KIDS

CAMP COUNSELING

Select the best sleepaway camp for your child STORY: Giannina S. Bedford

Inever went to sleepaway camp, so the thought of sending my kids to one for the summer seems daunting. But more and more I’m realizing that a nature-centric camp experience away from technology may be a necessity in their future.

But with so many sleepaway camp options, where do you start?

Brookhaven resident Lauren Nearpass founded Summer 365, a sleepaway camp and summer program consultancy, with her mother in 2013 to help families find the best overnight options fit for each child. Nearpass treasured her 12 years spent at sleepaway camp and aims to cater her business to modern day parents and families, working one-on-one to serve their needs.

Where To Start

Think about what you want your child to get out of the summer experience. Consider details such as session lengths, location, budget, camp gender and the activities offered. Parents should also take into account their camper’s personality, interest and the culture they want surrounding them.

“What sparks joy for them? There are a lot of incredible camps out there, but you need to land on the one that will be the best for your family,” Nearpass says. “It’s not just about [the first] summer [away], but hopefully a camp experience that can grow with your child.”

Age Considerations

Many of the families Nearpass works with send their children to their first sleepaway camp between the ages of 8 and 10. When a child is ready to spend a summer away varies, however. If a camper is on the older side (11 and up), Nearpass says it’s even more important to find a good fit. "I am specifically mindful about recommending camps that typically have other first-time campers in those age groups as well as specific session lengths and program formats that are more conducive to having newbies,” she says.

Camper Input

The future camper should be involved in the selection process, but their input should have limits, Nearpass says. Many children approaching sleepaway camp age don’t have the big-picture understanding of what the experience is about.

“We really stress and recommend that it should be a parent-led decision,” Nearpass says. “Having the involvement of your child is important, but that comes with some limitations in terms of understanding camp and what is going to be the right decision in the shortterm and long-term.”

When To Start The Search

Many Summer 365 families begin the search process a year in advance. This gives them the opportunity to visit camps in person while they are in session and meet with the leadership teams. It also lets potential campers see where they would be eating and sleeping.

“Kids are so visual, and this gives them the lay of the land so they can feel the energy of what camp is going to offer,” Nearpass says. “Some kids are a little hesitant about the idea of sleepaway camp and have some anxiety around it. Taking the idea from conceptual to more tangible helps them understand what sleepaway camp is and kids really warm up to the idea." n

Lauren Nearpass, co-founder & chief happy camper officer of Summer 365.

SUMMER 365 • 646.543.8726 summer365.com • @summer_3_6_5

DAY CAMPS

If sleepaway camp has to wait, here are a few unique options in our community.

LITTLES Haverty Hollow Frog Camp: Campers ages 5 to 10 can choose from arts and crafts, cooking, tumbling and more at this diverse day camp option in the heart of Buckhead. havertyhollow.com/ programs/summerprograms/

BIGGER KIDDOS Fabricate Studios: This West Midtown educational classroom space hosts beginner sewing and intermediate fashion design camps for kids 7 and up. Sewing machines and supplies provided. fabricatestudios.com/ product/beginnersewing-camp

TWEENS Camp Flix: Kids ages 11 to 17 learn about filmmaking—idea pitch to the final cut—from industry professionals at this day or overnight camp held at Oglethorpe and Emory University campuses. campflix.com

A Diverse Approach to Real Estate

Maia Samb is the founder at Puttogo Global Group, a real estate firm operating under the Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter office. The team offers full-service, creative real estate solutions, always putting the needs of clients first. They offer assistance in English, Spanish and French.

Q: Tell us a little more about Puttogo Global

Group

A: Puttogo is a woman-owned global real estate firm based out of Metro Atlanta. We understand the Atlanta market well, and the needs of all our clients, especially the global clients looking to relocate to this vibrant

Southern city. Real estate transactions are stressful enough. Being able to complete one, while acclimating to what Atlanta has to offer is even more stressful. We make it a point to achieve all our clients’ needs, regardless of their background.

Q: Speaking of background, where are you from and how long have you lived in the

USA?

A: I am originally from Senegal and I’ve had the great fortune to live, study and work abroad in places such as France, Switzerland and the United States. I consider myself a multilingual global citizen. I have over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications. I moved to Atlanta in 2008 from France after completing my undergraduate degree.

Q: What makes Puttogo different from any other Real Estate Firms in Atlanta?

A: I firmly believe that my background has allowed me to bring a fresher perspective when working with real estate clients from all over the world. Our clients greatly benefit from our team’s unique perspective on selling, building, renovating and buying homes. I also leverage the corporate

marketing techniques I have learned over the years to market properties like nobody else. Our team prides itself in providing creative and ethical housing options to clients, whether working on a luxury property, a renovation project or an investment.

Q: What do you mean by creative real estate solutions?

A: We are not a vanilla “list and done” type of firm. We push ourselves to be more creative when faced with a challenge. For instance, in this crazy hot [real estate] market, we may identify that our clients can make a significantly higher ROI on their sale by completing simple renovations. We offer them a way to complete such updates at no upfront costs*. Another challenge that many clients face in this challenging market is to find an affordable home in the location they desire.

We offer to buy a fixer upper and help them renovate it with the backing of our network of designers and contractors, pretty much offering them their own HGTV show — without the cameras — *laughs*. Some clients just like the convenience of the iBuyer programs, where the property can be sold without a buyer ever stepping foot in it. They like to have more control over the terms. Our team members are Keller

Offers Certified and we are able to obtain a cash offer for most of our clients who choose this route. Sometimes, we are able to negotiate 6-12 months post-sale occupancy with this program. Bottom line is: instead of just

“guaranteeing” a low offer on our clients’ properties, we listen to their needs and find

ways to enable the highest return on their investment.

Q: I saw you were affiliated with the Keller

Williams Sports + Entertainment division —what is that?

A: Yes, I am a member of Keller Williams Sports + Entertainment Official Member, a special designation to serve elite athletes and creatives, who are helping make Atlanta and Georgia one of the nation’s top film and entertainment destinations. The Keller

Williams Sports + Entertainment division is a community of real estate agents offering immediate credibility, thought leadership, opportunities, and resources inside of the

Keller Williams culture. We [the members] have a collective focus on a client base that requires a different approach to a traditional real estate transaction, which translates into thinking about our businesses in unique and creative ways.

___________________________________________ To learn more about Maia and her team, visit www.puttogo.com

Puttogo Global Group