Out Spotlight XCII

What summer without summer camp?

Today's Out Spotlight is 'Camp' Camp.

Cabins, sports, arts & crafts, talent shows, dances, and the great outdoors all the things are a part of sleep away camp. But this is not the sleep away camp you went to when you were 11. This is 'Camp' Camp. Summer camp for GLBT adults

Nestled in the southwestern Maine woods, 'Camp'Camp takes over a teen sleep away campsite for one week in August to camp it up.

'Camp' Camp was founded in 1996 by Bill Cole, who, after coming out, began searching for a place to fit in the gay community. Cole was always been involved with camping, decided to open a week long camp for GLBT campers who felt like he did. “It was brave,” Co-Director Susan Clinkenbeard says of Cole’s decision. “I think things have changed, but I think camping is still an area where homophobia exists,” which is one reason Clinkenbeard and her co-director Kerry Riffle don't disclose of 'Camp' Camp’s location for security reasons.

What's camp without cabins, (named after out celebs such as Greg Louganis, Ellen Degeneres or Barney Frank for example) and bunks for 5-20 campers. While the cabins and bunks classic camp, the food isn't, no bug juice, Jell-O, or mystery meet. 'Camp' Camp replaces the scary camp cook with a camp chef for the week.

What's there to do at 'Camp' Camp? There's a theater for performing, tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, pottery, stained glass and other art and crafts classes, wall climbing, softball and other sports, swimming and sailing in the lake and beaches to soak up the Sun. 'Camp' Camp has a Tea Dance & Pajama Par-tay, a Talent/No Talent Show, a Barn Dance, Gay Gaymes and and 'Camp' Camp's Dance Dance closing night.

Who are the campers? They are about 200 men and women, from 18 to their 70s. who come from primarily the Northeastern U.S. (mostly from the Boston and New York City) as well as Florida, California, Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, Canada and Great Britain.

More than 70% of people who go to Camp return for another year – or two or three or more. More than 20% of the 2006 Campers in were attending for their fifth, sixth, or seventh year of camp.

One thing 'Camp' Camp differs from summer camp is you don't have to sneak the beer or wine. It is served at Camp's Tea Dance and other social events, but don't think it is an entire week of drinking in the woods. Cole had originally created Camp as an alternative to alcohol and sex-focused bars and clubs, somewhere where people could enjoy a different kind of environment than the typical, and emphasis more on the fun and friendships, the club scene.

Another thing that's just like summer camp, while you don't have to put your name in your clothes but you can't bring portable radios, Ipods, large amounts of cash, or valuable watches or jewelry, drugs or weapons with you. And the Blackberry and cell phone? Good luck trying to get a signal in the Maine woods.

'Camp' Camp has grown into a community of people – people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or somewhere in between, who enjoying the best part of summer, camp.

This year's 'Camp' Camp is August 23- 30th.

'Camp' Camp website

Check out 'Camp' Camp's video.