Category: Alumni News

Now that Labor Day is behind us and summer is winding down in a big way, we find ourselves thinking back to Parents Weekend and the weeks leading up to it. There is something pretty special that happens during the final weeks of summer at Woodland and Towering Pines. While most campers are enjoying the familiar rhythm of camp, our oldest campers, the CITs, are working behind the scenes to create one of the most anticipated traditions of the summer: the Coed Show. Many of you have witnessed it firsthand because you have a camper who is a CIT or you join us for Parents Weekend. And some of you have probably been part of the Coed Show yourself during your era at camp.

Organized Chaos

It is pretty amazing, actually, to watch a few weeks of rehearsals, creativity and more than a little chaos come together as a full-blown production. For nearly three weeks, CITs from both camps work together to bring the show to life, taking familiar songs and giving them a new twist with rewritten lyrics, choreography, staging, props, coordinated T-shirts and plenty of lines to learn. By the time it takes the stage, all of those pieces have come together to create something that is uniquely the Coed Show.

Sing. Dance. Repeat.

What starts with singing through songs again and again in the Woodland Rec Hall eventually moves to the TP Rec Hall, where the group learns dances and staging. At the same time, the gals and guys find every spare moment they can to rehearse their individual numbers, whether during rest hour, in an activity where many of them happen to be gathered, or while getting ready for lights out. By the final week, all of those pieces come together for two performances, one for campers and one for parents.

 It’s About Belonging

The Coed Show is about much more than singing and dancing. At an age when fitting in, finding your people and knowing where you belong can feel especially important, it gives our oldest campers an automatic community and a shared purpose. They know what their friends are doing, they have a role to play, and they are working toward something together. Even campers who would never choose to sing or perform at home often discover that camp makes it different because the focus is not on being a performer. It is about being part of the group.

Coed Show Glow

There is a certain amount of “celebrity” status that comes with being a CIT and part of the Coed Show, and that can be a pretty fun part of being one of the oldest campers. The younger campers look up to the CIT’s all summer, and the Coed Show seals the deal. There are definitely thoughts about being a CIT and in the Coed show one day. More importantly, though, the experience gives the oldest campers a chance to belong to something special and uniquely theirs. They work hard, laugh a lot, learn to depend on one another and, by the time the curtain goes up, they have created something that could only have happened because all of them were there.

That is one of the things we love about camp. Sometimes the most meaningful traditions are not just about what happens on stage. They are about the friendships, confidence and sense of belonging that grow through the process.

Tradition Across Generations

There is also a special invitation extended to Coed Show alumni in the audience each year to join in the traditional slideshow songs, often including “At the Beginning.” It is one of those moments that connects generations of campers and reminds everyone that they are part of something that stretches beyond a single summer.

➡️ We invite you to SAVE YOUR SPOT for 2027 (if you haven’t already) – we will be opening up spots for new campers SOON! Thank you!

Love at First Try

Imagine you are 7 years old and visiting your grandparents who have a cabin on a lake in Northern Wisconsin. You decide to put on a pair of waterskis and hold onto a rope tied behind a boat. The boat takes off and you come out of the water smiling (maybe after a few face plants), and you are hooked. The thrill, the challenge, the satisfaction of nailing a jump or getting a faster time. You love water-skiing and want to figure out how to engage in this sport as much as possible.

For Lauren Connelly, former Woodland camper and counselor (all she needs is one more summer to get her 5 yr pendant!), water-skiing is a passion that has been fueled in so many interesting ways. This school year, Lauren was awarded the Barbara Bolding Jim Grew Scholarship, USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation’s top scholarship and is President of the NCWSA (National Club Waterski Association) Club team in her area.

Sand Lake Lessons

During her time at Woodland, Lauren would sit on the dock every day during Rec Swim and patiently wait her turn for a spin around the lake. She started on two skis and eventually progressed to being able to drop a ski, then get up slalom. Lauren practiced cutting in and out of the wake, putting the rope between her legs, lifting a ski, and other skills that she mastered while as a camper. During her two years as a counselor, she taught campers how to do those same skills.

College Club Team

Lauren now competes in 3-event water-skiing which includes a slalom course, jump and trick skiing.

• Slalom, is where skiers run passes of a course made of 6 turns. There are 3 turns to either side of the boat with an entry and exit gate. Boat speed is increased, or the rope length shortened after each successfully completed pass. Skiers continue until they miss one of the turn buoys.
• Jump is where skiers have 3 attempts to go as far as possible, their longest jump counts for scoring, and the furthest distance wins (Lauren’s average is 50 ft, and her best is 55 ft).
• The Trick event has 2 passes of 20 seconds, where the skier must perform as many tricks as possible to accumulate points (Lauren is currently working on her back flip).

Beyond Skiing: Boat Driver and Maintenance Upkeep

Lauren tries to practice skiing every day and often gets up early to get time on the water. She is also a certified boat driver and as Club President finds herself frequently driving so that her teammates get in their practice time, too. Lauren knows how to change the oil and replace the steering cables on a boat in addition to taking care of some other maintenance needs to keep the boat in tip-top shape.

West Coast and Tennessee Adventures

Last fall (2024), Lauren spent a semester at Cal Poly (CA) in the National Student Exchange program, an in-country exchange. The decision to head to the west coast was an easy one. Lauren wanted to go somewhere different from the midwest so she could go to the beach to surf and enjoy mountain views. Joining the Club Ski Team there was an easy way to make friends; she even spent 2 weeks in CA this summer visiting people and seeing more of CA (LA, San Diego, and San Francisco). This past summer, Lauren worked in Hillsboro, TN (outside of Nashville) where she drove a boat for clients and coached skiing lessons for Swerve Watersports. 

Going All In 

Lauren is all about putting yourself out there and putting in everything you have into whatever you do. She goes all in. Even when she was young, Lauren was seeking opportunities. At some point, she decided that she wanted to give camp a try, and she went for it. She found Woodland online, sent an email, and was a camper for 2 summers. She believes she can figure it out when she gets to any new place. Camp was a good place for Lauren to flex her confidence and independence muscles!

Lauren is a firm believer that each year is different and that by putting effort into something new, you can inspire and encourage others. Your attitude (positive or negative) definitely plays a huge part in the attitudes of those around you. Lauren lived in a cabin with older girls during her 2 years as a counselor and was keenly aware of this on a daily basis!

What’s Next?: Two Passions, One Journey

Lauren is a senior at Iowa State University pursuing a mechanical engineering degree and is set to graduate in the fall of 2026. She plans to do one more semester at Cal Poly with their exchange program to see if California is somewhere she would like to live long term. Lauren loves the problem solving aspect of mechanical engineering; her dream job would be to combine her passion/hobby with her career and work for a company like Mastercraft Ski Boats or to pursue something related to marine technology. The ski boats used to pull skiers on slalom and jump courses used in the events Lauren trains for and competes in are quite sophisticated. How cool would that be if Lauren could actually be part of a team that keeps improving the design of those watercraft!

From Camp to Career: come join us! If you are or know an emerging leader who is wanting to explore personal and professional skill development, we invite you to let us know HERE (first time staff members) or RETURN staff (have been on staff at least one previous summer).

There’s a word you’re likely to hear when people describe their camp experience, a word we’ve heard from teenage campers, staff members and adult camp alumni alike like the ones in the photo above. It’s “magical.” When trying to convey how special camp is to them, how extraordinary it feels to simply be at camp, they’ll talk about the “magic of camp” or that “camp magic.”

Yes, camp life is marvelous. It’s awesome, amazing, fantastic. It’s so much better than the “mundane world,” with everything having a little something extra, some power or spirit. That’s why camp friends are your closest, the moon is more beautiful, s’mores more delicious, being silly more hilarious, and feelings of belonging more genuine. Camp life reveals a magical quality in even the simplest things, enriching our days beyond ordinary.

But how does camp do that? The moon with its blazing trail on the water, biting into a gooey s’more while on an overnight excursion, and the excitement of the aqua tramp are probably pretty similar to what can be found elsewhere. There’s probably nothing material that would make camp life distinctly better than non-camp examples.

What makes it magical? If there’s something profoundly different about camp life that fills it with amazing people, flashes of beauty, moments of wonder, and surprising feelings of deep happiness and contentment, then how?

Here’s an idea.

We believe camp provides the conditions where we can notice what is right in front of us. In other words, the magic is already here; we just don’t always see it in our ordinary daily lives. Camp doesn’t have a special power to create magic. Rather, it inspires us simply to become more aware of subtle qualities always available in the world around us.

At Woodland the possibility that everyone is a potential friend becomes evident. The space is there for people who had they met under different circumstances, might never have given someone a chance, let alone have been friends. For the gals above, Camp Woodland was the beginning of something lasting, something rare. Decades later, the women who once shared bunks, songs, canoe trips, and campfire stories still gather. They’ve grown into mothers, professionals, caretakers, and adventurers, but the ties formed under the tall pines and star-filled skies remain unshaken.

After 40 years, they are still showing up for each other—celebrating milestones, comforting through grief, laughing at old stories that never get old. The magic of Camp Woodland wasn’t just the lake or the laughter—it was the foundation of deep, meaningful relationships built during their most formative years.

That’s the power of camp, how it’s magic withstands the test of time. It encourages an awareness that reveals the magical quality of others. By lifting respect and kindness up as its highest ideals, it helps us be generous and see beyond ourselves. By giving us a break from the fast-paced demands of work and school, camp helps us slow down and take notice of the amazing people around us where we recognize and appreciate each person’s uniqueness. By being a tech-free environment, it liberates us from connecting through a device or screen. By encouraging silliness and play, camp teaches us how to be comfortable with who we are. By establishing a truly supportive community, it draws us closer to the people around us. In the outside world, each of these might require a deliberate choice, but they are built right into our camp life… making it yes, magical.

This is a testament to summer camp. A testament to Camp Woodland. And most of all, a testament to the power of true, enduring friendship.

Because sometimes, the people who knew you when you were a kid… are still the ones who know you best.

Reference: RBC and spring WI alumni gathering

Our favorite time of year (during the winter) is almost here!! February 1st (this Saturday) is National “I Heart Camp” Day! We would love your help to spread the word on the importance and impact of the summer camp experience. Your camper may remember those funny pictures we took of her with the “I Heart Camp” poster/sign over the past summers? The “I Heart Camp” photos taken in 2024 have been living in a SUPER SECRET FOLDER, and this Saturday Camp Woodland campers, parents, staff, and alumni are encouraged to post their favorite “I heart Camp” photo on various social media platforms.

Here are a few ideas to show the world (or just your family & friends) how much camp means to you (even if you don’t use social media!):

• Print it out and hang your favorite photo on your fridge or in your daughter’s locker at school
• Make it a screen saver on your computer or phone
• Facebook Profile
• Instagram
• Be sure to include the appropriate tags (#Woodland4Girls #Iheartcamp) when posting

Click the link to retrieve your daughter’s photos from 2024: I heart Camp Woodland Photos Link

Don’t see a photo of your daughter with the “I Heart Camp” sign? ANY camp photo will do!

Need your son’s photo too? Click the link to your son’s (Towering Pines) photos from 2024: I heart TP Photos link

All you have to do is: 1- find your picture, 2- download it by clicking the download tab on the bottom right of the photo, 3-Post it on Saturday, February 1!

Check out our archives of “I Heart Camp” Day. It is fun to see how we have grown over the years!:

• 2024 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2023 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2022 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2020 – I Heart Camp Day 
• 2019 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2018 – I Heart Camp Day 
• 2017 – I Heart Camp Day 
• 2016 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2015 – I Heart Camp Day
• 2014 – I Heart Camp Day

There are so many moments in the course of our 6-week summer that span the minutes, hours, days, and weeks from Opening Day to Closing Day. Eating Dan’s mac & cheese, playing parachute games, and looking for “aliens” are just a few things that kicked off the first weekend at Camp Woodland. Getting dressed up and having “Thanksgiving” dinner in the togetherness of the front of the lodge, giving applause for the many achievements earned in activities, demonstrating skills learned in the final shows, and making a candlelight wish in hopes of its return to the Woodland beach is how we wrapped up the summer of 2024.

Since we have been immersed in school and home life for the past few months, all of those moments become treasured memories that we pull out at random times to bring us back to those carefree days that make up a summer at Camp Woodland. If we happen to be able to gather with camp friends in the winter months, we recall those moments as if they happened just yesterday.

Our first official reunion for the season was held in the Chicago area this past weekend where campers and staff were together for part of the afternoon to catch up on the past few months, share memories and stories of summers past, and build excitement for “Enjoy the Ride in ’25” with new campers coming for the first time! It was just like being back at camp during Fair Day…snacks were served and games were played (with prizes). If smiling faces say anything, I think some campers in attendance are excited to be first in line for cookout or skip the line for another meal next summer!

One of the things I have learned over the years is that campers (and staff) return to camp because of the people. Sure, activities and traditions are part of the draw to come back to County D Road. However, these wouldn’t be the same without the individuals who are there to create the memories we rely on this time of year when summer is still over a half a year away.

Towards the end of the summer, we asked campers to reflect on their favorite memories from summer 2024, and here is what made the list for each cabin group!

Sunrise: “celos”, friends, campfire, Loli’s birthday party, cabin night on row boats, aqua tramp, ugly Counselor Contest, and Woodland Fair

Silver Birch: teaching Regi how to sail, learning how to sail in high winds, cabin slumber party, kneeboarding, my step brother, frizzy hair, the “block”, jokes, the Shrek clown for Woodland Fair, a frog in Georgia’s backpack, and winning most events

Starshine: my friends, my counselors, Juno, canoe trip, watching the animals grow in Farm Zoo, Willy Wonka, doing a forward roll out of my bed, do do do do do do, hanging out with friends during Gold Rush, and the warm fuzzy campfire story

Sunnyside: canoeing with MoJo, Olympics, learning how to ski, passing out of level 4 swimming, getting a 57/60 in archery, riding Seven, sailing, playing “touch the fence” in tennis, when a raccoon snuck onto the pontoon boat, flipping off the banana boat, canoe trip, swimming, 4th of July, sailing, TP/CW Fairs, “Marty”, “Thed”, marshmallow torch, playing tag in the water, Cathy’s, aqua tramp, tubing, cabin nights, and s’mores

Driftwood: winning Olympics, being with my cabin mates, sailing, having my Dad visit, being Casi’s bunk mate, meeting Emilia, seeing the tree on our canoe trip, tubing with Masyn, our mice friends, my friends, camp, passing out of swimming, trying riflery and really liking it, and arriving at camp and just being here in the Northwoods

Treetops: being hoppers, going to Cathy’s, teaching Spanish to cabin mates, decorating the cabin table, being in the cabin, passing to 30/40 yds in archery, watching how much I’ve grown in 4 years, meeting new friends, getting my first qualifier in riflery, drama plays, canoe trip, cabin nights, and being able to trot when riding

Hilltop: spending time with my friends, riding, having fun cabin nights, canoe trip, sailing, Song Contest, TP/CW Fairs, Gold Rush, first day of camp, and swimming the horses

Tamarack: cabin night Rec Swim, canoe trip (and peeing in the woods in the middle of the night), 1st hour riding group canters, sailing conversations, one for you/one for you, The Lorax/The Batman, canoe trip, banana boat with Andy, Olympics, using our hammock, parties at the spigot, cabin nights, going to Cathy’s, dance parties, my activities, laughing a lot, playing “speed” with Zoe, getting a 45 in riflery, and inside jokes

CIT’s: clown collage dinner, coed show practices, Uncle Fester, sail race, setting spinnakers, canoe trip, tie-dying, Ugly Counselor Contest, spending time with friends, going out on the pontoon boat, going to the ropes course, all of them!

As you can see, there are so many individual moments over the course of a summer that eventually become memories and stories to tell and retell. This is what makes up the MAGIC of camp. This is how we are better friends with the people at home or school. This is how we show patience and empathy to those we might not normally hang out with. This is how we are persistent when doing something challenging. This is how we appreciate nature’s beauty around us. This is how the spirit of camp is with us all year!

Camp Comes to YOU

The gathering in Chicago was the kickstart to camp reunions anywhere, anytime! It is EASY to host your own reunion for camp friends where you are (in-person or virtually). Let us know HERE that you are interested, and we will help get it organized!

ENROLL for SUMMER 2025

Now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2025 and reserve your spot/s. Sign up HERE for making moments next summer: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com