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So, What Do We Do The Rest of the Year?
This is a loaded question camp directors often get asked once summer has ended, especially now that it is the middle of winter. It brings laughter for some (and tears for others) as most people can’t imagine what we could possibly be doing in the “off-season” since it appears that the majority of our “work” happens in June, July and August. I will be the first to tell you that there is nothing “off” about the off-season. Sure, the leadership team takes some much needed and well deserved time to get our lives back together. We all move back to our respective homes in varying locations across the country AC (after camp) and pick up where we left off in the spring BC (before camp) with family, friends, routines, etc. But, after that, it’s GAME ON planning for the next summer!
How do we plan for a new summer? What a question! How much time do you have?! (JK) It’s exciting and something we love doing (as it means that campers and staff will be coming back to camp soon!). Planning for the summer takes all year. We get especially excited once the calendar turns a new page as the CWTP camp season is no longer NEXT year, but it is now THIS year!
This past summer, camp officially closed out the season on August 6, and before the 2023 summer was over, the CWTP Leadership Team was already meeting about our 2024 summer (can you believe it?!). By late August when you were just starting back to school, our year-round team quickly returned to our routine of regular meetings as we started to brainstorm about the upcoming summer. It is truly amazing how quickly we transition from one summer to the next, as it takes an entire 9 months to prepare for your arrival!
So how do we actually plan for a new summer? Read on to find out how all the pieces come together to make the BEST SUMMER EVER for our camp community:
Read all the surveys:
We start by reading the surveys. We have surveys from campers, parents, and staff. We read them all. And then…we read them again. All the suggestions are divided into categories that we then sort through, finding similar suggestions (we often have repeat ideas!). After sorting everything, we combine the suggestions with the notes we (as a Leadership Team) took throughout the summer to decide what we want to think about, and possibly change, for the upcoming summer.
Meet new families:
We are always grateful for the referrals you send our way, and we also enjoy meeting new families who find out about us through a Google search, social media, or some other means. We kickoff our reunion/camp show season with the CWTP Gathering for the Chicago area right before Thanksgiving and travel to various cities to visit campers and staff in January-April. Want to bring camp to your town? Let us know HERE!
Decide on facility projects:
Every year we are improving the Woodland and Towering Pines properties, and part of planning for a new summer is deciding on which improvements to tackle. For some projects, we decide years in advance (for bigger rennovations) while other projects are based on necessity or a last-minute opportunity (like adding a tent for outdoor covered eating, replacing the roof on a cabin when a tree falls during a spring storm, or repairing the fence at the riding arena). Our upcoming program plans also contribute to this list; we want to be ready for activities each summer!
Start hiring the staff:
The summer couldn’t happen without our staff, so kicking off the hiring process is always a big part of our planning for the year. We open our staff applications for new staff and returning staff a few weeks after the summer ends as we want to find the very BEST counselors for the upcoming summer. Jackie focuses on the first year staff who are former campers, Calla meets with veteran staff wanting to come back to camp, and Kim interviews any staff who are brand new to Woodland. Calla and Lee are teaming up to make sure our international staff are set with visas and travel, and JoAnne handles the contracts for all staff in addition to hiring the kitchen, medical, and facility staff. For the 2024 season, we already have applications coming in and will continue to hire throughout the year until we’ve assembled the most amazing summer team ever!
Take advantage of Professional Development Opportunities:
JoAnne attended the Camp Owners and Directors (CODA) Wisconsin Fall Tour of Camps in September and the Midwest Association of Independent Camps (MAIC) Fall Conference in October. Both events offered great opportunities for networking with other camp professionals who also own/direct camps regionally and some nationally. Several of the Woodland team attended ACA’s Virtual Staffing Summit for all things staff recruiting, hiring and retention. I actually am the Co-Chair of this event and am fortunate to have conversations with so many thought leaders in this arena (I actually met Richard Coraine, Union Square Hospitality Group’s Senior Advisor, as he was the opening keynote speaker for the 2023 Staffing Summit). Lee attended and presented at the Women in Camp Summit in December in the Chicago area. Several of us have plans to attend the ACA National Conference in New Orleans next month and/or Tri-State Camp Conference in Atlantic City come March.
Start thinking creatively:
One of the best parts of attending a 50+ year camp is that we have traditions that date back to the 1970s! How cool that we get to participate in some of the same activities as campers from so many years ago. But along with that, we always want each summer to be new and different. We really put our heads together during the year to come up with fun and exciting surprises!
Work through all the yearly projects:
Some of our preparation projects happen year after year. For example, we redesign our theme t-shirt every year (Open New Doors in ’24), order program supplies, brainstorm fun early enrollment giveaways, make arrangements with the bus to meet camper arrivals on Opening Day at O’Hare Airport, plan pre-camp staff training, and much more!
Make sure you know everything you need to know:
With all the updates and changes each year, we need to make sure you know everything you need to know to attend camp! The Parent Handbook is our main way of sharing this information with our families, and we work to get that ready so everything needed for a summer at Woodland is at your fingertips. We also to help our brand-new families know what to expect and schedule several Zoom meetings as we get closer to the summer.
Start building the excitement:
Part of the planning for a new summer is also building the excitement. We love mail at Woodland, so we put a lot of time and energy into fun things we can send to you each year. We also update our social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook) to keep our older campers, parents, and Towering Pines/Woodland Alumni engaged with camp. We also write 1-2 blogs (like this one) every month with thoughts that share insight into the value of the Camp Woodland experience and create fun videos.
Countdown until you arrive:
A big part of summer planning is anticipating your arrival! After the holidays, we really start feeling like camp is just around the corner. While there will be snow at camp and ice on the lake through April or May, when calls from camp families start coming in, the excitement really starts building! This is one of our favorite parts of preparing for a new year – feeling your excitement (even when you’re far away) gets us even more ready to start another summer.
All in all, it’s a fun and busy year as we prepare for you! Now is a great time to save your camper’s spot for summer 2024 or to invite a friend to come along. REGISTER HERE!
Memories that Linger from Summer 2023
With the holidays upon us, it is not uncommon to reminisce about memories from previous holiday celebrations. Remember the year we had a tornado warning on Christmas Day? (That’s Nebraska for you – no joke!) Can you believe it is has been 10 yrs since Santa made an appearance at our house? (Thanks, Mom!) What about the time the dog pulled the turkey off the counter when no one was watching?! (Let’s hope that I am not projecting something that will be a new memory!)
In similar fashion at the end of the recent summer, campers shared those things that they will never forget from their weeks spent on County D. Some of the memories were expressed by multiple individuals, while others were unique to the individual. You will notice that some are related to activities (first time trying something or reaching a certain level), while others are centered around a particular special event. Some memories make no sense (ex: Timmy the turtle, puppy parties, mosh pitting) because they are an inside joke to the campers and counselors from a given cabin. Regardless, this is how summer 2023 went down in the books for this year’s group of campers!
Tamarack
Audrey: poor Timmy the turtle, finding out that Clara is Eleanor’s sister, and taking my first swimming lesson; Amelia: Alien Invasion, my first year cabin name, my counselors and CIT’s; Evie: kneeboarding for the 1st time, when I accidentally trotted, making new friends in my cabin; Jaclyn: Gold Rush, taking the goats on a walk, going on the banana boat & tubing; Eleanor: Timmy the turtle, the aqua tramp, cha cha dance we did in drama; JoJo: Oli’s fidget from the TP Fair, Camp Birthday, almost getting mine and Oli’s Crocs stuck in a tree; Luci: aqua tramp, TP Fair, Gold Rush; Georgia: Timmy the turtle, meeting everybody, Camp Birthday; Fiona: trotting and playing tennis for the first time, aqua tramp; Oli: Song Contest, poor Timmy the turtle, and Gold Rush
Silver Birch
Alice: lemon water, the bunnies, Ava: cat vs avocado; Elyse: learning to ride a horse, knee boarding, CIT games; Clara: learning side stroke, going out of the wake, and learning how to trot; Masyn: my counselors, my friends, my bed; Lia: winning Song Contest and Olympics; Mojo: lemon water, trotting on Tabasco, and Camila & Kenzie teaching level 5 in swimming; Roberta: my friends, my cabin, campfire; Ana Roberta: passing levels and having a nickname; Maya (CIT): passing my expert in riflery, first Co-Ed Show practice, and all the Co-Ed Show rehearsals
Starshine
Eloise: trying sailing and tennis, seeing my aunt; Maggie: getting 2 bullseyes, meeting cabinmates, and Ratatouille; Olivia H: our cabin rat, the Doctor (a game), and the CL (camper lounge); Casilda: bus ride to camp, Song Contest, and cheeto disaster; Renata: Ratatouille and losing my Crocs; Camila: Ratatouille, love bench, and activities; Dani (CIT): Co-Ed Show practice, Olympics (“I won”!!) Dragons, and canoe trip with my campers
Driftwood
Hannah: puppy parties, riflery, and making rope; Orla:puppy parties, swimming mornings, and archery; Maddie H: learning how to swim, my first time at TP Fair, and passing level 3 in swimming; Amelia: puppy parties, archery, and (kind of) learning to dive; Maddie B: puppy parties and dance parties; Nat (CIT): Co-Ed Show practice, meals with Live-ins, Gold Rush
Hilltop
Julia: reading during rest hour, skiing and tubing with Taylor, and canoe trip at the landing; Regi: cabin nights, inside jokes, and funny moments; Natalia: Karaoke Night, aqua tramp, and cabin canoe trip; Olive: the first cabin night, when someone first said “hi” to me, and riding Tabasco for the first time; Sophia: first cabin night, certain tennis lessons, and sail days; Casi: Karaoke Night, scary story night, and Camper Council; Taylor: Cabin Night #1, “Phase One” jokes, reuniting with my cabin; Tess (CIT): trying all of the “hard” horses, meals with the 2nd year CIT’s, and Co-Ed Show practices (get excited!)
Sunnyside
Zoe: late night whispering, clogged toilet, dance party; Alix: Mother Zoe and her 9 ex-husbands; Stella: getting to 40’s in riflery in ONE summer, going to the TP riflery exchange, and Sunnyside Camper Council; Amelia: dance parties, banana boating, and cabin skits/campfire; Phoebe: dancing and doing squats in the pouring rain, mosh pitting to “bad bunny” in the cabin, getting up on waterskies; Clara: mosh pitting to 7 rings, getting a couch, and cantering through the meadow on Seven; Olivia: writing to TP boys, listening to music and dancing in the rain, making new friends, falling off the tube in the middle of the lake; Sydney: mosh pitting with cabin and writing to TP boys; Isabella (CIT): Olympics, Co-Ed Show practices, and Lou & Maya getting their expert in riflery
Treetops
Vale: first day, 4-week mark in rest, hour, and “touch the fence”; Marion: Cathy’s ice cream, World Cup, and swimming; Lizzie: playing lax with my cabin, going to Cathy’s, late night talks with cabin; Bella: going to Cathy’s, the “duck”, and the goats; Izzy: going to Cathy’s, tubing on cabin night, and cabin nights; Elizabeth: staying up late at the 4-week mark, winning a sail race while skippering, and everyone getting to camp on the bus and saying “hi”; Katherine: staying up till an undisclosed time at the end of 4 weeks, going to Cathy’s with my friends, and all of our cabin inside jokes
Aquarius
Sofia: Mona Lisa, my first time trying knee boarding, and cabin nights; Delia: Co-Ed Show and sailing; Lou: passing my Golden Archer, playing “touch the fence” in tennis, and learning the first Co-Ed Show dance; Lizzy: Co-Ed Show Practice, TP Fair, and Gold Rush; Lizzie: inside jokes, learning how to ski, and passing my advanced canoeing; Kaitlyn: “Do you like kisses”, “Cheese-me”, and Co-Ed Show practice; Lilah: EVERYTHING!
As we get ready to turn the page from one calendar year to another, the lyrics from the song, “Witchcraft,” come to mind: “Memories that linger, constant and true…memories we cherish, Camp Woodland, of you.”
ENROLL for SUMMER 2024
The great thing about a new summer is the chance to create new memories! Now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2024 and reserve your spot/s. Sign up HERE: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com
2023 Gift Guide for Your Woodland Camper
We love the Holiday season for all the reasons you might expect: spending time with friends and family, enjoying traditions new and old, the anticipation of the first snowfall of the year and all of the activities that come along with it. The Jordan family has a tradition of spending time up North during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Sledding, making a snow angels, and romping through the woods in the snow are favorite outdoor activities.
Presents are always a big part of the festivities, and we care about them because to us, they represent more than just “stuff.” When we gift generously and thoughtfully we demonstrate our love for other peoples’ joy.
In that spirit, we are sharing our gift guide for the Woodland Camper, where we’ve compiled our best ideas for meaningful presents that help us remember previous summers or get us excited for the upcoming one. Of course, experiencing camp is the best gift ever (register for 2024 HERE), so these are just a few extra ideas!
Gifts to remind her of her favorite camp moments:
- Our top recommendation? Nothing beats a trip to see her camp friends! Help bridge the gap between summers by having a reunion with her favorite people mid-year.
- A Frosted Pine candle invokes memories of being in the Northwoods, especially when at Vespers Hill during Inspiration Hour, taking a trail ride, or sitting at the beach for campfire.
- A custom retro viewfinder can display camp photos in a new way.
- Table Topics are a classic, and these on-the-go versions will get your family connecting and sharing.
- Stay warm with a classic Woodland sweatshirt. They are truly timeless and the perfect lightweight sweatshirt for chilly summer mornings. Everything Summer Camp is offering a discount on Woodland/TP apparel through Dec 9th!
Gifts for game nights, rainy days, and missing Rest Hour:
- This is the great time to get a family game! Code Names, Dutch Blitz, Skyjo, or Color Brain are all good choices. Nurse Marie loves Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza and kept it in the health center for when campers and staff were under the weather.
- Puzzles are the perfect setting for a family night! You could try out this dog puzzle (and think of Juno, Chanel, or Coco), a camping puzzle, a Christmas puzzle, or even one that will remind you of being on Sand Lake.
- Bead bracelets, friendship bracelets, jelly stickers, and invisible ink are all great options for an at-home Rest Hour.
- Never underestimate the pleasure of a good book! Books are great for opportunities when it is tempting to grab a phone. Why not grab something to read instead?
- Snail mail may be going out of fashion in the real world, but we still love it in our camp community! Bring back this lost art with a set of personalized stationery or a return address stamp.
Gifts to elevate your bunk:
- What about a bulletin board to display your photos from home? This pin board name is really cool!
- Or a cozy pair of pajamas?! Nothing beats pima cotton, especially Lake pjs. They are softer after every wash and hold up well for years. Elevate your bunk by elevating your jammies!
- Make your bunk extra comfy this year with a cozy blanket or a pillow with a camp theme like this pine cone or campfire.
More gift ideas:
- Recreate favorite camp activities at home! Look for a shooting range, a pottery studio, or a gymnastics experience where you live or might be visiting over the holidays.
- You can also gift her an upgraded accessory for next summer. Think a new tennis racquet, riding helmet or boots, a Crazy Creek, or camera to capture her favorite memories.
- Christmas is the perfect time to stock up on new camp apparel from Everything Summer Camp! You could also put a new pair of Crocs or maybe a backpack to carry around to activities under the tree this year.
Whatever gift you choose this Holiday season, your camper is sure to love the meaning and thoughtfulness behind it. We are counting down the days until we can be together again with our Camp Woodland family…Happy Holidays!
This blog was inspired by a North Carolina camp.
Friendsgiving: Anywhere and Anytime
Here’s a math problem to solve: Camp Reunion + Thanksgiving = ???? (^hint: look at the title of the blog^)
It was super fun to gather in the Chicago area this past weekend for a reunion of camp friends – both Woodland and TP (Friendsgiving)! 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 “Opening New Doors in ’24”! It was just like being back at camp during Fair Day…snacks were served and games were played (with prizes!). Some of our favorite CIT’s were on hand to infuse camp spirit, and, of course, cameras documented the event (hence the photos you see here).
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.
The ecosystem of camp is such that the bonds of friendship are strong because of the welcoming community from the beginning. The staff are really good at helping campers integrate into the camp experience and intentional about giving them organic opportunities to meet and learn about each other in an authentic way. It doesn’t take long for the seeds of friendship to grow!
Towards the end of the summer, we asked campers to reflect on what it looks like when they are being a good friend at camp (and would love for this to spill over into being a friend at home and school!).
When I am being a good friend at camp I am:
Tamarack
Audrey: helping cheer them up; Amelia/Georgia: helping; Evie: kind, respectful and responsive; Jaclyn/Eleanor: being kind; JoJo: having fun; Luci: thoughtful and respectful; Fiona/Oli: including others; Oli: being nice
Silver Birch
Alice/Masyn: being kind and helpful; Elyse: helping others and being thoughtful; Clara: helping people and being myself; Lia: happy; Mojo: welcoming; Roberta: nice and kind; Ana Roberta: when I don’t get angry; Maya (CIT): talking/including others
Starshine
Eloise: making others feel at home; Maggie: helping others; Olivia H: nice; Casilda: nice to them; Renata/Camila: empathetic; Dani (CIT): patient
Driftwood
Hannah: me; Orla: happy; Maddie H: a good listener; Amelia: helping everyone no matter what; Maddie B: calm; Nat (CIT): being empathetic and myself
Hilltop
Julia: helping others; Regi: proud of myself for having awesome friends; Natalia: nice and helpful; Olive: helping others when they are homesick; Sophia: understanding, positive, respectful; Casi: always helping; Taylor: comforting them; Tess (CIT): not fighting when things get hard
Sunnyside
Zoe: funny/kind; Alix: kind and thoughtful; Stella: chillin’; Amelia: nice, understanding, respectful; Phoebe: proud, happy, positive; Clara: happy; Olivia: there for them; Sydney: happy; Isabella (CIT): having fun
Treetops
Vale: feeling good and happy; Marion: friendly; Lizzie: including others; Bella: kind and respectful to others; Izzy: making new friends in activities; Elizabeth: being nice and inclusive; Katherine: super happy
Aquarius
Sofia: empathetic; Delia: open; Lou: making people laugh; Lizzy: thoughtful and not annoying; Lizzie: helping others feel better; Kaitlyn: respectful; Lilah: being kind
Friendsgiving: Anywhere and Anytime!
The gathering in Chicago was the kickstart to camp reunions anywhere, anytime! It is EASY to host your own FRIENDSGIVING for camp friends where you are. Let us know HERE that you are interested, and we will help get it organized!
ENROLL for SUMMER 2024
Now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2024 and reserve your spot/s. Sign up HERE: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com
Revving Up for the CWTP Reunion
What seems like a million years ago when we lived in Texas, I would dread the November weekend each year when somewhere around 400,000 people on 150,000 motorcycles joined the residents of Galveston Island for the Lone Star Rally. I would listen to bikes of all shapes and sizes drive by all day (and all night). In looking back on that time, I can’t help but think how the bikers were really just coming to the Island for their yearly reunion. And, we are about to do the same thing ourselves when Woodland/TP campers and staff come together this coming weekend for an afternoon with camp friends in the Chicago area.
I’m sure the Lone Star Rally revs up each year as the weeks and days draw closer in anticipation of meeting up with friends who haven’t seen each other for a period of time. Bikers gather at their favorite restaurants to catch up on the events that have passed between visits, enjoy rides along the beach and other scenic routes, meet new friends, and make plans for future opportunities to do what they love (ride motorcycles). In many ways, this annual biker weekend is one giant family reunion.
Sound familiar?! The excitement for gathering at the Northfield Community Church on Saturday, November 18th is building as campers and staff make plans to spend a few hours together at the annual reunion the weekend before Thanksgiving. We are also making it possible for campers and staff who do not live in the Chicago area to “pop in” on Zoom to say hello to cabin mates and friends. What if it’s been more than a year since you have been to camp OR if this will be your first time? We would love for any former campers/staff (once a part of the Woodland/TP camp family, always a part of our camp family!) and new campers who will be joining us in 2024 to stop by. Please feel free to bring along any friends from home who might want to learn more about the TWO BEST CAMPS AROUND!
The video from the recent summer will be shown, scrapbooks containing numerous camp photos will be passed around, stories from the past summer will be retold, school year events will be shared, and plans for next year will be made to DO WHAT WE LOVE AT CAMP (and of course, we will enjoy an assortment of yummy snacks!). And, yes, this weekend will be one giant family reunion!
We can’t wait to see you on Saturday, November 18th from 3:30-5:00 pm CST! Please RSVP HERE to let us know you are coming. Check your email to get the Zoom link to join virtually (4-5 pm). p.s. Motorcycles/bikes welcome!