Monthly Archives:July 2012

A "Hurricane" of Activity (posted by Kim Wenzl Aycock)

Posted by on July 23, 2012

If Saturday was the “Eye of the Fun Storm”, then the hurricane of activity hit Camp Woodland on Friday and Sunday!  Friday night was Camp Woodland’s 43rd birthday celebration; campers and counselors looked extra spiffy for the occasion and the lodge was decked out with balloons and streamers to add to the festivity of the night.  Each camper made a special placemat that included a cabin picture, friendship quotes, a list of “my favorite things at camp”, and signatures from each cabin mate. Chef Dan and his crew decorated a special birthday cake to go along with our summer theme “A New View in 1-2”.
Following dinner, each person was recognized for her number of years at Woodland, and JoAnne and Susan gave special mementos to those who were marking a 5- or 10-year milestone.  There were ten 5-year recipients, and they were each given a Woodland pendant.  The three 10 year honorees received a cozy fleece blanket adorned with the Woodland logo.  Sunrise cabin invited all campers to come dressed in their pajamas for some birthday games outside following the celebration in the Lodge.  The campers played the machine game, had a sleeping bag relay, dressed their counselor in toilet paper, and did the water balloon toss.  A great time was had by all!
On Sunday we woke up to a pancake breakfast cookout thanks to the CIT’s.  Towering Pines hosted the afternoon event and the Woodland girls enjoyed spending TP dollars to play carnival games and eat tasty treats such as popcorn and homemade ice cream during the TP Fair.  It is a great day for brothers and sisters to reunite and new friendships to form.  Sunday’s are also a chance for riding the “big banana” and cooling off in Sand Lake during Rec Swim.  The campers watched “Night at the Museum Part 2” for Movie Night in the lodge. 

Looking ahead to the last two weeks of camp, there are many fun-filled events on the calendar such as Olympics, Woodland Fair, Co-Ed Show, and Final Banquet.  These activities will bring closure to the camp experience and their importance in the sequence of the Woodland summer is made possible because of the growth the campers have made in the preceding four weeks.  There is something exciting to look forward to every day at Camp Woodland!

The "Eye of the FUN Storm" (posted by Kim Wenzl Aycock)

Posted by on July 22, 2012

Yesterday (Saturday) marked the end of the 4th week of camp, and as one of the counselors so eloquently stated, today is the “eye of the fun storm”.  As I reflected on the profoundness of this statement, I realized that she was totally on track with her sentiment!  The children have been at camp for a month now, and they are seeing the results of their efforts and persistence in activities.  This was evident in the announcements made by counselors at evening assembly that celebrated the campers’ many achievements and levels passed in swimming, riflery, and archery. 
Saturday night’s event showcased the amazing performances put on by the gymnastics, dance, and drama classes for the entire camp and visiting parents.  The girls in gymnastics demonstrated their perfected skills through floor, beam and bar routines.  Fourth and sixth hour dance classes showed off their moves to a mix of upbeat music.  The grand finale of the evening was the brightly costumed Woodland Player’s rendition of “Alice in Wonderland.” 
   
Friday was Camp Birthday and today is TP Fair, so Saturday was sandwiched in between two extremely FUN and highly anticipated camp traditions (hence the appropriateness of the phrase “the eye of the fun storm”).  Stay tuned for the rest of the story on these events…!!

Camp Packages

The big question parents are asking me is, “Lee, what type of package should I send my daughter”?  That is a very good question……We always recommend sending a package that all the girls in your daughter’s cabin can enjoy. This summer the girls are really into crafting.  Not just any crafting but with different colors of Duck Tape!  They have made bows for their hair and other really neat crafts.  I was even told that Towering Pines made wallets from different colors of duck tape. Pretty creative if you ask me!!  One summer a cabin was very into knitting and a parent sent up an entire box filled with beautiful colored yarn and knitting needles.  

The girls are also really into reading this summer and have a cabin book that is read to them every night before bed.  It might be fun to send a collection of your favorite children’s books that they would enjoy.

Campers also really love getting regular mail. They look forward to  a bunk note or even just a post card.  They love hearing their name called out in their cabin that  are special enough to receive a letter. 
If you have not signed up for bunk notes or want to learn more about it, please send me an email to: campwoodlandtp@gmail.com
Happy shopping and writing!

Camp: From the Point of View of a First Year Camper

Posted by on July 11, 2012

Emily from Hilltop wanted to let everyone know about her summer at camp thus far.  This is her first summer at Camp Woodland! Emily is 12 years old, from a suburb of Milwaukee, and found out about camp from our website (Also, her mom loves Eagle River, WI!!!). 

Check out what she wrote below (no editing necessary):

“When you arrive at camp for the first time, it feels kind of strange as is true with all other new experiences.  You don’t know anyone but everyone knows each other.  You wonder if you will fit in and if the food will be good.  It is a little intimidating….. 
But everyone is so nice, all the activities are really fun, and yes the food is really good!!  And even though, it is my first summer here, I feel like I have known these girls forever. 
I came here an only child, but I think that when I leave, I will have gained about 51 sisters.  I can’t wait for the rest of the summer!!!”
Thanks Emily for your amazing point of view!

Week #3 – Camp is flying by!!

Posted by on July 10, 2012

It is hard to believe that it is already the 3rd week of camp.  The girls are feeling very comfortable at camp.  Maybe it is because all the girls know each other’s names and so much more.  The girls are ready to learn how to work together to accomplish big goals within their cabin!  
We just finished our first session of activities (each session is two weeks) and the girls got to take pride in their newly developed dance, drama, and gymnastics skills by putting on a show during evening activity.  You could tell the girls were a little hesitant about performing in front of the entire camp, but after the shows they were smiling from ear to ear.   You could see them physically glowing, because they were able to do their front handstand, improve their dance steps, and hit all of their lines in drama!   Did I mention that they had to do all of their shows in front of over 40 campers and parents, Amazing!!

This week we are focusing on problem solving!  We sent a group of highly experienced sailors on Explorer’s North yesterday.  Explorer’s North is a 4-day sailing expedition on Lake Superior.  They leave from Bayfield, WI and venture around the Apostle Islands, become junior park rangers, and gain the knowledge of sailing as team on a beautiful sailboat.   It is a trip of a lifetime!!!

Silverbirch and Tamarack are going on their canoe trip this week!  Canoe trips are invigorating for the girls because they get to explore the lake, learn how to setup a campsite, and even help cook their meals on an open campfire.  I love to see the girls return the next day because their cabin unity is stronger than ever. They have all these “inside” cabin jokes, and they are so proud themselves that they canoed, camped, and had a blast!!

Enjoy your week because our campers are definitely enjoying theirs!!