Monthly Archives:August 2018

2018 was a summer where there were many ADVENTURES  to be had!  See what the campers from Sunnyside, Sunrise, and Aquarius had to say about their FAVORITE adventure:

Lily: the canoe trip was pretty fun; I felt like I got closer with my cabin

Lauren: passing my intermediate water-skiing and being in a TP exchange for archery and winning

Rachel: going to the ropes course; I had a great time bonding and doing team-building skills

Amelia: canoe trip and ropes course because I stepped out of my comfort zone and had a lot of fun doing it

Xime: canoe trip and being with my cabin

Bunny: an evening swim on our canoe trip

Libby: trying drama and going on canoe trip and ropes course

Isabella: going swimming on our canoe trip, meeting so many awesome new people, the ropes course, CIT games, trying tennis, ALL ABOUT CAMP!

Lilli: I loved taking a canoe trip with my cabin; we really bonded and had a great time canoeing and swimming

Valentina: canoe trip

Irene: CIT day trip

Amelia: going to ropes course and doing team bonding activities with my cabin – it brought us so much closer!

Cayley: day trip to Dam Lake and County O bridge

Barbie: being a 2^nd year CIT and hopefully will help me be a JC next year! Ropes course was challenging; I proved that I can do anything even if there are limits

Jae: everything! From bouncing from my cabin to my “live-in” cabin and making different, amazing, and funny memories with each group of girls and counselors to working on Co-Ed Show! It was an AMAZING last summer as camper/CIT, and I couldn’t have asked for a better one!

Sofi: getting to be with my best friends in the cabin and bonding with them more

Vale: ropes course was a huge challenge that I overcame

Kelly: going on a run in the Climax Forest with my friends in the morning; we saw deer in the meadow. It was a great start to the day and a moment I will always remember.

2018 was a summer where there were many ADVENTURES  to be had!  See what the campers from Hilltop, Silver Birch, and Treetops had to say about their FAVORITE adventure:

Catherine: going to the Aqua Tramp and playing Clue game

Lauren: ALMOST getting kicked off a horse (now he is my favorite horse!)

Brooke: canoe trip across the lake

Isabella: dropping a ski and going around the entire lake on one ski; I also loved our cabin’s canoe trip

Sofia: our cabin canoe trip because I had never done anything like that before and it was extremely fun

Maya: archery exchange at TP

Tess: the exchanges at TP; I was proud of getting picked to go, and I was nervous, but it was so much fun! I played well and was relaxed enough to have a good time.

Ava: trying sail race; I love to sail, and I had so much fun in sail race and learned so much this year

Annie: learning how to water-ski!  It was so hard, but when I finally got it, it was one of the best feelings!

Riley: knee boarding for the first time and our cabin canoe trip

Molly: I loved trying new activities and making a lot of friends

Lucy: I loved trying new things in sailing (like capsizing)

Ana: trying new things and meeting new people at both Woodland and TP

Katherine: our cabin canoe trip because even though it was raining, we still managed to have fun

Ari: canoe trip

Paloma: our canoe trip…I’m never forgetting that experience!

Ellie: I liked being able to help out at the barn

Monica: we went to pick blueberries and got stuck in the moss garden!

Molly: canoe trip and getting stuck on Sunny when the rudder broke

Tori: canoeing across the lake by myself (to pass advanced canoeing level)

Isa: I loved coming back and seeing all of my friends and spending time with them!  I loved that I got to know myself better and other people, too.  I loved “man overboard” – it was so much fun!

Valentina: riding through the trails with the horses

Caitlin: coming to camp – I love camp and had a lot of fun trying all of my activities

Makayla: trying canoeing for the first time

2018 was a summer where there were many ADVENTURES  to be had!  See what the campers from Starshine, Tamarack, and Driftwood had to say about their FAVORITE adventure:

Angie: going to see the fireworks

Annie: our cabin canoe trip

Maddie: going on a trail ride

Ivana: tennis, arts & crafts, and TP & Woodland Fairs

Eleanor: riding

Mariana: drama

Alice: the aqua tramp was so fun

Sydney: my favorite adventure was our canoe trip – it was my first one, and it was AWESOME!

Lilah: a canoe trip across the lake

Carlota: our canoe trip and campfires

Lou: our cabin canoe trip

Lizzy: the morning walk on our canoe trip

Paz: I loved the canoe trip

Kaitlyn: canoe trip (I’m sensing a theme here!)

Heidi: going on a trail ride was so relaxing

Caroline: definitely my first trail ride – my horse kept eating at the greenery!

Emily: I have always loved dancing and was scared of doing it.  I wanted an adventure at camp, so I DID IT!

Sydney H: taking care of myself (without my parents)

Delia: Going to the Climax Forest during “Alien Invasion”

Eleanora: Song Contest and Gold Rush

Libby: going to the Climax Forest

Caroline: our canoe trip

Dear JoAnne, 

Ever since my daughter returned home from camp, she refuses to wear anything that isn’t Woodland blue or tie-dyed and Crocs with a million Jibbitz.  All she talks about is the fun she had at camp, stories about her cabin mates, and how many days there are until camp next summer.  She claims that she hears a bell ringing periodically throughout the day.  She won’t stop singing camp songs or looking at the online photos on the Woodland website and Instagram.  She even makes her bed every morning and asks if she can “hop” during dinner.  She insists that I ask you for Dan’s lasagna recipe and is now putting ketchup on potato chips.  Help!  Can you please explain to me what is going on with my daughter?

 A Concerned Parent

Dear Woodland Parent,

Thanks for your letter; I can assure you that what your daughter is experiencing right now sounds like a typical case of  “campsickness.”  Not to worry…YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  I receive calls and emails from parents every year at this time wondering what is happening to their camper(s).  Trust me, campsickness is not necessarily a bad thing; it just means that your daughter(s) had an AMAZING summer, and they are sad to leave their camp friends.  It is normal to miss the nonstop activity and fun that camp offers at every turn.  Coming home to an empty room can be a bit of a shock after the excitement of constant interaction with a community of girls.

I have every confidence that she will adjust to being at home again; it just takes a little time.  You can let her know that we will be corresponding with her (and you!) over the course of the winter via mail, email, and various social media.  There are all kinds of ways she can stay connected to our camp family, and before you know it, we will be headed to Woodland for another fantastic summer!

Woodland Love,

JoAnne

p.s. The theme for 2019 is: Your Time to Shine in ‘1-9!

Now that the summer of 2018 is becoming a collection of well-cherished memories, I would like to help make the transition back into the “real world” a little easier if possible.  All throughout the camp season, counselors and campers remind each other of the mantra that “there are no I cant’s at Camp Woodland.”  While there are people and things from camp that cannot physically be taken home, there are numerous lessons learned in the “Adventures Await in 1-8” summer that will keep us going throughout the upcoming school year until we drive down County D again to begin the exciting summer of “Your Time to Shine in 1-9”.  Thank you, Sunnyside, for doing such a great job with the final inspiration hour and helping us remember the things we CAN do until we meet again!

1) The Health Center (can’t take this with you): Memories of the TLC you received there (what you CAN bring home!).

2) The Rec Hall: The fun of dressing up, trying a new character on for size, and a little (or a lot) of zaniness!  (and seeing that it is never too late to realize your dreams of being on stage — thank you, Jackie Jordan!)

3) The Cabins: The bonds of friendships and your summer “family” (families stay close to one another, even when they are apart – we will be in touch often throughout the upcoming months to keep you connected to the Woodland Family!)

4) The Campfire: Fun songs, skits, and challenges – please share them with others you know!  (“Mmhhmm, and come September, Mmhhmm, I will remember, Mmhhmm my camping days and friendships true.”)

5) The Lodge:  The feeling of belonging to a larger group/community in which you are a special part.  Each person cares about the well-being of the other members of the community (“Good job everybody, good job!”).

6) The Office: The letters you received from your “other family” and reminders of home.

7) Vesper/Inspiration Hill: The lessons we learned there about friendship, optimism, kindness and other timely themes.

8) Arts and Crafts Room: All of the cool projects you made and an appreciation for the ideas and creativity of others.

9) The Bell: The special feeling you had when you were selected to be Camper of the Day for the specific reasons shared by the “Happy Hostess”.

10) Tennis Courts, Riflery Range, Archery Targets, and Gymnastics Equipment: Individual accomplishments made, the ability to compete with yourself, and the determination to be better than you were the time before.

11) Woodland Sunday’s: “Woodland wear” and cabin/camp spirit. (We’ve got spirit, yes we do, we’ve got spirit, how ’bout you?!  We all got spirit…!)

12) Sailboats: A love for being on the water and being part of a team.

13) Horses: The ability to overcome fears, accept challenges, and work towards self-improvement.

14) Farm Zoo Animals: A love for taking care of and respecting animals and the fun of getting dirty and learning about nature and the beauty it has to offer.

15) Dan and Lazara’s Cooking: Thoughts of warm blueberry muffins, lasagna, taco bar, Jambalaya, and homemade cookies.

16) Counselors: Knowing that you have other people in the world (in addition to your parents!) who celebrate your achievements and understand your disappointments.

17) Cabin mates: Friends for life because of the common experiences you have shared with each other this summer.

18) Sun and Moon: Even though we have spread across the miles, we all see the same sun and moon. Remember the goodnight song: “I see the moon, and the moon sees me. The moon sees somebody I want to see.  So, God bless the moon and God bless me, and God bless the somebody I want to see.”

19) Trees: The strength and stability they represent.

20) Sand Lake: We remember the lake as a place to escape the heat, a place to play with friends, and a place to reflect.  Water has a certain sense of calmness and serenity.  May you find a place at home that offers you this same feeling when you need your own personal quiet time.

21) Eagles: The power and beauty they exhibit as they soar across the sky.  We all have the ability to be leaders in a positive way and to share our inner beauty and talents with others.

22) “I Can’t”: It is only “I can. I will. And I’m going to do it right away.”

23) Camp Woodland, the place:  Camp Woodland, the memories.  Camp Woodland, the smiles.  Camp Woodland, the many dreams you began to live here.

Continue living your dreams, practicing your “I Can’s”, and always keep a special place in your heart for the summer of 2018.  See you next year!

Kim Wenzl Aycock, revised from Closing Vespers in 1995