Session 3 - and we all fall down...or the tent at least

So I have discovered something this summer...blogging is maybe not my bailiwick...

It isn't that I can't do it, it is just that I don't think about it all the time. It is a shame really because there are a great many stories that I could be relating to those of you who stay connected to camp using this method. I have gotten better with posting the pictures, and we are doing well now at not only getting them up, but getting them up promptly (like I have already posted pictures of tonight's evening program for your viewing pleasure - high five for me!). But, the blog seems to have slipped through my fingers a little, and for that I am sorry.

I can tell you a few things about this week, now that I am thinking about the blog. We started week three with some new stuff this year. We had the beginning of our very first second session LIT group. Smaller by half than our first group, they are still equal to our largest group any year prior to this one. I am very proud to be a part of this year of such large leadership development, and I have been pleasantly surprised throughout by their commitment to both camp and themselves. We also welcomed our largest voyageur group of the year this session with 11 participants. It is nice to see this coed group ready to take on the wilderness challenge of canoe travel. We also have our largest regular camp session ever with these groups busting at the seams.

Sunday night, after a very long a humid day, we had a huge storm. So big was this storm that it took our tent down like it was a pop tent from my youth. The intrepid RLC support staff were on it though, and they had it ready to be set up again (in a slightly smaller version) before we were even ready for breakfast. We now have a slightly smaller version of our original tent, which we have named tent 2.0. This week has brought with it the hottest weather of the summer so far, and tomorrow we are set for the hottest day in a very long time. They are calling for in the 40s with the humidex here! We are ready for it with a modified schedule which will include extra dips, lots of water breaks, a modified Nagiwa Games, and more sunscreen than you can shake a stick at! I will repeat again and again my message to them: "Today is going to be HOT! So wear a hat, put on your sunscreen, carry your water bottle, and empty it into your face a bunch of times!" Just for reference, this is a message that has been working so far, and we have only had one young person visit the nurse with heat-related symptoms...they are fine...

Tonight, we had a brand new game set up by one of our staff. Four challenges, a big mess, and a lot of fun for the kids and staff. There was chocolate sauce, toilet paper, oatmeal, and oil involved, along with much laughter and friendly competition. There are tons of pictures online, but this should give you a good idea of what it looked like:

Things like this really make me admire the commitment of my staff to the campers, and it makes me think of all the crazy stuff I did when I was a counsellor (and maybe some of the things that I still do) ------>

I know that I have a great staff working for me, and that each of them is committed to helping and bettering each of the kids they come into contact with.

In the end, I can say this about the summer so far. The campers are leaving camp happy, and I think better youth than when they arrived. That is what we are trying to do at camp, build better kids, so that they can help build better families, and better communities.

I would hope that we are accomplishing that goal, and I would invite anyone with comments to let us know. We are always interested in how we are doing, and if we are accomplishing our goals. You can be in touch with us any time through facebook, this blog, or directly by email at campnagiwa@guelphy.org. We are always happy to hear from you.

Be well during this heat wave...we are thinking of you while we swim in the lake!

Luc

My my...how a week can fly by...

Well, already at the end of week 1 of camp for 2011...Crazy!

What a week it was. We had almost all amazing weather, with the exception of one morning where we had some rain. We had about 80 people in camp, including staff, and that is more than we have ever had before in Session 1. Our giant 16-person LIT group helped, but we had over 40 regular camp campers as well.

We week ran as smoothly as I could have expected, being my first week running Nagiwa and with a senior staff entering into all-new positions, but on Friday I saw a ton of smiling faces, and a few who were very sad to be leaving; this says 'job well done' to me. I can't say enough good things about the staff we have at camp this year. They are committed to the kids, and to making sure that we all have an excellent time while we are here at camp. I need to give a special shout-out here to Andrew who came to camp this week to help us out and really made a huge difference in the lives of campers, one in particular. I could not have picked a better person to fill that roll. If you see Andrew hanging around at day camp this year, give him a high 5 for us!

As I look forward into the summer, I can see some things pretty clearly. This will, once again, be the busiest summer we have ever had a Nagiwa. We will have difficulty making sure that everyone has beds there are so many people! Session 2 if full to the brim, as is session 3. Session 4, although not full yet, if getting closer to that mark every day, and we expect it to be full as well. Also, I see our Nagiwa Day Camp taking off for its pilot summer. Day camp this year will run the last week of July, to make sure that it works well with our residential camp. If it does, we will look to a larger launch for next summer. Call us if you want more info.

I hope that you are all having a safe and happy summer. I know that we are!

Enjoy the season!

Luc

And so the summer has begun...

Good evening all!

You have found us on our second evening of camp for the 2011 season and things are really looking good for this year. So far (although 2 days is only a fraction of our season) the weather couldn't be any better, and we have an enthusiastic and energetic bunch of campers.

As Nagiwa grows and expands, we have been very lucky to expand our horizons. This year, we welcome staff from two countries in Europe, as well as campers from all over Ontario, some from Europe, and even campers from Africa! We continue to grow the Nagiwa family, and that makes this place better and better for campers, staff, and our communities.

Speaking of growing the Nagiwa family, this year is our busiest ever! I know that we get to say that every year, but this year is particularly notable because we are on track to fill not one, not two, but three of our four sessions, with session 1 being nearly full as well. Also, we have had to create a second LIT session this year, in order to accommodate all of the young leaders who wanted to join us for training this year. We feel a little like we are busting at the seems, and cabin placements with this many campers are a challenge for the senior staff.

We have lots of great activities planned for the rest of this week, as well as the rest of the summer, and we are very happy to know that there will be many smiling faces to share those with in each session.

Also, this year we are piloting a day camp program for children in the Rosseau Lake area. This day camp will run from July 25th through July 29th, and will provide a day camp experience comparable to our overnight experience. We do not provide transportation, but we do provide lunch, so if you live or cottage in the Rosseau area, why not think about having your camp-aged child join us for day camp?

For those of you still wondering, everyone arrived safely, and we are all having a great time. Today is just about over, and I should hurry off for our end-of-day flag lowering.

Be well and enjoy your summer!

Luc