Monthly Archives:December 2014

Reunion “Rap” 3

DSC00869Chelsea, Aranxta, Colette, Sofia, Daphne, Elena 

Here are the final updates from campers who attended the Chicago Reunion last month.  The 2015 CIT’s interviewed each girl and asked: 1) what is the favorite thing about school this year, 2) activities when not in school, 3) any fun trips taken or planned, and 4) what each camper is looking forward to next summer.

Chelsea: 1) Student Council, 2) go running and hang out with friends, 3) cruise to South America over winter break, 4) Co-Ed Show

Aranxta: 1) be with awesome friends, 2) dance & tennis, 3) came to reunion from Mexico, 4) Co-Ed Show and be a good CIT

Colette: 1) at a new school and I really like the people I have met, 2) dance & soccer, 3) came to reunion from Florida, 4) being a CIT, being in Co-Ed Show and assisting classes

Sofia: 1) junior tennis team at school and intermediate girls choir, 2) hanging out with friends, 3) no trips planned, 4) being a CIT and Co-Ed Show

Daphne: 1) being part of the tennis team, 2) tennis and hanging out with friends, 3) Arizona for my sister’s graduation, 4) sailing and Co-Ed Show

Elena: 1) meeting new people in HS, 2) school’s dance team, hanging out with friends, and spending time with family, 3) going to an island off the coast of Florida before camp, 4) being a CIT, being in Co-Ed Show, organizing events, and seeing all of my camp friends

DSC00870Grace, Claire, Caroline, Jackie

Grace: 1) my cooking class, 2) volunteer at a barn for kids with disabilities, 3) possibly going to Italy, 4) camp

Claire: 1) my Spanish class, 2) sailing team for school, 3) going to visit camp friends in Mexico City, 4) being a 2nd year CIT

Caroline: 1) fashion merchandising class, 2) planning a Relay for Life event, 3) going to visit camp friends in Mexico City, 4) being a 2nd year CIT and making new memories

Jackie: 1) AP History class, 2) 3 clubs: Future Educators of America, Volunteering Club, and National Spanish Honor Society, 3) Mexico City to see camp friends in January and a cruise in March for Spring Break, 4) being a 2nd year CIT

DSC00865Jenna and Gigi

Jenna: 1) Science, 2) dance, 3) Mexico, 4) riding

Gigi: 1) the end of the day, 2) riding my horse, Buddy, 3) Door County in Wisconsin, 4) seeing everyone

DSC00841Aubrie, Chelsea, Sofia, Arantxa, Irene, Susie, Daphne

Irene: 1) plays the trumpet in band, 2) plays soccer and softball (made it to the Allstars), 3) possibly going to Italy for Spring Break, 4) seeing everyone again

Lydia: 1) being in 8th grade, 2) Riding horses and trying out for volleyball, 3) Italy?, 4) seeing everyone again

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Woodland Reunion “Rap” 2 – Welcome Alumni!

DSC00842Maya, Susan, Molly, and Liz

We were excited to have several alumni present at the annual Chicago reunion in November with their daughters!  Maya will be a first year camper in 2015, and Molly joined the Woodland family this past summer.  Susan (Austin) Short was at Woodland for 10+ years including time as a camper, CIT, JC, and counselor.  Susan and I were actually co-counselors together my first summer at Camp Woodland in 1986; we even ended up rooming together while we were both in grad school in the early 90’s.  Liz (Churchwell) Kunkle spent 5 years at Woodland (and still has her pendant!) from 1981-1985.  Liz was a camper for several years as well as a junior counselor.

To continue our updates of campers at the reunion, each girl shared: 1) her favorite thing about the current school year, 2) activities when not in school, 3) travel plans, and 4) what she is looking forward to for summer 2015.

Maya: 1) likes school a lot, especially Math, 2) takes dance and gymnastics, 3) will be visiting her grandfather in Naples, FL over Spring Break, and 4) Riding and getting a turn on the Big Banana during Rec Swim

Molly: likes her classmates and learning about the American Revolution, 2) Girls on the Run, 3) going to Florida this winter, 4) meeting new people

IMG_4648Sam and her parents Renee’ and Tom

Renee’ (Reilly) Mollenhauer was at Woodland for five years and her daughter, Sam, joined the Woodland family several years ago.  Renee’ now works with Marianne Fitzgerald Belica who she met at camp (when her school was hiring, she suggested Marianne for the job).  Renee’ also travels and remains close with Zane Murphy; both Marianne and Zane are godparents to her children.

Sam: 1) my friends, 2) soccer and horseback riding, 3) Denmark, 4) seeing all of my camp friends again

DSC00856Libby, Rachel, Katie, Tory, Amelia, Molly, & counselors Calla and Raquel

Libby: 1) my friends, 2) tennis and singing, 3) came to reunion from Wisconsin, 4) riding horses

Rachel: 1) Math, 2) dance and gymnastics, 3) went to Paris right after camp, 4) horseback riding

Katie: 1) Recess, 2) swimming, 3) Galena, IL, 4) seeing my friends

Tory: 1) really likes her classmates and her teacher, 2) tennis, ride horses, dance, gymnastics and soccer, 3) will be going to Florida for Christmas, 4) excited to see camp friends again

Amelia: 1) lunch and Social Studies, 2) dance, 3) Door County in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, 4) seeing everyone

Calla: doing her student teaching this fall with 6th grade science and now 3rd grade; will be graduating in December and looking for a long-term substitute for the spring

Raquel: is graduating in December and has a part-time job at a barn in Grayslake working with horses and goats

DSC00858Aubrie, Lou, and Jess

Aubrie: 1) has a super awesome teacher, 2) ice skating, 3) went to Denver for Thanksgiving, 4) horseback riding (Aubrie is still taking care of Marshmallow and Butterscotch!)

Lou: 1) Math, 2) art class, 3) River Forest for Thanksgiving, 4) riding

Jess: 1) extracurriculars, 2) Fermata Nowhere & Express – singing groups, 3) will be going to Orlando with her choir, 4) getting to have new and bigger experiences as a JC

DSC00838

Reunion “Rap”

DSC00863

We’re Excited for 1-5!

As you can see, we had a FABULOUS turn out for the annual Chicago reunion the weekend before Thanksgiving!  In a series of blogs in the upcoming weeks, we will give you an update about the Woodland girls who joined us for the afternoon to watch the 2014 camp video, flip through the new scrapbook, relive camp memories, and of course, to eat yummy treats.  Irene was the winner of the “how many more days until camp?” contest (she answered correctly that it was 216 on the nose that day) while Aranxta took the prize for traveling the longest distance to get to the reunion since she came all the way from Mexico!

DSC00864

Molly A, Eden, Sam, and Molly J

The 2015 CIT’s had their first “duty” at the reunion; they helped us interview everyone to find out 1) what is the favorite thing about school this year, 2) what activities campers do when they are not in school, 3) any fun trips taken or planned, and 4) what each camper is looking forward to next summer.

Molly A: 1) new teachers, 2) gymnastics, dance, and lacrosse, 3) Pennsylvania for Winter Break and Florida for Spring Break, 4) doing all activities

Eden: 1) new teachers, 2), tennis and soccer, 3) London, 4) getting 5 year pendant!

Sam: 1) my friends, 2) soccer and horseback riding, 3) Denmark, 4) seeing all of my camp friends again

Molly J: 1) Mrs. Reggie is my favorite teacher, 2) horseback riding and soccer, 3) went to California, 4) seeing all of my friends again

DSC00867Kelly, Cayley, and Abbey

Kelly: Kelly’s big news is that she has a new puppy, Sadie!

Cayley: 1) my friends because they are always there for me, 2) volleyball team and singing for fun, 3) came to Chicago from Florida for reunion, 4) seeing all of my friends

Abbey: 1) singing “Feliz Navidad” with the choir, 2) making music videos, 3) Florida for Thanksgiving, 4) seeing everybody again

DSC00866

Susie and Claire

Susie: 1) really likes her teachers this year, 2) field hockey and boxing, 3) went to New York to see her brother, 4) seeing everybody again

Claire: 1) likes new teachers, 2) made new volleyball team, 3) travel to cousin’s house, 4) CAMP!

Stay tuned for more Reunion “Rap” in the next blog post…