Camp Strawderman

★★Ny the Science Kid

My friend, Abby Newell, whose father also left a review, was my only real friend at this camp. I went to the camp for two weeks two years ago. I was put into a cabin a year older than me due to space issues. Me and my friend were treated like social pariahs because of my own love of working out and different experiences in life, and for her plus size body. We were often excluded also because we hadn’t been to the camp often before, and so we weren’t friends already with other campers and so were excluded from social gatherings. We were talked about behind our backs. It was strange as no matter how much I would talk to the other girls in my cabin, it always felt like there was distance between us. When we had a cabin discussion about this, my cabin members expressed sympathy towards me and also my friend, but then didn’t put in the effort to bridge the gap. As a military kid, I have moved around a lot and have seen a wide variety of experiences. However, my cabin mates seemed to be unable to think of other people’s experiences. They seemed to think that everyone would want to be a camp counselor when they grew up or that everyone had the ability to ride horses on the regular. However, it wasn’t just my cabin mates that caused issues. As someone who prioritizes their strength, I work out a lot. Originally, I worked out on the cabin patio with my exercise bands. But later, the counselors brought me into their side of the cabin and told me to stop because I was “causing people to have body image issues” and they brought me to tears with that as they claimed that they would take away the Spirit award from the cabin if I continued. Seeing how my cabin mates treated my friend for losing the Inspection award one day, I was scared into not working out. It should be noted, I then asked around and discovered that none of my cabin mates had issues with my work outs and actually found them quite interesting and amusing. Thankfully, I was able to get permission to work out in a separate building, but the point still stands that I was punished for something that didn’t hurt anyone. There’s also the weird candle-circle initiation stuff and how the camp emphasized “loyalty” so if you hadn’t been to the camp for a long time, you were forced to only hang out with the younger cabins for certain activities. Final note, there was no privacy in the bathrooms, and my cabin mates were insistent on communal showering.

★★★★★Andie Miller

This is my favorite place! I’ve made life long friendships with campers and counselors! This camp has completely changed my life forever. So many things to do and so much to learn. But mostly you have the most fun! I can’t wait to come back to you Camp Strawderman in 2024!

★★★★★Jaqueline Whalen

I spent 12 years every summer for 2 months starting in 1957 at Camp Strawderman. The simple beauty of the place was a magic elixir for all my growing up pains. I made the closest friends I have ever had there. I learned how to care for God's natural world there, and I became a far better person by just living there every summer. The place and the people are still a deep part of my every day. I sent me 3 daughters there, and I still recommend it to anyone who is looking for a special experience for their child.

★★★★★Kay Fox

My daughter loves Camp Strawderman, and I love that she loves it! The staff are also incredible, kind, and so conscientious about her experience. I could not have found a better place to send her every summer. When she leaves, we immediately start a countdown for when she can go back! ❤️

★★★★★Lauren Floyd

I first attended Camp Strawderman at age 12. I had such an incredible time that I went back each year, including for one year as a counselor when I was finally too old to be a camper. Strawderman is like no other camp you'll ever experience. I have known 3+ generations of the same family that have attended and once you've gone, you can tell why. There's an incredible culture to the camp that you won't find anywhere else. The horseback riding experience at camp is also fantastic (I advanced up the levels over the years to finish out at the "Omega" top level and became a riding counselor as well). I couldn't recommend Camp Strawderman highly enough.