Welcome to our new readers, and welcome back to all of our returning Birch Blog followers! Our last session of the summer, second girls’, started today. The weather for moving in was pretty perfect, as it was not too hot or cold, and there was breeze flowing throughout camp. Happy campers came marching in with smiles and excitement, followed by the LTs who helped move in their things. After everyone was settled on in their cabins, we went around to ask the girls if they wanted to try archery or tennis during sports, their boating levels, and their swimming levels. The girls then went on tours around camp to refresh or introduce themselves the lay of the land. We then all gathered to do introductions and some general rules for camp. Afterwards we got the new girls in the water to get tested for their swimming levels. Everything went well and many were ecstatic to get in our beautiful lake. We all gathered for supper, which of course was our traditional first meal: hotdogs, tater tots, baked beans, and brownies for dessert. Evening program tonight will be our classic Medical Wars! We hope that the rain holds off! There is so much positive energy around camp— this session looks like it will be a good one! We are really looking forward to the next two weeks. Until tomorrow!
Campfire to End a Fabulous Session
This morning began with beautiful weather rolling on in for our last full day at camp. We had English muffins for breakfast! The girls were eager to get their final results for their classes, and we had many smiling faces after classes. The swim classes that had already been tested were able to go out on paddle boards, have diving contests, and/or jump off of the tower. For dinner we ate ziti and chocolate pudding for dessert. There were many more happy faces after the afternoon class with more girls passing up. We had many sailboats out this afternoon because the conditions were fantastic for sailing! For supper we had tacos and vanilla cake with chocolate frosting for dessert. Evening program tonight was our classic campfire. During it we sang many of our favorite camp songs, presented boating and swimming awards, and of course, ate s’mores. Track and field day results were also announced, with the Green Team beating the White Team. It was bittersweet to see all of the girls hugging their friends at the end of campfire—I am sure that they will all miss each other. This group was outstanding and we cannot wait to see these girls again next session or next year! Pickup is from 8AM-9:30AM, and we will see you all tomorrow! Thanks for reading this session!
Banquet!
This morning we woke up to blueberry bread for breakfast! I believe that it may be the all around favorite breakfast meal for this session. Though it was a bit chiller today, the girls were still eager to hop on into the water and boats in order to get tested for their classes. Tomorrow will be a big day, as they will all find out if they passed up to the next level. For dinner, we ate sandwiches since everyone had to save some room for our big feast later in the day. Dessert was pears. Since it was still chilly this afternoon, we decided to play a fun game called Murder by Night rather than going in for general swim. Murder by Night is kind of like real life clue where we have a fake murder at camp and the campers go around to see which one of the counselors “murdered” another staff member. The girls have to see whose alibi checks out, and whoever does not have a matching alibi may be the “murder.” After our game the day continued with activity period and counselors’ swim. Finally, it was time for banquet! Everyone chowed down on turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and cranberry sauce, followed by either cookie dough or caramel ice cream for dessert. Once the eating portion was done, we displayed our slideshow of pictures from this session, followed by camp songs, and then year awards. We finished our day with our candlelight service. It was a peaceful end to another great day. We cannot believe that there is only one full day left! This group has been amazing and we are looking forward to tomorrow!
Another Wonderful Wednesday!
We started off our day this morning with the revealing of our secret sisters. It was great to see the girls thanking one another for all of the nice things that they had done for each other. For breakfast we had a surprise… banana bread! I can say that it was delicious and filling! This morning, classes continued on as normal, although it was on the chillier side. For dinner we had beef barbecue and vanilla pudding for dessert. After rest hour we all headed up to the A-field and played Run Around Town, which is essentially a kickball game where you score points by running around your teammates. It was a close, competitive, and fun game, with the score being 20 (Team Quack)-19 (Team Moo). As the day went on, the more beautiful the weather became. Thus many of our newly passed boaters were able to go out on the lake and soak up some sun while utilizing their recently developed skills. For supper we had eat out due to the kitchen having their final night out, so we had many cabins out eating on the docks together. Tonight we have LT carnival for evening program! Their theme this year is outer space. Many of the campers are excited to see which games they have prepared. It will be fun for sure! We are looking forward to banquet tomorrow and a great last two days at camp!
What a Day!
Today started off in the best way possible… waffles with peanut butter. This amazing camp tradition is the best way to start any day, but the day only got better from there. Swimmers who were eligible were able to swim to Frog Island this morning, and very very shallow spot across the lake from camp. Swimmers are supervised by rowboats and take a leisurely pace- but it is quite the achievement! When they are done they get to add their name to the Frog Island Swim Book, the current version began in 1997, so they’re adding their names to history. Secret Sisters continued today with crafting going on all day long to spoil our Secret Sisters. It is so wonderful to see how thoughtful people are- learning about favorite activities, favorite colors- all so they can be surprised with bracelets and paintings, among other things. Tomorrow morning everyone will reveal themselves to their Secret Sister. It is so hard to believe that tomorrow is Wednesday already! Banquet and Campfire will soon be upon us, and it all comes to a close…. much too soon for my liking! We will continue to make the most of every day we have here though, fun in the sun, playing in the lake!
Secret Sisters and a Good Day
This morning for breakfast the campers awoke to cinnamon bread, back by popular demand! At breakfast, two of the senior girls announced that we would be doing secret sisters this session. Essentially, secret sister is when you choose a random name out of a bucket and do nice things for the person you chose. You can make something for them in arts and crafts, write them a nice letter, or even do something as simple as giving them a compliment. The catch is that you cannot tell them that you have them until the reveal that we will host within the next couple of days. This prompted many to start making even more arts and crafts. So far I have seen some pretty cool tote bags, bracelets, necklaces, acrostic poems, and sweet letters. I am excited to see the kindness continue around Asto Wamah via secret sister. The weather was extremely nice today, making it a great day to be in the lake. Swimming classes continued with even more girls passing up out of their levels. We really have some hard workers this session! For dinner we had noodles, ham, and sorbet for dessert to help us cool down. It was a beautiful day to be on the lake, as many campers chose to spend their activity period in the water after general swim and forth period. Supper tonight was grilled cheese and chocolate pudding pie for dessert. We had a thrilling evening program tonight, a camp favorite, Pirate Gangs! The campers clearly had lots of fun since I saw many girls covered in flour as they ran past me. We are hoping for another great day tomorrow with lots of water time and more secret sister fun!
A Day Full of Talent
This morning started off with french toast for breakfast. It was delicious! Due to the colder weather, we did alternate activities for our classes. In swim classes the campers played Scattergories which was very competitive, but loads of fun. During boating the girls were able to create people with pipes and give them a backstory. I think my favorite person had to be Willy from the 43rd of May created by cabin 8. In sports, the girls played a variety of games such as Roll or Die, Wild West Showdown, Follow the Leader, and Who’s missing. The campers continued on their projects in arts and crafts, all of which are beautiful thus far. For dinner we ate chicken parm with spaghetti. Dessert was peaches. At dinner we announced that tonight’s evening program would be talent night. So, after rest hour we gave the girls time to rehearse their acts since it was still a bit chilly for a general swim. The campers then went to their forth period class followed by activity period. For supper we chowed down on meatball grinders, followed by green and white cake for dessert. After all the anticipation it was time for the talent show! We had many great acts such as a beautiful song, “You Are My Sunshine” on the trumpet, and some great cabin skits. One cabin imitated what boys camp is like, another did an infomercial for our iconic dishee rags, and one did a bunch of mini skits as if the audience was flipping through TV channels. All around it was a great talent night filled with laughs and applause. We are hoping for better weather tomorrow so we can return to our classes, and it looks like it will be full of sunshine. Until tomorrow!
Track and Field Day!
Apologies for the two day gap in the Birch Blog, things around camp have just been so busy and fun! As all returning readers already know, track and field day is usually on Sunday, but since it is supposed to rain tomorrow we decided to push it to today. This morning the girls ate English muffins for breakfast before the start of their athletic day. After breakfast, the campers headed on up to the A-field for the morning events. This included: the softball throw, the standing long jump, and the long jump. After all the different areas of camp were able to give it their all at each station, we set up for the 50 yard dash. There was lots of cheering echoing throughout camp, and of course the sportsmanship was superb. For lunch we had a camp favorite: shepherd’s pie. Dessert was banana pudding. After the girls stuffed themselves full with food after their active morning, they were able to rest for rest hour. In the afternoon we started off with the marathon, followed by the relay triathlon, and then the swim races. It looks to me as though the green team may be in the lead! We also offered a diving contest during activity period where the top three girls won free store! Since the kitchen had another one of their nights out, we had eat out in our backyard barbecue style. Meaning that the girls were able to grab hot dogs, chips, pickles, and bug juice and pick somewhere to eat with their friends. Tonight we will finish up our track and field day with relay races and more fun events! I will be keeping you all updated on who will win first girls’ track meet! Do we think white will pull through, or will green continue to dominate?
Food, Fun, and More Fishing
Today started off on the chillier side, but as the day progressed the weather only got more beautiful. For breakfast this morning the campers chowed down on waffles—it is a camp tradition to put peanut butter on top of your waffles which is so delicious! Morning classes were filled with exuberance, as today many of the girls started in their new class levels. During some swimming classes campers were able to jump off of the tower for the first time. For dinner, everyone happily ate chicken tenders with rice and corn as sides. Dessert was vanilla pudding! We lucked out on missing a huge storm, so we were able to have general swim after rest hour as usual. Fishing has continued to be quite popular this session, and I can for sure say that I have never seen as many fish caught throughout all nine years I have been at camp as I have within these first three days of this session. Since today is Wednesday, the kitchen had their night out, so we had eat out for dinner. This means that the girls were able to put in their orders for sandwiches… turkey, ham, or a PB & J. They were also able to eat in various places around camp such as the docks, the a field, or a picnic table. Tonight we are playing another camp favorite: spies and smugglers! Although, I do not think that any of the girls have guessed that this is the game tonight. Another great day is down in the books.
Trying New Things!
The campers awoke this morning with a surprise for breakfast… a new blueberry bread with icing on the top. After talking to many of the girls, the general consensus was that it was delicious and that they would definitely eat it again! Due to the immense amount of enthusiasm in classes, today was a day where we were able to pass many girls out of their current levels in their boating and swimming classes. Thus it was great to see many new faces in deep water and intermediate during general swim! For dinner we had baked ziti and butterscotch pudding for dessert. Truly a hardy and delicious meal. The sun shown all day, making it a great day for many fun camp activities. We had some senior girls eager to try fishing and a first time fisher caught a HUGE fish—so fun! Of course, we released the fish back into the lake and watched it swim away. With this excitement surrounding fishing, we now have many more campers wanting to give fishing a try, and we sure do love it when campers want to try new things! Speaking of trying new things, we had a group of girls go out on the paddle boards who had not done it before here. We even had one girl successfully do a headstand, as we attempted to do yoga on the paddle boards. After all of this fun around camp we came together for grilled cheeses for supper. For dessert the girls devoured fruity Italian ice to cool them down after their day of newness. Evening program tonight is garbage collector which will be a fun surprise for girls. We are excited to try many more new things throughout the session and see the campers love doing it!
First Full Day Down
The bell rang with excitement this morning as camp prepared for its first full day. The campers were delighted to munch on some pancakes paired with orange juice (and of course, our camp tradition, hot chocolate after they sipped down the OJ) for breakfast this morning. Things had cooled down last night, so we made sure to adjust our schedule accordingly. With the first day of classes underway campers were thrilled to jump back into the lake and boats, run around on the a-field, and make arts and crafts with Deb. There was quite a bit of enthusiasm from the campers, as they were eager to start bettering their skills and make up for the lost time from the crazy COVID year. With a great morning under our belts, we all sat down for another camp favorite for dinner: Swedish meatballs! After stuffing our stomachs full of delicious food everyone was ready for rest hour. But first… store! Campers were eager to grab their favorite candies before rest hour and in line we were all bonding over everyones’ astrology signs (so fun to guess who is a scorpio, taurus, cancer, etc.). Finally it was time for rest hour! It was great for the girls to have some time to themselves and rest up for a mid-day game. Since it was a little bit on the chillier side we played non-stop cricket instead of general swim. After non-stop, the girls headed to their forth period class, followed by activity period. Many campers lined up to jump off of the tower while others chose to do some friendship bracelets in the arts and crafts room. For supper we enjoyed pulled pork sandwiches and chocolate pudding for dessert. Evening program tonight is capture the flag which the girls are currently getting ready for. It was a terrific first day, and we are looking forward to many more like it!
Girls' Camp is Back!
After some long awaited time, girls’ camp is back! The day started with everyone moving on into their cabins with smiles on their faces and a little bit of sweat from the heat—we will take the heat over the rain though! It was so great to see new and old faces even under the masks! Campers were finally reunited with one another after a very long gap year, and you could see many new friendships already forming. With everyone moved into their new homes for the next two weeks campers and staff were able to take some time to get to know each other and camp. In between tours of the grounds and all of those ice breakers, you could hear the laughter echoing throughout the paths. After introductions all of our new campers were able to test for their swimming levels and jump into the lake! Everyone else was able to join for a quick general swim before dinner. The water was filled with happy campers eager to cool off after the hard task of moving in. You could say our first general swim went swimmingly;) For dinner, a camp classic: hot dogs (veggie nuggets for the vegetarians), tater tots, and beans. And let me tell you… it hit the spot. Evening program tonight is another tradition for the first night back: medical wars! After talking to some of the returning campers in cabin 8, I can for sure say it is a favorite among many. You can feel the excitement in the air for the next two weeks—we sure are looking forward to them!
Banquet to end an amazing day!
Today was amazing, probably the best weather we have had all session! We of course made the most of it. We started off the day with the Seniors who were eligible swimming to Frog Island. 3 boats worth of kids- 9 kids in total- swam all the way there and back! It was the perfect day for it. The rest of the day was a typical day in the water- swimming, boating, sailing, and more swimming! Activity Period choices included some classic camp activities- jumping off the tower, gaga, a diving contest, and cornhole.
Then, we ended the night with Banquet and our Candlelight Service. Banquet is our big celebration meal, and features delicious turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and for dessert Shady Glen Ice Cream! The boys then sang lots of songs, before we had the Candlelight Service. We had to hold it inside because it was too windy, but it was beautiful nevertheless. By the end of the readings, the whole circle of boys and staff are each (safely!) holding a lit candle, and it really is a stunning sight. Then, all the candles are blown out, and everyone sings goodnight songs while facing the lake. The rest of the night is silent, and is intended to be a reflection on our two weeks here.
My reflection is this: we here at Asto Wamah are all better people, sometimes in little ways, sometimes in big ways, because of this place and the people found within.
Sorry for the delay! Monday catch up...
Yesterdays weather was bright, sunny and hot! Just kidding. It rained again :) We of course made the best of it! Sports was inside, with the boys playing ping-pong baseball. Arts and Crafts went on as usual, you’ll be impressed to see all the boys are learning! Some are making hacky sacks that they are sewing themselves! Lots of painting, wood burning, and beading going on. We did do swimming lessons- why not? You’re wet anyway! Boating, canoeing, and sailing went on as well. After Rest Hour the boys who wanted to went swimming, and everyone else played Tetherball and Knock Hockey. Evening Program was Reverse Scavenger Hunt, where the boys all go back and pick 10 items per cabin, and then compete in skits that they make up using those items. Skits included re-inacting Chicken Fat, a Buddy Check- and as always they were very amusing. The boys love this because its funny- and they LOVE when the counselors participate and are goofy with them.
More rain today… but we are keeping everyone as occupied and as happy as we can :) Stay dry!
TRACK AND FIELD DAY - BOYS 7/11
Good evening to our Wamah readers!! Today was one of our favorite days and traditions of the session…TRACK AND FIELD DAY!!!!!! We started out the morning with some delicious peach bread with the option of hot or cold cereal as well. Alongside we also had orange juice and some nice hot coco. Following breakfast, instead of our normal daily schedule, we headed up to the A-Field in our Green and White teams to take part in the Running Long Jump, the Standing Long Jump, the Softball Throw, and the 50 Yard Dash where each team had the opportunity to earn points for their prospective team. Following the competitions the campers headed down to a morning general swim to cool off after all the running around. Following the general swim we had our traditional dinner of ham and mashed potatoes with a side of corn, and for dessert the campers had a choice of either orange or raspberry sorbet. Following dinner we had our normal rest hour and then following rest hour the campers had the option to participate in the marathon with is a little under half of a mile which takes place mainly on the camp road. Following the marathon the whole camp participated in the traditional triathlon which consists of running, swimming, and boating. For supper we some yummy left overs, also known as pick up, and same with dessert. For evening program we had camper relay races as well as other fun relay games where the campers could compete against each other to collect more points for their team.
Overall today was a very fun and exciting day here at Asto Wamah and we can not wait to see what the second half of this week brings!!
-Carmela
Happy that Elsa has left!
Not only did Elsa bring a lot of rain with her, she also brought a half hour of sleep for everyone in camp! The rain lasted until about 1:30pm, and it took the sun a little while to come out- but what a great afternoon this turned out to be! We spent the morning doing classes inside- building tall towers, playing scattergories, and building a domino rally. The afternoon was like a different day than the morning was! General Swim was on, people participated in activities for Activity Period- soccer, jumping off the tower, and more! The best part of the storm was to see how eager all the boys were to just be outside! Mornings like Elsa brought us make us appreciate the sunny afternoons we have. Other than the lake being high (very high!) we fared very well overall. Off to supper- pulled pork!
Thunderstorms in the Afternoon... Again!
Another amazing day spent IN beautiful Columbia Lake! Everyone spent all morning swimming, boating, sailing, fishing, paddleboarding- you name it, we did it! We started out our day with English Muffins for breakfast, we had delicious baked ziti for lunch, and even though we ate in, we had “eat out” food for dinner- sandwiches, chips, cookies, and bug juice! Everyone went in for General Swim- even the LT’s! We managed to stay outside until the first line of storms ran through, when we all came in to sing some songs. After dinner everyone got some energy out before the next line of storms came through, but it was quick so we weren’t done with directions for our game as the storm was blowing out. The lake was beautiful tonight- the perfect background for Spies and Smugglers- the Purple Penguins won! We sang songs while everyone had snack, and now everyone is getting settled in for the night- and the temperature has dropped a little bit, so hopefully everyone will get a great nights sleep…. before we do it all again tomorrow!
Boys Camp Day 3 - 7/6/21
Greetings, Asto Wamah readers!
Campers are just finishing up Evening Program - we played Murder by Night because of the stormy weather. Luckily, thunderstorms passed through fairly quickly, which provided campers with the opportunity to go outside before going to bed!
Even though our evening ended with rain, the day began with sunshine and cool breezes! We started our morning with Chicken Fat to help the campers and staff wake up and get ready for the day. Following breakfast, we spent time cleaning cabins and camp to keep the grounds looking beautiful. Morning classes went swimmingly! Campers practiced their swimming strokes, rowing skills, and worked on creative projects during Arts and Crafts!
Many campers took advantage of the beautiful weather during Counselors’ Swim by going fishing off the docks, or taking boats out with new friends. We have a few avid fishermen who have been fishing with each other at every opportunity the past 2 days!
We are hoping for another sunny day tomorrow so campers can continue taking advantage of the outdoor activities offered at camp!
Until tomorrow,
Catherine & Jen
Boys Camp Day 2- 07/05/21
Good evening Wamah readers. Today was tad cloudy out however, the boys made the best of the day by going in the water, boating, arts and crafts, and playing on the field. Today for breakfast we had cinnamon bread with the option of cereals. We also had orange juice, and delicious hot cocoa. After our morning classes we had dinner. This was a a meal of beef bbq on a hard roll, and a fresh garden salad with ranch dressing. For dessert we had sweet pears:). After a much needed rest hour the campers participated in a camp wide game of nonstop cricket. The game was close, but with the aid of few strong arms on the top bunker team they took the win by a close lead.
Our normal routine followed, going into fourth period and activity period. The waterfront was hustling and bustling during activity period with tower jumpers, new crocheters, and the karaoke boat across the lake celebrating the Fourth of July. The row boaters were eager to get on the lake, to practice their skills, as well as teach their peers how to row. The docks were packed with fishers, who have been begging to fish since 8:00am. However, no fish were caught today but, there’s always tomorrow!
After activity period we had supper which was grilled cheese, crisp applesauce, tomato soup, and tater tots. For dessert we had brownies, and tonight well be having an extra treat which will be sundaes!!!! This is our mini celebration for Fourth of July. For evening program, we played capture the flag. Which the boys loved as it was a way to burn off some extra energy before bed.
Until tomorrow, Amanda and Julia :)
Boys Camp Day 1- 07/04/21
Happy fourth of July, Wamah readers!!! It’s the first day of a new session, and we’re glad to be back! The campers quickly settled in and went through rules, swim placement tests, and tours. It has been an amazing first day, with good weather and lots of fun. Here at camp we will be celebrating fourth of July tomorrow, which will consist of singing and ice cream with red, white and blue sprinkles.
We had our very first meal of the session which consisted of hot dogs, tater tots, baked beans, and pickles, and lots of water. For dessert we had yummy vanilla pudding topped with whipped cream. This evening we will be playing a traditional game of MEDICAL WAR! This is a big dodgeball game, played with two teams trying to get as many people out, the twist being each side has a medic who can bring people back into the game. It’s a camp favorite to everyone who plays!
We’ll be back tomorrow with more updates.
Until then, Amanda and Devon :)