Going to camp is synonymous with memories that last a lifetime. Whether the experience happened last summer or decades ago, there is something special about those times that people hold on to with a great deal of fondness.

For children going to camp for the first time or for parents looking to find out if camp is the right choice for their child, Newtown residents shared what made them choose to go to summer camp and why it was a positive experience for them.

Singing In The Rain

Erika Sandy's daughter, Sofia, has been ready for camp this summer since February.

She started attending Camp Hi-Rock in Washington, Mass., when she was in fifth grade, after a friend encouraged her that they should go together.

Sofia recalls how one of her favorite moments at camp was during a rainstorm. She said, "It was raining really hard one day, and during our free time, my friend Lou and I went out into a field and started to sing 'I'm Singing in the Rain' until we were soaked."

Now, in eighth grade, she still waits with much anticipation to return to Camp Hi-Rock to make more fun memories.

Hands-On Blacksmithing

Last summer, 13-year-old Dante Verna took a metal forging class through Brookfield Craft Center.

"I always like making things by hand, and it feels cool to make your own stuff out of metal. Blacksmithing isn't something people do very much now, so I thought it would be interesting to learn," said Dante.

The program taught students a variety of basic blacksmithing techniques, as well as how to light and use the forge.

There was not one particular moment that stood out as his favorite, but the class as a whole made a positive impact on him.

"I really liked how hands-on it was and how you were allowed to get creative with whatever work you were doing," said Dante. "I really loved using traditional, nonmechanic tools."

Parks & Recreation Fun Moments

Many local children and teenagers have experienced at least one of Newtown Parks & Recreation's camps growing up.

Assistant Director of Newtown Parks and Recreation, Rose Ann Reggiano, not only is part of organizing those camps, but also takes time to enjoy the special moments between the staff and campers.

"My favorite memory of camp is when I saw the site director on the hill at Treadwell Camp making paper airplanes with the campers," said Ms Reggiano.

She watched as they flew the paper airplanes from the top of the hill all the way down to the bottom.

Ms Reggiano added, "It was great to see the smiling and laughing faces of the campers."

From Student To Teacher

Hannah Eckhardt has experienced Newtown's SMART Camp both as a young camper and as a current instructor.

In the summer after third grade - or as Ms Eckhardt marks the time: the summer of "Miss Independent" by Kelly Clarkson - she decided to try out SMART Camp, because friends of hers had been enrolled.

During her time there, the singing competition show American Idol was very popular, so when her theater class was looking to decide what play to create they hosted a mock American Idol.

She explained jokingly that in her group's version of the show "all the contestants were kind of bad. I wanted to stand on the stage, scream-singing nonsense, but for some reason the counselors wouldn't let me do that. So I hosted instead. I was the best role, I think."

Another vivid memory that she has from her time as a camper at SMART Camp was in science class.

"We watched and made structures out of straws and tape to support an egg. My group named our egg 'Eggbert,' and we made a great supportive straw building for him," said Ms Eckhardt.Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,

Despite only having attended SMART Camp for one summer, Ms Eckhardt knew that one day she wanted to be an instructor there. Now, she has been teaching the Fashion Design course there for four summers.

She enjoys the fun environment of the camp and her favorite moments are when she sees the campers push their creative limits.

"Each summer I am astounded by how much the kids are capable of," said Ms Eckhardt. "Each year I challenge them more and more, and year after year they rise to - and above - my challenge!"

She is amazed by their skill level, going from creating taped outfits from scrap fabric to, as she calls it, "a runway spectacular of newspaper and magazine dresses, bodices, and skirts."

Ms Eckhardt is excited to have added a new show to the showcase and to have the opportunity to get children excited about fashion. She concluded, "I'm so glad to be a part of [SMART Camp]."

A Musical Summer

Professional singer Carolyn Fagerholm got her start at theater camp at Newbury Musical Theatre Company (NMTC) in Southbury.

"I went to this camp because I wanted to learn more about acting and to be part of a full stage musical," said Ms Fagerholm. "I had been part of productions in school and wanted to do more. Going to summer camp gave me a place to learn and grow as a performer."

When she attended the program, from ages 15 to 18, NMTC was originally a summer day camp. Ms Fagerholm explained that it has since grown into a nonprofit community theater company where it has added programs for young performers throughout the year, as well as their full stage summer production and summer day camp.

"Since NMTC is now a community theater company, I've been able to continue to perform in their summer productions as an adult," said Ms Fagerholm.

During her early camp days, she enjoyed being part of a program that gave her the opportunity to make friends from other towns and meet people she may never have known otherwise.

"The entire experience was something I'll never forget," said Ms Fagerholm. "There is something truly special about creating and performing with others, and it's a large part of the reason I continue to perform today."

Out of the many positive times from NMTC, she cites the end of a dance rehearsal one summer as her favorite memory from camp.

She and the other campers were looking to incorporate a Virginia Reel dance routine into the number when, after breaking the dance into sections to master, she found that the group was slowly performing it faster and faster. Soon enough, it had escaladed to a high-speed race of adrenaline.

"The whole thing became lots of us running up and down the line yelling, screaming, and generally shouting 'Go! Go! Go!' By the end things were pretty chaotic, but we were all laughing our heads off. It easily could have been frustrating or stressful, but it was the exact opposite," Ms Fagerholm said. "I always think of that rehearsal and smile."

Finding A Friend

Sue Kassirer was in college in her early twenties and looking for a summer job when she first heard about Candy Mountain Day Camp in New City, N.Y.

A friend of a friend had mentioned to her that she was not returning as a camp counselor there and recommended Ms Kassirer apply.

Growing up, Ms Kassirer had attended summer camps, but had never been a counselor. To top it off, Candy Mountain Day Camp was an outdoor program that would require her to be nature savvy.

Coming from an art background and not being very well versed in all things nature, she was hesitant. After being assured it would be a fun experience, though, Ms Kassirer signed up and got the job as the nature camp counselor.

She studied as much as she could about nature and began to feel more prepared for her new title. Yet, as many can relate when embarking on a new experience, she was nervous.

"I didn't know anyone at the camp, because I hadn't grown up in the area. So I was a little hesitant about making friends and not knowing anyone," Ms Kassirer explained.

Fortunately, her "older and wiser" friend, Julia, told her not to worry.

"I remember distinctly her assuring me that I would no doubt make one friend, at least. And somehow the way she said it, I felt she just knew," Ms Kassirer said. "She really assured me that if I made just one friend, that's all I needed, and that it would happen."

Now with a little more reassurance, she went to Candy Mountain Day Camp and started her new job as a camp counselor.

"It was really fun," said Ms Kassirer. "I had my own nature cabin with supplies. Kids would come to me with their head counselor, and we would do nature walks."

During her time there, she began to notice there was a camper who looked like he did not fit in with any of the groups of children.

Ms Kassirer explained, "There was this one little boy who was clearly very bright and really interested in what I was talking about on the hikes about insects and leaves. I pretty quickly picked up that he didn't have a buddy."

To her surprise, the boy began choosing to spend his free time learning more about nature with her. She taught him different projects and let him use the microscopes.

"He was a nice kid, and I was aware that this was important to him," Ms Kassirer said.

It was not until camp was over that, in retrospect, she realized what had been in front of her all along.

Ms Kassirer said, "My memory is that when the whole camp counselor experience was over, I realized he was the friend I made."

Knitting Camp Weaves Bonds

A Newtown resident for more than 20 years, Nicole Christensen has taught knitting and crochet through Parks and Recreation and Continuing Education for nearly a decade.

Over the years she has had students ranging from 6 years old to 60-plus years old in her classes.

"I love the universal appeal - spanning age, location, taste, and time," Ms Christensen said. "One can make a quick project or work on something for years, keep it simple or make something fancy."

Some of her favorite moments are when a child lights up after learning how to knit. She enjoys seeing how proud they are of their projects and, ultimately, of themselves.

Ms Christensen also enjoys when "years later, a teen or young adult will come up and say, 'Remember me? I was in your knitting class once. I'm still knitting.'"

A memory that Ms Christensen calls "extra special" came from a Knitting Camp class she taught with a diverse age group of students.

Ms Christensen remembers getting a call before the camp had started from a mother who wanted to enroll her daughter and a friend who were not quite the minimum age of those recommended for the class.

Students advised for the course were suppose to be elementary through Reed Intermediate School age. After discussing it with the mother - explaining the age is in place because of attention span and finger dexterity - the two young girls were enrolled.

However, also in that particular class, there was a group of older children on the other side of the age-range spectrum, about to age out from the camp eligibility.

"The first morning, the campers entered the room, [and] as the two littlest ones came in, with dresses and bows in their hair, I caught the looks on the faces of a few of the oldest embarking to middle school that fall," said Ms Christensen.

Her daughter, Audrey, accompanied her mother at Knitting Camp as an assistant, and the older students were her classmates.

Ms Christensen remembers how her daughter approached her, and in a hushed voice, expressed to her mother that her friends were concerned that the students were very young.

"I told her not to worry," Ms Christensen said.

Sure enough, she was right, because by midweek all the children had become friends.

Ms Christensen explained, "The little ones would leap into the arms of the older kids, giving them big hugs each morning. Older girls wanted to help the younger ones if they got stuck on their knitting projects... They'd cheer for each other when a new stitch was mastered. Over the click-clack sound of busy needles, right before my eyes, the age gap closed, and the group bonded."

On the last day of the weeklong camp, it was difficult for the campers to part. Students exchanged phone numbers and looked forward to continuing their friendships after camp.

"Those were kids just being kids, not caring who was what age, or from what school or grade," Ms Christensen said. "They reminded me of past generations, when neighborhood children of all ages spent summer days together, sun up to sundown. That particular knitting camp, a few years ago, was simply magical. They represented Newtown, a true community."