Senior Staff Training has begun!

It's true!

Senior Staff Training has officially begun!

I'd type more about it...

...But we're too busy.

Cause summer has started...

To start to start...

Cause Senior Staff Training has officially begun.

More Staff, More Meeting!

VOLUME XXI:

Those confusing letters (XXI) aren't even letters, they're numerals! And numerals are numbers! And those numbers are 21! Cause we're on Volume 21 and we've still got more staff to meet!

Cassidy is another of those proud individuals who has moved up through the ranks at Camp and is ready to join her sister (and many other people, as you can tell from this never-ending-blog-post-series) as a full member of our summer staff!

For all of our campers who are used to getting their does of Summer Camp a week at a time, one of the best parts of their first year on counselor staff is to discover what TWO WHOLE MONTHS of Camp is like. That's what we're excited about - what's Cassidy excited about?


"This summer I am looking forward to spending endless hours in the craft shop making cool, crazy, and awesome crafts!"

Reunited!

It is MID-JUNE, and Summer Camp is almost here!

For real, I'm saying, FOR REAL, Summer Camp is almost here!

How can you tell?

I'm asking, HOW CAN YOU TELL!?

And now I'm telling.

I'm telling how you can tell.

You can tell cause CHEF CARL is here.

Yes, Chef Carl is here preparing some awesome menus to keep our campers, fed, full, happy, and sustained all summer long!

But mostly, you can tell cause...

Chef Carl is here...

Catching up, after a long off-season away...

From all his Camp friends.

Staff Training is in TWO WEEKS! So Keep Meeting Those Staff!

VOLUME XX:

Volume TWENTY, and we're two weeks out from the  very counselors you've been meeting showing up to Camp kicking off Staff Training! So let's keep it going!

Yes, after logging plenty of summer weeks as a camper, CIT, and Junior Counselor, Kain is returning for his SECOND year on staff. We're quite excited for him to return to Camp to safely patrol the shores of our waterfront, counsel in our cabins, and bring his energy for Camp into a whole 'another summer season. And as for Kain, what's he excited about?


"This summer I am really looking forward to splashing around in Lake Shawanni and having plenty of fun in the sun with all the awesome campers coming to camp this season!"

A Staff Met a Day Keeps the...not meeting the staff away???

(We apologize for that title. It's volume 19 of these, and things are getting desperate. Speaking of which:)

VOLUME XIX:

You know the drill!

I met Michal on a lovely morning in Krakow, Poland, and it only took a few minutes of conversation for me to become convinced he just HAD to come join us for a summer season of Camp fun here in the woods of Stokes State Forest. So that's exactly what he's doing. And what is he excited for about that wild journey?


"This summer I am looking forward to meet new people and know new culture! And of course I want to experience amazing adventure and fun!"

Did you think we were out of Staff to meet? Not even close!

VOLUME XVIII:

We go from way-high-up in a tree all the way down to the shores of the ocean as...

Wesley is brand-new to Camp, but certainly not brand-new to the youth development game. As a long-time college RA, he's going to bring his skills from dorm rooms on campus to cabins in the forest, and we can't wait for him to join us when Staff Training starts in two short weeks. And what can't Wesley wait for?


"This summer I am looking forward to just experiencing summer in a new way. I am also looking forward to all the excitement of being at camp. Very intrigued by everything that I have heard." 

(You've heard correctly Wesley! We are very intriguing here!)

Seriously. DO NOT STOP MEETING THE STAFF OF SUMMER 2017!

VOLUME XVII:

As you've probably learned by now, we love folks who are brand-new to Camp as Staff of Summer 2017! However, we also love folks who have been campers for years and are joining the Staff team in Summer 2017! Both of these points are further evidenced below, as...

Emma has done her years as a camper, a C.I.T., a Junior Counselor, and now she's ready to log her time being here all summer long as one of our Recreation Counselors! She's all trained and certified to lead our every-popular archery classes here at Camp, and we can't wait to have her out instructing at the ranges. But what can't Emma wait for?


"I'm looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people this summer. I'm also super excited for Chaos Week!!"

We need to hurry it up! We've still got a lot of Staff to meet!

VOLUME XVI:

No time for a clever introduction! Summer is heading our way and we need to get right to it as...

Arjun is another one of those intrepid journey-ers making his international trip to 4-H Camp with the Camp America program! Bringing counselors and campers together from all over the world is one of our favorite parts of a summer season here, and we're thrilled for Arjun to be joining that proud tradition. But what is Arjun thrilled about?

"I'm super excited to be able to experience the American summer camp life,and embracing the different themes. Especially the CHAOS! and color wars weeks!! And of course, making people smile!! :D"

HAPPY JUNE - Summer Camp starts in exactly one month!

Yes, for frequent readers of this year-round-Summer-Camp-Journal-Bloggy-Type-Thing, you know we are in a perpetual countdown to Summer Camp! Passing milestones, marking deadlines, counting days, we are always letting you know that Summer 2017 is heading your way...but things just got serious.

Talking real serious. 

Because the calendar just turned June, and we are precisely one month away (saying 31 short days) from July 2nd, which is our Lantern BBQ/Camp Eve Celebration and Kick-Off of the 2017 Summer Season.

SELL OUT ALERT:

If you know ANYONE ANYWHERE who has yet to get their bunks for Summer '17 here's the pertinent facts: 

We are ENTIRELY SOLD OUT for Sessions 3, 5, and 7.

We have a handful of bunks still available for Sessions 2, 4, and 6. (Like a tiny handful though. Like our hands will soon be empty.)

HOWEVER, we still have a good deal of spots open for Session #1: July 3rd-8th - Classic Camp 4th of July - the session that starts in just ONE MONTH. So, if you'd like to join us for the official start of the summer season, celebrate the 4th at Camp, and be here on the ground floor, at the very beginning of Summer 2017, grab one of those spots now!


To celebrate the ONE MONTH MARK, we're unveiling our brand-new postcard design:

Yes, sending postcards home is as good ol' of a Summer Camp tradition as good ol' Summer Camp traditions get. And we've got a ton of classic postcards in the store (to be featured on the blog soon) but we realized we hadn't added one for the modern era in a long time.  So here it is!




(Special thanks to my good friend Chris for designing this for us as a favor, even though he owed me NO FAVORS at all. Although I guess now that means I owe him a favor. Dang it. That is how favors work.)

So to reiterate, as if it needed reiteration, in just one month campers will be sending this brand-new post card home, filled with the joys and tall tales of a summer season, cause Camp is only ONE MONTH AWAY!

Another Day Closer to Summer, Another Staff Member to Meet!

VOLUME XV:

That's right, VOLUME XV - almost half way there!

Almost. But not quite. So let's keep this thing moving and get to the point as...

After being a camper, CIT, and volunteer (many, many times...), last summer was Kayli's first year on staff, and we're thrilled to have her joining us again for another go-around on the Camp roller coaster in Summer 2017. 

Whether she's hanging out with her campers in the cabin, mucking around the lake trail, or keeping a good conversation going in the Dining Hall, Kayli stokes the Camp Spirit wherever she goes. And what's she excited about for Summer 2017?! 

"I'm so excited to build survival shelters and find leaves in my hair all summer long! As you can see I spent my off season hiding on camp because I just can't stay away!!"