Author: Elissa

There is nothing quite like camp traditions and this one is on the top of the list. Girls Sing is the ultimate camp tradition on girls side. Girls have been practicing for days and the pride each division has for making it great is unreal. For days now, you see groups of girls rehearsing their dance, perfecting the moves and memorizing their songs. It defines Chenny and there isn’t a girl on campus that isn’t fully engaged with this event. The big night is tonight and from what we see, the show will be a night to remember. We love everything about Girls Sing!!!

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference…. by Winston Churchill

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 0 vs. Equinunk 4

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW – @ Wayne 5

GC/CIT Boys Tennis – CAW 2 vs. Wayne 3

The night was all about Girls Sing and it was INCREDIBLE. It is a summer favorite and defines our camp tradition and spirit. Each division worked so hard on their dances and songs and it showed. When boys side can sit and support girls side for 2 hours, you know something special is happening. The support boys side gives girls side is just breathtaking. From our adorable freshmen through our crazy talented  and passionate CIT’s, they all brought the house down. I could never bring justice to describing the bonds these girls have with one another but watching them up on stage perform together allows us all to witness it for ourselves.  It is a true sisterhood that will stay with each and every one of them throughout their lives.  Each division picked a theme, danced and sang from their heart and soul. The emotion that was felt by every single camper and staff inside Shield’s Hall could have moved mountains. There were chills upon chills as each division wrote and sang their alma mater to an audience that listened to every single word.  They held hands and did it together and this is why the bonds are so tight. This shared tradition creates memories that will never fade. They will sing their songs for years to come and will never forget a word.

Congratulations goes out to the Inter girls for winning lower camp Sing this year. It was Inter the Pride Land as their Lion King theme was a huge hit. Hakuna Matada to these amazingly talented girls. The emotions that happened as the CIT’s took the was unreal. From the first dance to their alma mater it was all about our 2019 CIT’s. They won for upper camp but the honor of winning wasn’t the highlight. Their connection to each other, the beautiful friendships that they have nurtured and the respect and love they have for one another was center stage tonight. As we all watched this unfold in front of our eyes, you couldn’t help get emotional and cry with joy to watch these amazing young women perform together for the last time on our stage. What a night it was and to bear witness to this long standing camp tradition of Girls Sing was an honor.

Now matter where each girl will go in their life, being a part of Girls Sing helps define their youth. They wont forget the songs they sing or the themes they chose. No matter how much time passes and how many years go by, Girls Sing will always stay forever in their hearts.

Chenny out

 

It was brunch day and we all loved the extra sleep. The pace of camp is fast and furious so when we get to sleep in we all love it and today was that day. We rolled out of bed at 10am and headed into the Lodge for a very delicious brunch. Then it was off to activities and a full day of crazy Chenny fun. The campus was buzzing between Chenny’s Got Talen Finals tonight and Girls Sing tomorrow night. There is so much going here and  everyone is involved. You just gotta love camp and you gotta really love Chenny. This place where your children spend their summers is full of so many things happening you can go form one incredible activity to the next in the matter of moments. It is truly one incredible place we all call home and with only 2 more weeks to go, we are getting it all in and enjoying every single minute. Life is just great here and we have 14 more days to live it up at Chenny and that is what we plan on doing.

Now onto our sports scores of the day:

Freshman/Junior Soccer – CAW 3 vs. Lohikan 2

Inter Girls Softball – CAW 2 @ Starlight 6

Senior/Super Softball – CAW 9 vs. Westmont 8 (Chenny headed to Championship Game)

Archery Tournament @ Chenny – Chenny beat both Tyler Hill and Westmont to take 1st Place

Inter Boys Soccer – CAW 1 @ Westmont 4

Senior Boys Baseball – CAW 12 vs. Westmont 8  – (Chenny Headed to Championship Game)

Super Boys Soccer – CAW 0 vs. Starlight 2

Super Boys Tennis – CAW 4 @ Westmont 1

GC/CIT Boys LAX – CAW 5 @ Westmont 9

GC/CIT Boys Tennis – CAW 2 vs. Starlight 3

We have so many talented campers here and they put on a show tonight. It was Chenny’s Got Talent Finals tonight and boy do we have some incredible talent here. All  of our finalists took the stage and performed their heart out. They were fearless and phenomenal. They engaged us and entertained us. They were just brilliant and tonight was all about our talented kids. After all the finalists performed, the vote was in our campers hands and tonights winners went to solo singer Sami Miller. We are so proud of every one of them that took that stage and gave us their hearts tonight as they sang with confidence and poise. What a night we all had. It was just another perfect Chenny night!!!

Chenny Out

Conflict resolution happens daily here and those moments and opportunities present themselves and allow your kids to practice this incredibly necessary life skill. If we could hand our children confidence or gift them the ability to resolve conflict with ease and effectiveness, we all would but being presented these opportunities truly are how our children learn the how to navigate harder moments in their life. There isn’t a day that goes by that kids don’t practice this necessary skill and I was blown away when a group of girls came to me needing some help. A few girls were upset and felt their friends would leave them to hang with the boys during free play and they truly didn’t know how to relay their feelings so they needed support. I gave them some guidance and told them to speak from their heart but communicating is the only way to make this better. The nerves were high as confronting is hard for anyone let alone for kids who spend 10 months texting rather than talking. They wanted me there to help start the conversation and this amazing group of girls sat in a circle and shared how they felt. They started by saying how important they are to one another but they felt left behind and sad about it and the girls were overwhelmed with support and understanding. They had no idea that their actions of hanging with the boys during freeplay would cause any distress in their friends so with communication came understanding, with talking came empathy, with being honest with how we feel brings our friends closer. I sat back and watched and was amazed how this group of girls spoke form their heart and worked through an issue that was a huge mountain at the beginning and became a seamless stream of empathetic conversation that brought these girls closer together. That is how it happens. Given the opportunity, your kids step up and get through the moments they fret with grace and dignity. Life skills at work here that will be embedded in your kids for the rest of their life.

We participated in the Lokanda Cup Hockey Tournament – CAW went o for 3 but had a great time.

GC/CIT Girls LAX – CAW 10 @ Starlight 15

GC/CIT Girls Softball – CAW 1 @ Westmont 4

GC/CIT Boys Softball – CAW 8 @ Westmont 7

Our Supers got back from traveling throughout Boston tonight exhausted and exhilarated. More than the places they visited or the things they did, it was traveling together as a group that made this trip so special. All of these kids have been together summer after summer and to get to experience these past four days as a true summer family traveling to amazing places helps create the bonds that ties them together so tightly. They come back to camp more connected to one another and that time alone just with their division creates something incredibly special that  just cant be denied. Campers may come to Chen-A-Wanda for the stuff thats here when they begin their sleep away journey but they stay because of he friendships they make and develop summer after summer. This trips success is a testament to how powerful these relationships are and it only gets better from here.

Tonights evening activity was Soccer-amma Boys Side vs. Girls Side. This is a our staff soccer game under the lights and the spirit was high. the game was intense but equally as awesome was the dance halftime show, the giveaways throughout the entire game and all of camp breaking out in the biggest zumba party you could ever imagine. Girls side was victorious with a 12-8 win over boys side but we all were winners as this event was just a blast to be at.

So tonight we are all in and our house is full again. Campers are safe and sound back in their bunks, exhausted from a day spent well and are sleeping peacefully knowing that tomorrow is late wake-up and Brunch day. We all need that extra sleep and happy to have a few extra zzzzz’s.

Chenny out.

 

When I refer to us as a family, I am truly not exaggerating and need to share what happened today that is the perfect example of why we are all so deeply connected to one another. During lunch today, the kids were loving eating the most delicious meatball subs when I we heard from our travel Director that was with the GC’s on their way back to camp, they would be rolling into camp in 10 minutes. I started sharing that news with some Head Staff to get them in position to greet our GC’s as they rolled back into Chenny after their amazing trip out West. Well, what happened next, took my breath away. Kids were hurrying and rushing to finish their lunch so they too could greet the GC’s. All you heard throughout the Lodge was, “The GC’s are back.. Hurry…we have to meet the bus when they get back to camp.”  There was such an excitement and eagerness for our entire camp family to welcome our GC’s back with open arms, it was just incredible to witness. They were welcomed with cheers and hugs, they were embraced and missed. From the freshman to the CIT’s, they all wanted and actually needed to be there when they came back home. And when those kids came of the bus, it felt like a part of family was right back where they should be. It is always great going away on vacation but there is nothing quite like coming back home. The relationships we create are real and strong and stand the test of time. It was a special moment and I am always so grateful to get to watch the beautiful things your kids for one another all summer long.

And straight from Sports Center:

Inter Girls Basketball – CAW 20 vs. Lohikan 12 – CHENNY GOING TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Collegiate Girls Basketball – CAW 32 @ Westmont 30 – CHENNY GOING TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Dance Comp @ Tyler Hill – Chenny Places 3rd for Lower Camp Dance

Freshman/Junior Boys Soccer Tourney @ Towanda – Game 1 CAW 0 vs. Towanda 4  Game 2 CAW 1 vs. Island Lake 2

Middy/Inter Boys LAX  – CAW 2 @ Towanda 8

Collegiate Boys Tennis – CAW 1 vs. Starlight 4

Our Supers are still on their trip through Boston and they are loving their experiences on the road. They shopped and ate and experienced Boston in all of its glory. There were Duck Tours and Harvard Yard, shows and more. They are just loving this trip and having the absolute time of their lives.

We surprised our incredible CIT’s today with a mystery trip and as they began their day, we had them running throughout camp following clues and hints to what might be happening… or or what might not be happening. With each passing clue, they got more confused and more excited… The anticipation was building and at 2:30pm, we finally brought them all into the Chen-A-Plex and announced that Yes, TODAY is the day for their mystery trip. We started playing a One Republic song and they went nuts.. They had exactly one hour to get ready for a summer concert at Montage Mountain and they were beyond excited. Screams, and cheers could be heard all throughout camp. They ran to the Hill, got ready and off they went. A night they will not soon forget. They danced and sang and were arm in arm together under the stars listening to music with their best friends by their side. It was a magical night and we were so beyond happy to give this gift to our incredible CIT’s as they are two weeks away from their camper years coming to an end. Their journey has been a remarkable one and tonight was definitely the cherry on top of this amazing summer.

Chenny out.

 

 

When the big kids are away… the little kids will play. As the Collegiates were having a great time at Great Wolf Lodge, Seniors were enjoying their trip to Hershey Park, Supers loved their time in Boston as they toured Fenway park and hung out at Harvard Square and our Wanderers spent their last day in Phoenix before they return to camp tomorrow afternoon. Our Freshmen through Inters had camp all to themselves and had an amazing day here. It was lower camp takeover with our camp favorite Color Mudder and our youngest campers had the absolute greatest day. They all ran the course that included a giant mud pit that they loved. It was squishy and icky and muddy and awesome. They army crawled through the pit and mud was everywhere. They couldn’t get dirtier and it was incredible. After they were head-to-toe in mud it was off to get colored with neon color powder that stick to their muddy messy clothes and everywhere else you can imagine. Then it was off the lake to take a dip and get that mud off as best they could. They campers loved todays events and the messier and dirtier the better. Where is the world can our kids be encouraged to slop mud all over them, jump into the mess, get your clothes dirty without a worry in the world? It happened today at camp and it was AWESOME!

The big event of the day was Wiffle Cup 2017. Boys side was dressed in all black and girls side was everything neon. This game was a nail biter as girls side jumped ahead to an early double digit lead. The girls were hitting dinger after dinger and their defense was great so they held boys side off until the tide turned and boys side caught up. They played 6 innings and it came down to the very last out as Bret Schuster hit a homerun which gave them  a 27 vs. 26 victory. Boys side went crazy and they are the official Wiffle Cup 2017 Champions!!!

Girls Side Payers: Abby Bussel, Elizabeth Kamelhar, Annie Isaacson, Samara Goldman, Brooke Gordon, Lola Housenbold, Sammy Keane, Lexi Nelson, Sloane Pariser, Sammy Leon

Boys Side Players: Max Coffman, Jake Mongeluzo, Logan Hoffman, Max Eber, Austin Bernstein, Ethan Mallah, Alex Berger, Brett Schuster, Jack Bazarnik, Jason Kimmelman

MVP for girls side – Elizabeth Kamelhar who had an incredible defensive presence on the field and it happened to be her birthday so she had one awesome day today.  MVP for Boys Side was Ethan Mallah who hit 2 HR’s and had amazing defense today.

Our Collegiates and Senior campers are back home after their awesome trips to Great Wolf Lodge and Hershey Park. It was a perfect summer day and all are back in their bunks as everyone is looking forward to late wake up tomorrow!!!!  The GC’s enjoyed their last day in Phoenix and are headed home and we can’t wait to hear all about their amazing trip they just took. Our CIT’s spent their day off at the largest indoor Waterpark in America, Kalahari and they had the absolute best time.  It just doesn’t get better than this for our Chenny kids!! It was busy and fun trip day for our oldest campers who love the trips but nothings quite like coming back home… We are just waiting for our GC’s to arrive back in the morning, and for our Supers who are having a great time in Boston to come back on Thursday and then this Chenny family will be complete and whole again.

Chenny out