New Camp Logo normal.jpg (18125 bytes) New Jersey 2006
Canteen

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Photos and Articles by Matt Lurrie

 

Like many thing here at Campus Kids, our Canteen is a bit different than that of other camps.  While I cannot describe one of another camp, for I know no other canteen than that of Campus Kids, I can say that ours is a bit more extensive than some others.  The canteen that campers recognize as canteen is, during the day, the restaurant of Centenary College, Tilly's.  The name comes from a Centenary College fable, which I will not get into at the present time.
     

First, lets take a look at all that is offered to campers each night.

     

A soda machine, the likes of which you can find in each cafeteria.

An assortment of dry goods.

 

An array of bottled beverages (an excellent way to procure a water bottle for the following day).

 

An assortment of ice cream in the self-serve freezer.

Candy bars kept cold in ice.

Fruit and Cheese cups.

Sandwiches.

Hot pretzels.

And the always favored fried food section: French fries, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, and burgers.

...and for the health conscious, fresh fruit.
Canteen is, without a doubt, the Staff Assistants' domain. Each night, three SA's are assigned to keep the books-meaning they write down what everyone "purchases".  (Canteen does not cost extra for the campers, but we keep canteen "books".) 

Of course, it is a long night, and they do find that they have some time to do something other than meticulously keep books.
It has become a tradition in recent years that canteen has a soundtrack -- one picked out by the owner of speakers.  Canteen music ranges from 50 Cent (it pains me not to pluralize that) to Tony Bennett.

Some are even prone to dancing.
But once campers come, they are right back to tallying up canteen prices from a handy "Teen Rice" list.

 

 

Help with crowd control provided by Stu, resident bouncer.

 

It is during canteen that counselors first see their activity schedule for the next day.

They carefully peruse their schedules, hoping for their fair share of "off" periods.  Some days turn out better than others.           
Like bunk time, canteen is another example of scheduled unscheduled time.  Campers and counselors socialize during canteen, both inside in the air conditioned restaurant, and outside at the patio tables.
 

 

     
 
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