Days 12 and 13

Good morning everyone, yesterday was a busy day here at camp. We had normally scheduled classes until the evening when we played a camp-wide game of non stop cricket. Yesterday was the camp's traditional Banquet! This is our supper and evening program mixed into one. Our night takes place in the main dining hall of the lodge. Guests from outside of camp also come to partake in our night. We even had the minister of Center Church as a guest. We enjoy a Thanksgiving style meal (Turkey, potatoes, and all the fixings) followed by ice cream. The campers also received their year awards at this event. These awards are given each year to recognize the number of summers a camper has come to camp. To finish our night we have a candle light reading. This is a reflective period, where campers have the chance to remember their two weeks here at camp. 

Today for breakfast we had chocolate chip bread and orange juice and hot cocoa. Following breakfast campers are beginning to pack their belongings up for pick up tomorrow. Pick up tomorrow is between 8:30am- 9:30am. Today campers will begin to test in classes to see if their skills have improved to move on to the next level. Tonight the campers will be in for a treat. Tonight is Camp Fire! This is where the camp comes together as a whole to sing songs and receive awards. 

Until next session, 

Day 11

For breakfast this morning, we served cornbread and cereals! In place of first period, level 6 and above swimmers were able to participate in the much anticipated "Frog Island" swim! The campers were followed closely by lifeguards and row boats, as they swam their way to the shallow 'island' of Colombia lake. Many of them choose to take a famous "Frog Island" rock back with them as well!

Dinner, our noontime meal but called dinner as it is our largest meal here at camp, was the famous shepard's pie! Deb, our arts and crafts director, was able to bring two young pigs to visit camp today. Rather than wasting left over food, here at camp, we put everything into the 'pig bucket' and it goes on to feed these very same pigs! Campers got to enjoy petting and even bottle feedings these cute 6 week old piglets just before rest hour began. 

Supper this evening was eat out, meaning cabin counselors picked up their picnic baskets and took off to various places around camp, such as Cook's dock, the gazebo and the counselor ring. "Bug juice" (camp slang for lemonade) and cookies were a great addition to the PB&J's and turkey sandwiches. 

Todays supper was important as it was the last opportunity for Birch Barker submissions. The Birch Barker is our camp newsletter that goes out during banquet, which is tomorrow! 

This evening program will be "Murder by Night". This game is a giant, camp wide version of the popular board game Clue. Campers go around in groups quizzing counselors about their "alibis" and trying to figure out who did it. Shhhh - this time Olivia was 'killed'!

Stay tuned for the excitement banquet brings tomorrow, our Thanksgiving styled supper!

Until tomorrow,

Sloane and Gillian

Day 10

Good evening everyone!  Today for breakfast we had delicious cinnamon bread with hot cocoa! The campers were excited to start their day because many have begun to perfect their strokes in swimming, and boating. As for sports class today, the campers had the choice to go to the ropes course! 

For dinner today the campers enjoyed pork chops and mashed potatoes, with a side of green beans! For dessert the campers enjoyed another camp favorite of butterscotch pudding! Following lunch and rest hour we had a normal general swim. This swim was appreciated by many as it was such a perfect day to enjoy the water! 

For supper today we enjoyed pizza with a fresh green salad on the side. For dessert we had vanilla cake with chocolate frosting, partially to help celebrate the 3 birthdays in camp! Following tonights meal, the campers are in for a treat tonight as it is LT Carnival! This carnival is hosted by our counselors in training who will be providing multiple games and challenges for the campers to participate in! With such a busy day the campers are sure to fall asleep quickly!

Until tomorrow, 

Amanda 

Track & Field Day

To start off this competitive day, we served bagels with cream cheese and cereal. Instead of normal morning classes, we went straight to the field for the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw, and 50-yard dash! Everyone was excited to participate and support one another, regardless of their team. To cool off, we had a quick general swim before dinner.

For dinner we had ham and egg noodles with corn, and sorbet for dessert. Following the meal, we had a much needed rest hour for campers to re-energize for the rest of their active day. After rest hour there was an optional "marathon" run, which is about half of a mile down camp road ending at the lakeside wash stand. Next on today's list, we did the Indian War Relay starting at the top of the camp road and finishing at main dock, with many twists and turns along the way- including handing the batons off to swimmers, boaters, and canoes! It was an exciting race all along the way, but the green team ended up taking home the win.

Afterwards, we held swim races where campers swam against others in their swim areas, then had a second general swim. For supper, we had hamburgers with lettuce and tomatoes, and brownies for dessert. Tonight for evening program we are going to the field to play a variety of relay races, where each cabin group is split to go head to head- green versus white.

After today's events and excitement, everyone is sure to have a good night's sleep and be well rested for tomorrow!

Until then,

Amanda and Sloane

Day 7

To start off this cool morning we had chocolate chip bread for breakfast! Since today was the half way point of boys session, everyone headed back to their cabins after breakfast to switch bunks around. Morning classes went smoothly and campers improved their swimming and boating skills, and had fun in sports and arts & crafts.

For dinner the kitchen served lasagna with salad, and some campers even went up for thirds! After rest hour we had general swim and fourth period, followed by activity period where some campers went jumping off the tower.

For supper the kitchen staff is on their night out, and so we served hot dogs outside around the flagpole area instead of in the lodge, which allowed us to enjoy nature and dine with people outside of our cabin groups. Soon we will be heading up to the field soon to play "Step-it-Up," which involves playing mini games to earn beans that move your "robot" closer to the finish line, step by step! For this game, the camp will be split into their Green and White teams, which will be the same teams they will be playing for tomorrow in Track and Field Day!

Until tomorrow,

Sloane and Shannon

Day 6

For breakfast we enjoyed a camp tradition of waffles and peanut butter! Morning classes went smoothly. We did received a short storm where we had to have some classes inside, but campers were able to enjoy activities such as Small craft Jeopardy!

For dinner we had Swedish meatball and mashed potatoes, followed by jello for dessert! After rest hour we had a change in the normal schedule; a special guest Carla is a drummer who is raising money to build wells in Africa. I think it's safe to say the kids and staff all enjoyed learning more about other cultures.

For supper we had pulled pork and offered left overs as alternatives, with cheesecake for dessert. Tonight, the campers are in for a treat because we are playing Pirate Gangs! This game is a favorite because it uses most of the camp property, and you have to battle using "guns" (rags filled with flour) to hunt for the other team's treasure! Everyone is sure to sleep well after such an eventful day!

Until tomorrow,

Amanda and Sloane

Day 4 & 5

Good evening blog readers! It's been a busy last few days; so busy we were unable to post yesterday! For Independence Day yesterday, we had ice cream sundaes and played "Rebels v Redcoats" (capture the flag with a patriotic name) and it was a fun time for all celebrating the 4th of July!

For breakfast this morning we served blueberry bread and cereal alternatives. For morning classes, there was no trouble motivating the campers to get in the water because they all were looking forward to cooling down from this week's heat and humidity.

Dinner was baked ziti with baguettes and salad with pears for dessert, a favorite of many here at camp. Campers enjoyed splashing around during general swim, and a few campers were lucky enough to take an excursion on our largest sailboat here at camp: the Hunter! It was a nice breezy day perfect for sailing around Columbia Lake.

To end the day we had tacos for supper with banana bread (made by one of our talented counselors) enjoyed by all. Tonight, we are about to head up to the field to play King Dodge, which is another dodge ball game. 

It seems like tomorrow we may get a much needed break from the humidity, so we are looking forward to what tomorrow will bring!

Until tomorrow,

Amanda and Sloane

Day 3

This morning we were in for a treat: French Toast!! Our morning classes went smoothly as usual, campers are already adjusted to the routine of camp. Many are looking forward to improving their skills in all of their classes!

For dinner we had meatloaf with potatoes and a side of green beans! This meal was a favorite among the boys! After rest hour they had a much needed general swim. Today we had a special guest come to camp to offer yoga to those interested. 

For supper we had personal pizzas and salad, followed by churros for dessert. However, tonight we were greeted by some unexpected rain. That didn't change the campers attitudes!

Tonight for evening program we are about to play a camp favorite of Spies and Smugglers! This is a camp-wide game of tag, where the teams take turns "smuggling" points to the a-field. The campers are especially excited to play because they expected to have to play games inside due to rain, but luckily the weather cleared up just in time for the game!

Everyone is expected to sleep well tonight after such a busy day!

Until Tomorrow,

Amanda and Sloane

Day 2 of Camp

This morning we were already starting off to another hot day at camp. For breakfast we had delicious cinnamon bread and hot cocoa. The morning moved fast as the campers were ready to get in the water. 

The first three periods went by smoothly as campers anticipated lunch! Lunch was ravioli, baguettes, and a salad on the side! For dessert we had chocolate pudding! Today general swim was a real treat! This was a great way for our campers to cool down! Everyone went in the water and had fun. Hilltop sports class even had the opportunity to get in the water today to play games! 

For dinner we had cheese steak and peppers and a side of carrots! This meal was gobbled up quickly, as campers eagerly prepared for evening program. Tonight's game is Garbage Collector! This game is a combination of soccer and basketball. The campers are split into two teams and their objective is to score in the other team's bucket to score points. This game is a camp favorite among campers and staff! 

Until Tomorrow,

Amanda 

Final Day of Session 2

It is so hard to believe that today is the final day of camp! Even though the weather wasn't ideal, we were still able to have some fun! Campers officially found out if they passed their classes, and they will be rewarded with a certificate tonight at campfire. Most classes did not go out on the lake, but instead were replaced with board games. Camp just purchased 10 new board games, so we had a ton of fun trying all of the new ones out today! They were a huge hit! 

Today for activity period we allowed kids to jump off the tower. We offer this almost every day, but today it was particularly special because all of the kids who passed into level 4 swimming class were able to jump off the tower for the very first time! It is really exciting to watch them find something else they love about camp.

Tonight for our evening program we will be hosting the campfire - complete with awards, songs, musical performances by some of our campers, and counselor skits. Then it is off to bed for the very last time this session. 

Pick up will run from 8:30-9:30 tomorrow morning, and the kids will be all packed up and eagerly awaiting their family's arrival! See you soon!

-Shannon and Sloane

July 12, 2017

This morning for breakfast we had cornbread! For first period today, our level six and above swimmers had the opportunity to swim to Frog Island! 8 campers took part in this tradition. The first classes of the day went smoothly, and campers were able to continue working on their strokes in swim class, arts and crafts projects, and capsizing in small craft.

Lunch featured pork chops and mashed potatoes, with vanilla pudding for dessert! Campers and counselors headed to rest hour with thunder in the distance. Instead of general swim today, we played a rousing game of counselor trivia followed by board games played in the safety of the upper lodge. 

Activity period began with some okay weather, so campers were able to play rugby and basketball up on the A-field! About halfway through the thunder rolled in, so we moved to the lodge to play more board games. Tonight was the kitchen's night off, so we had sandwiches in the upper lodge for dinner followed by cookies and grapes! We were even able to get some songs in after the meal!

Tonight's evening program is a game called reverse scavenger hunt! Campers have just a few minutes to create a skit about a topic given to them by their counselors. The team with the best skit wins! It's a great game to play on a rainy day and the campers are definitely excited!

Here's to hoping for better weather tomorrow!
 

-Shannon and Sloane

Rainy Morning Turned to Sunny Afternoon

We woke up today to enjoy a breakfast of english muffins with butter and jelly. The first classes of the day went a little differently than normal because of the rain from early in the morning. Swimming and small craft classes were still able to use the water to its full potential, but sports class had to be held indoors because the field was too wet. Instead, the athletes participated in an exciting game of indoor baseball! It is played with the rules of normal baseball, but instead of a metal bat and baseball, players use ping pong paddles and balls. It was a favorite for everyone!

After a filling lunch of Texas casserole, everyone headed to the cabins for a much needed rest hour followed by general swim. The skies cleared from last night's rain, and it turned out to be a beautiful day here on Columbia Lake just in time for activity period! Six lucky campers were able to experience camp's stand-up paddle boards to get a different view of the lake.

Meatball grinders and applesauce was devoured for supper, with chocolate pudding pie for dessert. For evening program tonight, we are entering the world of a Star Wars themed carnival, thanks to our LTs! Everyone is looking forward to a great time and a restful night's sleep!

-Shannon and Sloane

July 10, 2017

We woke up to blueberry bread for breakfast, coupled with cereal and yogurt! Classes resumed their normal schedule after track meet, so campers went back to practicing their skills and working to impress their counselors. Each day many campers are passing their classes and moving up to the next level which is always exciting to be a part of. Swimming classes are working on perfecting their strokes, canoeing classes and sailing classes practiced capsizing today, arts and crafts classes worked on making cardboard airplanes, and sports classes played a crazy game of non-stop cricket. It was another active day at camp!

During activity period today some counselors hosted a Gaga tournament, and it had a HUGE turnout. One lucky team was able to beat them all, including the staff team! Other campers participated in jumping off the tower, playing card games, sailing, and playing soccer.

Lunch was shepherds pie with another round of chocolate chip banana bread for dessert. It was very welcomed by the campers! Dinner tonight was a pizza buffet and it was definitely a huge hit.

Evening program was "Cops and Robbers," one of the most requested games by campers. It is particularly fun because we play with team staff versus team camper. The boys have to run extra fast to escape the wrath of their counselors! Campers absolutely love the competition and staff have fun wearing the boys out. It was another successful day at Camp Asto Wamah! 

-Shannon and Sloane

Track & Field Day

Everybody woke up excited for the today because it was Track Meet! The Sunday in the middle of the session is dedicated to a competition between the green and white team. After a breakfast of bagels and cereal, campers headed to the A-field for the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw, and the 50-yard dash!

We kept up with our tradition of having ham and noodles on this eventful day with lemon sorbet for dessert. Everybody enjoyed a much needed rest hour to prepare for the optional "marathon", which is more of a half a mile run through camp. Immediately following the marathon, we started a camp-wide relay race called the Indian War Relay. This race involves every single camper who is assigned the job of either runner, swimmer, passenger, or boater and it spans all around camp's property, including the lake. The campers had a lot of fun with it!
 

We finished out the afternoon with some swim races and other activities to occupy the time we had left until dinner, which was hamburgers with green and white cake for dessert. Evening program was a series of relay races such as soccer ball dribble, dizzy izzy, kickball pass, and pass the hula hoop. Tomorrow we will total up each team's points so we can announce the track meet winners at banquet! Today was a fun day and we are sure they will sleep soundly tonight!

-Shannon and Sloane

 

Rainy Day

Although we woke up to a bit of rain this morning, we were still able to keep busy and have fun! This morning was practically perfect because we were able to sleep in a little AND we had waffles and peanut butter for breakfast! Cabin cleanup proved to be difficult due to the mud being tracked into the cabins, but campers worked diligently to keep things clean.

The morning started with swimmers in the water, but as the rain picked up, the rest of the periods had to be held indoors for their classes. Sports played Play-Doh Pictionary, and small craft offered various board and card games. Swimmers tested their knowledge with a competitive game of Scattergories.

Campers enjoyed chicken parmesan before heading to the cabins for an extended rest hour. Fourth period boating classes got to go out right as the rain cleared, and was followed by a sunny activity period!

Tonight's evening program, "Murder by Night", is a murder mystery game where the counselors give clues to uncover the murderer behind a fake Wamah death. It's a goofy game that we know the campers will have a lot of fun with!

-Shannon and Sloane

What a day we have had! With the weather beautiful yet again, our cookees head up at cookee bell to set the tables for breakfast. Today we had cornbread and cereal. There was oatmeal offered for those who needed to warm up a bit, although we can't imagine many people needed to warm up! 

Campers headed back to clean their cabins and get ready for first period. During sports class the campers had a choice to play a few games which was exciting for them. Everyone was excited for swimming and boating because it meant that they could be in the sun and water! 

Cookee bell came quickly again! The campers raced to set their tables so they could enjoy a tasty dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes with corn on the side. After cleaning up the tables a bit, the campers were even more excited to find out that they were going to be having chocolate pudding for dessert. 

Rest hour came and went and everyone got in the water for general swim. They rushed off to fourth period in hopes that activity period would come quickly. The campers enjoyed tower jumping, aquarium games, gaga, and a few lucky campers were able to go paddle boarding and on the Hunter. The Hunter is the biggest sailboat here at camp. It can hold 6 campers and 2 staff making for a super fun time! 

Tonight's supper was a bit different. Our kitchen had the night off so each cabin wrote down sandwiches that they would want. We made each camper and staff a sandwich and they headed out with their cabins to a different place in camp to eat. 

Tonight's evening program game is "Pirates"! The campers love this game but this year it is a bit different. They campers will have to go around to counsellors and find "keys" to unlock a treasure chest. The chest will have a map that will tell them were the treasure is hidden. 

We are hoping for a lot of participation and enthusiasm from the campers!!

~Allissa and Sloane

Boys Camp

We had another beautiful day on Columbia Lake!

Today was the first day of classes for all of the campers and they were all very excited! The swimmers couldn't wait to get into the water and the small craft classes were busy learning all of their strokes and parts of their boat. Sports classes got to play a camp favorite - Nuke 'em! It's a great game to help everyone learn names. In arts and crafts some boys chose to attend nature classes, others started working on making a basket, and the rest were left to put their creativity to the test! A few even made up their own board games! 

Lunch was a tasty dish of ravioli with chocolate pudding for dessert, and for dinner we had steak sandwiches followed by cherry cake for dessert! 

Tonight's game for evening program will be capture the flag. This game can be played both on the field and in the woods which makes it a little more difficult! We hope all the campers play hard so they can sleep soundly tonight.

-Shannon and Sloane

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

Wednesday, July 13th

What a windy day it's been at Asto Wamah! The morning started off with delicious french toast, with an option of cereal. After cabin clean up, campers level 6 and superstars made the arduous journey to Frog Island (a shallow area of rocks and sand directly across the lake). Eight campers ventured during our 1st period, collected their rocks, and made it back for their 2nd period!

Meanwhile, classes continued on as normal. A bit too windy for row boats, but drifting around the lake on a sunny day was still enjoyable! Counselors to the rescue a few times. The wind didn't stop our swimmers, however, so everyone was in practicing their floating, strokes, and dives. Up on the A-field, campers played soccer, kickball, and a dodgeball game called SPUD. Everyone is looking forward to the trust fall coming up in sports later this week! Kevin and his nature took a break from hunting Boris, and tried their hand at fishing. Lots of digging for worms!

After a smooth morning, we all sat down to a feast of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, cucumbers, steamed carrots, all with a side of ketchup. For dessert: vanilla pudding. Per usual, full bellies didn't stop anyone from getting their favorite candies at store. The good morning vibes continued into rest hour. Campers napped, read, ate their candies and wrote letters(?). No passing up on general swim today! The sun was out and the water was fresh. 

Following fourth period, all the campers were out and about for activity period. Campers had the option of participating in an archery tournament, soccer up on the A-field, jumping off the tower of course, and ALL the sail boats went out. The hunter and a fleet of Sunfish hit the lake to catch this breezy day! Everyone made it back to land with huge smiles and soaking wet bathing suits. No cookee bell today after activity period today because it's Wednesday; cabins scattered around camp for our second eat out. The wind didn't stop hungry campers from enjoying their packed sandwiches on the dock. Others made it up to the chapel, over to the council ring, and even on and around the A-field. 

Tonight, we have a treat in store! No games up on the field or in the woods. Instead, we'll all be lined up facing the lodge to watch all our talented campers perform in our Asto Wamah's traditional Talent Night! Campers will be singing, playing instruments, performing skits, and even our staff will jump in with our own silly show.  

Hoping for more sun and windy days for our sailers! 

~ Taylor, Allissa, and Lydia 

 

Tuesday, July 12th

It is hard to believe that the boys only have three full days left here at Asto Wamah! Everyone is still upbeat and making the most of the experiences offered here at Columbia Lake. In order to give them lots of energy for the day, our wonderful cook served us english muffins with cereal for breakfast! Many campers dashed to the dessert table as oatmeal was offered as an option as well.

Finally, a full day of sunshine! Everyone was eager to get into the water this morning for classes. With only a few classes left, swimmers worked extra hard today to perfect every stroke. Boaters soaked up the warm sun and many classes went on adventures to Hungerford Cove and Frog Island. Rowing to those two locations are special occasions as they are outside our camp boundaries. However, there wasn't a lot of wind today so many teachers got permission to make the trip! Pillows are very popular in arts and crafts, some campers may even be surprising their parents with a few homemade gifts! Sports classes took advantage of the dry A-field and were playing games all morning!

Today at lunch we had a new meal at camp! Campers were very lucky to have homemade mac and cheese alongside fish sticks and green beans. With their stomachs full, campers returned to their cabins for a peaceful rest hour. Re-energized after their rest, everyone went in for general swim. The water was beautiful today and many campers were impressed that they could see the bottom of the lake from the top of the tower!

Counselors had quite an array of games set up for the campers for activity period! Campers were seen leaping off the tower, taking a ride on the Hunter or sunfish, rowing around Columbia Lake, playing soccer or basketball on the A-field, and even fishing from rowboats. Although there were no fish caught today, many campers had a lot of nibbles!

Dinner couldn't come quickly enough for the hungry campers! We all enjoyed chicken fajitas with chips and applesauce as sides. Tonight for dessert we had one of camp's favorite: apple crisp! Although many campers were full from the fajitas, many begged for seconds of dessert! 

Tonight we have a special evening program! Our amazing LT's (counselors in training) are putting on a carnival for all of us tonight. They are up on the A-field now setting up games for everyone (including a station that gives an extra dessert of ice pops!). They have been secretive about the theme of the carnival but many campers have been speculating that it will be Olympics themed! Everyone is very excited to see what they have in store for us this evening. 

As the session is beginning to wind down campers are more enthusiastic than ever. Many first year campers have expressed a lot of interest in coming back for years to come! It is so admirable of them to try out a sleep away camp, it is not an easy thing! However, everyone has adapted so well and added their own special touch to camp. We are so thankful here at Asto Wamah!

~Taylor