Author: Elissa

Today was the last official day of regular activities and we enjoyed every single minute. The pool and lake was full of happy campers. Our fields & courts were full of campers playing on them. We all knew that this is it and everyone was getting it all in before we load those buses on Sunday.

Center camp looked like a movie set with kids having a catch together, throwing the Frisbee to one another and swinging on swings without a care in the world. Can you imagine a world where there is just no pressure? Your children are in that world for at least the next 2 days!!

The night was all about Late Night with Leahy and this is by far the most anticipated show of the entire summer delivered by our truly remarkably talented Associate Director Brian Leahy. Brian produces the most hilarious and relevant array of great videos and presentations that leave us in stitches. It was hilarious and referenced everything funny about camp this summer. Every camper and staff member laughed till it hurt. It’s our very own late night show with comedy sketches, TV commercial spoofs, head staff mean tweets and a Top 10 List. This evening’s activity is a camp favorite and even our counselors that were off duty, stayed in to see tonight’s show because it’s just that entertaining. Campers absolutely went crazy for the hilarity of what they witnessed. It was a perfect way to end a perfect day.

Everyone is looking forward to banquet tomorrow night. It is an incredible evening to celebrate the summer we all had and we do it in style. We dine on amazing cuisine in the Lodge, which will be transformed to a Winter Wonderland. Then we all head into Shields Hall for our big end of the year Awards ceremony and honor our campers and counselors that have shined this summer.  After awards, it’s back to the bunk to get on comfortable clothes and shoes for one amazing night of dancing and celebrating. Best night of Chenny is just around the corner. It’s one big party and everyone looks forward to this night all summer long. It’s hard to believe it’s actually here as it feels like we just rolled into camp but 49 days have passed and here we sit at the end. Just a few more days to go and we plan on cherishing every single moment we still have together.

Chenny Out.

 

We had a brunch morning and everyone loved the extra sleep after the last 5 days we all just experienced. There was a slight chill in the air this morning so it was the perfect morning to stay cozy in our pajamas & hoodies as we enjoyed brunch in the Lodge. You can certainly feel the end is near. Lots of hugs and more tears so every meal, every moment we are trying to hold on to. Every song that was played in The Lodge struck a cord as we stood on our seats, wrapped our arms around one another and sang all in unison of how much we just don’t want to leave this place. To bear witness to this connection that we have with one another is moving beyond words can describe.

We spent the day having a lazy free play kind of day. There were movies in the Chen-A-Plex and Shields Hall and some basketball games on Shields Court. There were some great GaGa games but mostly it was just truly enjoying spending time together today. You would see groups of kids sitting on courts and playing jacks or cards, all laughing together and just enjoying these last few days together.  We have spent the last six and half weeks together without texting each other or liking our friends Instagram posts. Walking hand in hand and arm in arm have replaced the ILYSM’s and TTYL we type to our friends. We spent hours today just enjoying each other. There is a calmness here that fills our hearts with something we all desperately need. This feeling of connection will last all the way through our school year until we do this again next summer. I sat with a group of Seniors who explained to me that these friends here far surpass their friendships that are at home. One camper summed it up by stating, “My friends here just get me and I can be myself.” That says it all perfectly, doesn’t it? “I can be myself.” What more do we want for our children than for them to be accepted and appreciated for being exactly who they are?

We brought a little bit of Hollywood to Chenny as we had our Chenny Globes tonight. It is an annual awards show and the kids love it. There is a red carpet, Paparazzi and of course the Globes. Campers dress up for the big night, as this is a real deal Hollywood-esque celebrity show. Without further adieu, Tonight’s Globes goes to:

Camp Clown – Rachel Schier & Henry Weinstock

Most likely to Save the World – Marin Hersley & Zach Freidman

Most likely to become President – Kate Richman & Matthew Marchisotta

Best Hair – Sydney Steinberg & Charlie Butler

Most likely to Win The Hunger Games–Sydney Gurewicz & Michael Pincus

Future Head Staff – Zoey Wood & Colby Frankel

Dynamic Duo – Nikki Gross/Bari Adwar & Drew Sandler/Zach Olsen

Best Siblings – Addison & Mackenzie Rubovitz – Mason & Jake Berlin

Best Camp Spirit – Kylie Gorsky & Jordan Saltzman

Most likely to Brighten your Day – Sara Kay & Emery Cohen

So another phenomenal day is in the books for summer 2014 and only 3 more days until you get to hold your amazing kids.

Chenny out

 

It was a rainy day but that didn’t slow down our color war spirit. We played basketball games in Shields Hall all afternoon and as the rain lightened a bit we were on the fields playing some intense soccer and flag football games. They players were wet, muddy and were having the absolute best time playing in the rain.  It was the icing on the cake for these campers who fought a hard and fun battle as the rain came down. This has been a color war of firsts as only 12 seconds separated the rope burn and as we all headed into lunch on this last day of games, only 18 points separated Red Vampires from the Gold Zombies. In the history of Camp Chen-A-Wanda’s Color Wars, both of these events have never occurred.  It has been 5 days of intensity and every single camper has been a crucial spoke on their teams wheel.

From the heartfelt psych speeches to the encouragement and support everyone gives during the games is what drives each one of us to do our best. It is an experience that your children have embraced and allowed into their hearts. Today the collegiate boys played in an intense basketball game where Gold Zombies won by a single point. There was no gloating or showing off after they claimed victory. Every single Gold Zombie player wrapped their arms around their Red Vampire opponents and congratulated them on an incredible game and this collection of awesome kids, walked arm in arm to lunch together. The sea of red and gold brothers played hard but in the end their friendship superseded any amount of competition they faced. A victory may be good for the team but a generous kind spirit is a win for the soul.

It all came down to Sing tonight as each team entered Shields Hall literally dressed to kill. There were Vampires and Zombies everywhere. The costumes were incredible, inventive, creative and unreal. There were brides from the dead and zombie clowns and who could ignore walking caskets and flying bats. The songs were heartfelt and the artwork was inspiring and this color war one of the best we’ve ever seen. But in the end tonight went to Gold Zombies. The cheers of joy were deafening as the Zombies celebrated their victory. Then the tears started to flow on both sides of the Hall. Everyone knows that the end of color war signifies the end of camp. There were hugs and tears but not for the win or the loss but only having 4 more days to spend with our summer family.  The hugs got tighter and longer as nobody wanted to let go. Leaving Shields Hall tonight was so bitter sweet; it hurt our hearts to walk outside and head back to our bunks. The feeling of exhaustion and elation, sadness and joy, closeness and fear of the distance is so present tonight, you can’t help but feel all of the above.  Your children have experienced something that they may not be able to full explain but they sure fully feel. Everyone inside Camp Chen-A-Wanda has gone through this together and that alone makes us a family that is close beyond explanation or reason.

We have 4 more days and we plan on loving each moment and embracing every minute together. Life is great here and we just aren’t quite ready for this to end. #FeelingPrettyGrateful

Chenny out

 

It was an absolutely perfect day for an Apache Relay. This race includes every single player everyone matters in the Apache Relay. No matter if you are doing the elephant walk, diving to the bottom of the pool to pick up 8 spoons or heading into Shields Hall for the infamous “unknown”, you count. There are 56 events that make up the Apache and each one of them are essential to the integrity of the race. It is a 3-hour event that utilizes the entire camp and being a part of it is just plain insane fun. To run the Apache is like nothing you have ever done before and after you have done it, you can’t wait to dun it again. The race was close the whole way through with lead changes happening at every turn. You could hear the cheers from each team that took the lead but in the last few challenges Red Vampires crossed that finish line only to beat Gold Zombies by a mere 2 minutes 50 seconds. It was close and a race well run. Apache 2014 is in the books as one of the most exciting races ever run at CAW.

Before each breakfast and dinner during Color War the Captains and Lieutenants give psych speeches that will inspire and motivate their teams. A speech that stood out beyond the rest was what this war is all about. Each Captain and Lieutenant wore the shirt of their opposing team and shared qualities of their opponents that was outstanding and deserved recognition. The theme was, friends first, war second. One Lieutenant said he was in awe of the Lieutenant from the opposing team because she exhibited such a positive spirit, not when they were winning but when they were loosing. When we win it is easy but it’s when we loose, that our true character comes out. This is the meaning of true respect and why Color War is so spectacular and important. We will loose more than we will win but it is how we loose that will ultimately define us as winners. Our character is defined in the loss and how we embrace defeat.

It was skit night tonight and it was hilarious. Each team created creative and brilliant skits that told the story of their journey through Color War 2014. Gold Zombies got Zombified while Red Vampires told the story of Chen-A-Vania. Both were fantastic but the overall winner of skit night went  to Red Vampires. Only 51 points separate both teams right now as Gold Zombies are in the lead. As we head into our last and final day of Color War there is nothing more true than when we all say…. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO SING!!!!

Chenny out.

 

Where in the world can you fight for something you believe in so deeply? Where can you be so passionate about a common goal that it drives us to be the best we can be? Where can we give it all we got and leave it all on the fields? Where can we sing chant and cheer with our brothers and sisters? Where can red and gold mean so much to us? Where can we be superstars every single day? Where can we feel pure exhaustion but slowing down is just not an option? Where can we put our arms around our opponents after a battle well fought? Where can being a part of team feels so great? Where does each and every one of us matter?  Where does being a valued team member matter to the outcome of every single game or race. That happens here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. That defines Color War. From our youngest Freshman to our most seasoned CIT’s and everyone in between play an integral role in our Color War. Every point, every basket, every lap and goal matters and the end result builds character and pushes us to places that we didn’t know we could go.

We have completed day 3 of our Color War battle and only 68 points separated both teams as we went into dinner tonight. This battle is neck and neck and everyone knows it. Everything about Color War engages us and brings our summer to a level we never expected. From the psych speeches to the swim meets, this last week of camp is the ultimate celebration of teamwork.

A true representation of the meaning of our Color War was seen today at our girls meet. It was the relay and one camper was struggling a bit with her backstroke. She fell behind and she knew it. The look on her face spoke volumes as right then and there she needed a push and that is exactly what she got. Her entire team started chanted her name telling her not to give up and she could do it. They weren’t physically in pool with her but they moved her along in the water and gave her that push she so desperately needed. She lost that race but what she won was indescribable and priceless. Her team never gave up on her and got behind her no matter what the results were. She left that pool with her head high and heart full.

It was Quiz night and as each camper pushed themselves physically all day long, our minds were stretched and challenged as they had to answer questions ranging from algebra equations, history challenges all the way to pop culture quizzes. It was a great night as we each challenged our minds to think outside the box and recall information that we haven’t thought about all summer long. It was a fun night full of challenging questions and fun factoids!!! There is only 2-more days of Color War and with the scores so close we can assume that next few days will bring some crazy intensity and definitely lots fun.

Chenny out