The Halfway Point

Waking up this morning, everyone really felt the chill in the air. It was a crisp morning, but things started to warm up just in time for cookee bell. Breakfast today included bagels with cream cheese and butter, and cereal alternatives. Once breakfast was all cleaned up, cabins were organized at the flagpole to take their cabin photos, which are a great reminder of the week for campers to take home on Saturday!

After cabin photos, campers and counselors returned to their cabins to make them as clean as possible. This was a tricky task because so much mud was tracked into cabins from yesterday's storm that had to be swept out. An "overflow clothesline" was set up at the flagpole to make enough room for everyone's towels and swimsuits to dry from the rain.

Classes proceeded as normal, and campers continued to work hard on improving their strokes in both swimming and small craft. A lot of fun is being had on the A-field for sports class, including on the tennis courts and archery range for campers who decided to try new things!

Dinner today featured ham and noodles with carrots on the side. Butterscotch pudding proved to be a crowd favorite for dessert! Today we tried something new: instead of throwing away the food scraps in the garbage, we dedicated a separate bin to food scraps to donate to a local farm in Hebron! Everyone is very excited for this opportunity to waste less food while also helping a local cause.

The kids seemed even more excited for rest hour than yesterday and took advantage of the hour before heading out to either swim or play games around the lodge area. Gaga ball was a huge hit for the campers and there seemed to be an endless line of impatient little boys and girls eager to play!

Fourth period rushed by and the campers hurried to activity period because some of them had the opportunity to explore the lake in the Hunter! The Hunter is our largest sailboat at camp that has the capacity to hold 6 campers, making for a lot of fun!

Supper today was a little different than normal: it was kitchen staff's day off, so instead of eating in the lodge, each cabin went to a different location in camp and had sandwiches of their choice, with chips and "bug juice" (camp lemonade). This is a fun time for campers to have a change of scenery during mealtime!

Tonight's evening program is "Spies and Smugglers". This is a game where the camp is split into two teams, much like a big game of tag. When a "spy" tags a "smuggler", they then get three chances to guess where the "smuggler" hid their ticket beforehand. Each ticket has a number of points written on it that they are trying to smuggle to the A-field without it getting stolen. Both teams get a chance to be spies and smugglers. This game seems to be a huge hit with campers, and experienced campers always remember to wear pants with extra pockets to hide their tickets in!

This game will probably take a lot of energy, so we're hoping it will prove for a good night's sleep so the campers will be ready to take on another day full of activities!

~Allissa and Sloane

The day of the storm

Sorry we are writing so late but we had a very unique day! 

It all started this morning with a bit of rain around wake up time. The cookees, as usual, set the tables for cereal and corn bread and then everyone headed off to their cabins for Cabin Clean-Up. The campers found it difficult to clean today because of all the mud. We had some strong rain storms come through but luckily missed out on one of them. 

Classes as usual went on, however, sports class was held in the upper lodge today. The field was just far to wet to be able to head up and play a game. Instead our campers played a variety of games including telephone and other camp original games. Those in arts and crafts found it very interesting to listen to the screaming and yelling in the upper lodge. Swimming went on as usual, however, we did get the campers out early to change because it was very cold. Our boaters went out on the lake and successfully battled some strong winds. 

As lunch drew near, our cookees again headed up to set tables for a delicious meal of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and corn. Not only did the campers devour the main course, but also a dessert of vanilla pudding, sprinkles, and churros, everyone was stuffed beyond their usual capacity. 

Rest hour followed and everyone was very thankful for it. After a long morning and a calming hour, our campers were given a great choice of either swimming for general swim or playing a rousing game that is a combination of tennis and baseball. 

We headed on to fourth period and finally the weather warmed the field up, which made our hilltop girls extremely happy. They played a great game of spud up on the A-field and our tennis girls went right up to the court to play. 

Unfortunately, the nice, warm weather did not last for long. We had to switch up activity period a bit and play games in the upper lodge because a big storm was heading straight for the heart of Camp! We escaped with only a few rumbles of thunder and the campers got ready for a delicious supper. We had chicken patties with chips and applesauce. For dessert we had yellow cake with chocolate frosting. 

We had planned on playing an evening program game out in the woods but due to a big thunderstorm, we had an amazing indoor carnival!! We had a variety of games, including, cup stacking, horse racing, indoor bowling, and indoor archery! The kids had an amazing time and they even got ice-pops from the kitchen! 

We are all hoping to have better weather tomorrow!!

~Allissa and Sloane

Day 2 of Camp

Hello!! We are so happy to say how exciting today was and how much fun all of the campers had during their first full day of camp! 

When we all woke up today, our cookees set the table for breakfast. We had yummy french toast which was quickly devoured by everyone. Bananas were also served and in the event someone did not want french toast, we had some cereal alternatives. 

After breakfast, everyone went off to clean the cabins and get ready for first period. For some of our campers, they started in the water and found out their swimming and boating teachers, while others started out on the A-field for our first day tradition of playing "Nuc 'Em". 

We went through the first three periods which consisted of a mixture of sports, boating, arts-and-crafts, and swimming. After a counselor swim, a time for the campers to fish or play a few other games, we got ready for our big meal of the day, dinner! Today, we had chicken fingers, rice, and green beans. We ate so many chicken fingers that we ended up having to eat some ravioli to fill our tummies! 

Every day after dinner, we have store. This is a time for the campers to get piece of candy. Once they have their candy, they head over to their cabins to get ready for rest hour. This is a great time of the day for the campers to relax, write letters home, and even take a nap! Immediately after rest hour, we head back down to the waterfront for our big general swim! General swim is a big free swim where the campers are able to swim with their friends in their designated areas. 

Fourth period follows general swim. This period consists of the last class of the day which is the one that they did not get to do during the first three periods in the morning. During dinner, our counselors offer activities all throughout map that they are going to play during activity period. This time is right after fourth period. 

After activity period, we get ready for supper. Supper was tacos and applesauce with potatoes chips on the side. As we finished cleaning up, Chris announced that our evening program game was going to be Capture the Flag! Here at camp, we play this game partially in the woods, so our campers are getting their long pants and tied shoes on as we speak! 

We should have a great time with this game as it is always a favorite for the campers! We are all looking forward to another day here at Asto Wamah! 

~Allissa and Sloane

Day One of Camp

Today was a great day here at Asto Wamah! We had 86 excited campers arrive with some nervous parents. The parents spent their last couple of minutes with their children and then drove off leaving them with us for an entire week! As the parents headed home, the campers spent time getting to know their new cabin-mates and counselors. 

The cabins went on tours of camp to get a good refresher for the returners and our 50 new campers found out what their home looks like for the next week. After rules and introductions of our amazing staff, our 50 new campers headed over to the waterfront with Catherine, our waterfront director, to find out what level they would be in. Our new campers take a swim test, although, it really is not a test at all. It is more of a showcase of what skills they have. 

When swim tests were finally over and everyone changed out of their bathing suits, we gathered around the flagpole for flag lowering. After we all learned how to fold the flag properly, we headed on up for supper. 

Supper tonight was our traditional first day supper. It consisted of hot dogs, baked beans, tater-tots, coleslaw, carrots, and as many toppings as you can imagine! They campers gobbled up the food so they could get to dessert! Brownies are our traditional first day dessert, so everyone was looking forward to it!

Once everything was cleaned up and our dishees learned how to scrape plates and sweep, everyone went back to their cabins to get their tied-shoes on for Medical War! This game is a big dodge ball game consisting of two teams. When someone gets hit, they sit down and wait for the "medic" to come and run them back to the "jail" where they have to count to 100. Once they count to 100, they can return to the game and keep playing. Everyone had a ton of fun and are now off to their cabins to get their teeth brushed and pj's on for bedtime.

Every night, the counselors will read a book to the campers to help them fall asleep. We are hoping for more sun tomorrow for our first full day of lessons and activities!!

 ~Allissa and Sloane

June Update

Dear Followers of Asto Wamah,

            The start of the 2017 season is now just 3 weeks away.  Preparations are in full swing.  The field has been mowed and cut back, the buildings are being cleaned and made ready, a truck-load of sand is on its way to the gaga pit, supplies have been ordered and are arriving daily and staff are involved with on-site and online trainings. 

            On May 27th we welcomed enthusiastic families and campers to Open Camp Day.  Close to 50 families visited to see what Asto Wamah looks like, meet staff and have questions answered.  It was a successful event that generated a lot of excitement.

            I fear I have disappointed some of you with my failure to include pictures with recent Blogs.  I am always looking for the unusual and fallen short.  Last week I did see a rare sight, one I have not seen for years.  The attached picture was taken close to the huts on the hill.  If you look closely you will see three, pale pink Lady Slippers.  There use to be large patches of Lady Slippers growing in the Asto Wamah woods.  For some reason they disappeared.  I am hoping these 3 Lady Slippers represent a come back for this wild flower.

             This is my last Blog entry until September.  Beginning on June 25, the Blogs will be written daily by a staff member reporting on the activities and details of that particular day.  Hope you will follow daily to keep updated and informed.

            As we enter the 108th season at Asto Wamah, we are looking forward to a spectacular 7 weeks where friendships will be made, new respect for the natural world will increase and life-long skills of respect and inclusion will blossom.

Always,

Nancy

Be sure to check out our April & May updates just in case you missed them.

May Update

Dear and Faithful Asto Wamahites,

Now that May has officially arrived, the Asto Wamah camping season cannot be far behind!!

With the traditional camp clean up day behind us, the grounds and buildings are ready for the fun and adventure that lies ahead.  Clean up day 2017 brought a particularly enthusiastic and dedicated team of workers to camp.  For the first time in eons, the staff was invited to take part in this annual ritual of removing leaves, spider webs, and winter dust.  A total of 8, former and present staff arrived ready to help.  They (Maddy, Janabeth, Emily, Emma O., Charlotte, Olivia, Kaitlyn K. and Colleen) along with 30 regulars (including Sue, Catherine, Chris, and Drew) have succeeded in transforming the vacant buildings and ignored landscape into a welcoming site where exciting and fun filled days will soon rule.

This summer’s enrollment is complete.  That is great news for all except those who are still waiting to register.  There are waiting lists for all sessions, which in the past have proven to be a very effective way to eventually get a spot.  Cancellations are inevitable.  Faith and patience is required:)

May is always noted for the Saturday afternoon when we hold Open Camp Day.    This year that will be on May 27th from 3 pm to 5 pm.  There will be staff present to give tours of the camp and answer questions.  Former campers who would like to help on the 27th are welcomed to participate.  Open Camp Day offers a very important opportunity for first year campers to see the inside of a cabin, get a feel for the ‘campus’ and get to meet people they will soon get to know during their stay.  We look forward to meeting many new camp families on that day.

If your health forms are complete don’t forget to send them in (Camp Asto Wamah, 42 Route 87, Columbia, CT 06237 or Fax: 860-327-5618) by June 10th so they can be reviewed.   A FAST PASS will then be emailed to those with complete forms who are NOT bringing any medications.  Even if you are bringing meds, having your forms reviewed in advance will speed up the process on Check-In day.

Happy May,

Nancy

April Update

Dear Followers of Camp Asto Wamah,

March was a very busy month at camp with lots of changes taking place.

To begin with, Camp is looking a lot different today than it did a month ago.  The level of Columbia Lake is rising.  The rafts that were wintering on the lake floor (in the sailing area) are now getting closer to floating.  Plants, like skunk cabbage, are pushing up through the dirt and making the woodland look more like spring.  When the sun is out, it is providing more warmth than it has for some months now.  Birds are numerous and at last the snow is about gone.  Each day is looking more like spring, so the camping season cannot be far behind.

Probably the most critical piece of preparing for the new season is the registration of campers.  The process began in February and at this point is just about over.  The only session that has openings is the 4th, an all-girls, 2-weeks session.  Waiting lists are being formed for the full sessions and have in the past proved to be a very effective way to get a spot at camp.  There is still a need for additional campers in session 4, so keep spreading the word!

April will see the start up of the wells.  Because our water pipes are on ground level, the water is drained before freezing weather arrives.  Once the water is running there is lots of work to do to clean up from a long winter.  It is at this time that major maintenance can be undertaken to ready Asto Wamah for the new season.

2017 will mark our 108th year of camping on Columbia Lake.   A devoted and enthusiastic staff has been hired.  All of them are excited to get back to camp and present a program that is challenging, fun and meaningful in a place where children and young adults can learn valuable life lessons and grow in positive ways.  It won’t be long now!

With best wishes to all,

Nancy

March Update

Greetings to All,

With only a few days left in February, we are looking at this month with great satisfaction.  It is always our most active registration month, and we are off to a good start toward meeting our 2017 goals.  There has been the perfect mix of first year campers enrolling with returning campers.  A good number of staff and campers have told a friend/neighbor/relative/ classmate about Asto Wamah and encouraged sign-up.  We are entering March with a healthy enrollment and yet there is room in all sessions for more.  Please keep passing the word so that there will be NO empty bunks at Asto Wamah this summer!  Thank you!

Along with the camper registration, this summer’s staff is growing daily and we are seeing the return of many of the 2016 staff.   We are excited that in addition to our awesome and multi-talented staff, we are increasing the number of counselors with the ability to teach the ukulele and other string instruments such as guitars.  We are focused on adding more “fun” time activities to the afternoon.  If you have any ideas, pass them on!

With the snow having left the gaga pit, we are looking to add a good layer of sand there as well as in the ‘sand box’. Both areas were hot beds of activity last summer and we will make sure they are ready to go by the first day of Coed!

After the last few days, it is difficult not to think that summer is right around the corner.  Working outside at camp on 2/22, 2/23 and 2/24 it was very difficult not to assume winter is over and warm days will be the new normal.  History tells us that Mother Nature is not done and we probably have another month or 6 weeks of cold ahead of us. 

Hope you are looking forward to the start of the new camp season as much as the staff and I are.  Lots of preparation is underway.  Supplies are being ordered.  Repairs are in progress throughout camp. New campers are visiting.   All is being made ready!

Trust you are staying well and remembering the lessons learned at CAW! 

Warmly,

Nancy

February Update

Dear Followers of the Asto Wamah Blog,

According to my calendar, we are now officially starting the 2017 season at Asto Wamah.  February 1st is a day of anticipation when the new Brochure and application form are mailed to returning and new campers.  Thanks to all of you who have worked to ‘spread the word’, we are mailing out an unusually large number to new families.  Of course it is never too late to give me new contacts to whom I can send our registration materials.  So keep them coming!

We were so disappointed that the Camp Reunion had to be cancelled on January 7th.  It seems as though that day was the only wintery weather of the entire month.  Early on that Saturday morning it was clear that holding the reunion would be unsafe.  As the day turned out, cancelling was the only option.  Wouldn’t you know that the one major storm in January would come on the day we needed dry roads and good weather?   We had planned on having a new set of Minute-to-Win-It” games, Drew’s skits and Eskimo Pies.  All had to be put on hold.  An extra long list of RSVPs, were disappointed.  We will try again in January 2018 and keep our fingers crossed.

As you may be aware, Columbia Lake is lowered in the winter to keep ice from breaking up docks and stonewalls at the shore’s edge.  So far this winter we have had very little ice on the lake.  I took two pictures of the lake to give you an idea of how different it looks in winter.  One was taken from the Icky Water Bridge and the other from the fishing dock at the White Cottage, looking toward camp.  You would have to agree that these views are quite different than they are in June, July and August! 

Don’t forget to get your camp application form back ASAP.  This year’s form again asks new campers to indicate who recommended Asto Wamah to them.  Each person who is indicated as one who ‘spread the word” will be given a special t-shirt on arrival day.  Last summer 43 shirts were awarded.  I hope even more will be handed out this summer!

Stay well and safe and don’t forget the lessons learned at CAW! 

With warmth and best wishes,

Nancy

December Update

Dear Asto Wamah Fans,

            Welcome to December and the final Blog of the year.

            December looks to be another busy month at camp.  Applications are coming in for staff positions and letters of application are arriving for the new group of LTs.  Purchases of programming supplies are being made daily.  Meanwhile, leaf removal and routine maintenance is keeping us busy as we hurry to beat the arrival of snow.  It clearly is a time of preparation in many ways.  Much effort is being directed toward gearing up for the printing of the 2017 Asto Wamah brochure and the camper registration that will quickly follow.  There will be 3 two-week sessions.  The 1 one-weeker is the only coed session.   Here are the details:

• June 25 to July 1           Coed           Ages 8 to 12
• July 2 to July 15            All Boys       Ages 8 to 14
•  July 16 to July 29         All Girls        Ages 8 to 14
• July 30 to August 12   All Girls         Ages 8 to 14

            Last summer we began a reward system where anyone who tells a friend, relative, classmate, etc. about CAW will receive a free t-shirt if that new person signs up.  In 2016 we had more that 35 people qualify.  We encourage you all to spread the word and help us make sure all the bunks are full.  It is not too early to start.  If you talk to anyone who would like to be on the Asto Wamah mailing list, please email me their contact information.  Know that your help is greatly appreciated. 

            The Camp Reunion invitations were sent our yesterday via email.  (If you did not get one let me know so I can fix that.)   The date is January 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 at Center Church House, 60 Gold Street, Hartford.  We will be playing Minute to Win It games as we did last year.  Everyone enjoyed a hilarious time in 2016 and we are planning on a repeat of that.  Because dessert will be served, having a count of those attending will be helpful.  But don’t worry, there will be extras, so if you don’t RSVP come anyway.  The more the merrier.  Hope you can come.!!

            Wishing you a joyous Christmas or Hanukkah and may 2017 bring us all happiness and peace.  This is a good time of year to Remember the Other Fellow!

Always,

Nancy

CAW FALL 2016

Dear Followers, Friends and the Faithful to Asto Wamah,

I am very excited to be writing to you about all that has happened at CAW during the past year. We had a great group of campers and staff as well as a number of new additions to our programs and facility this summer.

Whenever I review a session, season or year at camp, I always seem to begin with the weather. As you well know, good weather is of critical importance at camp. Sunny, hot and dry were the descriptors that stood out this summer. Some may say too sunny, too hot, or too dry; however, when you are talking about living outdoors for 7+ weeks, the summer of 2016 was close to perfect.

Enrollment was surprisingly strong considering we had just been through a low-enrollment year in 2015. Last summer we counted 3,752 camper days, whereas this summer the number was 4,499. If it weren’t for a few no-shows, all bunks would have been filled.

Most of the 320 campers who attended were from CT but a number traveled long distances to arrive. Word of mouth continues to be our most valued form of PR. More and more families are finding us on the Internet and using our virtual tour video as an introduction to CAW. On the Camper Evaluation form at the end of each session, each child was asked to complete this sentence: “Because of my stay at Asto Wamah I learned to be…”. The most common responses were more polite, nicer/kinder, willing to try new things, respectful, open minded, positive, more outgoing, braver, responsible, patient and grateful—all characteristics we strive for every summer. Parents were sent a Survey Monkey evaluation soon after the end of each session. 100% of the responding parents viewed the experience as “positive” and 91% indicated that their child would be returning in 2017. We are most grateful for our good fortune and excellent reputation as well as the exceptional group of people with whom we partner.

A very sincere tribute goes to the extraordinary staff that work tirelessly to make sure that an Asto Wamah experience is the best available for each of our campers. From cabin counselors to program leaders, our entire staff is made up of adults who have either grown up at CAW or have served on staff in the past. They are devoted and loyal and each serves as an important role model to the campers in our care. They are a strong team that puts their hearts and souls into their duties. Clearly the heroes of Asto Wamah!  

Some changes to the facility stood out this summer. It was almost a year ago that the Lodge floor was stripped and brought back to its original color and sheen. It had survived the wear and tear of camp life for 60 years and we trust that this new and improved version will continue to do so for decades to come. Another facility improvement was the resurfacing of the 39-year old tennis court. The addition of pickle ball brought new excitement to the court. Without question, however, the biggest impact to programming came with the Gaga Pit. It is played in a 20-foot diameter octagon with a sandy floor and has 36-inch high walls. It is basically a game of dodge ball. Its popularity was amazing! It entertained both campers and staff as no other game ever has—much more popular than tetherball, ping-pong, knock hockey and horseshoes combined! A Columbia Boy Scout built the Gaga Pit as part of an Eagle Scout project.

Several major changes were made to our daily schedule this summer. The most drastic change was allowing campers to choose from a list of options in place of participating in General Swim. If it was 95° (and after the first 3 weeks it usually was), everyone went swimming. The list of activity options on cooler days included a game on the field (always popular), fishing (a favorite amongst the boys), learning to play the ukulele or keyboard (big hit with an enthusiastic group), an art activity geared to a small group (terrific opportunity for the creative camper) or an adventure in the woods with our nature-man. It did not take the staff long to get used to this new flexibility and enjoy the wider range of choices. Those who wanted to swim enjoyed less crowding and a more enthusiastic crowd.

Several years ago we lost our most recent piano to old age and dampness. In restoring a ‘music’ option, we purchased a keyboard which was available to staff and campers throughout the day. Campers also learned how to play our 8 new ukuleles and produced a good number of excellent Talent Show acts.

The need for campership money remained strong in 2016. Sixty six of our 320 campers this summer attended as a result of campership support. Twenty of those 66 were first year campers. All in all, they attended for a total of 138 weeks. The result was a wonderfully diverse group of young people who enriched Asto Wamah with talents, excitement and life experiences. For CAW, the ability to share an Asto Wamah experience with a child, regardless of his or her financial situation, is a blessing that we attribute to the 100th Fund and its generous donors.

Asto Wamah is presently thriving. We have worked to maintain a reputation that attracts new camp families to us and keeps the old returning year after year. I hope this letter has confirmed that Asto Wamah, in its 107th year, continues to prosper. We believe in the life-long lessons youth can learn through a positive camp experience. Providing a community where children can grow and develop while exposing them to various challenging and adventurous activities is what Asto Wamah has done since its beginning. Thank you for your past support and know that donations of any size are sincerely appreciated and prudently used to support Camp Asto Wamah as it enters its 108th year.

November Update

Dear Asto Wamah Friends,

            The days are getting more reliably cold.  The water has been drained and the leaves continue to fall.  I trust that you are all preparing for the month of November with its return to Standard Time (we will gain an hour of sleep!) and ending with Thanksgiving. 

            This is the time of year when the shores of Columbia Lake go through their  dramatic annual transformation.  I am including three pictures to demonstrate the change.  The dam at the end of the lake was opened on October 15th. The 3 pictures were taken from the same spot on Little Dipper Dock. The first was taken on 10/18, the next on 10/20 and the final one on 10/25.  I think you will find the change amazing.  The photo from the 25th is basically the level at which the lake will stay until March.   It is a great time to find all of the lost waterfront toys, earrings and dropped oarlocks!

            Several mailings will be sent out during the next week.   Watch for a postcard that gives the 2017 dates and fees for this coming summer.  If you have a friend/relative/neighbor who would like to be on our mailing list, please email (info@campastowamah.org) me their home address so I can make sure they receive information.  Spreading the word about Asto Wamah is incredibly important and deeply appreciated!

            Those 2016 campers who were 14 old last summer can expect to receive a letter about applying to the upcoming Leadership Training Program.  We are looking forward to another outstanding group that will work hard preparing to be the staff of the future.

            After Thanksgiving you will receive via email, an invitation to the Camp Reunion that will be held at Center Church in Hartford on Saturday, January 7th from 1 to 3.  All the details will be included in the invitation and you will be able to reply online.  Hope you can save the date and be present!

            It is that time of year when we take inventory on those things that we are most thankful for.  Camp Asto Wamah is sincerely thankful for each of you and the many ways that you support camp and keep it vital and fit.  Best wishes to you and your family for a happy Thanksgiving! 

Always,

Nancy

October Camp Update

Dear Campers, Staff, Parents, Friends and Followers Young and Old,

            Since I last wrote, there have been some noticeable changes at Asto Wamah. The woodland remains very quiet and peaceful with squirrels, chipmunks and some turkeys enjoying the calm.  The days, in addition to being shorter, are somewhat cooler.  Although most of the leaves at Asto Wamah are still hanging strong, the woods appear to be a bit thinner.  You can now see through the greenery more easily.   There is very little ‘autumn’ color, still mostly green. 

            One expected change that comes with this new season is the depth of Columbia Lake.  In order to protect docks and stonewalls, the lake is lower about 6 feet at this time.  The picture I have included this month is of a rock that is off the right side of Little Dipper dock.  When the lake is full (as in summer) the rock is pretty much covered with water.  You can see that now a good part of the rock is above the waterline.  I will help you follow the status of Columbia Lake by posting a picture of this same rock each month.  Within 6 weeks there will be no water near it.  At that time, lots of rocks that we don’t usually think about will be evident.

            The 2016 photos have just been posted on the camp web site!  Hope looking at them will bring back happy and treasured memories of fun and friends.  October seems to be a busy month filled with holidays and days off from school.  Of course the most exciting day is Halloween.  Hope yours is filled with lots of spookiness  and candy!

            May this new month offer you lots of opportunities to put others first and to do good deeds. 

Thinking fondly of all of you,

Nancy

Camp Asto Wamah - September 2016

Dear CAW Friends,

            I find it hard to fathom that we have come to the end of summer and the new school year is about to begin.  How could this have happened so quickly?  I know they say that 2016 will go down in the record books as the hottest month in history and I am pretty sure that August may be there as well BUT lots of people seem to agree with me that 2016 was the SHORTEST summer EVER!  That doesn’t seem fair:(

            Since you left Asto Wamah I hope you have had some interesting and fun adventures.  Maybe you have had time to demonstrate your new and improved swimming skills, or display your ability to play the ukulele, or try new/unknown foods, or be a better listener.  In completing the evaluation during the last Rest Hour, many of you felt that you would be returning home a more respectful, positive, helpful and independent person.  The entire staff is very proud of the good habits you developed during camp and trust you are sharing them with those around you.  Keep up the good work!  Now it is time to show your teacher(s).

            Camp has definitely moved into the next season.  All is very quiet and a bit lonely.  Today the rafts were moved into shore, out of harms way.  From the 2 included pictures, I hope you can identify each raft and figure out where they will be spending most of the next 10 months.  The White Raft is where you were used to seeing sailboats, and the Gray Raft is in the Aquarium by the Pollywog Dock.  As the next few months pass, I will update you on the status of the lake (it will eventually drop down about 6 feet so that the rafts will be sitting on dry land) and the woods.  There will be many changes in the months ahead.

            Hope you are beginning this new school year with a positive outlook, confident that you will have a successful and happy year! Always Remember the Other Fellow!

My very best to you,

 Nancy

Friday, August 12th

As we begin our last day at camp, we are able to reflect on yesterday. Yesterday was quite an interesting day! With the bad weather we had it made for a different banquet meal. Due to the extreme heat and humidity, we had a fairly normal set up of tables for our dinner as opposed to everyone sitting in the upper lodge and not on the porch. Our meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberries was of course, delicious! Thanks to the hard work from Sue and our kitchen staff! 

After our meal, we had a great slideshow of pictures from all throughout the session that allowed us to have a good laugh and think back to everything we have done throughout the session! We then had our typical candle light service. This is a time for each of us to see how important we are. We turn the lights off and we get a candle that we light one at a time until the entire room is alight with candlelight. It truly is a beautiful sight to see. Sometimes we are able to do it outside and then put the candles in the lake, but the wind decided to pick up just as we were going to head out. As soon as our candlelight service has ended, we no longer speak for the remainder of the night. This gives us all a chance to reflect on what we are thankful for and what we will miss when we go home tomorrow! 

Today we will be pulling the boats out of the water and putting them away! This is probably one of the oddest days we have at camp because it becomes very empty when we put everything away! 

Everyone has mixed emotions about tomorrow! With campers getting ready to be picked up at 8:30, some are excited to go home while others are quite upset about leaving! Everyone has had quite a lovely session and will miss camp dearly!

We will see you all tomorrow! Don't forget that pick up is between 8:30-10:00!! Your campers are anxious to see you all! 

We have had quite a great session and on behalf of all the staff here at Asto Wamah, we will miss everyone and we hope to see you all here next year!!

~Allissa Parker 

Wednesday, August 10th

Our streak of good weather has finally come to an end! Although we had quite a bit of rain today, we did not have a lack of excitement and energy running through our camp!

With pounding rain waking us up, we all hurried down to breakfast to eat an assortment of bagels and cereal! We also had an option of oatmeal in place of cereal which many people hurried to get due to the chill in the air.

With this poor weather around us, we did not go astray from our usual schedule of classes! Swimmers entered the water and were surprised by how warm it was! Boaters enjoyed a slight drizzle out on the lake which everyone was warm in the upper lodge for sports class and the lower lodge for arts and crafts! 

Spirits were kept high during a delicious lunch of pork chops and green beans with mashed potatoes on the side! Everyone was excited to learn that rest hour was going to be extended for thirty minutes so that everyone would be able to get ready for our talent show tonight!

A surprise general swim was sprung on us when we awoke after rest hour and saw the sun shining bright against the blue sky! After a nice swim, everyone went off to fourth period and then activity period! Most activities were kept indoors with board games being played in the upper lodge, however, many campers decided to use this time to go practice for their acts for tonight!

Everyone is putting the last finishing touches on what they have practiced! This will be our evening program tonight and we have a wide range of talents ready to be shown! We are all excited to find out the hidden talents among us!

Hopefully the weather does not continue in this fashion and we can have a few nice days of camp!

~Allissa Parker 

Tuesday, August 9th

We are so lucky to have such beautiful weather! Today was a chilly morning but we were lucky to have a delicious breakfast of french toast this morning! It was nice to wake us all up and get us ready for the day. 

We started off with something a little different this morning. If a camper was in level 6 or superstars, they were able to have the opportunity to swim out across the lake to Frog Island! This is a part of the lake that is very very shallow and you can actually stand with the water at your knees! This was their first period as opposed to going to their usual first period. Everyone else continued working on their strokes in swim class and boating in hopes of passes in the next few days! Sports class was filled with laughter as we headed to the GaGa pit for some fun rounds while arts and crafts was spent finishing up projects and drawing pictures for the birch barker!

The morning flew by and before we knew it, lunch was here! We had chicken parmesan with pasta, applesauce, and bread for our sides! Everyone as anxious for rest hour to get a little bit of sleep in before the afternoon activities took place! 

Fourth period went by quickly and campers took off to enjoy the fun activities being offered by our counsellors! Campers went off the tower, six went paddle boarding, and in a surprise twist of the weather, the Hunter, our big sail boat, was taken out with incredible wind! Curt helped campers with their talent show acts which will take place tomorrow for evening program and one of our archery instructors held a tournament where we found many new archers!

Dinner went by just as quickly because everyone chowed down on cheese burgers, applesauce, and chips! Dessert was apple crisp which any campers were surprised at how much they enjoyed the dish! 

Our LT's are doing something very special tonight! They will be putting on a carnival for all of us! They all spent a large amount of time and effort into coming up with fun games that the campers and staff would enjoy playing! We will find out what their theme is later tonight when we head up to the A-field!

As the session begins to wind down, we hope to have decent weather and big smiles!

~Allissa Parker

Monday, August 8th

Today was yet another beautiful day filled with excitement!

We awoke this morning to a lovely breakfast of chocolate chip bread which we all quickly devoured! We had cereal to help fill us up along with the bread! We then went back and started cleaning our cabins! It was a fulfilled day with weather that was perfect for just about everything. However, our sailors were a bit disappointed with the lack of wind but for the rest of our boaters everyone as happy! Our swimmers had a great time in the water. We sang songs while trending water and many other classes dove for rings! Arts and crafts has been quite fun for everyone. We have been working hard on our projects with the end of the session growing nearer! Sports class was filled with fun games for everyone.

Lunch was tasty with a meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Many of the campers were surprised at how much they enjoyed the meatloaf when many of them do not like it at home! Dessert was butterscotch pudding which was seen on everyone's table! 

Rest hour went nicely for everyone and our general swim was great because everyone was excited to get into the water! Even our counsellors took a quick dip in the water at the end of our buddy check when all of our campers had been accounted for! 

Fourth period seemed to fly by because everyone seemed excited for activity period! Some of our counsellors offered water aerobics and jumping off the tower! Six lucky girls went off onto the lake on paddle boards and many more played in an intense tournament of tether ball!

After a tiring and exciting activity period, everyone headed up to dinner which was pulled pork sandwiches. Even this was gobbled up by everyone! 

Tonight's evening program will be a fun game known as Murder by Night! This game gives the campers a chance to play the board game Clue in real life! One of our counsellors is on their day off tonight and they are the person that is "killed". The campers have to go around and ask the counsellors where they were and who they were with to figure out if they killed the counsellor that is missing! Everyone has a ton of fun with this game and we are expecting lots of laughter with it!

Hoping for nice weather and high amount of energy to finish out the session!

~Allissa Parker

Sunday, August 7th

Sorry for the delay tonight! We are continuing the exciting and fun filled day of laughter, smiles, and of course competition! We are on our last activity of Track and Field Day!!

Our day started off with beautiful sunshine and a delicious meal of corn bread and cereal! We had jelly and butter for our spreads this morning. 

Now, instead of going to classes as we usually do, we headed up to the A-field for an exciting morning of there fun events! Each section participated in three different events: the softball throw, the running long jump, and the standing long jump. Once our top three champions were crowned for each event, every camper took part in the 50 yard dash preliminaries! Our top six girls for each section then took part in the finals for the 50 yard finals! 

We then headed down off to a nice general swim and a tasty lunch of lasagna! This was great to fill up on before we went off to a nice and relaxing rest hour! 

As soon as the bell rang ended rest hour our brave souls rushed up to the A-field for our marathon! They started off on the A-field and ran down Corduroy Road to end up half way through the A-field and then all the way down the camp road to the wash stand down on lakeside. Once this was over, every single camper took part in the Indian War Relay! This is a big camp-wide relay race that begins at the top of the camp road with two senior girls starting off the race and then going all the way down to the docks where two sets of swimmers race to get to two sets of rowboats and two sets of canoes and then back to the runners over by Hungerford and then to our final two senior swimmers who swam the entire length of aquarium and intermediate, thus ending our race!

Immediately after our relay, the next bunch of brave souls headed over to the dock to take part in some swim races in their appropriate levels! With our winners crowned, everyone checked in for another general swim!

Activity period followed with a GaGa tournament taking place and the Hunter, our big sail boat, being taken out! Many more games took place and we even got the chance to listen to some of our musically gifted campers play with Curt, our music man, in the upper lodge! 

Cookie bell rang and everyone headed to set the tables for dinner which was meatball subs with applesauce, cucumbers, and chips as sides! Everyone is now up on the A-field listening to rules for our evening program game of Pirates! This game will count for points in our Track and Field day events. This game consist of working with our team to capture the other teams treasure! Trash counts for points as well so we encourage the campers to look for trash around camp! 

Just before rules took place for our evening program game, the staff demonstrated a 440 which is another relay race! This is a race around the A-field. Campers represented their teams in the 440 and the 220!

We hope for nice weather heading into our final week of the session! 

~Allissa Parker