Saturday, August 6th

Hello all! I apologize for not writing yesterday! I had my day off which I was sad to take! Everything went smoothly as usual yesterday with bright sunshine and a great temperature! Yesterday's evening program was a relatively new game to camp known as garbage collector. This could be thought of as field basketball. One camper stands on a chair and they are the "goalie" for their team. There are three colors of dodgeball that we use and those each signify a different point value. The object is to get as many points as possible by throwing the balls into a bucket that your "goalie" is holding. Everyone was running around and really having a fun time with it!

Today we awoke to a delicious spread of bagels with cream cheese and butter as our spreads! The weather seemed a little shaky all day but stayed clear until just recently actually. Swimmers enjoyed the water with the warm air today and the boaters had a nice time out on the lake! Sports class and arts and crafts class were both interesting and got everyone laughing and having a nice time! 

Everyone really seemed to fill up on a tasty meal of ham, noodles, and green beans with of course, chocolate pudding for dessert! Rest hour was nice for everyone but it got a bit warm towards the end of it. 

As I said earlier, the weather seemed a bit off all day so we anticipated it being colder than it was. With that in mind, we headed up for a fun game of nonstop cricket on the A-field! Everyone seemed to really have a fun time with it and because it was so warm, we ended up having our general swim after all!

We were all thankful to jump in the lake and cool down a bit after running around! Fourth period was to take place during the time of activity period so we unfortunately, did not have an activity period today! It was nice to play a game with everyone since it was not time for evening program!

Tonight's dinner was a bit different. It was the kitchen's night off again but instead of sandwiches like last Wednesday, we had hot dogs and ate in the upper lodge as usual. Although tonight, we did what we like to call "mix up"! All of the counsellors stayed at their cabin tables while each camper had to sit at a table without anyone from their cabin and without either of their counsellors at it! We like to do this to give the girls a chance to learn other people's names since they don't have to much time to do that throughout the day! Dessert was chocolate chip cookies and I had many campers ask for more cookies because they liked them so much! 

Tonight, due to a bit of rain that we got during dinner, we will be playing Minute to Win It! There are eight stations and each camper will get to do at least one station! They have a minute to complete a wide variety of tasks including sorting an entire bag of skittles by color and even getting a cookie from their foreheads into their mouths by only using the muscles on their faces! Everyone really has a great time with it and we expect some good laughs to come out of tonight's game! 

We are still hoping to have nice weather because tomorrow is Track and Field Day! 

~Allissa Parker 

Thursday, August 4th

What another beautiful day we have had today! We are so lucky to be having such lovely weather! Today, we woke up to a delicious spread of waffles with butter and of course, peanut butter! Everyone seemed to be extra hungry today with as much as they ate. 

We hurried back and cleaned our cabins to again hope for the win in cabin inspections! As everyone was finishing up, the bell rang starting first period. Our first three periods went smoothly with swimmers enjoying the water again and boaters able to row with little effort.

Camp has many crafters amongst us because today was our first full day of Secret Sister, exactly like Secret Santa! All throughout the day, campers and staff were in the arts and crafts room to make presents for their secret sisters! 

Lunch was just right for today! Ravioli was served with a side of salad and of course vanilla pudding for dessert! Heading to rest hour seemed like a blessing in disguise for everyone as we had many comments about how nice it was to sleep if only for an hour! As the bell rang, everyone was yet again happy to get into the water for general swim because of the warm weather we had today. 

Fourth period was slightly shorter because we had a visitor in place of an activity period today! A man from riverside reptiles came to visit us and even brought some reptiles for us to see! We were able to observe and learn about snakes, lizards, toads, and many more animals. He even allowed us to pet them! 

As our program finished up, we all ran up to wash our hands and get ready for dinner which was tacos with chips and applesauce on the side! The campers seemed to be extra hungry today but with our kitchen working hard we always have enough for seconds!

We are now getting ready for a fun evening program we like to call King Dodge. We should however, call it Queen Dodge during girls camp! This is another dodgeball game where if you get "out", you will have to go behind the other team and try to hit someone to get back onto your side.

A lot of energy will be needed for this game tonight and we anticipate everyone working hard! We all hope for this lovely weather to continue!

~Allissa Parker

Wednesday, August 3rd

Our wishes have come true! Such lovely weather we have had today! It started off a bit chilly this morning during a delicious breakfast of chocolate chip bread and cereal. We also had a choice of oatmeal in place of cereal which definitely seemed to help everyone warm up a bit! 

Classes went as they usually do today which was a blessing for all of us! Swimming classes went smoothly just as sports and arts and crafts did! Many of the boaters had a great day but the sailors especially did when they headed out for fourth period!

Lunch today was sweedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and squash as our sides! Everyone gobbled down the meatballs and seems to be just as excited for a tasty dessert of pears! We all seemed to be excited for rest hour and definitely in need of it because many of our youngest campers fell asleep without expecting to! 

As the bell rang ending rest hour and waking up our sleeping campers and staff, general swim began. Many comers rushed to jump into the water because the air was finally warm enough that they would not be cold during the swim!

Fourth period was great when the wind picked up for the sailors! However, it was a bit difficult for the rowboats to get going and stay going in the direction they were aiming for.

Activity period was a big hit today, what with all the water games and activities going on! Six girls went out on paddle boards while many more jumped off the tower and joined staff members in aquarium for fun games! Others played GaGa again and accompanied the LT's on the A-field for a rousing game of Nuke 'Em!

As tonight was the kitchen staff's day off, we had what we call "Eat Out" tonight. Each person at camp was made a meat sandwich if they asked for one and then as many peanut butter and jellies that they could possibly eat! A nice change is that every cabin goes to a new place around camp to eat dinner as opposed to going to their table in the lodge for dinner. Many cabins ate on docks while others headed to the council ring and picnic benches throughout camp! 

The campers rushed up to throw on their tied shoes for a fun game tonight for our evening program game! Every staff member plays a short game on the A-field while two staff members become team captains for each team. The campers have to go around and play games to win "pea-beans". These "pea-beans" are then brought down to the team captains and they take the appropriate amount of steps on a route to the A-field in an attempt to beat the other captain! The kids really love this game and are very excited for it tonight! 

We expect high energy for tonight and good weather for the upcoming days!

~Allissa Parker 

Tuesday, August 2nd

Such a lovely change of events we had here at Asto Wamah today! We all awoke to rain and dark clouds but a yummy breakfast of blueberry bread and cereal! As the day went on, it seemed to dry up a bit and classes even began to take place outside. Sports class went up to the field for some fun activities while swimming stayed out for the water and played fun rounds of Scattegories. While the boaters were not able to get out on the lake today, they did work together on drawing a boat and labeling the parts to help gain knowledge before heading out tomorrow!

For lunch, the camp enjoyed delicious chicken fingers with squash and green beans as vegetables! Apple sauce and chips were also offered as sides before creamy butterscotch pudding topped with whipped cream was brought out for dessert!

Rest hour was quite peaceful and many campers even said how they did not plan on taking a nap but in fact fell asleep and did not even realize it until the bell rang to wake them from their dreams! Fourth period was a great time for the boaters because they were finally able to head out and enjoy the water. The sailors had lovely weather out in the middle of the lake while it seemed to be a bit tricky for the rowboats to get going!

The counselors offered fun activities for the campers, including yoga, GaGa, Nuke 'Em by the LT's and even tower jumping for the brave souls willing to brave the chilly air!

At least we had grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner to help warm us up! The kitchen worked hard in making over 250 grilled cheese! Dessert was light and fluffy chocolate cake with vanilla frosting!

Hopefully no one ate too much since our evening program tonight involves quite a lot of running! We will be playing a game called "Spies and Smugglers" which seems to be a huge hit for everyone! The "spies" attempt to tag the "smuggles" and then guess where the "smugglers" hid a piece of paper in their clothing! Each ticket has a number written on it and that number is the amount of points that can be scored by handing that in. 

Warmer weather seems to be on the radar for tomorrow and that is what we will continue hoping for!

~Allissa Parker 

Monday, August 1st

Today was yet another day of rules and instructions! We kicked off the morning with cornbread and cereal for breakfast and jelly and butter were offered as spreads for the delicious cornbread! The schedule for the typical day at camp was gone over for all of the campers and they were able to head back to their cabins and begin cleaning in hopes of winning cabin inspections today!

Once cabins were cleaned and everyone was ready for the first three classes, the swimmers found out their teachers and began showing off their strokes while the boaters learned their teachers and the parts of the boat to be ahead of the game for classes tomorrow! We went up to the A-field for sports class today to play our typical first day game of Nuke 'Em. This is a game that is played on the basketball court with a team on each side of the volleyball net. The teams work together to throw the ball over the net and get everyone on the other team out! We all learned the names of our new friends at camp!

Lunch was tasty ziti with a side of salad and fresh, diced peaches for dessert! Everyone was eager for rest hour to begin after they hit the store and signed up for the chance to go out on paddle boards and potentially the Hunter, our big sail boat, later on in the session! Six lucky girls got the chance to be the first ones to make bead bracelets this session while many more signed up for the chance as well!

General swim was short due to the rules we had to go over but everyone seemed to enjoy the water because it was warmer than the air today! Activity period was a big hit for the campers after they had a fun fourth period class. The counselors offered the chance to jump off the tower, head over to the new GaGa pit and play some games, and even head up the A-field to play a rousing game of spud with our LT's! Among these fun activities, campers continued to work hard on their bracelets and even their baskets with Carol, our basket lady. 

We all enjoyed chicken melts, chips, apple sauce, and cucumbers for dinner with chocolate pudding pie for our delicious dessert! 

Everyone is heading to throw on their tied shoes and long pants for a fun game of capture the flag tonight as our evening program! Everyone will be split into two teams and try to capture the other teams flag without getting tagged and sent to "jail"! 

We are hoping for a bit warmer weather tomorrow since we have finally finished all of our rules for the session!

~Allissa Parker 

Sunday, July 31st

What a whirlwind of activity we have had today! Every camper hurried down the camp road excited to find out their cabin for these next two weeks. We have many new campers who are quite excited for the session to begin. 

As everyone moved their belongings into the cabin, the counselors began going over activities for this session along with some general camp rules. The campers said hurried goodbyes as the camp day finally began! 

Today was filled with rules and introductions which always seems to take some time no matter how many times we have done it! As soon as everything had been discussed, our new girls went with Catherine, our water front director, to be tested for swimming. It was not necessarily a test but more of a chance for them to show what they know to Catherine. They were placed in their appropriate swimming levels and hurried off to change for dinner!

Per tradition, our dinner consisted of hot dogs and baked beans! A new addition of sweat potatoes was added! For dessert, everyone gobbled up brownies. We are all now putting on tied shoes for our traditional first night evening program game. Tonight, we will be playing a dodgeball game that we call "Medical War"! In this game, campers have the chance to be a "medic" who will "save" campers on their team if they get out by a dodgeball thrown from the other team. Everyone really enjoys this game and all of the returning campers look forward to it, along with the staff!

We look forward to an exciting session filled with fun games, activities, and good weather!

~Allissa Parker 

Friday, July 29th

No one can believe that today was the last full day of this session! It has been phenomenal, our staff agrees that this has been one of the most well behaved and enthusiastic group of campers that we have ever seen. 

This morning was kicked off with blueberry bread and cereal. Although we were expecting rain for most of the day, we were lucky to only have rain for a few hours. Better yet, we were able to enjoy our last day of classes outside! Our classes today were less structured because we finished up all of the instruction yesterday. Many classes took their swimmers out on paddle boards, Sunfish, or practiced fun lifeguarding drills. Boaters and canoers and sports classes were equally carefree! 

For lunch today we enjoyed Texas hash, a tex-mex style casserole that campers loved! We also had salad and bread. For the first time this summer we had churros for dessert! Due to the fact that the great weather returned this afternoon, we again had 100% participation in general swim today. Swimmers jumped off the tower and dove off the rafts for the last time this session.

Activity period offered jumping off the tower, paddle boarding, playing a game in the Gaga pit, learning the popular song "Riptide" on the ukulele, or aquarium games! Campers took advantage of their last opportunity to participate in the unique activities camp has to offer. 

Chicken fajitas were served for dinner tonight alongside chips and applesauce. Campers loved the vanilla cake with chocolate frosting for dessert! They were sure to clean their plates quickly because they were excited for tonight's campfire! Campfire is our last night tradition here at Asto Wamah. Girls are given awards for passing their classes, being the cleanest cabin and winning track and field events. The evening is filled with songs and some goofy counselor skits that will be sure to make the campers smile!

Pickup tomorrow begins at 8:30 am, and we hope to see all campers on their way home by 10:00 am! We will be sad to see this wonderful group go!

See you tomorrow!

~Taylor and Shannon

Thursday, July 28th

Happy banquet day! The last Thursday of each session is banquet day, which tends to be everyone's favorite day at camp.

Everyone got to sleep in this morning! The wake up bell rang at 8:00 am instead of 7:30 am. Thirty minutes doesn't sound like a lot, but at camp it is definitely helpful for everyone. We made the early morning schedule a little quicker so we would be able to start classes at their normal time. We were back on regular schedule by 10:00 am! Classes were extra exciting today as campers got to find out whether or not they passed their swimming and boating classes! We are expecting a lot of rain on our last day tomorrow, so we made sure to take advantage of this beautiful day. 

General swim was extra exciting today because it was, again, very hot! To accommodate for the heat many activity period options were revolving around the lake. Campers were able to jump off the tower, participate in a diving contest, and ride in a Sunfish. 

It was a rather exciting day for meals today! Breakfast was english muffins and oatmeal. Lunch was what we call "pick up." We laid out the leftovers for some of our meals this session and campers got the opportunity to taste their favorites one more time before they leave! It was definitely a huge hit. 

Dinner gets it's own paragraph today, because it was definitely special. For banquet night we have our own version of a Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert we offer two different flavors of Shady Glen ice cream! 

Following banquet meal we sing songs, give out year awards, show a slideshow of all the pictures taken this session, and pass out the birch barkers (our camp newspaper). Then, while singing Amazing Grace, we all file outside and line up with our cabins. Each camper holds a bowl with a candle in it, and our candlelight readers read a bible phrase that relates to light. Cabin counselors choose a camper they think displayed exceptional behavior this session to be the candlelight reader for their cabin. It is a big honor to be chosen as candlelight reader at camp! The candlelight ceremony is a very traditional ceremony, and it is beautiful to see everyone's faces lit up around the circle. A very special night indeed. 

After the candlelight ceremony campers are expected to be silent, so getting ready for bed tonight went very quickly. A calm night will help everyone fall asleep fast tonight. 

One more day! Boy did this session move fast!
 

~Taylor and Shannon

Wednesday, July 27th

We woke up to a breakfast of waffles for the second time this session! How did we get so lucky? It was a great way to start the beautiful day. After breakfast campers who are in a swimming level of 6 or above were allowed to sign up to swim to Frog Island. Frog Island is a rocky, shallow area on the opposite side of the lake. It isn't technically an island, but camp traditions die hard. Once the swimmers get to the "island" they are allowed to choose a rock to bring back to commemorate their monumental swim!

Second and third period resumed a normal schedule, but swimming classes for those who had just swam across the lake were a little more subdued to give the swimmers a chance to recover. 

Lunch today was pork chops and mac and cheese and of course it was a hit with the campers! We had a jiggly dessert of Jell-o!

General swim was much appreciated today because we are still in the middle of a hot streak! Activity period followed 4th period and campers had the option to jump off the tower, go paddle boarding, participate in an archery tournament or learn songs on the ukulele! There was supposed to be a trip out on the Hunter as well but the wind decided to die after lunch so they wouldn't have gotten too far. They rescheduled the Hunter trip for tomorrow's activity period!

Dinner tonight was our usual Wednesday night meal, "Eat Out!" As a reminder, that is our picnic style meal that we have when kitchen staff is taking their day off. Many cabins enjoyed dinner on docks, while others took advantage of our lean-to.

For evening program tonight we are finishing our game of "Mission to Mars" that we started Monday night. The campers are very excited to finish up the game and hear the final scoring! After our evening program we have a special treat tonight. This is such a well behaved session that we decided the whole camp was going to meet on the A-Field after dark to spend some time star gazing before bed. It should be a clear night so there will definitely be lots to see! 

Only 2 short days left, where has this session gone!?

~Taylor and Shannon

Tuesday, July 26

Camp awoke refreshed and cooled off after the few rain showers that passed through last night! Energy was high all morning, especially after everyone's favorite breakfast was served - cinnamon bread! The campers' enthusiasm continued during classes as they worked to show their teachers how much they had learned this past week and a half.

Meatloaf was served for lunch today with mashed potatoes and carrots. Everyone loved it and many even found room to eat vanilla pudding for dessert!

Per campers' request, Rest Hour was extended by 15 minutes today! The girls insisted that they wanted to be well rested for the remainder of the day. And that they were! Everyone went in for general swim this afternoon. In deep water, many campers dove off the tower - an exciting feat for anyone at camp! 

For activity period this afternoon girls were able to go paddle boarding, jump off the tower, play soccer on the A-field, partake in Aquarium games, or work on their arts and crafts projects! However, many campers chose to work on Talent Night! Talent Night is a talent show that we have here at Asto Wamah. Many cabins work together to create a skit, song, dance, or musical piece to perform in front of the camp. Everyone looks forward to this evening program each year. It is always a fun night full of support and entertainment! 

For dinner campers enjoyed grilled cheese with tomato soup! Cucumbers, applesauce and chips were served alongside the sandwiches. Everyone loved the cheesecake that was passed out for dessert. We have been lucky enough to have cheesecake twice this session!

Campers are now practicing their performances for tonight. We cannot wait to see what these creative and talented girls have in store for us!

~Taylor and Shannon

Monday, July 25

After an exhausting track and field day, campers were excited to return to a normal morning schedule! We started the day with a breakfast of chocolate chip bread. Following breakfast campers got ready for their 3 morning classes. Everyone worked hard this morning and sailors particularly enjoyed classes - there was GREAT wind on the lake today!

Lunch today was chicken parmesan and it was gobbled up quickly! Many campers were noticing that they had not met a meal they haven't like yet! We love to hear that from our campers! 

Following rest hour the girls cooled off in the lake for general swim. However, we cut the swim a little short today because we had an exciting afternoon planned! First, we had a special program called "Birds on the Run" where a presenter brought some birds from his exotic birds shelter. The birds were beautiful and very smart! So many of them were starting to learn tricks that the girls really enjoyed helping with! When the presenter brought out each bird he told us a little story about their life, and it was really cool to get to know the birds a little more. Some had more traumatic pasts, while others just weren't able to join their previous owners when they moved to Italy! It was really a lot of fun!

Following our bird presentation, the whole camp gathered to hear the rules for a rare camp game- Mission to Mars! For this game the earthlings compete against the martians to find necessary water sources hidden around camp! They get an extra bonus if they also find the energy sources that will help power their rocket ship for its trip back to Earth! Basically the game is a more complex version of capture the flag, and the boundaries for the game include most of camp's property. The campers have been requesting to play this game all session so they were thrilled to see their requests were granted!

Dinner tonight was pulled pork, which is a newer meal we've added to our menu! Overall it appears to have received a big thumbs up! Our dessert was cherry cake which definitely didn't disappoint. 

Because we are predicting to get hit with some rain tonight, we are playing our evening program inside the lodge. We will be playing "minute to win it" style games that groups will try to complete in competition with the other traveling groups. 

Overall we've noticed that campers seemed to be especially exhausted today. The last few days have been very active and it is starting to catch up with the campers! Bedtime can't come fast enough for most, so we expect it to be a quiet night in the cabins!

~Taylor and Shannon

Sunday, July 24th

HAPPY TRACK AND FIELD DAY!!!!! Such an awesome day at camp!

We had no class schedule today, it was all about track meet. This morning in the time between cabin cleanup and lunch, the whole camp went up to the A-Field to participate in the individual track meet events. The campers traveled with their age groups: hilltop, lakeside and seniors. Each section voted on two team captains. We encourage the girls to vote for someone who is well motivated and supportive of everyone! Once the captains picked teams, the girls were off and running to their events! Hilltop started at the running long jump while lakeside was at the standing long jump and seniors were at the softball toss.  We had some very talented winners, but even those who didn't place had a great time cheering on their friends! It's such a great atmosphere to be a part of. After each section completed all three events, our preliminaries for the 50 yard dash took place. Again each group battled it out against each other for a spot in the finals. We had to have a photo finish for many of the final races!

Because it was another warm day, after our morning events we headed straight into the water for a general swim! Campers had a great time enjoying the water today and it was a lot of fun to watch them swim around with their friends and having fun. 

Lunch for track and field day was our traditional ham and noodles! We offered a side of carrots, squash and zucchini. Pears finished off our meal for dessert. 

When the bell rand ending rest hour, many of the girls rushed up to the A-field for the marathon. Starting at the A-field, campers ran with their section along corduroy road and down the camp road, ending at the lakeside cabins. The Indian War Relay followed. The Indian War Relay is a camp-wide race that involves every single camper! Two senior girls start running at the very top of the camp road, handing off the baton, in a relay setting, to about thirty campers until it got to main dock. From there two sets of swimmers dove into the water and handed off the baton to theboaters. The boaters met the canoers who paddled to meet runners by Hungerford cove (the farthest peak in camp). They made their way back to main camp and finally handed the baton off one last time to two fast swimmers who swam to the finish line to end the race!

Following our second general swim we played a camp wide game called non-stop cricket, a mix of tennis and baseball that continues with no end. Dinner came quickly and offered meatball grinders and chips. Green and white cake followed in proper Asto Wamah spirit!

For evening program we are playing a series of team based games that will help both green and white teams earn more points! They should be a lot of fun!

Everyone will be EXHAUSTED tonight, which is a very good thing. We are looking for some bright eyed campers in the morning to continue the normal camp schedule!

~Taylor and Shannon

Saturday, July 23rd

It's crazy to think that we are halfway through the session already! Some cabins switched bunks this morning to give everyone a chance to enjoy a top bunk. 

This morning we enjoyed cornbread and cereal for breakfast! Despite the heat, everyone devoured the lasagna that was served for lunch. The refreshing salad on the side was definitely welcomed! For dessert we had chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream. Dinner was another "Eat Out" tonight. We had stations set out around the flagpole with hotdogs, chips, a cucumber salad, and cookies for dessert! However, due to a sporadic rain shower we moved our meal inside. 

We experienced another hot day today so everyone jumped straight into the lake for swim classes! Campers were eager to show off how much they learned throughout this past week. Due to the heat, sports classes played a spin off of "Duck Duck Goose," called "Drip Drip Splash!" The idea is that you drip water on everyone's head as you walk around the circle and when you choose "goose" you dump the rest of the water on that person's head. It was a great way to cool off!

Today for activity period, campers could jump off the tower, go paddle boarding, take a ride on the Hunter, or play Aquarium games!

Tonight for evening program we are playing a game called "Step it Up!" There are various games set up on the A-field that allows campers to earn beans. Each bean equals a step their team captain can take. The captain is positioned all over camp and the first captain to make it to the center of the A-field wins the round! 

We will be going in for a quick dip to get cooled off before bedtime! At this point in the session, bedtime is welcomed by campers!

~Taylor and Shannon

Friday, July 22

It was a warm and windy day today!!! We definitely spent a lot of time in the water. 

We had a great meal day today! Breakfast was french toast and cereal, and lunch was Shepherd's Pie. For dinner we had chicken patties and potato chips. We tried a new dessert, gingerbread cake, with dinner today and it was a huge hit among campers! We noticed that the girls have started to eat a lot more which shows how active they are!

Classes went smoothly today and we are seeing great improvement in swimming classes especially! Boating, canoeing and sailing were a little tricky today because it was just SO windy out there, but it provided a great opportunity for campers to really show off their skills. Because it was so warm, Hilltop sports spent their class period in the water playing Aquarium games! It was a lot of fun for everyone!

Activity period offered a couple of unique opportunities today, especially a trip on the Hunter (our largest sail boat)! With such a windy day it was the perfect time to take the Hunter out on her first girls session voyage! Other activities included paddle boards, a diving contest, jumping off the tower and the Gaga pit. 

Tonight's evening program is a Dodgeball game called King Dodge! We will also offer a "quick dip" after the game to allow campers to cool off in the lake before going to bed. Almost everyone takes advantage of the quick dip!

There may be some small storms popping up later tonight but it looks like we should avoid them! Fingers crossed!

~Taylor and Shannon

Thursday, July 21st

It is safe to say that every camper (and staff member) is sleeping soundly at night! Many counselors have shared how the majority of the girls in their cabins fall asleep long before they have finished reading. 

This morning's breakfast was toasted english muffins alongside cereal. Campers were also give the option to indulge in a warm bowl of oatmeal! Following breakfast, girls were eager to start today's classes. We have been so fortunate with the amazing weather we've been having, no one had any objection to jumping straight into the lake for swim classes! Boaters enjoyed the sunshine as they explored Columbia Lake and worked on their strokes. Arts and crafts is held in arguably the coolest room in camp so many campers enjoyed working on friendship bracelets and baskets to get a quick break from the sun! Sports classes have been as exciting as ever! Back by popular demand, volleyball was played on the A-field. The girls have been extra diligent with the sunscreen - many even donned baseball caps this afternoon!

The campers enjoyed ravioli with a healthy salad and delicious french bread. The french bread always runs out quickly! Sorbet was offered for dessert and the vast majority of campers dug in to the cool treat! Rest hour was very peaceful, but soon after the lake was filled with splashes and laughter as every camper went in for general swim! Activity period offered a myriad of games. Girls jumped off the tower, did a "Wamah Workout" on the A-field, did some relaxing yoga, played badminton, or learned to play the ukulele! Many campers opted to take a quick dip after many of these activities to cool off before dinner. 

Dishees had a tough meal this evening, tacos! Although it requires many dishes and bowls, campers loved them nonetheless. For dessert everyone went crazy over our peach crisp. With a little extra sugar in their bloodstream campers are hurrying up to the A-field to play an all time favorite evening program - Pirates! Girls dress in sneakers, long pants, and dark colored clothing to participate in this exciting game. Campers search for a treasure in the woods while engaging in "gun battles". Our Wamah guns are dishee rags filled with flour. These little "guns" leave a white mark on their target. The campers are always tempted to tap their friends with the rags before the game even starts!

We are hoping that tomorrow the wonderful weather continues! It would make it a perfect week! 

~Taylor and Shannon

Wednesday, July 20th

It was an absolutely beautiful day at camp today! It is so much fun when the weather is nice!

Today was the campers favorite meal day so far! For breakfast we had cinnamon bread! Lunch was Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes with carrots on the side, and dinner was "Eat Out." "Eat Out" is something very unique to camp. When the kitchen staff take their time off, instead of eating a meal in the upper lodge, cabins eat a picnic of sandwiches together somewhere else in camp. For example, some one cabin ate on main dock, and another chose to eat dinner in the Gazebo! "Eat Out" is always a lot of fun for campers.

We had some cool new activities offered today. Hilltop sports classes had the opportunity to play pickleball on the tennis courts and they had a wonderful time! Curt, our resident musician, taught a group of girls how to play songs on the camp Ukuleles. Four of our campers chose to practice extra so they could arrange a song to play at our talent night coming up! Swimming classes continued to work on their strokes and boating classes enjoyed the beautiful day on the lake. Sailors had a harder time because there wasn't much wind out on the lake, but nonetheless they still had a beautiful day to be out on the water. 

Today for activity period campers could choose to jump off the tower, participate in a diving contest, play volleyball on the A-Field or engage in a Gaga ball tournament. There were plenty of fun options for today!

Our evening program tonight is a game called Spies and Smugglers. This tends to be a favorite among returning campers. The camp splits into two teams - one being the spies, and the other being the smugglers. The smugglers have a small piece of paper that has a point value on it, and their goal is to smuggle it up to the A-field without being caught by a spy. Spies can tag smugglers and have 3 guesses to find where the secret piece of paper is hidden on their person. It's a high energy game that allows campers to be sneaky and creative! It's easy to see why its so popular!

I've heard many girls today talk about how fast this session is going! They can't believe it's already Wednesday! It turns out the phrase "time flies when you're having fun" definitely applies here at Asto Wamah!

Until tomorrow,

~Taylor and Shannon

Tuesday, July 19th

Campers were a little groggy today on the way to breakfast but they quickly perked up when they saw their breakfast - waffles with peanut butter! That is always a great way to start the camp morning. 

Morning classes went smoothly! We had an absolutely beautiful day at camp! Swimmers were very excited to get in the water and learn their strokes, boaters got to explore the lake a little more, sports classes were able to choose what they wanted to play. Their options were Kan Jam, Spikeball, or problem solving on our low ropes course. Nature classes tried their hand at meditation, something many campers enjoyed! Arts & Crafts classes made great progress on their individual projects.

Chicken fingers were offered for lunch with a side of rice, squash, and green beans. A dessert of peaches followed our meal. After rest hour all campers went in for a general swim! So far they have loved to take advantage of the water! We love their enthusiasm! 

Following 4th period campers were offered different activities to participate in. They were able to jump off the tower, ride paddle boards, go sailing with a counselor, participate in a diving contest, or go for a run. Lots of exciting options today!

Dinner tonight was grilled cheese served with tomato soup.  Chips and cucumbers were also served along the side of the grilled cheese, with cheesecake as our dessert. We LOVE cheesecake for dessert - it was definitely a hit. 

Tonight's evening program will be a game of Capture the Flag! Before evening program the campers have an option to go to the A-Field early to play a variety of individual games as entertainment before the big camp-wide program. Such a special treat! 

We expect that by tonight everyone will finally be sleeping well. We can tell the campers are already starting to wear themselves out - Perfect!

~Taylor and Shannon

Monday, July 18th

Last night was a little too warm for our liking, it made it very hard to fall asleep! The first night can be tricky, campers and staff alike are getting used to their new surroundings and the heat did not help. However, campers were still excited for their first full day at Asto Wamah! 

After a filling breakfast of blueberry bread and cereal, campers returned to their cabins and worked together to clean their cabin. Every day, the nurse goes into every cabin and selects the cleanest cabin on Hilltop, Lakeside, and Seniors. The girls are extra diligent and every cabin looked fantastic today! Cabins 2, 5, and 8 won inspection today.

As it is the first day of classes, there were a lot of rules to go over. Swimmers found out who their teacher would be for the next two weeks and showed off their strokes! Boaters, canoers, and sailors alike sat on the logs as Lydia and Sam, our small craft directors, went over safety and how to properly put on a PFD (personal flotation device)! Afterwards, canoers practiced their technique in our shallow water - Aquarium. Sailors learned how to rig and de-rig their Sunfish while boaters went over parts of the boat. In Arts and Crafts today campers were introduced to our more creative staff members. Deb is our arts and crafts director, Carol is our basket maker, and Kevin is our nature expert. After the introductions, campers began their projects! Sports classes played Nuke 'Em, it is a great first day game because it is a good way to learn everyone's name. 

Ziti was served for lunch today! Campers enjoyed french bread and salad as side items, and dessert was vanilla pudding. After rest hour we finished our daily class schedule with 4th period. A small storm hit us this afternoon so all 4th period classes took place in the lodge. Luckily, it cleared quickly and we were able to resume a normal schedule for activity period. Campers were allowed to jump off the tower, go for a run, play badminton, or participate in Aquarium games. We had a lot of fun!

Dinner tonight was chicken melts, with a side of potato chips and applesauce. Chocolate cake was gobbled up for dessert.

Because our athletic field is still too wet to run on we are playing reverse scavenger hunt for our evening program tonight. For this game each girl brings one item of their to the lodge. Then will then use these items to plan out a skit as a cabin that fits the theme set by counselors. It is definitely a favorite game for our campers, they are VERY excited to participate.

Thankfully the rain cooled things down a little bit so tonight should be more comfortable for sleeping. Overall it was a great camp day today!

~Taylor and Shannon 

First day of Girls Session 1

The hot day was definitely not ideal for drop-off day, but even still campers, parents, and siblings were hauling trunks to their new homes! Campers quickly settled in and started to learn the rules of the cabin, and more importantly, they met the other girls in their cabins. 

After some housekeeping within the cabins the whole camp gathered to go over some expectations for the next two weeks. New campers were tested for swimming and assigned a swimming level while old campers caught up with their camp friends. Following that, everyone went in for a general swim! The water really cooled everyone off making things a little more comfortable. 

After a half hour of free time the tables were set for dinner and we all sat down for our first meal together - hot dogs! The hot dogs were served with tater tots, baked beans, and a dessert of brownies. 

Evening program tonight is Medical War! Medical War is a variation of dodgeball that allows campers to be "saved" if they get hit so they can return to the game. It's definitely a camp favorite!

The first bedtime at camp is always a restless one, especially with the heat tonight, but we expect everyone will settle in and be comfortable in no time! We are excited for the two weeks that are ahead of us!

~Taylor and Shannon 

Friday, July 15th

What a beautiful morning we have this morning after a very exciting day yesterday!

Yesterday was quite lovely regardless of the humid weather! Everyone was very excited to get into the water to try and cool down. The swimmers began testing yesterday and will finish that up today. They show Catherine everything that they have learned within these past two weeks in hopes of passing their level! The boaters do exactly the same thing and do their best with the strokes that their teachers taught them! Sports class was a fun and nerve-wracking time for some kids. We did a ropes course element known as the trust fall. All of the counsellors caught the campers along with some help from campers themselves! Arts and crafts period as spent finishing up projects! 

Lunch was an array of sandwiches - tuna, egg salad, and of course the ever so popular, PB&J! We enjoyed peaches and pears for dessert. This meal of sandwiches is always served on the last Thursday of the session because for dinner we have our banquet meal.

All of the campers played some fun games or finished up their art projects during general swim due to a slight chill in the air. The one special thing about yesterday was the attire for dinner. Everyone in the camp wore something clean and fresh that they have never worn because our banquet meal is just like a Thanksgiving meal! The kitchen staff works to make turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberries for everyone in camp. They work tirelessly throughout the day in hopes of filling everyone's belly before our after meal festivities. 

Instead of an evening program game as we usually do, after every banquet we gather in the lodge and sing songs. The staff did a skit for the campers to show what a typical life for someone at Asto Wamah is like. Every camper was also presented with a year award! The awards are different depending upon how many years of camp you have attended. We had may new campers and many old campers, all obtaining awards for their hard work and dedication for coming to camp!

After everyone has obtained an award, we gather in a circle and light candles. We use these candles to show that each person is special at Asto Wamah and in the world as well! Without one light, everything is a bight dimmer. We blow out our individual candles at the same time and head off to bed. As tradition holds, there is no talking after banquet until the morning. We use this time to reflect on the fun times we have had here and the things that we are thankful for!

Tonight we will be having our campfire! Those who place din the top three during track and field events will receive their ribbons and awards and we will all talk part in watching a live show of pictures from these past two weeks! Everyone looks forward to this because we are able to see all the silly pictures and exciting times we have had together! S'mores, probably one of the best parts of campfire, will be handed out for us all to chow down on! 

It seems as though no one wants to leave but they are all excited to see their families tomorrow morning! Remember pick up begins at 8:30 am and ends at 10:30 am! Everyone is ready to enjoy the last beautiful day of camp to its fullest!

~Allissa