Begonia's Summer Camp

Begonia's Summer Camp, Since 2001

2026 Summer Registration Packets will be available on December 1, 2025.  

Email me at begoniascamp@yahoo.com

The 2026 Summer Schedule:

Week #1-Monday, June 29th-Friday, July 3rd, The Great Outdoors

*Child must be an experienced biker for our Peaks Island biking day and prepared to bike about 10-12 miles.

Week #2-Monday, July 6th-Friday, July 10th, Marine Biology

*Ideally, we will be at Scarborough Beach for the entire week which requires daily parent drop off and pick up as they do not allow bus parking due to limited space. 

Week #3-Monday, July 13th-Friday, July 17th, The Great Outdoors

*Child must be an experienced biker for our Peaks Island biking day and prepared to bike about 10-12 miles.

Week #4-Monday, July 20th-Friday, July 24th, Marine Biology

*Ideally, we will be at Scarborough Beach for the entire week which requires daily parent drop off and pick up as they do not allow bus parking due to limited space. 

Week #5-Monday, July 27th-Friday, Juky 31st The Great Outdoors

*Child must be an experienced biker for our Peaks Island biking day and prepared to bike about 10-12 miles.

Week #6-Monday, August 3rd-Friday, August 7th, Marine Biology

*Ideally, we will be at Scarborough Beach for the entire week which requires daily parent drop off and pick up as they do not allow bus parking due to limited space. 

Week #7-Monday, August 10th-Friday, August 14th, The Great Outdoors

*Child must be an experienced biker for our Peaks Island biking day and prepared to bike about 10-12 miles.

Week #8-Monday, August 17th-Friday, August 21st, Marine Biology

*Ideally, we will be at Scarborough Beach for the entire week which requires daily parent drop off and pick up as they do not allow bus parking due to limited space. 

Cost

EACH WEEK-LONG SESSION IS $450.00.  Space is limited to 30 campers and is open to elementary and middle school-aged children for each session.  

*WE EXPECT FOR ALL SESSIONS TO BE FULL BY THE END OF FEBRUARY SO DON’T DELAY IN SIGNING UP ASAP!  

To secure a seat for any or all of the remaining weeks requires a completed registration packet and $150.00 deposit for each week or pay in full ($450.00)if you'd like.  Simply complete the attached Registration Packet and mail in with payment by check at your earliest convenience.  If you prefer, you can elect to VENMO me @Eric-Begonia.  You must be paid in full no later than two weeks prior to the start date of the weekly session that you are registered for.  Cancellations and No-Shows made within a month prior to the start date of the weekly session that you are registered for are subject to the full cost of that weekly session unless I can fill the spot. Some exceptions may apply.  Deposit will be refunded if applicant cannot be accepted.  Checks payable to “Begonia’s Summer Camp”.  Payment arrangements can be made to accommodate your budget.        

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Camp is open to elementary and middle school aged kids.

I would also like to request that you please also share this information with any and all friends and family that may be looking for a quality camp experience for their children as “word of mouth” advertising is the best kind of advertising that we could ever ask for.

Thank You!

Please feel free to call me at 207-749-9930 if it's easier to talk or if you have any additional questions.

Eric Begonia

Parent Pick Up & Drop Off Locations:

**Daily parent drop off and pick up is always an option if you prefer to do so.

***Please see below for details regarding morning drop off times and locations for the bus, as well as afternoon pick up times and locations from the bus.

Morning Bus Drop off Times and Locations:

1. Gorham Hannaford’s(99 Main Street, Gorham, ME)-8:30AM

2. Shaw’s-Westgate Shopping Center(1364 Congress Street, Portland, ME)-9:00AM

Afternoon Bus Drop off Times and Locations:

1. Shaw’s-Westgate Shopping Center(1364 Congress Street, Portland, ME)-3:15PM

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Scarborough Beach-

Morning Parent Drop Off:  Scarborough Beach State Park opens at 9:00AM and has very strict drop off and pick up policies, so please read ALL of the following information carefully.  There are several options for morning drop off and afternoon pick up.

1. If your family has a 24-Hour Vehicle Pass, you can access the park freely and drop your child off with me as early as 8:45AM(no earlier please) to avoid the line of cars on the side of the road waiting to enter the park when it opens at 9:00.

2. Drive past the main entrance to Scarborough Beach, turn around up the road a short distance, and then pull up along the fence(with the parking lot on your right) on the main road and drop your child off quickly on the side of the road with me in the upper lot. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE UNATTENDED.  This is also the line for Surf Camp so be sure to leave your kids with me and not them.  

3. DO NOT PARK ACROSS THE STREET AND WALK YOUR CHILD TO THE PARKING LOT.

4. DO NOT DRIVE UP TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND CUT OTHER CARS AND FAMILIES TO DROP OF YOUR CHILD.

Afternoon Parent Pick Up is at 3:15PM:  Please drive past the main entrance to the park, turn around, and line up along the road.  DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE UNATTENDED.  You will drive up to the main entrance and the kids will jump in with you.  We will be there to assist.  Again, this is also the line for Surf Camp so be patient.  We will have the kids in the upper parking lot by 3:15PM

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Crescent Beach State Park

*Do not pay the entrance fee if you are doing parent drop off and pick up.  Their fee is covered through the camp.  Just mention to the person checking cars in at the gate that you are dropping off your child for my camp near the changing rooms and bathrooms.

Morning PARENT DROP OFF-9:30AM

Afternoon PARENT PICK UP-3:00PM(at Kettle Cove Ice Cream & Snack Shack, 2 Bowery Beach Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME)

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Spring Point(SMCC) and Willard Beach(Near the bus on McKernan Drive Parking area).  

*If this lot is full, we will try to park in the lower lot near the entrance to Spring Point Light

Morning PARENT DROP OFF-9:30AM

Afternoon PARENT PICK UP-3:00PM

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Peak’s Island bike trips during our Great Outdoors weeks will be back this year!  Please make sure that you have a plan to drop your child off at Casco Bay Lines, with their bike, helmet, water, and a light backpack for the day(bathing suits, towel, lunch or bring $ for lunch).  We will take the morning ferry to Peak’s Island departing at 9:15AM from Portland.  We take the 2:45PM ferry departing from Peak’s Island and heading back to Portland.

Casco Bay Lines PARENT DROP OFF-8:45AM

Casco Bay Lines Afternoon PARENT PICK UP-3:00PM

LATE PARENT PICK UP beyond 15-minutes is subject to a $25.00 fee per occurrence

Recommendations & Suggestions for what to bring:

• Please check your email regularly throughout the week for schedule changes

• Watch the morning news for the daily forecast for the weather to determine the best clothing for the day. A light raincoat is good for those cloudy days with light rain as we will still head out unless it becomes a steady and widespread rain. 

• Lunch, Snacks, and plenty of WATER!(We will provide extra water & fresh fruits to snack on daily). 

• We do allow the kids to visit the snack shacks and ice cream vendors when we are out and about so please pack your child with a little spending money each day. $5 or $10 is common.

• Any medications needed for allergies such as bee sting kit, inhaler, etc.(please let us know about these things in advance on your “Emergency Contact Sheet” & Application Packet)

• Bathing suit/shorts & a beach towel so you can get wet and stay cool on those hot and humid summer days.  Best to just wear their bathing suits to camp to start the day. 

• Sun Block for protection from too much sun exposure(student needs to be responsible for reapplying his/her sunblock throughout the day).  We are outside all day, most every day, so sunburns are not uncommon(especially for those students with fair skin)

• Hand Sanitizer(We will have it available throughout the day, but always good to have a small bottle packed for individual use when desired)

• Sun Glasses & a hat for protection from too much sun exposure(especially for those students with fair skin)

• An extra shirt to swim in and for protection from too much sun exposure throughout the day(especially for those students with fair skin)

• Bug Spray/Repellent

• Crocs or Old Sneakers(An old pair that you don’t mind getting wet and dirty), Sandals with an ankle strap, or Water Shoes(We recommend Crocs or sneakers because cuts and scrapes are likely).  We do a lot of walking every day.

• Change of dry clothes & footwear

• We provide collecting nets, but feel free to bring your own if you like. 

• We provide the necessary buckets for holding all of the creatures that we catch: Starfish, sea urchins, crabs, lobster, hermit crabs, frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles, snakes, fish, etc.

• Fishing Pole & Tackle for the experienced only please(BYOB.-Bring Your Own Bait). No hooks hanging from your poles(keep stored).

• It is very common for students to experience minor cuts and scrapes throughout the week.  Please notify Eric or the counselors ASAP so that we can assist you with proper treatment if necessary.  We always carry an emergency medical kit with us.

• Be cautious about bringing jewelry and other valuables, etc. as we are not responsible for them if they become lost, broken, or stolen.

• On days with widespread rain and/or thunderstorms, we either hop on the bus and drive for better weather(it can be very isolated in the summer) or we go bowling and/or see a movie.

• NO USE OF PHONES OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES IS RECOMMENDED AND IS IDEAL THROUGHOUT THE DAY, HOWEVER, STUDENTS MAY BRING THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS AT THE END OF THE DAY.  OTHERWISE, WE REQUEST THAT THEY BE STOWED AWAY IN THEIR BAGS.

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Thank You!

Please feel free to call me at 207-749-9930 if it's easier to talk or if you have any additional questions.

Eric Begonia