Terrific day Two, Tuesday!

Hello again Birch Bloggers! The campers came down to flagpole today bundled up in their sweatshirts and long pants, but no one was complaining especially when they saw the delicious cornbread and hot chocolate on the breakfast table. After breakfast the campers smoothly moved to clean the cabin and get to their camp duties. The first Tuesday of camp is always a fun day because the campers have learned all of the rules for swimming, boating, and the camp schedule so they can move from one class to the next with plenty of time for each activity. Most sports classes today played a fun and fast moving game of ultimate ball, a combination of football, handball, and ultimate Frisbee.

Lunch today was baked ziti with salad and rolls - a meal that quickly puts a wide smile onto everyone's face. Campers sang songs like Princess Pat, The Girls of Asto Wamah, and The Littlest Worm as they waited for their jello desserts. Then the campers moved to their cabins for a nice, relaxing rest hour. Since it was a little chilly after rest hour, campers were given the option to go in for general swim or they could head up to the A-Field for a few rounds Non-Stop Cricket. This game gave some campers a chance to run around and work together. There were still lots of swimmers who were very happy to jump right into the lake, everyone had a fun time!

The class schedule continued as many first years campers got their turn to row a boat for the first time. The smiles on their faces where priceless when they started to get the rhythm of the oars down and moved a big, heavy boat with four or five passengers inside!

During Activity Period campers had the option to jump off the Tower, go sailing in the Hunter, play aquarium games, or go paddle boarding.

Dinner was next, but first the campers learned who won cabin inspection. Cabins One, Old Six, and Six got the winning flag this time! The whole camp went to the lodge for some delicious chicken fajitas and rich chocolate cake.

The evening program game tonight is Spies and Smugglers! Half the campers, the smugglers, will be given paper with a certain number of points to smuggle from the lodge to the A-field. Popular smuggling strategies include hiding the paper in secret pockets, and/or running as fast as possible to avoid being tagged by the spies. The spies will try to catch the smugglers and guess where their paper is hidden. Spies have three guesses, and if they do not find the paper, the smugglers continue on their way. It is sure to be an exciting game!

Signing off for now!

The Birch Blogger

Merry Monday!

Welcome back blog followers! Today I was given a challenge for the blog. I have to do it in a rhyme so here we go...

Today the campers awoke on chilly Columbia lake,

Sue was in the kitchen ready to bake.

She made French toast slices with maple syrup too,

 she didn't have much left over, there were so few!

The campers went back to their cabins, full to the max,

for they had to clean the cabin, do camp duties, get ready for their classes and put sunscreen on their backs!

The day was a sunny one, but windy gusts kept the temperature low,

 The campers were a little chilly in the water but the sailors couldn't wait to go!

The campers started arts and crafts projects such as, bead/string bracelets, gimp, and journals galore,

The sports classes played Nuke 'Em ( a dodgeball game) and all the campers wanted to play more!

The Dinner today was chicken tenders with bbq and ketchup, green beans, and rice,

But the best part of the meal was the butterscotch pudding,which was oh so nice!

The campers went to the store for a  little extra sweet treat,

they were so excited by all the choices they could choose to eat!

Skittles, M&M's, Reeses's, and mentos were popular choices,

as long as during rest hour they kept down their voices.

The campers awoke after an hour of rest,

to go in for a general swim which was THE Best!

The campers then went to play games with the counselors, a period of fun activities and leisure time.

they went fishing, boating, jumping of the tower, and played badminton( a hard word to rhyme),

Supper tonight was a splendid feast,

we ate pulled pork beast!

The sandwiches were accompanied by applesauce,chips, and carrot sticks

The dessert was warm apple crisp,  a dessert that every camper picks!

The game on the field is Capture the Flag,

 The whole camp plays and tries to capture an old potato bag.

Tonight the campers will be read a story they chose,

then they will fall asleep quickly, I suppose :D

-The Birch Blogger

First day of Second Session Girls!

Welcome back Blog Followers! Excited new and old campers rolled down the camp road today at 1 o'clock ready for a full two weeks today! Campers got settled in their cabins and learned (or re-learned) the ropes at Camp Asto Wamah. The campers were first introduced to their counselors and their cabin-mates then went over rules, cabin goals, got a tour of the camp and played some fun ice breakers to get the conversations flowing. Staff members came around to check which boating and swimming classes the campers are in along with seeing if the campers would like to participate in Tennis or Archery during sports class.

When the first bell rang, all the campers and staff sat at our council ring. Nancy gave a warm welcome to all of the campers and went over camp life and expectations - a place where everyone is treated fairly and everyone fits in. Next we introduced the campers to all of our staff including counselors, Sue the cook, kitchen staff, our nurse, boating and swimming directors.

First year campers had their swimming classifications to see which level they would be in for swimming classes and general swim. This gave returning campers some time to catch up with old friends around the tether ball pole, knock hockey tables, and ping-pong table.

The next bell that rang was for our cookees to set up the dinner table and then for our traditional first meal of hot dogs and tater tots with Sue's delicious brownies for dessert, YUM.

As I blog the campers are listening to the rules for tonight's evening program - Medical War! Medical War is always played on the first night, it is a game of dodge ball with a twist. Each team has two medics and four guards; when a player gets out the medic can run to them and bring them back into the game! This is definitely a camp favorite of many returning campers.

It might be a bit too chilly tonight for a Quick Dip in the lake tonight but the cool weather will definitely make it easier to sleep on this first night. Counselors have already picked out what books they will be reading to the cabins throughout these two weeks- a relaxing tradition to help the campers to calm down and fall asleep better at night.

Thank you for reading and we will be back to give all the details on the first full day of camp tomorrow night!

The Last Day!

Today was our last full day of Session 1 Girls Camp. We started the day with a themed breakfast. Everyone came to flagpole dressed as Dr. Seuss characters, and each cabin did a short skit or song to represent a specific Dr. Seuss book. It was entertaining and really woke everyone up! We raised the flag and then ate bagels and cereal. Classes this morning were exciting, since many people learned that they passed into the next swimming and boating levels! Everyone improved so much this session and should be very proud of themselves! Campers who passed into the advanced level of boating or canoeing were able to go out on the lake by themselves during counselor swim and Activity Period today.

Dinner was Texas casserole--a meat, rice, and tomatoes dish, with baguettes and salad on the side. Peaches followed for dessert.

We enjoyed our last Rest Hour and General Swim, and then made the most of Activity Period. Today's activities included volleyball, zumba, aquarium games, paddleboarding, sailing, and jumping off the tower (newly passed level 4 swimmers took their first jumps!).

Supper was meatball grinders, carrots, applesauce, and chips, with lemon cake for dessert-yum!!

After supper, campers went back to their cabins to pack up anything they won't need to use tonight. Soon, we will meet in the council ring for our traditional last-night campfire. We will sing songs, eat s'mores, and give out awards for boating, swimming, track, cabin inspection, and LT trivia.

It has been a truly wonderful session. The campers are sad to be leaving tomorrow, but they are very excited to see their families!! Please come between 8:30 and 10 to pick up your child(ren).

Thanks for reading the Birch Blog!

-the Birch Blogger

Banquet Thursday!

Hip-Hip Hooray, It is Banquet Thursday!! Banquet Day is always a great day at Camp Ast0-Wamah. Campers awoke today excited to start the day before them!  They dined on waffles, with peanut butter and maple syrup ( a camp tradition). They also had their usual choice of cereal along with orange juice/hot chocolate. They proceeded with their usual morning classes, although counselors started to decide who had mastered the required skills over the two week session and were ready to pass into the next level. All the campers have worked very hard and even if they haven't passed their current level yet, they should feel proud of all they have accomplished in such a short time frame.

Dinner today was assorted sandwiches. Campers got to choose from peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish, and egg salad sandwiches. They then went to rest hour while the candlelight reader received a passage of  The Bible to read at tonight's banquet.   The candlelight reader is a camper chosen from their cabin to read a special verse about the goodness of light. This selected camper has demonstrated to their counselors that they are a responsible, helpful, mature, and considerate camper.

The rest hour ended at  3pm but due to the overcast the campers had some extra cabin time to plan out a cabin song they would sing at Banquet tonight. All the campers in the cabins came up with new lyrics to the tune of a camp song. All of camp then went to play a game on the field. The came was called "All around town". The camp was split into two teams, one team was in the field while the other was lined up, as close to one another as possible. A camper from hilltop, lakeside, and seniors was picked each round from the lined up team, to kick the dodgeball to the team in the field. The kicker then, ran around the entire team as many times as possible to score points for their team, while the team in the field caught the ball and lined up as well. The team in the field lined up so they could pass the ball down the line, through the legs of every team member. When the ball reached the end of the line, the whistle was blown and the runner had to stop. It is a quick and exhilarating game.

The campers then went to a shortened fourth period and then a shortened activity period before the banquet supper. Campers dressed in their least wrinkled shirts, many in the camp colors (green and white). Guests of Center Church and Camp Asto Wamah joined the festivities this evening. Banquet is always the second Thursday meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, gravy, and mints. Many campers have been counting down the days till banquet since they arrived! They had Shady Glen ice cream for dessert! Tonight's ice cream choices were chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate caramel crunch! YUM! The campers then cleared their tables in the upper lodge and sang some camp songs and then each cabin stood up and sang the cabin song they wrote lyrics for this afternoon. They were really creative! The campers also received their Birch Barker, a camp newspaper of sorts, it contains the winning team from Sunday's track meet, the winners of all the races, some stories and interviews submitted by campers, and illustrations of camp as well. The campers watched a slide show of pictures taken over the course of the two weeks! There were some funny photos for sure! Nancy then gave out the year awards to campers who are not staying for another two weeks. The campers then sang some more songs and prepared for the Candlelight service. The whole camp receives a candle and as the selected candlelight reader reads, Nancy lights every camper in that cabin's candle. The sight of all the light as the readers read the verses about the goodness of light is stunning.

The campers then blow out their candles and go back to their cabins to get ready for bed. The campers are not allowed to talk after they blow out their cabins to reflect upon the meaningful service. The counselors will read to them and then I'm sure they will be asleep in no time after such a busy day!

Tomorrow is our final full day! The campers will enjoy the traditional last evening campfire!

Until then,

-The Birch Blogger

Wacky Wednesday!

Today was another wonderful day at Camp Asto Wamah. After flag raising and a breakfast of English muffins and cereal, campers cleaned their cabins and did camp duties as  usual, before heading to their morning classes. Sports classes played nuke 'em, and boaters and swimmers worked hard on their skills, hoping to pass as we near the end of the session. Dinner was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots, and bread, with pears for dessert.

Everyone enoyed their Rest Hour, before heading down to the waterfront for a fun General Swim. The water has cooled off a bit this week, making it more refreshing to jump in the lake!

In 4th period, seniors tie-dyed in Arts and Crafts. It was messy but fun, and the shirts (or other articles of clothing) came out great!

For Activity Period, campers jumped off the tower, played volleyball, and went paddleboarding. Others took advantage of their free time to shower, in preparation for tomorrow's banquet.

At flag lowering, we learned that Cabins 1, 4, and 6 won cabin cleanup today! Since today is Wednesday, the kitchen's night off, supper was another eat-out. We ate cold-cut or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pickles, and chips, with cookies for dessert. Cabins went to docks, rafts, the gazebo, and the A-field. It's always nice to have a change of scenery!

For Evening Program tonight, we will play Murder By Night. In this game, one counselor has "murdered" another staff member (someone on their day off), and campers will be split up into teams in to try to solve the mystery. Counselors will have alibis will other counselors, and the one whose story doesn't match up is guilty. It is always a fun game!

Check in tomorrow for more updates!

-the Birch Blogger

Terrific Tuesday!

Hey there blog followers! Today was a B-E-A -utiful day on Columbia Lake!  The campers gathered around the flag pole in the summer sun for the pledge and chicken fat! They ate chocolate chip bread, cereal, oatmeal, orange slices, and drank orange juice/hot chocolate. The morning schedule was the same as usual, swimmers in the upper levels had a butterfly clinic and those in arts and crafts had the option to tie dye today! The boaters worked on their pivot turns and retrieving an oar from the water, while the sailors practiced shouting, "Coming About!" to signal their change in direction.  The dinner today was Italiano! One cheesey dish of Lasagna, accompanied by salad and bread. Dessert was vanilla pudding!  The campers went back to their cabins for rest hour at 2pm and then met back at the waterfront for a beautiful afternoon general swim at 3pm. The campers then went to fourth period. Today the activities being offered for activity period are, sailing on the Hunter (the largest sailboat in camp), jumping off the tower, stand up paddle boarding, and the option to work on their arts and crafts projects! The supper tonight is tacos with chocolate cake for dessert! YUM! Tonight's evening program is LT carnival. The LT's have planned several fun activities for the campers to play. The LT's will each lead an activity so it should be a lot of fun! The campers will be given beans to use as tokens to each game and they can win tokens at the games!

That is all for today!

Signing off from Columbia Lake,

-The Birch Blogger

Magnificant Monday!

Today, we awoke to sunshine and birdsong. We feasted on cereal, cornbread, yogurt, and nectarines for breakfast. A regular morning schedule followed. Dinner was chicken parm, spaghetti, bread, and salad, with frozen juice pops for dessert.

We had an exciting afternoon, due to a special program! After Rest Hour and General Swim, two guests came to Asto Wamah to teach us about birds of prey. They work in wildlife rehabilitation, and they brought with them some of their healing birds. We got to see a falcon, a red-tailed hawk, a baby screech owl, and a barn owl. We learned a lot, and the campers really enjoyed the show!

Because of the program, we skipped 4th period today. However, we still had Activity Period due to the pressing need to practice talent night skits. Everyone worked together to finalize their acts. Some campers whose skits were done went to activities such as jumping off the tower, aquarium games, and yoga.

Supper was grilled cheese, carrot sticks, and chips, with peach crisp for dessert!

After supper, everyone gathered by the lower lodge (the stage) to watch Talent Night. It was a great evening of performances. Highlights included some funny skits, singing and dancing solos, cabin dances, and a zumba flashmob. In between acts, we had commercial skit breaks. It was a fun night with lots of laughter. We have some really talented campers here at Asto Wamah!

Now, all the campers are fast asleep, getting ready for another fun day tomorrow!

-the Birch Blogger

Track Meet Sunday!

Good evening, blog followers! Today was an exciting day at Camp Asto Wamah--track meet! After a hearty breakfast of French toast, campers spent the morning on the A-field instead of going to their regular morning classes. The morning events included the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw, and 50-yard dash. Campers, split into green and white teams, competed against other campers in their area of camp--hilltop, lakeside, or seniors. Winners of each event earned points for the green or white team. It was a fun morning, with everyone trying their best and cheering each other on. Once the events were completed, everyone went in the lake for a short General Swim to cool off. Dinner was our traditional track meet meal of ham and noodles, corn, and bread. Dessert was apple turnovers-yum!

Everyone recharged during rest hour, getting ready for an active afternoon. Following rest hour, campers had the option of running the "marathon," a race starting at the A-field and going down part of the camp road, finishing in front of cabin 5 for a total of about at half mile. Lots of fast runners showed up for the challenge! Several campers tied with their friends on purpose, holding hands across the finish line, a good way to give everyone a chance to earn a place! After the run, we had swim races. As with the marathon, campers could choose whether or not they wanted to participate. Many people did, and everyone showed great effort!

Following these races, we had the Indian War Relay. This is a whole-camp relay that starts at the top of the camp road and continues into the lake with boaters and swimmers. Most campers were chosen to be runners-- they relayed the baton down the camp road to the lake, where the rest of the campers--boaters, canoers, and swimmers-- brought it home to main dock. It was a close race, but green team won!

After the relay, everyone checked in for a General Swim, a refreshing way to end the afternoon.  After, campers had a little time in their cabins to plan acts for Talent Night, which is happening tomorrow night! Many cabins are planning group skits, and some individuals are going to sing, dance, or do their own act.

Supper tonight was chicken melts, chips, and pickles, with green-and white-frosted cake for dessert! Campers seem energized by all the activity, and supper was followed by lots of energetic singing--a welcome sound!

Soon, campers will gather for a Round Robbin. They will rotate between activities such as obstacle courses and the bucket brigade (a team relay to carry water). In the spirit of track meet, points will be given to the team to finish their relay first. It is sure to be a lot of fun!

Until tomorrow,

-the Birch Blogger

Super Saturday!

Today we awoke to sunshine and no humidity- hip hip hooray! We had a sweet breakfast of cinnamon bread and cereal. Then, we had an exciting cabin cleanup.It was mid-session, so it was the day to switch bunks! Some campers who wanted a top bunk switched with those on the bottom.

We had a regular morning schedule. Boaters and swimmers were happy for a warm day to be on the lake! In Arts and Crafts, some campers finished their baskets-they came out really nice!

Dinner was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans, and bread, with butterscotch pudding for dessert!

Following dinner was our usual afternoon of Rest Hour, General Swim, and 4th Period. In 4th period, sailors enjoyed the gusts of wind in their sails. During Activity Period, some campers worked on their cabin skits or individual acts for Talent Night. Others went to activities offered by counselors; these included jumping off the tower, bracelet making, volleyball, and paddleboarding.

Everyone met for flag lowering and heard inspection winners. Today, Cabins 1, old 6, and 7 won! Supper was another eat-out meal. Campers ate buffet-style in front of the lodge. They were served hot dogs, pickles, and chips, and all of camp was free to sit where they wanted and mingle with other cabins. For dessert, we had cookies and fresh nectarines.

Tonight for evening program, we will have an exciting game of King Dodge, another version of dodgeball!

Tomorrow is track meet day! Check back tomorrow evening for results!

Fantastic Friday!

Hello again blog followers! Today was another cool and wet day on Columbia Lake. Campers awoke to bowls of warm Mapo- oatmeal, cereal, bagels, and orange juice/hot chocolate. The campers, dressed in their sweatshirts and sweatpants, enjoyed the warm dishes! The campers had a normal morning schedule because as 10 o'clock rolled around, the rain let up! The lake water is always a bit warmer on a cool cloudy day,  so campers in the upper swimming levels enjoyed working on their butterfly stroke today. Campers were allowed to get out of class a few minutes early to change back into warm clothes. The campers worked diligently on their projects in arts and crafts and continue to show improvement in their boating classes as well. The dinner today was a camp favorite, Sheppard's pie with salad and bread. The dessert was blue raspberry or lime sorbet. The campers enjoyed relaxing during rest hour and then instead of doing a general swim, the whole camp went up on the A-field to play a game of non-stop cricket. It was a lot of laughs!

The activities offered today were zumba, catch phrase, apples- to apples, Nuke em, and many campers decided to use the period to work on their talent night skits. I look forward to seeing some funny acts on Monday night! Today's inspection winners were cabins, 2,4,&6! The campers had a supper of chicken fajitas with applesauce and chips. They finished the meal with a dessert of pink cherry cake for dessert! YUM! Many campers also received something from their secret sister today. The sisters gave notes, bracelets, and complements sneakily so they can keep their identity a secret.

Tonight's evening program is one that campers wait all year for...PIRATES! The campers are split into two teams and are given a "pirate gun". The gun is a cloth filled with flour. The teams roam throughout the camp/woods trying to tag each other with their pirate gun. The  campers are all dressed in dark clothing so they will be able to tell if they are hit by a gun. If they get hit by a member of the opposing team, then they have to give up their pirate gun, which are worth points. While the two teams 'battle' each other for guns they are also looking for their teams' hidden treasure. Somewhere in camp, two jugs (treasures) are hidden and if they are found the teams get many extra points. It is going to be a great game.

Hope you all had a fantastic Friday! We sure did!

- The Birch Blogger

A Rainy Thursday!

Today was our first day of cool weather all summer. Everyone had a great night's sleep under their blankets and sleeping bags. We awoke to a light drizzle, but it wasn't heavy enough to keep us from our Chicken Fat! We had a hot breakfast of oatmeal and chocolate chip bread. The rain held off for our first two class periods, so some boaters and swimmers got to go in the lake! Second period boaters were caught in the middle of the lake as it began to rain, which made for an exciting row back to the dock! Everyone went back to their cabins to change into dry clothes before having third period indoors. Boating classes drew pictures to review parts of the boat. Swimming classes played Scategories.  Arts and crafts classes were the lucky ones, as a big fire was crackling in the lower lodge. Everyone hung around in their cabins during counselor swim. Dinner was a rich meal of ravioli, salad, and baguettes, with peaches for dessert.

After the meal, we had an extended Rest Hour--a rare thing, but something we all enjoyed. Snuggled up in our beds, we read, listened to music, or wrote letters for an hour and a half. When the bell rang, everyone met in the upper lodge for a camp-wide game of Counselor Trivia, instead of going in for General Swim. Each cabin got a list of questions, with each question belonging to a certain counselor. The first cabin to match all the questions to the correct counselor  won. It was a fun way to learn new things about the staff!

After the game, we began sometime that has never before been done at Asto Wamah. Everyone was given a "secret buddy." Each person in camp, staff and campers alike, drew the name of another camper or counselor from a hat. This person, who will remain secret until Sunday night, will be the recipient of random acts of kindness, notes, or any kind of positive recognition over the next few days. However, in order to keep one's secret buddy a secret, one must be nice to many people at once. The object of this activity is to be conscious of doing more kind things, and making one person's day a little brighter. In order to make sure everyone knew who their buddy was, we had everyone stand up one by one and introduce themselves--a great way to learn or review names!

We had shortened 4th and Activity Period. Activities included board games, Twister, hula hooping, and zumba!

After so much activity, everyone was ready for a hearty supper of cheese-steak sandwiches, carrot sticks, and chips. Dessert was a camp favorite, chocolate pudding pie--yum!

Now, campers are getting ready for an indoor evening program, a Skills Challenge. Cabins will compete against other cabins in their camp area to complete short challenges, such as the longest hula hooping, greatest number of push-ups in a minute, partner balancing acts, and picking up marbles with toes. It is a great way to have fun while staying dry!

As the cool weather continues, campers will get another good night's sleep. Hopefully, the sun will shine on Columbia lake tomorrow!

Until then,

-the Birch Blogger

Day 3!!!

Today, we awoke to bright sunshine. We did our Chicken Fat exercises and had a breakfast of waffles with peanut butter--a delicious camp tradition! We have reached the midway point of the first week, and campers are really beginning to settle into camp as they become familiar with the daily schedule and their classes. Everyone is improving rapidly in swimming and boating! I was impressed with my hilltop boating class, who are rowing very well for having only had a few classes. Dinner was a hearty meal of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, carrots, squash, and bread, with pears for dessert.

The afternoon ran as usual. Some fun activities offered for Activity Period included jumping off the tower, paddleboarding, and badminton. Some girls even went fishing with home-made fishing poles!

Supper tonight was "eat-out." The kitchen staff had the night off, so instead of a hot meal in the lodge, we had a picnic meal of peanut butter and jelly or cold-cut sandwiches, with chips, pickles, and cookies. Cabins went to various locations around camp to eat. Popular spots included rafts and docks. It was a beautiful evening to be dining on the lake!

Now, campers have gathered for an Evening Program of Spies and Smugglers! In this game, campers are split into two groups--the spies and the smugglers. The smugglers begin at the flagpole, where they are given pieces of paper with a certain number of points written on it. The smugglers hide the points somewhere in their clothing and then run as fast as they can to the A-field, where their points will be collected. The spies, on the other hand, start on the A-field and travel down through the paths and woods, trying to tag the smugglers. If a spy tags a smuggler, they have three guesses as to where the smuggler hid her paper. If the spy guesses correctly, the points go to the spy's team. If not, the spy is free to continue up to the field. After one round, the groups swap roles, so each camper gets a turn to spy and to smuggle. With lots of running around, and opportunity for creative in hiding points, it is always a fun game!

Check back tomorrow for more Wamah updates!

-the Birch Blogger

Day 2!!

Today, we awoke to a light rain pounding on the roofs of the cabins--nice and relaxing! We had a breakfast of cereal, oranges, and "Wamah Golden Bread," a sweet bread. By the time we had finished eating, the weather had cleared, so we were able to have regular boating and swimming classes. Many campers rowed boats for the first time. They did a great job! Sports classes played team-building games in the upper lodge because the A-field was too wet to play on. Arts and Crafts classes started many new projects, including pillows, friendship bracelets, gimp, and T-shirts. Dinner today was chicken fingers, rice, green beans, summer squash, and bread, with jello and whipped cream for dessert!

After working hard all morning, campers enjoyed their Rest Hour. The weather stayed clear for General Swim and 4th period classes. However, as the afternoon wore on, storm clouds rolled in, and everyone gathered in the lodge to stay dry as more rain and a bit of thunder hit. Counselors set up tables with various board games, and campers could pick a game to play for Activity Period. After, we had a meal of pizza, chips, and applesauce, with orange cake for dessert-yummy!

Because of all the rain, we played an indoor game for Evening Program. The game, Reverse Scavenger Hunt, involves cabins collectively bringing 10 items from the cabin to use as props in skits. They are given a scenario, such as impersonating a counselor, acting out a pop concert, or doing some sort of camp activity, and then have a few minutes to prepare a skit and perform it for the other cabins in their area of camp. For each scenario, the cabin with the funniest skit gets a point.  Because the skits involve a lot of improvisation, everyone always laughs a lot during this game!

After singing goodnight songs, some campers went in the lake for a quick dip to cool off before bed. Now, everyone is fast asleep, recharging for another fun-filled day tomorrow!

Until tomorrow,

-the Birch Blogger

First Full Day of Girls Camp!

Hello Blog Followers! Today was a beautiful day on Columbia Lake! The campers met at the flagpole at 8am for flag raising, the pledge of allegiance, and chicken fat (our morning stretch exercises). Today's breakfast included blueberry bread, a variety of cereals, and fresh orange slices, with orange juice and hot chocolate to drink-- a perfect way to start the day! Campers then went back to their cabins to do their cabin duties (sweep, straighten bunks, and straighten the clothesline). The next bell that rang was camp duties. A few campers from each cabin went to help the staff sweep the lodge, get the oars/paddles in the boats for boating classes, collect the garbage, and help clean bathrooms. At 10am, campers were excited to start their class periods. The first day of camp re-familiarizes the campers to the Asto Wamah routine. The campers travel to each period with the other campers in their areas (Hilltop, Lakeside, and Seniors).  In Arts and Crafts today, all campers made a journal/scrapbook to use during the session. They picked out fun-patterned paper for the cover and put filler paper in the middle, using ribbons or yarn to hold the book together.  Some campers started to make baskets with Carol. In boating classes, our smallcraft director Colleen went over the parts of the boat and proper boating procedures. In sports, campers  played a fun game up on the field, and in swimming classes, instructors evaluated campers' strokes and skills to see where most practice was needed. Campers went to three classes in the morning and then to one in the afternoon (fourth period). At Dinner (we eat our big meal of the day at lunch time), campers feasted upon ziti, salad with ranch dressing, and baguettes. They finished the meal with chocolate pudding! After Dinner, campers got to pick out a candy treat at the "store" to take with them to rest hour.  Rest hour was from 2-3pm,  a time for campers and counselors alike to rest, listen to music, read a book, write a letter, or work on an arts and crafts project. Once the hour was over, the whole camp went in for a general swim before the fourth period of the day. The last event before supper was activity period. During activity period, the campers were offered a choice to participate in a game on the field, jump off the tower, or play aquarium games. Some campers who had signed up were taken out on our stand-up paddleboards, and a few got to go out on a Sunfish (our small sailboats)!

Supper was promptly at 6pm and included chicken patties, carrots, applesauce,  and chips. The dessert tonight was cheesecake, a camp favorite! After supper, the campers went up on the field to play a camp-wide game of capture the flag. It should be a fun one for sure!  The campers will play until 8:30 or so and then get ready for bed at 9pm. Tonight the campers will be so exhausted from such an exciting day that they should have no problem falling asleep!

Until Tomorrow!

-The Birch Blogger

Session 3 Begins!

Welcome to Girls Camp! Today, we welcomed a fresh new group of campers to Asto Wamah. Campers settled into their cabins, met their counselors and cabin-mates, and said goodbye to their families. Once all campers had arrived, cabin groups took tours of camp, played icebreakers to learn names, and talked about cabin goals. Then, the whole camp met in the council ring for camp rules and expectations, staff and LT introductions, and important information about the waterfront. Once the basic rules had been explained, new campers were the first in the lake as they showed us their swimming skills in order to be classified into swimming levels. Everyone else got their chance to swim afterward, in our first General Swim of the session. Since it was getting close to suppertime, the swim wasn't too long, but it was enough to get everyone cooled off! At 5:45, the cookee bell rang, signaling two designated people from each cabin to come set their table for supper. Each day, campers will switch off between various cabin duties such as cookeeing and disheeing (clearing the table).  At 6, everyone gathered at the flagpole to lower the flag for the night. Starting tomorrow at this time, we will hear the results of cabin inspection--whoever has the cleanest cabin in their area of camp that day.

Supper was our traditional first-night meal-- hot dogs, tater tots, and baked beans, with delicious brownies for dessert. Asto Wamah is known for its good food, and tonight showed new campers that they are in for a real treat with Sue's cooking!

Now, campers are on the A-field for Evening Program, a whole-camp game. Tonight's game is Medical War, a variation of dodgeball. It is sure to be a fun game!

After, campers will sing goodnight songs before heading back to their cabins for bed. Each counselor has selected a book and will read to their cabin to help them fall asleep. We hope everyone gets a good night's sleep before our first full day tomorrow!

Check back tomorrow evening for more updates!

-the Birch Blogger

The Last Day!

Today was our last full day of camp. Everyone made the most of their final time here, working hard in their classes and having fun with their camp friends. While the campers are sad to be leaving camp, they are excited to see their families tomorrow! Breakfast today was French toast with butter and syrup-yum! After breakfast, we had our usual morning of cabin cleanup, camp duties, and classes. Any swimmers and boaters who had not yet passed found out today whether or not they would move to the next level. In Arts and Crafts, campers finished their projects- they made so many wonderful things this session!

Dinner was Texas casserole- a dish of rice, tomatoes, and meat, with a side of salad. Dessert was vanilla pudding with whipped cream!

The afternoon schedule ran as usual, with the exception of an exciting Activity Period. Many campers were chosen for a Pirates battle on the lake! They went out in Sunfish, our smaller sailboats, versus the Hunter, our big sailboat. In addition to this battle, many campers who had just passed into advanced boating or canoeing took advantage of their new privilege and took a boat out alone or with friends. Newly passed level 4 swimmers got to take their first jumps off the tower! Other campers played in the Wamah Bowl, a football game on the A-field with LTs and staff. Despite the heat, they had a fun game!

Supper was pulled pork, carrot sticks, applesauce, and chips, in addition to many glasses of water- everyone is doing a great job staying hydrated! Dessert was peach crisp- delicious!

Now, campers are beginning to clean their clotheslines and cabins, putting anything they won't need tonight into their trunks and laundry bags. Once they are done, we will be ready for our traditional last-night Campfire. The only difference is that there will be no fire-it's too hot! However, there will still be s'mores, oven-baked, and campers will still gather in the council ring to sing songs and receive boating, swimming, track meet, and archery awards. After, we will all gather in the lodge to watch a slide show of photos from the session. It is always nice to look back and remember all that has happened in the two weeks.

We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Please come between 8:30 and 10.

Thanks for reading the Birch Blog!

Banquet Thursday!

Today was our second-to-last day of camp, and the hottest day yet. We had a breakfast of English muffins, orange slices, and cereal before our regular morning schedule. Many campers were notified that they had fulfilled the necessary requirements of their swimming or boating levels and had passed! Others will hear the news tomorrow. While some campers will remain in the same level, it is important to realize that everyone has improved tremendously and should be very proud! Since supper tonight was banquet, we had a lighter lunch. Egg salad, tuna, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were the options, along with carrot sticks, chips, and applesauce. Dessert was refreshing lime Italian ice.

We had an extended General Swim to stay cool in the afternoon before Activity Period. Activites today included ultimate frisbee, an archery tournament, and the usual favorites of jumping off the tower and aquarium games.

Supper tonight started at 6:30 in order to give the kitchen extra time to prepare the meal. We had our flag lowering and cabin inspection winners- cabins 1, 4, and 6 won today! Then, everyone went into the upper lodge for our traditional end-of-session banquet. Normally, the tables are moved off the porch and inside the upper lodge so that the whole camp is sitting together inside the upper lodge, but today, given the weather, everyone ate at their usual tables in the ordinary style. However, the Thanksgiving-like meal was just as special! Everyone enjoyed the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, and bread. Dessert was a choice between chocolate caramel crunch and cookie dough ice cream--delicious! After the meal, everyone moved outside to the council ring, where it was a little breezier. Here, we sang songs and gave out year awards. The LT's received their traditional staff clipboards as their awards. They did a great job this session; we are all so thankful for their hard work! After awards, we had our candlelight ceremony. Each camper received a candle, and cabins came down to the lake one by one to put their candle into the water. One exemplary camper from each cabin was chosen to read a passage about light from the Old Testament as their cabin's candles were lit. The candles looked beautiful floating in the lake! From the start of the ceremony until tomorrow morning, campers will have a night without talking, giving them quiet time to reflect on their two weeks and camp, and how camp may have been a light in their lives. Everyone has made new friends, learned new things, and become a better person. It has been a great session!

Until tomorrow,

-the Birch Blogger

Wonderful Wednesday!

The heat wave continues! On days like today, we are so lucky to be living in the woods on a lake. We spent the day in the water. After a rich breakfast of waffles and peanut butter, we had a morning of boating, swimming, sports, and arts and crafts. Boating classes today floated in life jackets and played water games instead of going out into the hot boats. Sports classes also played in the water. Dinner was a delicious meal of chicken parm, spaghetti, salad, and bread, with chocolate pudding and whipped cream for dessert! We had a regular afternoon schedule, and sports class was able to be held on the A-field in the afternoon shade, and boaters went out on the lake!

Supper tonight was eat out-- sandwiches, pickles, chips, grapes, and cookies. Cabins ate at various locations around camp, including many docks and picnic tables. Everyone had a lot of fun!

Now, campers are heading up to the A-field for evening program. Tonight's time will be split between a game of Capture the Flag and a general swim. Everyone will be nice and cooled off before bed!

Tune in tomorrow for more Wamah updates!

-the Birch Blogger

Terrific Tuesday!

Today was another scorcher! As with yesterday, we spent as much time as possible in the lake. After a breakfast of cornbread, melon, and cereal, we had a regular morning schedule. Everyone is improving rapidly in their boating and swimming classes! Dinner was a meal with many options--pork patties, mashed potatoes, ziti, squash, carrots, applesauce, baked beans, and bread, with peaches for dessert.

The afternoon was also spent in the water. Campers enjoyed a long general swim and many water games during Activity Period.

Supper was meatball grinders, cucumbers, and chips, with cheesecake for dessert. Yummy!

As I write, campers are getting ready for tonight's evening program, the LT Carnival! The LT's have set up games and activities on the A-field for the campers to play.  It is sure to be a fun evening! After, campers will take a quick dip before going off to bed.

Until tomorrow!

-the Birch Blogger