Experts to study handshakes, hugging at camp.

Although his strongly held opinions are widely disseminated at Run Camp, Blaine Lam has had little success in implementing his ideas there. There's no better example than his insistence that "this is NOT a hugging camp. This is a handshaking camp." Camp leaders have hired a team of experts, primarily loveologists, to determine what is best for the future of camp, and they hope to contribute to a larger body of knowledge on the subject, according to Phyllis Florian, who hand-picked the team and who will analyze the data.

"There's no doubt in my mind I'll be vindicated on this issue," said Lam, who claims that strong team bonds are formed by handshakes and introductions.

"Ha!" responds Judah Gesmundo, Run Camp's leading advocate for hugging. "A hug is the handshake of the heart."

Counters Lam: "Forget for a second that it leads to sexual confusion and is exclusionary to those who witness hugging. The bigger issue is this: it calls for an emotional escalation that may outstrip the comfort level the other partner. How does Judah answer that?"

"Simple," replies Gesmundo. "By the time you reach Blaine's age, a little bit of maturity is supposed to kick in. People need four hugs a day for survival, eight hugs a day for maintenance and 12 hugs a day for growth. It's the foundation of love and trust, critical to happiness and personal well being. I thought that's what we were in camp for."

"Possibly," said Lam. "But if I had my way, we'd wear name tags every week, and call roll. Wait, we do call roll."

OK, Mother, son. Hugs excused.




















OK, they fell in love at camp, and got engaged. Hugs excused.