For nearly 80 years, Camp Arowhon has been showing campers how to find the best

in themselves and each other. Our unique environment of respect and inclusion is

built on two pillars:

In the idyllic natural beauty of Algonquin Park, on a secluded lake, Lily Kates founded a children’s camp in 1934. When her son Eugene became Director in 1946, he deepened the skills program because he believed that the pursuit of excellence would make campers strong and confident.

Eugene’s daughter Joanne Kates and her partner Leon Muszynski became Directors in 1989. Experienced teachers and leaders in peer counseling -—and informed by having two small children of their own at the time—Joanne and Leon implemented social safety programs to create a camp culture where children feel cherished and included—where everyone looks out for one another.

Camp Directors Joanne Kates & Leon Muszynski

We use skill-building activities

to develop resourcefulness

and build confidence.

We teach social skills in an

atmosphere that promotes

well-being and self-esteem.

When you take children out of the city to live in nature, away from computers and screens, their foundation strengthens. They open to deeper friendships and to their own growth.

We’re blessed to be on our own lake deep in the heart of the Algonquin Park wilderness, a 3000 square mile refuge of unspoiled lakes, rivers and forest. Loons sing us to sleep and Mother Nature smoothes our rough edges.

Our staff has a mission: to foster campers’ growth, positive cabin dynamics and help campers find success at their chosen activities.

We hire summer camp professionals who have demonstrated com-petence in caring for children and helping them thrive. Most are former campers who were inspired by their Arowhon experience to come back and give back. All staff are mentored and monitored by a team of professional Directors, Head Counsellors and Program Directors—to make sure they deliver the caring and attention that every Arowhon child deserves.

For new staff, we interview over five candidates for each job. We look at attitude and aptitude:

Sprite Fountain Wayne Peck Sailing Regatta

My entire professional career has been built around taking initiative, making promises and keeping them. Most of the people we compete with are just standing around waiting to be told what to do.

In today’s economy, though, the way you succeed is by being the person who draws the map, not the one who follows it. I learned that at Arowhon.

Instead of just doing the easy thing—telling us what to do and ordering us to comply—counsellors like Benji Kanters challenged us to figure things out for ourselves.

The confidence that comes from mastery is another thing I can thank camp for. I made the commitment to get really good at canoeing—world class good, ten hours a day good, all day in a boat good. My guess is that at any other camp I wouldn’t have been permitted to do that.

At Arowhon, every camper finds support

without worrying he’ll be undercut later. The magic is that every camper can always get better because the only person he’s com-peting with is looking him in the mirror.

Mutual respect and caring are the heart of our Social Safety Tool Kit, a set of techniques used to ensure and monitor camper well-being. Active listening, talking circles, conflict mediation and bully interventions are used to support campers to help them have successful relationships. We train staff in these techniques and support them in implementing them throughout the summer.

As a result, campers learn to solve social problems and develop emotional intelligence. They go home more caring, confident and resourceful.

Hidden Lake Brent and Back Lost Lake

My entire professional career has been built around taking initiative, making promises and keeping them. Most of the people we compete with are just standing around waiting to be told what to do.

In today’s economy, though, the way you succeed is by being the person who draws the map, not the one who follows it. I learned that at Arowhon.

Instead of just doing the easy thing—telling us what to do and ordering us to comply—counsellors like Benji Kanters challenged us to figure things out for ourselves.

The confidence that comes from mastery is another thing I can thank camp for. I made the commitment to get really good at canoeing—world class good, ten hours a day good, all day in a boat good. My guess is that at any other camp I wouldn’t have been permitted to do that.

At Arowhon, every camper finds support

without worrying he’ll be undercut later. The magic is that every camper can always get better because the only person he’s com-peting with is looking him in the mirror.

Mutual respect and caring are the heart of our Social Safety Tool Kit, a set of techniques used to ensure and monitor camper well-being. Active listening, talking circles, conflict mediation and bully interventions are used to support campers to help them have successful relationships. We train staff in these techniques and support them in implementing them throughout the summer.

As a result, campers learn to solve social problems and develop emotional intelligence. They go home more caring, confident and resourceful.

Hidden Lake Brent and Back Lost Lake

As soon as I arrived at Arowhon I knew that this was a place where I was free to be myself.

Do I have the courage to sing in front of the whole camp? Do I have the patience to master

solo canoeing? Can I manage an entire canoe trip?

Today we know that to build self esteem you don’t just tell children how good they are, you give them challenges, and the skills and confidence to master them.

The opportunities I had to try different things and succeed at some and not succeed at others—but never have it perceived as a failure. This built my confidence and self esteem, which has been invaluable in my position as Vice President at a Fortune 500 Company.

Arowhon wasn’t a kid-centric world the way that we think of that term today—as in kids ruled the place. Rather it was a place where you could be yourself and explore the self you were becoming. We felt like we were exercising our free will but I now know we were getting exactly the lessons they wanted us to get.

Tuck Fairies Versailles The Point Red Pine

Because it’s a choice based system, instructors at Arowhon have to sell their activities. The way they sold me on canoeing was to make it about much more than canoeing.

I became interested in becoming really proficient at canoeing — under-standing everything from how to breathe to how to perfect my J stroke. Even though I wasn’t socially outgoing,

Arowhon is a special place. Everyone had a real respect for the natural world. Loving and having reverence for nature was cool. Counsellors made a point of talking about nature in a way that made us under-stand that it was something that was to be valued. Every day we were reminded to stop and reflect and pay attention to the natural world around us. We were taught that taking the time to notice what was around us was important.

I still go on canoe trips every year. All of my vacations are spent in the wilderness. I try to spend time in the woods near my home every single day. I run an environmentally based not for profit organization. It goes to the core of who I am. I am certainly happiest when I’m in nature. No question. Arowhon cultivated this in me.

Arowhon A The Curve Sadie Hawkins

We know children commit more deeply to activities they love. That’s why our campers choose their day’s program every morning – from a “menu” that changes daily so they try new things and experience a broad range of activities. The only choice that’s not available is doing nothing.

Our instructors have a high level of expertise in their areas of instruction and are experienced in teaching all ages. They guide campers to find activities they enjoy and motivate and teach them to believe in themselves and achieve mastery.

What matters is not which activities they commit to, but that they commit. Encouraging this kind of dedication gives campers the experience of taking on challenges, persevering and succeeding — whether it be on horse-back, a windsurfer, at the climbing wall or on stage.

As soon as I arrived at Arowhon I knew that this was a place where I was free to be myself.

Do I have the courage to sing in front of the whole camp? Do I have the patience to master

solo canoeing? Can I manage an entire canoe trip?

Today we know that to build self esteem you don’t just tell children how good they are, you give them challenges, and the skills and confidence to master them.

The opportunities I had to try different things and succeed at some and not succeed at others—but never have it perceived as a failure. This built my confidence and self esteem, which has been invaluable in my position as Vice President at a Fortune 500 Company.

Arowhon wasn’t a kid-centric world the way that we think of that term today—as in kids ruled the place. Rather it was a place where you could be yourself and explore the self you were becoming. We felt like we were exercising our free will but I now know we were getting exactly the lessons they wanted us to get.

Tuck Fairies Versailles The Point Red Pine

Because it’s a choice based system, instructors at Arowhon have to sell their activities. The way they sold me on canoeing was to make it about much more than canoeing.

I became interested in becoming really proficient at canoeing — under-standing everything from how to breathe to how to perfect my J stroke. Even though I wasn’t socially outgoing,

Arowhon is a special place. Everyone had a real respect for the natural world. Loving and having reverence for nature was cool. Counsellors made a point of talking about nature in a way that made us under-stand that it was something that was to be valued. Every day we were reminded to stop and reflect and pay attention to the natural world around us. We were taught that taking the time to notice what was around us was important.

I still go on canoe trips every year. All of my vacations are spent in the wilderness. I try to spend time in the woods near my home every single day. I run an environmentally based not for profit organization. It goes to the core of who I am. I am certainly happiest when I’m in nature. No question. Arowhon cultivated this in me.

Arowhon A The Curve Sadie Hawkins

Few things are more spirit-building and soul-nurturing than a wilderness canoe trip, the hallmark of the Arowhon experience.

Campers and guides set out from our lake to explore the surrounding 3,000 square miles of natural beauty, to learn about nature, to respect it and love it.

After paddling and portaging all day, setting up camp and cooking dinner over an open fire, campers feel the measure of their physical strength. Having faced the challenge of their adventure, they learn to see their inner strength.

Pride of accomplishment and self-reliance give them confidence they can build on the rest of their lives.

Torch Paddle HoCho in Jo’s Rustic Lounge Cotillion

Camp food is fresh and made from scratch, including the daily bread. The kitchen serves home made soups, BBQ chicken, fresh baked bread, fajitas and fresh blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Sunday brunch offers smoked salmon and eggs to order.

Picky eaters always find something to eat. We accommodate vegetarians, and we’re vigilant about food allergies.

Mealtimes in the Main Lodge are like family dinners. Counsellors supervise their cabin group to make sure campers are enjoying the meal, having fun and feeling included. And of course they lead the cheers.

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Buck Lake Midnight Madness David Curhan Story

A child’s family at camp is their cabin. Two experienced counsellors live in the cabin with eight to 10 campers, for 24/7 supervision and caring attention. In the cabin group, with expert counsellors as mentors, children grow their social, team and communication skills.

Every cabin has electricity, a bathroom and comfortable beds. Shower-houses with private stalls are a one-minute walk from every cabin.

Tripopolis Letter Writing Day The Plate is Up The 24 foot

First-time campers may be anxious about being away from their parents in a brand new environment. We select and train espe-cially mature, caring counsellors for Juniors, and we supervise them to help little people transition safely from home to camp.

A little bit of homesickness is normal the first few days and Junior section counsellors are specially trained to help kids through it. They keep new campers super busy, help them make new friends and discover fun activities and sit with them till they fall asleep at night.

Cookie Fairies Green Leach Canoe Race Circus Day

I was the youngest kid at camp. I was small and was known as ‘cute.’ That was just my thing and I liked it.

Then I discovered sailing. I learned to have a voice and push myself to work hard, day in and day out. I cultivated amaz-ing friendships on the sail dock based on mutual respect. I became known for being a scrappy, determined skilled sailor.

When I became a counsellor I learned the real “secret of camp.”

My counsellors were

guiding me to help me be known for something more than my “cuteness.”

I’m comfortable with people of all ages. I

still see myself as capable and strong and worthy of praise for my accomplishments. But, unlike other people I see around me, I don’t think I’m entitled to things. I have to work for what I get. I did experience failure at the sail dock, but that taught me there’s always another chance to figure things out. At camp, I set the goal of getting my 1st class sailing award and I spent my entire summer intensely focused on it. When I became a 1st class sailor, I understood I could set achievable goals and go for it. I still know that today.

555 EGLINTON AVENUE WESTTORONTO, ONTARIOM5N 1B5CANADA

TEL: 416.975.9060FAX: 416.975.0130

BOX 10002HUNTSVILLE, ONTARIOP1H 2G6CANADA

TEL: 705.633.5651FAX: 705.633.5663