Preparing for Agawam

You can access our suggested packing list by visiting the Amerasport website (you can get a printer-friendly PDF of Amerasport's list here). They are the official outfitter of Camp Agawam and can fill all of your uniform needs. They also sell other items that may be useful to campers. Many items, aside from the uniform, may come from your own wardrobe, and need not be purchased through Amerasport.

After packing, please attach a complete inventory of your boy's equipment and clothing to the inside of his trunk cover. A trunk list for this purpose will be sent out with our May mailing to parents. You can get a printer-friendly PDF of the Agawam Packing Inventory here.

Marking Belongings/Name Tapes
Every article brought to camp, including shoes, boots, and clothing worn during the trip to camp, must be marked with your son's name. Clothing should be marked with nametapes, which may be ordered through Amerasport. If you request it, Amerasport will attach nametapes to items bought through their catalogue. Our experience suggests that it is best to sew in nametapes.

Please take care with items that are frequently unmarked and often a lost and found problem: tennis racquets, lacrosse sticks, baseball gloves, fishing poles, beach towels, swim suits, raincoats and sneakers.

If you are ordering rental uniforms from Agawam, we will need 20 nametapes by May 1st to mark your son’s clothing. If we do not have nametapes when we are ready for them to be sewn on the rental uniforms, we will need to add a $10.00 labeling fee to your son’s account.

Equipment
We have a few specific suggestions about camp equipment...

1. Former campers must bring their Honor Bands to camp.
2. All gear is stored in a personal trunk or footlocker. Boys seem to be bringing more and more

unnecessary items. Our cabins are small! Please avoid over-packing.

3. Boys may bring acoustic guitars, or other non-electronic instruments.
4. Personal sports equipment must be used under the same guidelines as camp-owned equipment.
5. Please be sure to include a daypack or book bag, which will be used for day hikes, beach trips and other out-of-camp excursions.
6. We encourage boys to read and suggest that several books be brought to camp.
7. Wristwatches always seem to get lost. They really are not needed at camp.
8. Skateboards and roller-blades cannot be used.

We hope that parents and relatives will co-operate with us in ensuring that the following items are not brought to camp...

1. Please do not send any deodorant spray cans.
2. No pistols, weapons or fireworks of any kind are allowed at camp.
3. Please do not allow your son to bring a knife. Agawam provides knives for camp-craft and for other crafts.
4. We have a strict policy forbidding the use or possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and illicit or controlled drugs. Campers may not bring these things to camp or acquire them during their stay at Agawam.
5. Please co-operate with us in keeping gum, candy, and other extra food out of camp. Such items attract animals in the cabins and the boys are given a well balanced diet in which camp-suplied candy is given at regular intervals.

Electronic Equipment
We want to keep Agawam "woodsy" and have the boys learn the value of their fellow campers and staff for entertainment and friendship. We would very much prefer that all campers leave electronic games, computers, iPods, discmen, PalmPilots, PS2’s, cell phones, etc. at home. If these items are brought to camp, they will be safely stored in our office to be returned when a camper leaves Agawam for home. However, as we invest trust and responsibility in our senior campers, a boy who is 14 or older as of June 1st may bring a radio for limited use. Others will be stored in the office.

Camping Gear
All boys should bring their own sleeping bag for use on regular overnight trips, sleep-outs, etc. All boys, 12 and older, should bring hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes. Be sure to break in new boots.

In addition to those items, older boys (13, 14 or 15) are required to bring:

1. Wool socks
2. Polypropylene (or other non-cotton synthetic material) long sleeved undershirt and long underpants
3. A wool or fleece winter hat.

Boys who anticipate taking many trips should also consider bringing:

1. A frame pack
2. A "camelback" or comparable hydration bladder
3. Nylon wind pants. The Camp Agawam Fleece Pullover would also be useful on trips.

Camp Uniform And Other Clothing
All campers and staff at Agawam wear a simple camp uniforms. The boys' uniforms consist of attractive, serviceable T-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts and optional sweatpants, maroon soccer shorts, and fleece pullover or raincoat with embroidered Agawam symbol. Other clothing, for cooler or wet conditions, comes from your son's regular wardrobe. It is very important that your son have a waterproof, hooded garment ("raincoat") for his stay with us. Wool sweaters or shirts are very important to have on trips. Boys may want to bring one set of their own informal clothing for times when they go out of camp for special occasions or when we have a coed activity with a neighboring girls' camp. A complete list of suggested items is enclosed in the Amerasport catalogue.

Luggage
If you are planning to have your son travel to camp by any means other than private car, please arrange to send his trunk and other large luggage ahead. There is no room for trunks and duffel bags, or bulky baggage, on the chartered bus.

All baggage should be sent at least 10-days before your son arrives. Properly marked items are sorted and waiting in your son's cabin when he arrives. Please be sure to include both first and last names on tags.

Baggage should be sent via United Parcel Service (UPS), if it meets the following requirements:

1. Maximum weight per package, 150 lbs.
2. Maximum size per package, 130 inches in length and girth (combined).

When using UPS, ensure:

1. Item is locked - send extra keys and combinations to Agawam office.
2. Label must be taped down with clear tape.

Shipping Label:

Camper's Name

Camp Agawam
54 Agawam Road
Raymond, ME 04071

Agawam has had success using The UPS Store for shipping trunks at the end of the season. Put two tags on each piece of baggage. In the case of brothers, please put each boy's name on the proper trunk and duffel bag so that the baggage can be sorted correctly upon arrival at camp.