only had a few interactions with her and I see the problem. She has a very poor attitude and just doesn’t have the personality to be around kids. It’s quite unfortunate since sending your child away for seven weeks is a big commitment. Since there are so many other choices, until they replace Kathy (and I’m sure they will) I’d look elsewhere.