Second Session Girls '09-Day 11

It was a very rainy day yesterday but we had a great time just the same. Swimming classes played Scatergories, boating classes played Bingo and sports classes played indoor games. We had several board games out for activity period and for evening program we had a fabulous talent show! The campers favorite skit seemed to be the kitchen staff's staging of the book, "If You Give a Moose a Muffin." Today it has been a bit overcast but our classes have been able to go on as scheduled. Today for lunch is meatloaf and the camp favorite dessert, vanilla pudding pie. Tonight we will have our last game for evening program of the session since tomorrow evening is Banquet and Friday is Camp Fire. The session is flying by so quickly!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 9

We had great weather for our track and field day yesterday. We had all of our usual events including the softball throw, standing and running long jumps, 50 yard dash, 1/2 mile marathon, swim races and Indian War Relay. We also brought back for the first time in several years the 220 and 440 yard relays. It was a wonderful day! Today we returned to our normal class schedule. The seniors tye-dyed shirts for arts and crafts which was a lot of fun, and right now for activity period campers are out in sail boats, jumping off the tower or going for a run among other things.

This evening we will play a game on the field although we're not sure which one yet. Tomorrow night for evening program will be our Asto Wamah talent night! Everyone is very excited getting ready to perform. We may even see some staff on the stage!

Tonight for dinner is pizza. Less than an hour until the dinner bell!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 7

What an exciting afternoon we've had here at Asto Wamah today! The seniors nature class found a dead carp, nearly 3 feet long and approximately 30 pounds resting on the bottom of the lake. With the help of Eric, our nature director, they removed the giant fish from the water! The campers have been crowded on the dock taking pictures of it for several minutes. Other than that we've enjoyed a normal day with very nice weather. We chose green and white captains for tomorrow's track meet today. We're all very excited!

Tonight we're having hotdogs for dinner. We're not sure what evening program will be yet but I'm sure we'll have a great time!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 6

Well the thunderstorms last night were pretty crazy but we all managed to get a good night's sleep and enjoy the nice weather today. Asto Wamah got a new sail boat today and the kids are working on coming up with a name for it! Right now it's activity period and many campers are working on getting ready for tonight's carnival! The theme of it is underwater and there will be a lot of fun carnival activities for the kids to enjoy. Tonight for dinner is grilled chesse and tomato soup! We're at the end of the first week and still having a wonderful time!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 4

It was another day of gorgeous weather! We had our classes as normal and a general swim this afternoon. We've just finished fourth period class and are on to activity period. For dinner this evening we'll be having "eat out." What this means is that all campers sit at a table not with their counselors or any other camper from their cabin. This way campers meet new people and make new friends.

Last night for evening program we decided to play Triad instead of Spies and Smugglers. Triad is a game of soccer with three goals instead of two. The camp divides into three teams to play; sometimes all campers play and sometimes we play in age groups (Hilltop, Lakeside, Seniors.) Everyone had a great time. Tonight will be our traditional game of Spies and Smugglers.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 3

Once again we had lovely weather today. For activity period today our counselors offered some fabulous options including going out on the Hunter, our camp sail boat, and Salsa dancing lessons. There was also a game of volleyball on the A Field and of course, the camper favorite, jumping off the tower. Tonight for dinner is tacos and Sue's delicious apple crisp. This evening we will play Spies and Smugglers. We're already half way through our first week and having a fantastic time!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 2

Today was a great day on the lake! We had all classes today including swimming, smallcraft, sports and arts and crafts. In arts and crafts campers are working on bags, bracelets and baskets. Supplies for pillows arrive tomorrow and the kids seem pretty excited for that. Right now it's activity period. Campers are jumping off the tower and playing games in the aquarium among other things. Tonight we will play another game on the field, perhaps "capture the flag." We're glad to have had such nice weather for the first few days.

It's only been a day but everyone seems to have settled in just fine. We're having chicken fajitas for dinner tonight! I'm sure everyone will have worked up an appetite with the afternoon's activities by the time the dinner bell rings.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

Second Session Girls '09-Day 1

Campers for the second session arrived this afternoon and we're off and running already! All new campers took a swimming test to see what level they will take classes in and we had a general swim this afternoon. Campers also decided whether they will be taking archery, tennis or both during the session as part of their sports class. Cabins are finishing up tours of the camp right now and getting ready for dinner which will be hotdogs followed by brownies as always. Then in keeping with first night tradition we will play Medical War on the A-Field.

The weather forecast is very promising for the week to come so we're hopeful all classes will be uninterupted this week and that we'll be able to spend plenty of time playing outside!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 13

Yesterday was a fun, albeit unusually cold, day at Asto Wamah. We played a few fun games in the afternoon and enjoyed the camp favorite dessert, Chocolate Pudding Pie, after lunch. Last night was our end of session banquet. Campers recieved Birch Barkers and year awards as we enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal. We ended the evening with a candle light service.

Today is our final day of classes. Tonight we will have Awards Camp Fire for our final evening program. Campers will recieve certificates of achievment if they passed swimming or boating and ribbons if they placed in any track meet events.

Tomorrow morning the campers go home. Don't forget that they can be picked up no earlier than 8:30 am and NO LATER THAN 10:30 AM.

It's been a wonderful session! We're so glad all you parents chose to send your girls here to be Girls from Asto Wamah!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 11

Yesterday was a very rainy day here at Asto Wamah. We were able to get most of the morning classes done as usual but a storm came in the afternoon so instead of fourth period we played a great game of Reverse Scavenger Hunt! In this game campers bring ten items from their cabin to the game and then use those items to create different scenes such as "Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Woods" or "A boating class" in their cabin groups. Everyone had a great time. Last night was our Asto Wamah talent show. We had everything from singing to skits to Irish step dancing. The kids really did a wonderful job.

Today the weather has been very nice so far and our classes are going along normally. We will have lasagna for lunch which we are all very excited about. This afternoon instead of Activity Period we will have a special guest performer! Each session we have some type of show for one days activity and this session we will have a ventriloquist.

We're not sure what evening program will be tonight yet, but we do know it will be our last camp game of the session. Tomorrow evening is our banquet and friday is our awards camp fire. The session is flying by so fast!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 9

Today we returned to our normal class schedule and it was a beautiful day for it. We had chicken fingers and mac and cheese for lunch and everyone is very excited to have homemade pizza for dinner. Right now it's activity period. Some kids are on a treasure hunt with a few counselors and others are playing pirate wars in boats on the lake. Tonight we will play the camp favorite "Pirates" where campers use mini flour sacks as "guns" to battle each other and hunt for the other teams pirate chest. They get extra points for picking up any trash they find in the woods.

Campers have also been working on articles for the Birch Barker which they will recieve at Banquet Thursday night and are practicing for tomorrow night's talent show. Less than a week left so we are all very busy!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 8

Today is track and field day here at Asto Wamah! This morning we had several events on the A-Field including the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw and the 50-yard dash. After rest hour we continued our events with the 1/2 mile marathon and swim races. We also had our traditional "Indian War Relay," a relay in which all campers participate as either a swimmer, runner, row boater, canoer or boat passenger to deliver a baton from one end of camp to another. In all events green and white teams competed against each other. We're not finished yet though! Tonight we will have some more green and white games including an obstacle course.

We're having leftovers for dinner this evening. Tomorrow we resume a normal class schedule.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09- Day 7

Happy Fourth of July! We've had a wonderful holiday here at Asto Wamah. This morning we walked all the campers around the lake to the Town of Columbia Parade.  Many of the campers wore red, white and blue showing off their American pride! The parade was great though I'm sure all the candy that was thrown is what the girls enjoyed most. We've just gotten out of the water from general swim and are headed up the the A Field for a game of Non-stop Cricket. We'll have activity period as always today and then enjoy hotdogs for dinner. Today we also chose green and white captains for tomorrow's traditional Asto Wamah track and field day and split the rest of the campers into two teams. There are two captains for each section of cabins. We still aren't sure what game we will play this evening, perhaps the camp favorite"Pirates," but whatever it is it will be the first game we play on our green and white sides.

After the game tonight we will watch the fireworks over the lake and have ice cream sundaes to celebrate!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 6

Today we started out with nice weather and were able to carry on with classes as usual. We had a thunderstorm this afternoon so we played a camp trivia game inside for general swim time. Right now the campers are playing board games and working on arts and crafts projects inside for activity period. Last night we had a special treat for evening program. The LT's (Leadership Trainees) threw a mexican themed indoor carnival. There was face painting, limbo, a hula hoop contest, musical chairs, word association and a game of "stick the hat on pablo."

We're having chicken fajitas for supper tonight and if the weather holds we'll be able to play "Murder by Night," a camp murder mystery detective game, for evening program. One of our staff members that is on a day off will be the "murder victim." Which staff member "killed" them? It's up to the campers to find out!

The weather forecast is for sun in the morning and if so we'll be taking the kids to the July 4th parade in town!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09- Day 5

Well we've had some rainy weather these past few days but that hasn't stopped the campers and staff from enjoying their time here. Swimming classes played indoor games yesterday and today a few brave campers went in the water while the rest learned lifeguarding skills. Boating classes stayed inside yesterday and raced to identify parts of different boats and also played some boating bingo. Today boating classes were able to go out despite the overcast sky. We played a great game of "Spies and Smugglers" for evening program last night. The pink team (all campers with birthdays between July and December) won by nearly 1,000 points! We're still not sure what tonights game will be. It all depends on the weather.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09- Day 3

It was another gorgeous day here at Camp Asto Wamah. This morning we enjoyed waffles for breakfast and our new campers learned that Asto Wamah tradition is to have peanut butter on our waffles! Yum! We followed our usual class schedule and right now it's activity period. Kids are playing badminton, playing games in the aquarium swimming area and out with counselors on sunfish sailboats. We played board games inside for evening program last night after a sudden sun shower made the A-Field too wet to run on. Hopefully the weather will stay dry tonight so we can get out on the field for a good game of "Capture the Flag."

Supper this evening is tacos but more importantly everyone is excited that our cook, Sue, is making apple crisp for dessert.

All the campers seem to be back in the Wamah swing of things and having a great time.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09-Day 2

We've nearly made it through our first full day here at camp and it certainly was a nice one weather-wise. The campers had all their classes including swimming, boating, sports and arts and crafts today and they've just finished their first activity period. Some kids jumped off the tower, some went for a run and a few new campers learned some of our favorite camp songs! This evening for supper we will be enjoying grilled cheese and tomato soup and tonight we will play another game on the field. Everyone is enjoying themselves! It was a fabulous first day.

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

First Session Girls '09- Day 1

Well it turned out to be a beautiful day on Columbia Lake. The kids arrived this afternoon and although the weather forecast for today wasn't too promising, the sun is out and all the first year campers are in the water for a classification test. They will find out shortly what level of swimming they will be in this summer. After that we will play some games and spend some time getting to know each other. For supper tonight we will enjoy our usual first night meal of hotdogs, tator tots and brownies. If the weather holds out we will take to the A-Field for our traditional first evening program, Medical War. Although not to worry if a storm heads our way. Our Alternate Director, Drew, has enough inside games planned to last us the whole session if necessary ("knock on wood.") Tomorrow begins a normal daily schedule filled with fun activities for the campers and we are all very excited for it!

Abby Cabin 1 Counselor

The Staff Arrives

Today counselors and staff arrived and are busy at work preparing camp for the arrival of the first session campers on Saturday.  There is lots to be done---bunkhouses opened and aired out, boats put in the water, equipment carried up to the "A" field.  And these are only a few of the tasks ahead.  But the staff is tackling these projects with energy and enthusiasm.  Although it's overcast this morning, the sun is trying hard to emerge from behind the clouds--a good omen for the weeks ahead.