Marcy Couitt

The Special "Stuff" of Camp Neringa

Marcy Couitt is a Neringa camper, counselor, and mom. Photo from Dana Grajauskaitė

Two years ago, around St Patrick’s Day, my daughter came home form kindergarten insisting that she wanted to be Irish. She insisted the Irish people were "special" because they had special music, they had special dances, and a special flower with lucky shamrocks. All this earnestness was coming from my 5 year-old who was growing up in a family that at the very least, incorporated Lithuanian traditions and food on all the major holidays and family birthdays. I was flabbergasted.

Needless to say, we sat down and had a comparison discussion on just how "special" our own Lithuanian heritage and culture was. This discussion also sparked my search to find a way to show my daughter how to better experience her own rich Lithuanian culture. She was growing up surrounded by tidbits of culture without realizing how unique and special it was. This search led me back to Camp Neringa.

I remember attending Camp Neringa’s English-speaking Lithuanian Heritage camp every summer when I was growing up. I remember the ride up the mountain for two weeks of sunshine, fresh air, and cabin living. The days were filled with sports, games, songs and skits. Every day had a theme: Friendship, Sports, International, Kūčios (Christmas Eve) in July, Lithuanian history, laužas (bonfire), etc. The day’s activities emphasized the theme. Our days were filled with learning Lithuanian folk dances, Lithuanian and American songs, arts and crafts, swim time, a short Lithuanian language and history class, snack time, etc. Often, cabin residents had to think of and act out a skit related to that day's theme. Sometimes, there was even some healthy competition between the cabins. When I think of Camp Neringa, I remember feeling how "special" it was to be Lithuanian. The memories still make me smile today.

Well, we went to Camp Neringa’s Family Heritage weekend and then my daughter stayed one week at the English Speaking Lithuanian Heritage children’s camp. Then, this past summer, she stayed for the full two-week session. It was wonderful to hear my daughter tell me how to say her name in Lithuanian and hear her sing snatches of songs she had learned at camp. It made me smile to think some things at camp had stayed the same. But it was this past September when I knew Camp Neringa had helped me in my goal: when I heard my daughter telling her friends of the "special" camp she went to in Vermont to learn about Lithuanian songs, games, and "stuff".

I encourage your family, children, and grandchildren to experience the "special stuff" Neringa has to offer. The 2000 camp schedule includes a session in English for children 7-16 years old from August 6th to the 19th and a family camp in English for families with young children from June 30th to July 4th. For more information regarding these sessions or sessions in Lithuanian, please contact Dana Grajauskaitė (Camp Director) at 617-923-4583 or neringai@yahoo.com.