Camp Woodland Blog

Now that the summer is over and camping days all through;

We’d like to express our appreciation and say THANK YOU!!!

For the many times you lent a camper your helping hand;

For Lip Sync and Song Contest you tirelessly did plan.

For tucking campers into bed each and every night;

And helping them to overcome a small or large and scary fright.

For singing all those crazy camp songs;

Or just helping girls try to get along.

For taking campers on really awesome canoe trips;

And teaching girls to ride and giving them tennis tips.

For searching high and low for a gold painted rock;

Or helping campers dive from Woodland’s very own dock.

For going along to Cathy’s and eating a scoop or two;

(A counselor’s example is something important for all to do!)

For the spirit displayed at Olympics and Saturday night shows;

The difference you made? Sometimes you’ll just never know!

For zany campfires and wild things done to your hair;

For all the little things you did to show you really care.

For being hostess, making coffee, and just being on the ball;

For putting your arm around a child, a simple gesture said it all.

So here is a toast for everything you do;

From the bottom of our hearts we say THANK YOU!

From taco bar to lasagna, we had amazing food to eat;

The kitchen staff worked hard to keep us going on our feet.

For Chet this was year thirty-three and he knows all;

“It’s not about me” was his famous call.

Amy was our nurse for a second summer this year;

 We are grateful for her smile and words of good cheer.

Everything Clicked at Woodland in 2016;

Cheers to the super star counselors – our dream team!

Jess taught girls to swim and dive, yes it is true;

Alexis led us in animal care at Farm Zoo.

Jackie was at the beach and gave the Silver Birch girls lots of TLC;

While Grace was flipping, riding and sailing and could do it all you see.

Katelyn could be found at the barn and helping campers take aim;

Fer had talents in crafts and dance and to camp we are glad she came.

Claire sailed on the high seas and had campers run laps at night;

While Sofia taught dance moves and her creativity is out of sight.

Paige drove the crash boat and hoisted many a sail up a mast;

Jenny was queen of the courts and Woodland plays were such a blast.

Ana escorted girls to Mass and calls to Mexico she did make;

Ceci spent most of her days at the beach on Sand Lake.

Tori and the Starshine girls did just fine;

Regina scored targets and always kept her campers in line.

Mera had a love for overnight camping and wet canoe trips;

To the archery range and canoe dock Caroline did skip.

Grace was up and at ‘em early and took care of her campers at the barn;

Then up the hill she went to share her wit and charm.

For Natalie there is nothing this girl can’t do;

Add Sara to the mix and they made quite a crew.

Thanks to Calla and program notes we knew just what to do;

We can’t forget about Olympics and Co-Ed Show, too.

For all this and more we THANK YOU for everything you’ve done;

Without you at Woodland summer days wouldn’t have been as much fun!

This was a summer where EVERYTHING CLICKED! See what the campers from our youngest three cabins had to say about what it was that clicked in 1-6:

Treetops:

Eleanora: working together – teamwork.

Ava: When I tried so many new things, I realized that sometimes you just need to go for it and have fun!

Lilah: I made some new friends.

Lizzy: My relationships with other people.

Brooke & Lou: Losing a tooth!

Dani: My cabin mates, CIT’s and counselors.

Maya: I had lots of fun with my friends.

Silverbirch:

Lizzy: My cabin mates, everyone at camp, my counselors, the lake, everything!

Maria: Having fun!

Paloma: Riflery really clicked for me.

Katherine: Sailing and riding clicked for me this summer; I looked forward to them every day. I feel fearless when shooting!

Ellie: The funny cabin mates and trying new things.

Alex: Having fun and enjoying camp.

Eva: Riding was really fun for me. I was good in riding because I really liked my horse, and I learned a lot of new things about horses.

Tess: I did great in Archery.

Valentina: I had lots of fun with my friends.

Anika: Something that went well for me was trying to pass out swimming lessons.

Sunnyside:

Tori: I really enjoyed Riflery, and I passed my Pro-marksman!

Isa: My new friends, my cabin, the people around camp (they are really nice), and this new summer.

Jackie: Earning two qualifiers in Archery on the same day!

Ana Elisa: That everyone is different and that is how we are special. Making friendships at camp is worth it.

Molly: Everything: my cabinmates, the counselors, activities, goals and achievements. It all clicks!

Aubrie: I was able to do both Riding and Drama for the last session even though there was a conflict. We were able to find a compromise.

Lucy: I absolutely love everyone I have met here!

Katie: Meeting lots of new people.

Viv: That I loved camp so much!

A Friday Northwoods phenomenon is a weekly fish fry where it is not uncommon for lines to start forming before 5:00 pm.  Evidently, the only parking space that is guaranteed at Honey Bear in Eagle River is the one posted on the sign above!

Elmer and Barb are not the only ones who have their spot reserved for 2017 – your daughter(s) can, too! 

It is hard to believe that we are heading into the last week of summer 2016 – it has gone by really fast!  The good news is that you don’t have to wait to enroll your camper(s) for summer 2017.  You can reserve your spot now and take advantage of our early enrollment promotion for all 2016 campers!  Just fill out the application before or when you come to camp to pick up your daughter(s) this weekend (or mail it in by August 9th).  The deposit is $250 (instead of the usual $500) and there is a 5% discount on next year’s tuition.  On top of that great deal, we are giving out a special Woodland Beanie as a thank-you for taking advantage of this one-time offer!

Early Enrollment Camper Application 2017

p.s. The theme for 2017 is: Create Your Own Scene in 17!

See you next summer!

There is a Difference. . .

Between playing Pokemon Go and searching for the “Mother Lode” on Gold Rush Day with your cabin.  Teamwork and persistence are key to gathering clues and puzzling out the location of the infamous gold rock.

There is a Difference. . .

Between listening to your iPod and hearing the sounds of birds singing a wake-up tune, waves splashing on the shores of Sand Lake, wind whistling through the tall pine trees, halyards chiming on sailboat masts, and the echo of campers laughing.

There is a Difference. . .

Between grabbing food on the go and spending time with your cabin family sharing a meal 3 times a day.  The conversations that happen daily around the table are instrumental to cabin bonding and friendships.

There is a Difference. . .

Between watching a video on YouTube and seeing live performances of the annual Lip Sync, Song, and Ugly Counselor Contests and the end of session drama, dance and gymnastics shows.  There is no substitute for seeing the culmination of learning new skills, tireless rehearsing, and celebrating a job well done.

There is a Difference. . .

Between having a conversation on Snap Chat or other Social Media and a face-to-face “real-time” exchange with a cabin mate or camp friend.  Being able to see facial expression, read body language and interpret emotion are pivotal to understanding the intricacies of social interaction.

There is a Difference. . .

Between viewing photos on a screen and seeing nature’s splendor growing on the side of a tree by Silver Birch cabin, bald eagles flying overhead while sailing, loons swimming on the lake during canoe class, the sun setting from your campsite, and deer bounding through the Climax Forest while on a trail ride.

The Difference is pretty clear to me. . .a summer at Woodland makes all the difference in the world!

The following post is a piece written by first-year CIT, Susie Elfman.

Camp is close. Close to what, I don’t know. Maybe to true happiness, maybe to fun. But one thing I know camp is close to is perfect. It’s perfect in all of the little ways, like how the sunlight makes the leaves look bright green when you look to your right. Or how when you stare up at the tops of the trees you get dizzy. Maybe it’s the water hitting the shore that makes it perfect. Or it could be the noise a sail makes when it’s windy. Perhaps it’s the sound of the birds in the early hours of the morning.

I can’t be too sure if it’s the patter of rain on the cabin roof or the mumbles of “goodnight” when the lights turn off. Maybe it’s the way your arms are sore after canoeing, or how an arrow sounds hitting the target. Maybe it’s the smell of the riflery range after your shoot or the cheer of your friends when you get a bullseye. Is it the smell of paint in the art room? No one can know for sure what makes camp so close to perfection, but it might just be the little things. Whatever it is, I know that it makes me excited when I drive down the Woodland Road to take my first deep breath of the Northwoods air. And it’s then I know I’m in a place I can only describe as home.