sperling, Author at Pompositticut Farm

Safety is Our Camp’s Priority

Pompositticut Farm Day Camp is proud to boast we have once again earned the prestigious Safety 1st designation from Markel Insurance. For over 15 consecutive years we have been honored with this recognition and are the longest continual recipient of the Safety 1st Award in the United States! Due to Covid this distinction was not awarded.

According to Michael Swain, Senior Management for Markel Corp of Glen Allen, Virginia, states that in order to receive this award, “Camps and clubs must meet stringent criteria to qualify for the Safety 1st designation. They must have a proven safety record, undergo formal assessments and inspections, and participate in continuing education and certification programs. These facilities deserve to be recognized for keeping safety a top priority.”

Despite the repeated years as an honoree, PFCD Continues to strive for excellence in all areas of scrutiny and does not Take the honor for granted and accepts this honor as affirmation of our staffs hard work and continued dedication to their job. We continue to make camp safety our top priority, ultimately making Pompositticut a special place for all to explore, learn and flourish within a dependable environment! Being granted a license during the Pandemic was a testament to our philosophies and procedures.

Summer Camp is a Tax Deduction

As a parent you may not be thinking about your taxes during the summer months. You might be thinking about your much needed vacation or how you are going to keep the kids occupied for the summer. Here is a solution that your kids will love and so will your bank account when the tax bill arrives. Summer Camp!

How is this possible you may ask? Some summer camps specifically day camps such as Pompositticut Farm Day Camp can be used as a tax deductible by qualifying for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. According to TurboTax, “Under the Child and Dependent Care Credit, you may receive a credit up to $1,050 of your expenses for one child under 13 and up to $2,100 for two or more children under 13 and there is no age limit if they are disabled. There is one catch though. Overnight camps do not count.

There are a few qualifications necessary in order for you to save with the Child and Dependent Care Credit as follows:

The care must be provided for a qualifying person who is your dependent under the age of 13 when care was provided. Note: Care may also be provided for your spouse or certain other dependents who are physically and mentally incapable of self-care.

Your child or qualifying person must be in summer camp or daycare so that you can work or look for work.

Your tax filing status must be single, married filing jointly, head of household, or qualifying widow(er) with your dependent listed on your tax return.

The child must have lived with you for more than half of the tax year in question.

The care provider must be identified on your tax return and cannot be your spouse, the parent of your qualifying person, or your dependent child under the age of 19 by the end of the tax year.”

Hopefully this helps to be thinking forward to plans for next summer or using summer camp this year to help with those pesky taxes. Pompositticut Farm Day Camp is happy to provide any of the information you require to complete the Child and Dependent Care Credit on your taxes.

Spring Open House

I hope families can come enjoy the Flying High Frisbee Dogs along with learning more about Pompositticut Farm Day Camp and the amazing programs we offer.

When Should You Apply?

February is that twixs and between month. It’s the time of year when we are teased by the weather into thinking spring is just around the corner. Certainly with the drastic temperature changes we just experienced from -15 degrees to 54 degrees proves this fact. Despite these fluctuations, we are lured into hoping that it will be a short winter and summer also is not far away. It is these reminders that should encourage you to begin thinking about applying for summer positions.

Those of you who will be needing summer employment, NOW is the time to start filling out applications. Because Pompositticut operates under the guidelines of the local and state regulations, proper applications and affiliated forms are required to initiate the job process. These forms are currently available on this website and should be filled out entirely before consideration can be given to an applicant. You may include a resume, but the full job application and references must be included.

In the past, the March college break has been the perfect time to arrange for a personal interview. Both returning and new staff should take advantage of this time frame to communicate with the camp office about arranging appointments. You don’t have to wait until March though, as we are available to speak with you as soon as you contact us. The whole process begins and ends with you. Decisions on summer staffing are often on a first-come, first-served basis, so time is of the essence in applying for a specific position. You can never be too early to think about and plan for your future!

As you can see here, Gaby will be enjoying another summer with her fellow staff and campers at Pompositticut. As one of our international staff she was required to return through a global recruitment agency. These applicants complete similar paperwork requirements and go through the process of a personal interview by the agency as well as by the hiring camp. With the advent of Skype and FaceTime interviewing is more efficient than just a phone call. The camp’s preference is an in-person interview at the UK camp recruitment fairs which are arranged for this specific reason: to meet applicants and see from both perspectives if it’s a good fit.

So whether you are from the US, the UK, or anywhere in the world the requirements for summer employment are the same: mandatory paperwork and an interview. From there, it’s up to you. If you are that exceptional individual looking to share your summer with children, we want that smile and laughter here at POMPOSITTICUT!

2016 Heels Down Coordinators

PFDC is happy to announce we have two returning staff members from England as our Heels Down Program Coordinators. Check out their profiles and catch up on what they have been doing in the camp off season.

What if I had Won Powerball?

Recently Powerball was in the news due to the extraordinary amount of money a few lucky winners finally won. A BILLION dollars was at stake and it certainly got people thinking about what they would do with the money. I know I gave it consideration, despite the fact I only purchased one ticket on the first go-around.

My thoughts first went to how it would change my life and relationships with friends and family. Then, after the initial dreams of how many luxury items I could afford, my thoughts went to how I could actually spend that money to better mankind. Although it seemed a stretch, would there be a way I could bail out a desperately poor town whose budget needed balancing? How about just building a group of houses in an area ravaged by tornadoes or floods? What about anonymously paying off patients’ medical bills in a hospital? There are so many ways that money could be put to good use with numerous people benefitting instead of just one lucky winner.

Altruism is not something we think about in our everyday lives nor are most of us in the position to afford extreme amounts of charity. Although it seems we all lead busy lives, we could afford to give more of our time. Indeed, even the top Ivy League universities are demanding more of their applicants. Not only is it imperative these perspective college students be in the top percentile of their classes but also that they are well-rounded individuals. Intellect, athleticism and talent certainly might get their foot in the door, but more and more colleges are asking what a student has contributed to society as a factor in determining who is accepted. Have they volunteered or donated their time and effort to a charitable cause? Have they put their egos aside to help those less fortunate or in need of comfort? Have they proven they have the potential of being not only a doctor, or scientist but a caring, empathetic citizen? It’s something we all could take a look at inwardly and consider whether we are all doing our very best.

Here at Pompositticut the opportunity to give back and help others in need was created several years ago. With the passing of Jackie’s Mom in 2012, the founder/director became personally aware of the hardships and challenges cancer patients face when undergoing chemotherapy. As a result Jackie established a scholarship program entitled “Serving More Kids” or SMK, with the ultimate goal of providing a wholesome camp experience for children whose custodial caregiver will be undergoing cancer treatment during the summer months. This is basically the only criteria required to apply and we encourage anyone who may know of a friend or family member going through this process to do so. Applications for these annual scholarships are available on the camp’s website.

It may not be a billion dollars, but if we all contributed in some small way it would eventually add up. Who knows, it may even feel like a billion dollars to the person on the receiving end!

Carlene

A Special Place

Those of you who have been to Pompositticut Farm know what a beautiful property it is. The wooded trails, hay fields, and meandering stream are home to many animals. Red tail hawks, wood ducks, wild turkeys, whitetail deer enjoy the abundance of food sources around the farm.

It is the domestic animals that are the luckiest though as they reside on what the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation deems Pompositticut Farm as a MA Horse Farm of Distinction! Our horses, (as well as a few chickens and two donkeys), reside year round on the property and are housed in facilities that have been judged by the Farm Bureau to be “the cream of the crop”. MFBF President, Dr. A.Richard Bonanno added, “These farms present to the public a safe and professional image. They truly show-case the horse industry in Massachusetts for the public.”

Each farm or stable nominated for this prestigious award is evaluated in the areas of Horse Health Management, Farm Management and Compliance with Regulatory Requirements and must meet the highest of standards of excellence.

Scoring for the overall horse health represented half of the points accumulated in making this distinction and included is the appearance of the animals together with evidence of a sound equine health program.

Farm management areas considered were numerous. The judges evaluated neatness, ventilation, cleanliness and safety of buildings, land and equipment. Safety, first-aid and protection programs were scored as well as pest control and adequate horse care provisions both indoors and outdoors.

Farms are also judged on evidence of good farm/community relations as well as compliance with state and local operating and instructing licenses. Given the stringent review of all these practices, not all farms, actually receive this prestigious designation.

Pompositticut is and will continue to be one of those influential and respected farms known as the landlord of this area’s most admired camps, who, since 1980 has strived to maintain the highest of standards for all who have had the opportunity to be part of the many programs offered throughout the year. What a great place to call home!

Camp Fair in London, England!

I cannot believe it is already 2016! This winter is flying by and hopefully we will only get some cold weather and not too much snow. Along with the winter weather, January brings the PFDC management staff to its annual recruitment trip to London, England. Here is where we hope to find and hire some of our 2016 international staff who the children enjoy so much each year.

For summer 2016 we will be looking to hire 6 international instructors to complement our great American staff. The benefit to traveling abroad and having an association with the Camp America Program is the quantity of well qualified candidates with extensive equestrian backgrounds. We primarily are looking for instructors for our horseback riding programs and ropes course programs but we are always on the look-out for any great personality who will stand out and make this coming summer a smashing success for our campers.

While we are in London, we will also take time to reconnect with old friends. Several of the girls who live close enough to travel down to London will take the time to come visit us and show us some of their favorite places. A few will accompany us to the camp recruitment fair and talk to the new candidates about their experiences at camp and summer in America. It is always great to see familiar faces and catch up on what they may be doing with their lives today. A lot of them tell us how great their experience was at camp, visiting the US and how it has shaped their life with the decisions they may have made to pursue a career with children, camp, or the equine industry.

We have been very lucky to find such wonderful candidates in the past. This year we expect to continue to attract a high level of experienced and qualified applicants due in part to the wonderful testimonials from past international staff who have gone through the program. By providing top notch programs at camp, these participants have grown as instructors and are able to share their knowledge with children who are interested in learning from them.

Keep checking in to see who will be joining the PFDC 2016 team as we post announcements here in the news feed and on Facebook. Cheers!

Why Every Child Should Go To Camp

There are many reasons why all children should experience summer camp in their lifetime. Camp provides children the chance to meet new people, try new things, lean new skills, challenge themselves, have a change of pace from daily life and of course have FUN!

Camp is a safe place where children come and meet new friends who may not be in their neighborhood or school circle. They can interact with children from different backgrounds, cultures, and ages. This allows them to expand their world view through new friends and look forward to coming back each year to reconnect with their camp friends, some of whom will become lifelong relationships.

Summer camp is always a fun and exciting environment where hard working staff provides new activities and games that children might not have a chance to experience in their daily lives. Children could discover they love archery, acting, dancing, horseback riding, or even participating in a ropes challenge course. Along with discovering and trying these new activities they may also learn new skills along the way. These activities and the camp environment foster skills such as independence, cooperation, compromise, and working as a team to only name a few. These are invaluable skills that not only help your child with camp life but throughout their entire life.

Camp life and activities also provide a place where children can challenge themselves in a safe and supportive environment. Here there are many activities such as swimming, horseback riding, and ropes challenge course where children build upon their skills and can push themselves without a competitive atmosphere.

These days so much of children’s lives revolve around technology and computers. Camp provides a completely different environment where children are unplugged from the tech world and can enjoy friends, nature, and physical activity. This change of pace from a child’s daily routine allows them to relax and have fun along with stretching their legs and enjoying the many great things the outdoors provides.

Best of all Summer camp is a place for children to have fun. They can let loose and be themselves without the worry of being judged by peers or confined by a particular stereotype. Each summer as camp staff, we look forward to having fun as well and seeing the smiling faces and excited laughter of the children arriving to camp to have another great summer. Click Here to refer a friend to PFDC so they can experience the joys of camp.

Fun Holiday Spirit at 2016 Camp Premier Registration Event

In case you hadn’t heard, Dec. 5th was our first registration day for Summer 2016! The barn, staff and even some of our campers were dressed in the holiday spirit to welcome both old and new campers. In addition to registering for day camp and specialty programs, visitors had the opportunity to snack on hot homemade cookies, buttery popcorn and good ole New England Chowdah! One of the camp’s favorite ponies (Candee) was outside enjoying the mild December day so younger campers were able to take a ride with her. Families eagerly boarded the festively decorated wagon lead by Molly the horse and Karen her trusted driver. Down the road and around the camp property in the wagon had everyone in the mood for the holidays to begin sooner than later! All in all it was a successful day as families lingered by the fire pit and teens greeted each other with time to catch up on their summer experiences. With all the positive comments that were heard and the smiling faces that were seen, we can already tell it is a wonderful start to another summer at camp.

Given the fantastic response we have already had to this first discounted opportunity to register for the upcoming summer, we would love to give those of you who missed the event another chance to take advantage of special discounts! Especially for working parents, Fun Club discounts will expire December 31, 2015. For just $99 you can register your child for a full 2-week session of Fun Club from 3:15pm – 5:15pm or $179 per session from 3:15 – 6:00pm. They’ll enjoy this additional time with staff cooling off in the pool or just doing their summer reading in a hammock. A comforting way to end their action packed day until it’s time to go home!