An excerpt from the letter sent to campers, dated May 19, 2003

Welcome to Camp Fairmarsh! We are excited to celebrate the camp’s 120th anniversary this year, and have many exciting activities planned for our campers: horseback riding, swimming, canoeing, archery, hikes, campouts, and plenty of s’mores! We also offer less outdoorsy activities, such as a drama production, a weekly newspaper, and lots of crafts to try out! In honor of the camp’s 120th anniversary, we may even try out a few old-time activities, to see what life was like for Camp Fairmarsh’s first campers!

We know that eight weeks is a long time to be apart from your children, but we’ve learned over the years that the time will simply fly by! Every year, many of our campers wish they had even longer to enjoy the fun and excitement of Camp Fairmarsh!

In preparation for your camping experience, we want to remind all campers and parents of a few rules and regulations. This isn’t the exciting part, but it is a necessary part of our great camp!

Important rules to keep in mind:

1) We always use the buddy system! No one goes anywhere alone!

2) Do not feed any animals without the direction of a counselor or other camp staff. Our wild animals spend ten months out of the year without campers, and must not be allowed to come to rely on us for food. Our horses are on a normalized feeding schedule, and should not be given any treats.

3) Fires are restricted to designated fire circles. No one--campers and counselors alike, and parents while dropping off or picking up your campers--is allowed to smoke on camp property!

4) Medications must be turned into the camp nurse. Any medications that may be necessary at unscheduled times (asthma inhalers, allergic reaction auto-injectors) may be carried by unit head counselors.

5) Life jackets must be worn at all times while on or near Lake Fairmarsh, and lifeguards must be on duty at the pool or lake while campers are present.

6) The boundaries of the camp are clearly marked with fencing. No campers or counselors are permitted to cross the camp boundaries, except in the case of an emergency.

7) Many of Camp Fairmarsh’s buildings are very old, and some of them are undergoing rehabilitation for future use. Campers should not enter any buildings marked with a yellow warning sign on the door without a counselor or other member of camp staff.

What not to bring:

1) Cellular phones, Walkmans, or other electronic devices. You’ll find nowhere to plug them in to recharge at Camp Fairmarsh!

2) Weapons of any sort. A standard camping pocket knife is allowed, but no larger knives will be permitted.

3) Food, snacks, candy, gum, or beverages. We don’t want the raccoons to get to your treats! Campers will be provided with adequate meals and snacks at designated times throughout the day. Gum is prohibited as it poses a risk to wildlife.

4) Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and lighters. Any camper found in possession of any of these items will be sent home from camp without a refund.

5) Expensive or valuable jewelry or other items. We wouldn’t want anything to get lost!