What's Going on at Camp in 2015? Questions and Answers, Part 2

Last week we answered a bunch of questions about some great new things we have happening at camp this summer. That post is right here! Now we're adding some more Q & As.

Can a Pioneer camper come to camp on Monday and Tuesday but not spend the night at camp?

Yes! This is totally up to the camper and parents.

What about Quest campers?

Quest is a residential camp that runs from Tuesday through Friday the second full week of August. It’s shorter than most of our other camps, but campers do spend the night at camp.

 What is a typical day at camp like?

Most of the time, it looks something like this:

8:00 – Breakfast

8:30 – Morning Watch / Short Bible Study

9:00-12:30 – Sailing, ropes course, field games, crafts, hiking, cooking, leading, boating, swimming, tie-dye, ice cream, and more!

12:30 -  Lunch!

1:00-2:00 Rest Hour

2:00-5:30 – Sailing, ropes course, field games, crafts, hiking, cooking, leading, boating, swimming, tie-dye, ice cream, and more AGAIN!

5:30 – Dinner

6:00 - Any of the fun activities you couldn’t fit in during the day, or maybe a banana boat ride!

7:00 – All camp events: talent show, dance, worship, Minute to Win It, Olympics, etc.

9:00-10:00 – Campfire, vespers, and finally, SLEEP!  Tomorrow’s another day!

There is never a dull moment.

What if I want to stay for more than just a week?

Yes. That’s possible this year. Bridge weekend information is here, registration information is here. 

What's Going on at Camp in 2015? Questions and Answers, Part 1

It's hard to believe with all this snow and cold, but we are gearing up for another fun-filled summer on Seneca Lake! Our 2015 schedule is here. Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about the 2015 season:

What’s new for 2015?

We are very excited about some favorite camp traditions as well as some new graded programs in 2015. Our programs for people with disabilities will look very similar to what it has been in past years. We do have 2 new graded programs that we’re looking forward to… Anything Goes  (grades 6-8, July 26 - 31) and a Bridge Weekend for campers in grades 6 – 12 (July 31 - August 2).

What is Anything Goes all about?

At our new Anything Goes camp, anything goes! Your counselors will lead you through activities that you normally wouldn’t get to do at camp, like possibly raiding the kitchen or participating in a late-night secret mission. You’ll also work as a group to come up with some of your activities for the week, and there will be some surprises along the way as well!

Banana boat? Most definitely! 

What about the Bridge Weekend?

The Bridge Weekend (July 31 – August 2) gives campers who register for both the July 26 AND August 2 sessions the opportunity to stay at camp for two full weeks, instead of having to go home between weeks of camp. We’ll have a ton of fun, and we’ll also make sure everyone is rested and re-charged for the upcoming week. We will need 10 campers registered by June 1 in order to run this program.

What are the options for younger campers?

In 2015, elementary age campers have the following options:

We had tons of fun last summer...

Pioneer Camp (grades k-5)
July 6-7
July 27-28
This is a chance to learn what camp is all about in a great 2-day experience. Pioneer campers can either come from 8:00 – 5:00 on the days of the program, or opt to stay overnight for one night.

...can't wait to do it again!

Camp Quest (grades 3-4)
August 11 – 14
This is a short week for newer campers…we’ll do a little bit of everything in this 4 day, 3 night experience

Adventures Camp (grades 4-5)
July 5 – 10
July 26 – 31
August 9 – 14
This is the real deal! A full week of swimming, crafts, games, ropes course, canoeing, s’mores, sleep outs, talent show, dance, and anything else we can fit in a week!

What other questions do you have about 2015? Just ask! We will post Part 2 soon!

An Energetic Morning Wake-up

     A few family groups celebrated their last night at camp yesterday by sleeping outside of their cabins after the dance.  Our adventures campers enjoyed a night under the stars while sleeping on the main field and our CITs slept in our main lodge while enjoying a movie after the dance.

Adventure Camp's Sleep-out location

     The real excitement came this morning however, when our volunteer chaplain, Colin, took on the responsibility of waking the campers.  His dog Chanah, was very excited to see so many people sleeping and was more than willing to wake them all up.  We found this method for waking them up very effective and most campers were up and ready to go with 15 minutes.

Getting everyone up bright and early

Chanah making sure she didn't miss anybody

     The CIT campers were a little more stubborn.  After Chanah failed to get them to leave their sleeping bags, one of our counselors, Chris, turned on our sound system to play them, "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham! while our newly arrived Day Campers prodded their favorite CITs awake.

Counselor, Jeremy cuddling with Chanah

Pastor Colin letting Chanah know who her next victim should be

Counselor Riley waking up from her first sleep-out

Camp Whitman's 2014 Camping Season Begins!

     This past Sunday, was Camp Whitman's opening day of the regular camping season for graded campers as well as our program for people with developmental disabilities.  It was awesome to see so many new and familiar faces this year in the registration line!

1st year counselor Matt, helps some Sports and Games campers
make their buttons

Adventures campers kickstart a game of Kickball

     We were able to welcome campers from 6 different camps this week.  In graded camp we had, Adventures (3rd-5th grade), Sailing (6th-8th), and our Counselor-in-Training (CITs) camp, while our campers with disabilities came for Sports and Games Camp as well as Explorations Camp.

Sailors getting to know each other

Counselors Jeremy, Riley, and Leah leading name games in Adventures camp

3rd year counselor Ben heading to Main Field

Our staff was very excited to finally meet campers after our week and a half of training, and jumped right into singing songs and getting to know everyone.  After meeting such great campers on our very first Sunday, we are very excited about what the rest of the summer will bring.

Our CIT Campers ended their evening with some Teambuilding
and trying to untangle a Human Knot.

     We want to extend a huge thank you to our volunteer Chaplain this week, Colin Pritchard from Victor, NY.  Campers are very excited for the energy and enthusiasm he will bring to all of our family groups.

Volunteer Chaplain, Colin, leading a song to close our Sunday
vespers service.

   

Our new Graded Camp Coordinator, Courtney spent
Vespers with Colin's dog, Chauna.

Top 10 Reasons We're Excited for Camp in 2014 (Part 2)

Part 1 can be found here.


5. Pioneer Camp is back! 

Last year, we began a 2-day program (with an optional overnight stay) for campers entering grades k-5 to come give camp a try. It was so much fun, we're doing it 3 times this summer! On July 10 & 11, July 31 & August 1, and August 14 & 15, you can come experience what camp is all about with new friends, swimming, boating, crafts, field games, and maybe even a camp dance. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can stay the night and find out just how awesome it is to have s'mores with all these new friends and sleep in a cabin.

Having a blast during Pioneer Camp in 2013!

4.  We have a new camp for people with disabilities!

We have a ton of different camps for people with disabilities this year. From Whitman Under the Stars to Explorations, there is something for everyone, no matter where your interests lie. A new camp that we have this year is Pay It Forward, which will give campers the opportunity to work on service projects during their week at camp and make camp better for everyone. This week is sure to be an amazing show of Whitman spirit!

Baking a cake to share with everyone at lunch.

3.  The week of August 3 is the week of epic nighttime adventures!

Night Owl camp has been a high school favorite since it was created 8 years ago, and Moonlight Mystery is quickly becoming a middle school favorite. In addition to all of these adventures, last year, we started Whitman Under the Stars camp for people with disabilities.  During all of these camps, campers have the opportunity to stay up late and enjoy adventures like glow in the dark ultimate frisbee and detective work. This year, these camps are happening at the same time, along with a Night Camp themed Day Camp so that we can all celebrate how awesome nighttime in the summertime can be (and sleep in...we like that too...). 

2. Camp is not "Real Life"...

If you've ever been to camp, you know that there is never a dull moment. Someone is always singing a silly song about penguins, playing a field game that involves a rubber chicken, or getting ready for the next big sailing or bike trip. These are the things that make up a normal day at camp, and it's pretty stress-free. We're busy, but there's no work or homework to worry about, no phones ringing non-stop, no need to hurry (unless you're playing glow in the dark ultimate frisbee), and nowhere we need to be except right there. It's quite a relief. 

"Sail away with me, what will be will be..."

1. ...but Camp is as real as it gets!

Camp can be a welcome break from "Real Life" (as we jokingly refer to our lives outside of camp), but at the same time, Camp is totally Real Life. Ask anyone who has spent a week at camp, and they can tell you stories about what they did there, what they learned, and who they met who is still an important person to them. Many of us call Camp Whitman our second home and our camp friends our second family, which is why we are overflowing with excitement for everything we have in store for this summer!

Camp friends are the best friends!

The Top 10 Reasons We're Excited for Camp Whitman in 2014 (Part 1)

Last year, we put together a list of the top 10 reasons we were excited for camp in 2013 (here and here). These are all still  reasons to be excited about camp this summer, but we had to give 2014 it's own list because it's going to be extra awesome!


10. 2014 is a major milestone for Camp Whitman!

2014 is Whitman's 60th anniversary, and we're celebrating all year! This year, the camp adventures start before we even arrive at camp with the Silent Auction and Gala on May 31 at King's Catering in Canandaigua. This is Camp's big-time birthday party: there will be dancing, a bounce house, and camp friends of all ages...not to mention some pretty cool baskets and items in the silent auction. Sounds pretty perfect to me! For more info about the Gala and Camp's 60th anniversary, check out www.campwhitman.org

Working on a 60th anniversary bulletin board at camp.

9. 2014's staff might just be the coolest staff yet. 

A whole bunch of staff members from 2013 are back for more adventures this summer, and we couldn't be more excited! These are people who LOVE all things camp and have been looking forward to the 2014 season since we left last August. We are also super excited about welcoming all of the new staff into the Whitman family this summer; they are bringing all kinds of skills and experiences with them that will help this summer be the best summer ever.

Yup...definitely the coolest. 

8. Volunteer Chaplains are back!

Just like last summer, this summer we will be welcoming several pastors from local churches to spend a week with us to lead worship experiences and join in all the camp fun.

Pastor Colin did not miss out on a minute of the fun when he was with us for a week in 2013!

7. Camp Mondays will be Christmas Mondays.

This year, our curriculum has a special focus on Jesus.  Every day, each of the family groups will spend a little bit of their morning and evening exploring a different story about Jesus' life and ministry. For example, every Monday we will be looking at the story of Jesus' birth, which means that you should come ready to hear some Christmas songs in the middle of the summer!

I think we'll put the Christmas tree right behind those dancing counselors...

6. Day Camp 2.0. 

After a hugely successful first season in 2013, our day camp programs are back for round 2 for 8 weeks this year! Starting June 30 and running through August 22, this program offers campers who are entering grades k-5 in the fall the opportunity to experience all kinds of camp fun for a day, a week, or even the whole summer. Each week will have a different theme, such as Pirates, Arts and Crafts, Sports, and Water Rec. This is a great way to get outside, make some new friends, and have some fun while Mom and Dad are at work all day!

Last year, our new day campers wasted no time in learning all kinds of camp traditions!

Amber working on a craft with Laura and Sophie. 

Watch next week for the rest of the count down!

60th Anniversary: A Past Staff Perspective

We were very fortunate to be able to connect with Lea Kone, who has experience as not only a Whitman camper and counselor, but has also worked as a Program Committee member.  Her interview pinpoints what makes the Whitman Experience special for campers and shows how a couple of weeks in the summer can really influence a person's life.

1. How are you affiliated with Camp Whitman?  (Were you a volunteer, camper, staff?)

Yes, all of them! I began attending Camp Whitman in 1988, during the summer before I entered 4th grade, and attended as a camper for the next 8 years!  After attending 4th & 5th grade camps, I started coming to camp for at least 2 weeks each summer in 6th grade.  My favorite camp weeks were Footloose camp (a hiking camp) and Music Camp, which I began attending in 8th grade.  The summer leading into 10th grade I went through CIT training and then began volunteering as a counselor for as many weeks over the next two summers as they would let me!  I joined the counseling staff in 1997 and 1998 and then was a Program Committee member from 1998-2000.  In recent years I have been trying to reconnect with my Whitman roots and have attended a few volunteer days and programs through my church.

2. How many years were you involved with camp for?

12 years!

3. What are some of your fondest camp memories or traditions?

I have so many memories from my years at Whitman.  My time as a camper and staff member were truly foundational in my building my character, spirit and faith.  When I think of camp, my mind drifts to sunny and breezy days sitting on the porch of the main lodge, playing tetherball, hand-cranking ice-cream that never seems to quite harden before we would be compelled to eat it, hands tie-dyed for days along with t-shirts hanging out on the line.  I can almost still hear the sounds of the crickets at night, birds singing during the day, endless verses of Johnny Appleseed and Boom-chick-boom, and the sweetest harmonies from Music camp.  I learned to quiet my mind at camp and feels God's presence in simple beauty of the camp property. I learned to open my heart to new friends, who were different than I was.  I fell in love for the first time at camp, had my first kiss at camp, and had my first heartbreak at camp. I hiked the Adirondack High Peaks with camp, learned to canoe, sail, build time-tested campfires, mastered the art of using an outhouse without having to breathe, how to calm a homesick camper, handle myself in times of crisis, be part of a team and at the same time an individual.  I spent my teen summers experimenting with poetry, sketching and exploring my faith-much different than what I could have been doing back at home.  And of course, I have hundreds of personal memories that make me laugh, cry or shake my head when I think of them now.  They are full of small triumphs, camp pranks, inside jokes, mistakes made and lessons learned.   

4. Did you remain in contact with any of your camp friends throughout the year after camp was over?

Yes, of course.  I have hundreds of letters that I still keep from years of post-camp correspondence with friends from more than 20 years ago.  We couldn't text, email or Facebook each other then, so we wrote a lot of letters between camp and short reunion weekends. I am still friends or have re-connected with many Whitman friends and hardly a month goes by that I don't talk to at least one camp friend.  

Some of Lea's pictures from her time at camp

5. Have you been involved with camp in any capacity in the years after you stopped coming?

I have tried to connect with camp in the years since I have returned to the Rochester area-but I haven't felt that there were many opportunities to do so in a meaningful way.  My years at Whitman inspired me to become a professional camp director, so I have been involved in the industry with other camps for the past 15 years and am eager to bring my passion and experience for camping back to the place that inspired me.

6. What do you think it is about Camp Whitman that has allowed it to remain popular after 60 years?

The property is one of the most naturally beautiful camp properties I have ever been to (and I've been to dozens).  The expansive view of Seneca Lake is the first thing you see as you enter the main area of camp, and that view will always make campers want to come back again!  I also think that there is a simplicity to Whitman-both in its rustic facilities and laid back programming that is so appealing in these days of too much clutter in our children's lives-they can truly unplug and connect with nature and each other.

7. What do you think might be some of the biggest differences between your time as a camper and what campers experience today?

Culturally the world and Whitman in particular have matured in the 25 years since I began attending camp. Where there were once Hogans, there are now cabins. Our cabin areas were once named an uninspiring A, B, C and D-now they are named after beautiful trees.  In the early 90's I used to smuggle in a duffel bag full of tapes, batteries and a giant boom box to play music.  I also used to sneak to the pay phone on the loading dock to call home, campers now try and find a way to sneak in their cell phones or I-pads.  A highly involved camp activity in 1990 was making friendship bracelets and boondoggle for hours-today it's advanced sailing and art programs.  Our bible study programs were simple and sparse in those days as well.  We begged for some centralized camp worship-and today the campers and staff have that opportunity and a beautiful place to worship at Sam's point. But those things are in the details.  Ultimately, I think camp today is still more similar than it is different to the camp I knew in 90's.

A Busy Last Week!

Everyone at lunch on Monday. 

Camp is busy this week with six different camps going on! We have Explorations and Born for the Wild camps happening in Pine, Wet 'n' Wild happening in Day Camp, and Explorers, Adventures, and Moonlight Mystery happening in Cedar, Oak, and Maple. We are super excited about all of the activities and adventures going on right now, and everyone seems to be having fun so far. Although... Moonlight Mystery seems to be having an issue with some missing sleep-out tarps. They're working on figuring out who took them so that they can enjoy this awesome camp tradition . 

16-time camper Chris on his Camp Whitman experience

What was your first week of camp like?

Chris is now a second-year counselor

Well, the first week I came, it was the summer before my 4th grade year in school. . My mom and dad both came with me to see me off because I'd never been away from home for this long before. I met my counselors and felt instantly welcome. Everyone on staff and all of the campers were so friendly and open, I knew I would love it there. Though I don't remember many of the specifics of that week, being that it was eleven years ago, I do remember it was more fun than I'd ever had before and, much to my surprise, I didn't feel homesick in the slightest. I actually didn't want to leave and say goodbye when my parents came to pick me up at the end of the week. That week at camp decided for me what I would spend every summer doing for many years to come.

As a counselor, what are your favorite activities for 4th and 5th grade campers?

I really liked having two swim times, including the lessons. I also remember this really fun game of tag we played during morning watch involving making something out of play-dough and giving it to someone else to hold while we played (the idea that we tend to take more care of someone else's thing better than our own). Now, I generally like any sort of tag game and I still find the swim times to be amusing.

What's your favorite part of camp in general?

Pretty much all of the water stuff, specifically kayaking and other boating activities.