Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who owns MESSY? Is MESSY affiliated with any organization?
MESSY was founded and is owned by the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), New England’s only public Environmental Liberal Arts college.
How do I register my child?
Click here for the MESSY application form.
What are the drop-off and pick-up times for camp?
Check in is 3:00-4:00 pm on Sunday.
Pick-up is at the end of the day on Friday, the last day of camp. A closing program, planned by MESSY campers for their family and friends, begins with dinner at 5:00 on Friday. Reservations for dinner are required. (See application form.)
Can I visit my child while he/she is at camp?
Parents and guardians are generally not allowed to visit camp except during drop-off and pick-up on the first and last days of camp. Seeing a parent or guardian often triggers feelings of homesickness.
Can I talk with my child on the phone while he/she is at camp?
Campers wishing to call home must call collect or use a calling card.
Calls from parents to campers should be made between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m., and should be kept to a minimum.
Parents will be given emergency contact numbers at check-in. Parents may contact the Office of Summer Programs at (207) 255-1289 during the day to leave messages.
Can I send mail to my child?
Please address letters and other mail to your child, c/o MESSY, University of Maine at Machias, 9 O’Brien Avenue, Machias, ME 04654.
Will computers be available for my child to email me?
Yes, a computer room will be set aside in the residence hall. Campers will have limited time to send and receive email during meal times or after the day’s program, around 10:00 p.m.
How do you deal with homesickness? What if my child doesn’t like camp?
Coming to summer camp for the first time is a big adjustment for many children. MESSY counselors are trained to help campers work through the transition.
We encourage parents to allow their children to conquer feelings of homesickness on their own. Most children quickly let go of wanting to go home and allow themselves to have a great time at camp.
What is the staff-to-camper ratio?
We have one MESSY counselor for every ten campers, plus several instructors, staff members, and a camp director.
What’s the staff like?
We carefully select mature UMM college students from applications and personal interviews. MESSY counselors are trained and certified in First Aid and CPR. In addition, summer camp staff undergo an extensive orientation and residential training program prior to camp, emphasizing health and safety, acceptable methods of discipline, group dynamics, emergency procedures, and much more.
MESSY instructors are University of Maine at Machias faculty members in our Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary Fine Arts, and Marine Biology programs with many years of classroom teaching experience in their fields.
What are the residence hall rooms like?
Rooms are equipped with two single beds with 36’ x 80’ mattresses, desks, dressers, wardrobes, chairs, and bookcases. The residence hall also has a laundry room with coin-operated washers and dryers, a lounge with color television, a fireplace, a recreation room, and a small kitchen. Male and female campers are housed on separate floors, and each floor has one restroom with either 4 or 5 each of toilets and showers.
The UMM residence halls are convenient, safe places to live, well supervised by university staff. A full-time, live-in professional Resident Director lives in the residence hall, as well as three counselors (one for every 10 campers) who live with the campers. A secure and convenient swipe card system allows access to the front doors and rooms of the building.
How many campers to a room?
We house two MESSY campers to a room.
Can my child share a room with his/her friend?
Children like making new friends at camp. However, if they want to be in the same room with a friend, the two may note that on their application forms.
What is MESSY food like?
Our dining hall staff keep up with the ever-changing trends in dining, offering hot and cold breakfast items; a salad bar and deli options for both lunch and dinner; different entrees for both lunch and dinner each day; and selections for vegetarians. Meals are served buffet style so campers may take as many helpings as they please. Click here for a sample menu.
Other special dietary restrictions and needs can usually be accommodated. Tell us about our child’s special dietary needs when you complete the application form. (Make a note on the reverse side on one of the pages of the application).
In what activities will my child participate?
Possible activities include canoeing, kayaking, whale watch boat trip, swimming, coastal/beach cleanup, state park/beach cookout and Frisbee game, game room activities, and hiking.
What is a day at camp like?
Click here for the MESSY schedule.
What should my child bring to camp?
Click here for a list of things to bring.
Where is MESSY located?
On the campus of the University of Maine at Machias, MESSY is located in Downeast Maine—65 miles from Acadia State Park, 300 miles from Boston, and 500 miles from New York City. Machias is one of the safest small towns in New England.
Downeast Maine is the easternmost point of the United States, with surf and sand at nearby Roque Bluffs State Park and the world’s highest tides (sometimes 50 feet!) at the Bay of Fundy. MESSY’s location in Downeast Maine provides endless opportunities for fun. Outdoor recreational opportunities include kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and skating. Machias also offers art galleries, antique shops, restaurants, and performing arts activities.
How do I get there?
Click here for driving directions and a map of the area.
From points north, follow Route 1 from Houlton to Machias.
From points south and west, follow I-95 to Bangor and exit onto I-395 to Brewer at exit 182A. At the end of I-395, follow Route 1A to Ellsworth, and then Route 1 to Machias. From southern Maine you may also drive north on I-95 to Augusta and exit onto Route 3 at exit 30, which leads to Belfast in the Penobscot Bay area and joins Route 1; follow Route 1 north to Machias.
From points east, follow Route 1 from Calais to Machias.
Where will MESSY campers swim?
Our recreation and fitness center has a competitive/recreational-size swimming pool, fully staffed with certified lifeguards, where MESSY campers and staff will swim every night at 8:00. They will also have an opportunity to swim during our weekly cookout at Roque Bluffs State Park, with the ocean (very cold even in summer) as well as a freshwater pond.
Are campers allowed to leave campus or move around campus unescorted?
Absolutely not. Campers are escorted on campus by counselors or other camp staff, and they may not leave campus on their own.
We will need to stay in Machias overnight after the program on Friday. Can we stay on campus?
Machias has several motels and B&Bs. Click here for a list of motels and restaurants in the local area.
If you have difficulty finding accommodations off campus, you may stay on campus if you make reservations at least two weeks in advance. Please call (207) 255-1289 to make arrangements to stay in one of our residence halls.