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Summer Camp News and Blog

Fun Facts for New Families

Posted on by PineForest

Spring is in the air! We can’t believe Summer 2025, camp’s 94th season, will be here before we know it! We thought it would be fun to share some fun facts about camp!  Pine Forest is full of tradition, rituals and special names, and each one is so meaningful to both the campers and staff; in no time, your camper will be an expert! As the song goes, “We welcome you to Pine Forest, we’re mighty glad you’re here!”


“Up Where the Sky Begins”
Our longtime PFC slogan, but really it’s a philosophy! 

“When Lights Are Low” and “High In The Mountains”
PFC’s camp songs, among many others. Your campers will know them in no time!

Blue and Gold are PFC camp colors! Wear them loud and proud!

Many of Pine Forest’s fields, courts and venues are named after camp’s founders, Hughie and Selma Black, their descendants as well as many old-timers.

Hughie Hall– Indoor athletic venue that houses many camp activities, including basketball, broadcasting, yoga, spinning, the fitness center and much more.

Libby Courts – One of three sets of tennis courts, named after Libby Black Halpern, daughter of the founders and an avid tennis player.

Marvin Hall – Our beautiful gymnastics pavilion, named after Marvin Black, son of the founders and longtime PFC Director.

Netsy Playhouse – Outdoor amphitheater where camp-wide shows and gatherings are held, named after Annette “Netsy” Black, daughter-in-law of the founders who championed the performing arts at camp. 


Lee’s Rink and Lee’s Tree – the hockey pavilion next to Hughie Hall and the tree in the center of camp, in front of the Guest House, are both named for Lee Forest Black, beloved former PFC camper, counselor, head of Boys Camp and PFC Director.  Lee, who passed away in 2021, was the son of Mickey and Barbara Black and the brother of Anna Black Morin, married to current director, Eric Morin. Lee was the great-grandson of our founders.


Chadwin Court AKA “Main Court” in the center of camp with lights and stadium seating all around.  Named after longtime athletic director, Steve “Chad” Chadwin.

Lisa’s Heart-Shaped Pond – The most magical spot on the way to the lake. Turn around three times and throw a rock in over your shoulder. If it lands in the heart-shaped pond, your wish will come true! Named after Assistant Director, Lisa Sherman Fayne, grand-niece of our founders, Hughie and Selma.

Blueberry Island – A private island in our  lake, Lake Greeley, where campers canoe and explore!


The Old-Timers Tree – This old tree proudly displays plaques of the names of all campers and staff throughout our 93 years that have gone to camp for 10 years or more.  It’s a badge of honor when old-timers to have their names permanently added to the tree for all time! Right now, there are over 400 names on the Old-Timers Tree!

Bunk Names – Bunks at camp are named after trees and wildflowers found in Northeastern, PA, our beautiful summer home!

We won’t quiz you on it, but we hope these names and places make you feel even more excited for summer! We are counting down the days to welcome you! Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have. We can’t wait to get started!

Eric Morin, 4th-Generation Director

Lisa Fayne, Assistant Director

Hal and Sarah Schwartz, Head of Boys & Girls Camp

The Trouble with Camp

Posted on by PineForest

The trouble with camp is that camp ends.

The buses pull out this morning. In an instant, camp is silent. But the air will be filled with happy memories. Pine Forest’s 93rd summer has come to a close and it was one of the best ever.

Thank you one and all, campers and counselors, housekeeping and maintenance, nurses and doctors, office staff and drivers, for making it such a tremendous season.

And now it’s back to home and school. But everyone who shared this wonderful summer comes home a little different. A little better. Keep the spirit of PFC alive all year long. Stay in touch.

Pine Forest is more than a place in Greeley, PA. It’s a place in our hearts.

The Things We Carry

Posted on by PineForest

Like the song says, “All our bags are packed, we’re ready to go.”

Mountain Baggage, R&B Baggage, UPS, and FedEx.

Today we pack up, have our awards ceremonies, and tonight it’s the candlelight. It feels like we just arrived.  But we’re coming home with so much more than we can pack in a bag; new friends, new adventures, new confidence. There isn’t a duffle bag or shipping company big enough to handle it.

Those are the things we carry.

Home from Camp | Tips & Reminders

Posted on by PineForest

Time flies when you’re having fun and your campers will be home soon! The transition to “the real world” isn’t always easy for you and your campers. Here are some tips to help both of you make the transition as smooth as possible.

  1. Don’t take it personally.

Yes, they’ll be SO happy to see you. They’re also very, very sad.

They’re sad to leave camp! They’re sad to leave their friends! They’re sad to leave their counselors! They’re sad to leave their independence and camp persona! It’s okay (great actually)! It means you gave them the best gift ever!

  1. Remember: They’re exhausted.

In the last week alone, they experience Color Days, the play, song and cheer, a gymnastics show, banquet, packing and more. Over the past seven weeks they’ve been living with ten other people, hanging out with friends day and night, participating in activities from sun up to sun down. Enough said.

  1. Be patient.

It might take a few hours or a few days to be entirely “on.” They might even seem a little numb. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you or didn’t miss you. It doesn’t mean that they won’t open up and start gushing in a few days. Nothing is wrong. They just need time! Things that are normal: wanting to talk to their camp friends immediately, all-day, every day for a few days (yes, they just spent seven weeks with them – we know). Wanting to spend some time alone before jumping into the deep end of home life (think family gatherings, sporting events, play dates). Any combination of the above. Normal. Normal. Normal.

  1. Focus on small moments and questions.

Think about your two best friends who live far away.

Friend one: you pick up the phone no matter what, even if you only have a minute. Though it’s been months, you know they’ll cut right to the chase and start where things left off. Or not. Maybe you just answer a quick question, maybe you talk about who got the final rose- you can hang up when you need to. One word answers, longer answers, anything goes. No pressure.

Friend two: You love them. Really. You LOVE them as much as friend one. But you really only pick up when you have time to sit, totally focused, for an hour-long catch-up. So, no. You don’t always pick up. Because you’re at work, or you’re making dinner, or you’re about to get the kids ready for bed, or you just don’t feel like telling your life story. That. Sounds. Exhausting.

The moral? Be friend one. You’ll learn more!

Good questions:
What was this morning like?
Which activity was the best?
Who was the goofiest counselor in your bunk?

Less good questions/statements:
Tell me EVERYTHING about camp.
Can you explain your weekly schedule?
What were your counselors like?

Ask a few, manageable, lighthearted questions every hour on that first day. You’ll open up that can of worms without having to pry, without overwhelming your fresh-off-the-bus camper.

  1. Give them wings.

At camp they were the most independent versions of themselves and they’re still basking in the glow of those camp freedoms. Advocating for themselves, making independent choices— it’s why you sent them to camp! Think about how you felt the first time you came home from college. It was a little weird! Think about small liberties you can introduce to reinforce your camper’s summer growth. If you have an eight-year-old who didn’t make his or her bed before camp, encourage him or her to make the bed at home (even if it isn’t as beautiful as you’d like). Though seemingly a “chore,” having your camper do things for him or herself at home will continue the summer’s momentum and make him or her feel happy and confident. And isn’t that what this whole camp thing was about from the start?

PFC Color Days 2024!!

Posted on by PineForest

Color Days 2024 has begun!
 
And the teams are…
 
Mighty Mountains Gold vs. Roaring Rivers Blue
 
What was the surprise, or “break,” to start it all?
 
The play was over and we were ready for taps and friends. But wait! Is that Billy Joel’s River of Dreams playing in the distance? Four mountain men carrying kayaks approach the stage, leading us to a tiki torch trail. We knew right then! We raced to Mitchell Field, past our favorite leaders dressed in costume, to take our seats on the bleachers. What sounded like a swarm of bees in the distance turned out to be DRONES! Complete with a mountains and rivers-themed soundtrack. The most spectacular light show we’ve ever seen!
 
Color Days lasts for 3 full days of competition with games, skits and songs all culminating in “The Sing.” To follow every score, game, and exciting moment, we have a special page designed just for PFC’s Color Days. Keep checking it for the latest news!
 
Reminder: Please no visitors at camp for any reason.
 
Let the fun and competition begin!

Junior Division Fun!

Posted on by PineForest

Last night our junior girls all ventured up to Marvin Hall (our open air gymnastics pavilion) in their coziest PJs for an epic sleepover party! And a few nights ago, our junior boy campers did the same. They play games, tell stories, and roast marshmallows and enjoy s’mores by a fire, of course. Who doesn’t love a sleepover with 40+ of your best friends?! Doesn’t get any better than that. 

Then this afternoon, all of our juniors then headed to the Railriders minor league baseball game, where they got to watch the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders play the Worcester Red Sox. We aren’t sure if they were more excited for the game or the snacks, but either way – they enjoyed both and had an amazing time! They’re the 3rd group to go enjoy a game – inters went last week and seniors went last night – and our hi-seniors will go catch a game in a few days. They can’t wait!

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop!

Posted on by PineForest

The past few days at camp have been AMAZING! Where do we even start? 

A few days ago, lower campers started their day with an epic game of Gold Rush – they were split into teams and busy running all around camp looking for gold! Then, in the afternoon, they participated in what has become a wonderful tradition at camp – Kindness Day. Campers embarked on an epic scavenger hunt, traveling around to different activities, working together as a bunk to accomplish different tasks. We saw lots of teamwork and of course, kindness all around! They ended the evening writing kind messages to bunkmates – something they’ll surely treasure forever. To top it all off, we had authentic Philly soft pretzels for snack – a real camper fave! As lower campers were settling into bed, our upper campers all returned to camp from their trips. They came in buzzing with excitement, sharing stories from the road, but then their heads quickly hit the pillow – they needed to get some rest before jumping back into camp life! 

In addition to our regular programming, yesterday a group of our senior campers got to head out early on a canoe trip – and they had a blast! We also have a former camper visiting who is helping us to paint a new mural outside of Hughie Hall. Campers have been helping, and it’s looking awesome! We can’t wait to show you the finished product. Meanwhile, we’re still playing leagues, creating in art and crafts, cooking delicious treats, adventuring on the ropes course, and so much more! 

It’s really hard to believe that tonight we’ll have our second-to-last Friday night services together before summer 2024 comes to an end. As these final days of July are here, campers are really cherishing all of these special moments with friends! We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!