Author: Elissa

What an absolutely perfect day we had today. The sun was shining bright down on us all and camp was buzzing with a vibe you can’t fully imagine unless you are here to experience it. Your kids are living in a place where being outside and having a catch with buddy replaces sitting on the couch watching TV. The kids are spending their days jumping on water trampolines rather than texting friends. It is amazing to see and more importantly, valuable beyond measure. A new freshman camper summed it up perfectly when she asked me, “How did I get so close to my friends in only 7 days?”

Our sports teams had a great time on the fields and courts today. We are beyond proud of our Chenny athletes who always exhibit sportsmanship and great character as they compete. It’s so refreshing to see sports being played this way.

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 28 vs. Starlight 26

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 4 vs. Starlight 3

Inter Boys Baseball – CAW 16 vs. Towanda 6

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 23 vs. Tioga 28

GC/CIT Boys Basketball – CAW 67 vs. Tioga 23

As perfect as our day was, the night was even better. Sign and Song is a long-standing camp tradition and tonight was the best show we have ever seen.  This camp favorite, is where each bunk make s a plaque and Girls side prepares a dance for the entire camp to see. So much time and effort is put into the plaques that will hang in our bunks forever. When the campers of 2014 grow into adults and have kids of their own, their plaques will still be hanging on the walls of the bunks they lived in. It is their mark that they were here the summer of 2014. It always amazes us to see the creative ingenuity that is put into every aspect of their plaque. This is camp pride at its best.

Girl’s side brought it tonight as they put on a spectacular show. From our adorable Freshmen to the talented and beautiful CIT’s, each girls bunk delivered jaw dropping performances that we will never forget. Can you imagine getting standing ovations after dancing in front of the entire camp? That is what we do here for one another. Each group took the stage and after every single one, the applause, chants and cheers were deafening. We love to show our undying support for each other here. It is like no other place on earth. Every girl that danced on stage tonight felt the love. They blossomed and soared so high it was hard to contain the feeling they felt. Tonight each bunk shared this awesome experience together. The competition was tough but our Group Leaders picked the winners for Lower & Upper Camp Plaques and Dances.

Congratulation to tonight’s winners. They were all outstanding.

Best Plaque – Lower Camp Boys – Bunk I Illusionists

Best Plaque – Upper Camp Boys – Bunk R Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Best Plaque – Lower Camp Girls – Bunk H #Swag

Best Plaque – Upper Camp Girls – Bunk O Out Of Control

Best Dance Lower Camp Girls – Bunk C Classic

Best Dance Upper Camp Girls – Bunk W Wanna Fight

Nights like tonight is what it’s all about and explains why Life is so Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out.

 

There is nothing quite like spending the 4^th of July here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. It is the best place to celebrate our day of independence. Everyone got into the red, white and blue spirit. Faces were painted, flags were flying high, red, whit and Blue tutus were everywhere and the continuous chants of “USA” were at every turn. Pride for our country was at an all time high and everyone got into the spirit. It was awesome to be apart of something so special.

Games, Games and more Games on this great 4^th of July.

Girls Senior Soccer – CAW 2 vs. Starlight 1

Girls Senior Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Starlight 2

Girls GC/CIT Basketball – CAW 28 vs. Westmont 22

Girls GC/CIT Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Weequahic 2

Boys  Freshman/Juniors Basketball – Starlight 29 vs. CAW 19

Boys Freshman and Junior Baseball Tournament @ CAW

RED CAW 12 vs. Tioga 2

Westmont 7 vs. RED CAW 4

Tioga 10 vs. GOLD CAW

Westmont 8 vs. Gold CAW 6

Boys Inters Basketball – CAW 34 vs. Starlight 29

Boys Inters and below LAX – CAW 10 vs. Indian Head 3

Boys Senior/Super Roller Hockey – Nesher 7 vs. CAW 2

Boys Senior Baseball – CAW 7 vs. Weequahic 1

Boys GC/CIT Soccer – CAW 6 vs. Westmont 2

It was an incredible day here at Chenny but we all knew that the night was the best part and it did not disappoint. There was a chill in that air but not a cloud in the sky. It was one of those nights that everyone was just in a great mood. There was this vibe here at camp that was happy and contagious.

As dusk turned into night, we all headed up to the outdoor pavilion decked head to toe with glow sticks galore & flashing headbands.  We started the night with the biggest dance party to get us going and that it did. It was boys side vs. girls side and I think they heard us all the way home.  The smiles were priceless and the fun was off the charts. The countdown began and the first firework shot up in the air and it was spectacular. I truly don’t know what is more impressive to watch; the sky light up with a rainbow of colorful fireworks or the look of amazement on your children’s faces as they watch with such anticipation for each firework to unveil above them.  They were just in amazement of what they were seeing and watching them enjoy it so, was a gift they gave to us. With every firework, there were Ahhhhhh’ss and so many Ooohhhss. It just doesn’t matter if you are 9 or 99, there is magic in the air above us all and sitting side by side with your camp family just feel s so right. No place on earth would we rather be. We are all together sharing this experience and that is what makes this night a summer standout.  We hope you enjoyed your night because we all enjoyed ours.

 

Chenny Out

 

 

 

 

 

Today started out like any other amazing summer day here and camp was full of happy campers. All of the campers got a full morning of activities in and camp was electric.  Just before lunch, the weather turned and in came the rain. It has been a hot few days here so the needed rain cooled us all off. We all made to The Lodge for lunch as the rain came down and there is no better way to wait out a storm than fill our bellies and have a giant sing-a-long session with the entire camp. If you can picture us all standing on our seats, watching the rain come down onto Fiddle Lake as we all sing in unison at the top of our lungs. It is a site to see but being here gives you chills upon chills to watch it. There is a magic that happens when you let go and sing together. From our smallest Freshmen to our oldest CIT’s , everyone is up on their feet dancing and singing like nobody’s watching. Our inhibitions become bravery here and there is no worry about being judged. As the rain came down harder, we sang louder. Moments like these bond us together and truly make us all one giant camp family.

Because of today’s weather, we were only able to get in one Wayne County Game. Congratulations to our Junior Girls basketball team who were victorious with an 18-4 victory over Camp Weequahic. The girls had a great time.

As the storm rolled out, the skies returned to a gorgeous shade of blue and our campers enjoyed an evening of Round Robin. Freshman girls spent their night in the Cookhouse making Rice Krispie Treats on a stick. We don’t know what was more delicious, the treats or the adorableness of these campers. Our Freshman boys spent their night having a Mario Cart Wii tournament. They loved every minute of their own private tourney.  Junior girls took over the canteen with chocolate making followed by bracelet making. It was great night for our Junior girls. Junior and Middy boys had their own GaGa tournament and it was fun and fierce. They had the absolute best time playing a everyone’s fav camp game, Gaga. Middy girls spent their night in Arts & Crafts creating their own Dream Catchers. They had such a fun time designing and creating. Inter girls had their own fun playing a killer game of kickball. The Inter Boys spent their evening playing a mass Trivia game. It was a fun brain teasing evening for them. Our Collegiate girls had a ball playing Family Feud. There were a ton of laughs and good times for our Collegiate girls. The Collegiate & Senior boys spent their night  having a flag-football tournament under the lights.  Senior girls had spa night as they painted nails and toes, had mini-facials and other beautifying fun things. Super boys and girls enjoyed Chipwhich making in The Lodge. They all made, baked it and ate it. GC girls were in Arts and Crafts making the coolest string and woodcrafts we have ever seen. Our GC boys got into bathing suits and spent their night on the Chenny Zoom. Our 150 foot slip n’ slide didn’t disappoint.  The CIT’s spent their night together watching a movie.

It was another tremendous day spent in paradise. We are the lucky ones that get to do this day in and day out for another 6 ½ weeks. Feeling grateful.

Chenny out

For our new families that don’t yet know our camp division lingo – here you go: Freshman – campers going into 2nd and 3rd grade / Junior – campers going into 4th grade / Middies – campers going into 5th / Inters – Campers going into 6th / Collegiates – campers going into 7th/ Seniors – campers going into 8th / Supers – campers going into 9th/ GC’s – campers going into 10th/ CIT’s- campers going into 11th

It was another magical day up here in Chennyland. Over 175 campers signed up to participate in our Hip Hop Boot Camp. We brought in a famed NYC choreographer who spent the day teaching our kids to pop, lock, tut and break dance. Our campers jammed out and found their groove. This 2-day intensive master class taught our kids moves they never knew they had. It was incredible to see each session full of groovin’ campers. Both boys and girls loved their first day of classes and the fun continues tomorrow with another full day of the coolest Hip Hop classes just for them.

Sign and Song is just around the corner and girl’s side is getting ready. All across camp were groups practicing their dance for the show on Saturday. Arts and Crafts was packed with campers getting their bunk plaques ready. There is such great pride with these works of art that are left hanging in the bunks forever. It is the stamp that we were here summer 2014. Girls practiced their dance over and over to get it just right. It is a collaboration and teamwork as they create their perfect dance to show the entire camp. A long-standing Chenny tradition and from the looks of it, this year will not disappoint. We cannot wait to see them up on stage showing us all what Sign & Song at Chenny is all about.

The past 3 days have been packed with tryouts for every sport we offer. Campers are enjoying their sports and more important than the outcome of each game is the level of sportsmanship we exude here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. There is always high fives with our competitors after each match or game. Playing up here is very different than playing anywhere else. There is no pressure or screaming, no expectations or disappointing looks from the sidelines. Our campers play sports here for the pure love of the game. It’s allowing them to be the best they can be through sport. We congratulate our athletes for participating in a movement here that enables sport to be stress free and fun. The way it was intended. Your children are learning skills and techniques that will enhance their game but what we value more here is their effort and dedication to play with integrity and character.

Here are the scores from our first Wayne County games of the summer.

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 47 vs. Weequahic 17

Senior Boys Soccer – Weequahic 6 vs. CAW 4

GC Girls Lacrosse – CAW 15 vs. Brynmawr 12

We hope the videos and pictures translate to how special our summer is going so far. Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

 

Chenny out.

 

We had another remarkable day here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. It was all happy smiling faces and it was no coincidence that today was picture day. We all sported our Chenny gold shirts and gathered together as bunks and as each picture was snapped, it locked in an image that will be with us forever. As years pass us by, the bunk pictures will forever remind us of that summer we shared together.

The afternoon was another beautiful one spent in the lake, the fields, the courts, the studios and just being able to be outside and getting to experience the beauty of where we are is joyful. Everything around us up here is remarkable. We all get to live in this gorgeous landscape with fresh air surrounded by mountains and our glistening lake. Having a catch with your buddy in center camp looks as if we are on a movie set. It is a site that never grows old. With all the excitement and energy that happens here at Chenny, there is a sense of calm that nature provides us with. There are no traffic lights or smog, no honking horns or ringing cell phones. The gifts of summer camp go way beyond the obvious. We are all feeling pretty grateful that this is our playground.

Love was in the air as we all enjoyed our evening activity of The Dating Game. Freshman through our CIT’s participated in this long-standing camp show. There were bachelors and bachelorettes and questions that made us all laugh till it hurt. It was a great night full of fun happy moments. No one left Shields Hall without a smile on their face and everyone who was in the show had a ball.

We’ve only been here for a few days and it already feels like home. That is how quickly it happens here. We do truly become a family. Spending every moment together allows us to connect in a way like no other experience can provide. As I was in awe of the joy I witnessed as the Inter boys were having the time of their lives in Arts & Crafts today making glitter water bombs from strips of sponges. The laughter that was coming from inside the building drew me in and what I saw was just awesome. With all of today’s technology keeping our children at times so isolated from one another, it took just strips of sponges, a lot of glitter and some great creativity that gave these boys the opportunity to engage with one another and have the time of their lives. This is what camp is all about.

Chenny Out