Author: Kim Aycock

Woodland (and Towering Pines) is in the midst of designing a new camp brochure  – let’s just say that it was time to update the old one!  I have to admit that this process hasn’t been as easy as I thought it would be back in the fall when we embarked on this project.  I guess I thought that we would select some of our best photos from recent summers and then provide the details of the what, when, and where, and how of camp.  BAM – new brochure off to press!

When we began working with Chuck (brochure guy) to create an stand-out printed piece, we were asked to think about what sets Camp Woodland/Towering Pines apart from other summer camps.  So, we started putting our heads together to answer that question.  Does it have something to do with the location?  We decided that many traditional residential camps are situated in a beautiful, natural setting with trees and a body of water.  Maybe it is the activities we offer?   It is no secret that horseback riding, arts and crafts, and tennis are a routine part of the program at many different camps.   Could it be the songs we sing or the skits we do at campfire?  Perhaps it has something to do with Dan’s homemade pizza or taco bar?!  (A DEFINITE possibility!)  What about the people at Woodland?  It goes without saying that Woodland has the BEST staff and campers around!

So, what is it that sets Woodland apart?  We finally realized that the question then became, WHY?  WHY do we do what we do at Camp Woodland?   This became a much more interesting (and challenging) question to ponder!  We felt pulled in the direction of looking more closely at the intentionality of the 6 themes for each week of camp as a place to start.  BINGO!  This is what Chuck said would make Camp Woodland stand out from other summer camps.  He was extremely intrigued by how everything we do is purposeful by design.  (Which means that we take the business of youth development seriously!)  From the moment each camper arrives to the time she packs her bags to head for home, the Woodland experience is precisely what is needed at any given point in a child’s growth process.

How in the world do we communicate this in a brochure?!  GREAT question!  We decided to condense our 6 weekly themes (cabin unity, communication, problem solving, trust, sportsmanship/teamwork, and achievement) to align with the overarching goal of each 2-week period.  There is a definite beginning, middle, and end to the Woodland experience in order for the entire program sequence to come together.

The initial 2 weeks is a time for each camper to ACCLIMATE and adjust to her new summer home.   There is “comfort in the familiar” during this period; a lot of time is devoted to helping campers learn the routine and bond with the cabin group.  Campers may select activities at first that have been tried at home or school.  The framework for the rest of the summer starts here!

The middle 2 weeks is a camper’s time to ACCELERATE because now that she feels comfortable, she is ready to explore and expand her world.  This may mean trying something new or striving for mastery in a favorite activity.   This is the period when the real work of camp happens.  Campers are challenged to come together and work towards achieving a common goal whether it be going on a cabin overnight or preparing for the annual Song Contest.

And, finally, the pinnacle 2 weeks of camp is a time to CELEBRATE the personal growth that has occurred through numerous achievements and accomplishments. Camp is a BLAST during the last two weeks because of the effort that was put in the weeks leading up to this point.  Campers stand a little taller, friendships are stronger, confidence is higher, and memories are stamped as unforgettable.  Woodland spirit is at an all-time high during the final days of camp!

While we aren’t quite ready to send our brochure to press just yet, we are excited for you to see it!  Until then, please join us at a location near you as we travel to meet new members of the Woodland family for the summer 2015!  See you SOON!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Treetops!

Treetops Favorite Things

Isa: sailing, riflery, pancakes, chicken, brownies, cookies-n-cream ice cream, picnic, Reese’s, Love Bench at TP and Woodland Fair, One Tin Soldier, campfire skits, dogs, and horses

Makayla: archery, tennis, riflery, donuts, stir-fry, mac & cheese, Charleston Chew, bean bag toss at Woodland Fair, Ship Titanic, Bonnie, campfire

Aubrie: I love campfire with Fuzzi and Gnome; it is so fun because of the stories JoAnne tells and the hysterical jokes!  My favorite activities are Farm Zoo because I love animals and taking care of them, canoeing because I love learning about the outdoors, and riding because horses are so cute and fun to ride.  My favorite booth at the Woodland Fair is fishing because they ran out of toys and gave out weird things.  I love chicken patties and my favorite camp song is Circle Game.

Five little hearts in a row, the first one said, “I love you so.”

The second one said, “Will you be my valentine?”

The third one said, “I will if you will be mine.”

The fourth one said, “I will always be your friend.”

The fifth one said, “Until the very end.”

(www.wishes-greetings.com)

Camp Woodland friends are friends FOREVER!

Be our Valentine and join the Woodland Family this summer!

Since most of the country has experienced a “deep freeze” this month, I find myself revisiting one of my favorite camp memories of waking up to a warm fire on a cool morning (Thanks, Chet!).  Warm your heart until we can be together again with some good advice from a snowflake (and some awesome photos taken over the holidays at Camp Woodland)!

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.  -Albert Camus

Advice from a Snowflake*:

• Celebrate your uniqueness: No 2 campers are alike and that is a GREAT thing!  At Camp Woodland it is cool to be different; there are many opportunities to share your special gifts.  “Stand out and you will fit right in!”

• Take time to chill: Rest hour is a favorite time of day by campers and staff alike.  There is nothing like kicking back on your bunk to take a nap, write a letter, read a book, draw a picture, or play a quiet game.  Leave refreshed and ready for the afternoon’s exciting activities!  Too bad rest hour isn’t part of the daily schedule at school or work…

• Appreciate small wonders: the smell of a campfire, the call of a loon across the lake, the sight of a deer bounding into the woods, the awe of an eagle souring overhead, a family of ducks swimming close to the water’s edge, the sun setting over Sand Lake…

• Keep your cool: At camp, we learn to overcome any minor frustrations by focusing on the positive of a situation.  It wouldn’t be realistic to think that the camp experience is conflict free.  The investment campers make by taking the time to problem solve, work it out, compromise, and move on are great life lessons!

• Look what we can accomplish when we stick together!:  Finding the “Mother Lode” during Gold Rush, creating the favorite Song Contest entry, being the team with the most spirit at Olympics, performing on stage for Co-Ed Show, and executing a synchronized ride for the Horse Show are just a few examples of working together as a team to do something AMAZING.

• Sparkle: Camp is your place to shine!  Campers tell us that they discover the best version of themselves at Camp Woodland.  Find out for yourself and join us this summer!

*borrowed from Training Wheels Spokesperson E-Newsletter, 12-31-14

One Stop Shopping for New Year’s Resolutions!

Among the top resolutions that are made at the start of each New Year, some of the most common goals can be met while having an AMAZING experience at Camp Woodland:

Eat Healthy: Instead of serving processed food, we provide meals made from “scratch” using the freshest ingredients.  No powdered eggs here!

CIT Pancake Breakfast

Get Moving:  Being a fixture on the couch is not an option this summer. All of us are active at camp and get plenty of exercise in the great outdoors. We use our feet to take us just about everywhere we need to go!

Olympic Soccer Game

Reduce Stress: Camp is a great way to “unplug” from the constant flow of text messages, emails, and other social media.  It is also a time to put the pressures of school and grades aside and just enjoy living in the moment. Above all, camp is FUN!!

Quality Control on Fair Day

Try Something New: With a variety of physical, recreational, and creative activities to choose from, campers have the opportunity to explore a wide range of interests.  Who knows what spark will ignite and become a lifelong career or hobby?!

 Ta-Dah!

Spend More Time With Friends:  Imagine spending 24 hours a day each week with a group of your closest friends…how AWESOME is that?!  We believe in true “face time” versus “screen time”!

 Looks like “Sistas” to Me!

Get Along With Siblings:  Towering Pines and Woodland is the summer home for many brothers and sisters.  The older campers typically take responsibility and look out for the younger ones and the “fighting” you might see at home vanishes for a few weeks.  Siblings actually look forward to seeing one another on occasion when sharing a common camp experience!

Happy Together at Woodland Fair! 

New Year’s Resolution:

Enroll your child at Camp Woodland for 2015…we are VERY EXCITED about the upcoming summer!

Happy New Year – Where I THRIVE in 1-5!

Favorite Things from 2014 CIT’s:

Caroline: donuts, Gold Rush, Coed Show practices, dinnertime conversations, extended rest hours

Jackie: Spoon Assassins, Olympics, chicken tenders, Coed Show, CIT responsibilities

Ana: friends, cabin bonding, mealtimes, learning new dances, campfire songs and skits

Claire: campfires, packages, sail race, friends, games, Coed Show after party, Gold Rush

Regina P: Woodland and TP Fairs, leading Sunday activities, desserts and evening snacks, spending time with counselors and friends

Grace: Coed Show, friends, Gold Rush, taco bar, cabinmates, assisting Farm Zoo classes, talking with younger girls

Jess: seeing my friends after the long year, coming back every summer and nothing has changed, Dan’s food, camp traditions, getting to be in Coed Show, meeting so many new friends, being in a cabin with my 4 best friends, Olympics where every year I lose my voice, talking late at night, playing “Never Have I Ever”, and the beach because it is always warm even when it is cold just up the stairs

Paige: my favorite thing about camp is coming back after a year and seeing my friends and hugging and laughing with each other like we weren’t even apart from each other

Regina V: being on the bus and starting to feel the excitement, jumping into my best friends’ arms like nothing has changed, playing tennis so hard that you can feel your heart beat going super fast, that I have no worries, that my parents don’t come, waking up and seeing my best friends’ faces

Mera: my favorite thing about camp is being able to spend the entire summer with my best friends in the entire world.  I also love to be able to do activities that I would not be able to do at home.  Another one of my favorite things is being in Coed Show, singing and dancing in front of the whole camp and hearing them laugh at the jokes and cheer for all of us.

Katelyn: the five girls that have become my “sistas” these past 10 years, shooting archery on a super sunny day, beating the boys in sail race on a day when the wind is so crazy you can see white caps, Wednesday’s when we observe, bond, and learn with a cabin of younger girls, when the lights turn on for Coed Show, getting decked out for Olympics, practicing, “Classic” for Coed Show, being on a sailboat with my best friends, talking about the strangest things during meals