Author: Elissa

It was a big trip day here at Chenny as our Seniors headed out for their 2 day trip to Hershey Park. They loaded the buses so excited for their first official Chenny overnight at the sweetest place on earth. They have 2 fun days to play in the park and eat their faces off. Chocolate will be coming out of their ears at Hershey Park and these campers were bursting with excitement.

After the Seniors left it was our Supers turn for the journey to Boston. Their first day was spent at Howe Caverns  for an amazing journey into cavernous galleries deep below the earths surface. It was an incredible journey down below and the kids loved it. Then it was off to Boston for an incredible show, Shear Madness. This was HUGE hit especially when one of the actors came out on stage in a Chenny shirt. Our kids went crazy with some serious Chenny pride. After the show, they dined at a really cool Chinese restaurant. It was a absolutely winner of a day for our super Supers!!!!

The GC’s enjoyed their last 2 days at a resort in Phoenix and after the action packed trip they are on, they were loving the downshift of what the resort in Phoenix offers. It was spa day for the girls with mani’s and pedis and the guys loved hanging in the pool and enjoying the waterside. Today was just rest and relaxation for our GC’s. Tomorrow is their last day of this incredible trip they are on and we can’t wait to have them back home. It’s good to be a Chenny kid!

And from our Sports Center:

Lower Camp Gymnastics meet @ Bryn Mawr – CAW takes 5th Place

Freshman/Junior Girls Basketball – CAW 18 vs. Tioga 4

Collegiate Girls Soccer – CAW 1 @ Wayne 2

Collegiate Girls Basketball – CAW 10 @ Tioga 28

CIT Boys Flag Football Tournament at Tyler Hill – Game 1 CAW 6 vs. Equinink  Game 2 CAW 20 vs. Trails End

Our Freshman through Collegiates, all got wet, wacky and wild with Powerhouse Studios for our evening activity. We did crazy silly races, got pied in the face and was slimed by the giant booger blaster.  It was just over the top hilarity. Everyone had a ball with the rubber chicken toss and hobby horse races. What a fun night we had and you could literally hear the cackling of laughter coming from Shields Hall. Chenny is a fun place to live all summer long. We are definitely the lucky ones.

Chenny out.

 

I was watching our Collegiate boys play basketball against Camp Morasha in a Wayne County tournament game this afternoon. We just couldn’t land a shot and their offense was on fire. The other team shot out to an early lead and at half-time we were down by 20 points. You could see the frustration on our kids faces and they were giving it everything they had but their opponents were just that good today. After the 3rd quarter our kids circled around each other and though the score was 46 – 29 them, our coaching staff told them that we never give up, we never stop pushing and we aren’t done with this game.” The coach asked one simple question in that huddle, “Do you believe we can, because I know we can.” Each camper started chanting, “I believe we can” and just like that, the spark was lit. We didn’t miss a shot and our defense was resurrected. Their lead of 17 points was shrinking fast and you felt the tide turn. Our opponents didn’t know what was happening but shot after shot, our confidence grew and our kids were ballin’. With 10 seconds to go, we were down by 2 when Morasha turned over the ball and we took that last shot and it wasn’t just any shot, we sank a 3 pointer that gave us the win. You could hear the screams of joy all throughout camp. The boys went out of their minds and ran out of the gym sharing this news with anyone, with everyone. They won not because our talent was that much superior to theirs, we won because they believed they could. That moment after the 3rd quarter changed their approach when their coach asked them if they believe they could and then they did. Down by 17, they didn’t see it as defeat  but an opportunity. I watched your boys dig down deep and believe in themselves. They will certainly not win every game but todays win was so sweet as they proved to themselves that when you believe, truly believe that you can, you very well just may be able to do great things.

More scores from our awesome athletes playing hard today:

Inter Girls Tennis – CAW 1 vs. Wayne 4

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 1 @ Westmont 11

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 53 vs. Morasha 52

Inter Boys Softball – CAW 4 @ Equinunk 6

Inter/Collegiate Boys Hockey – CAW 6 vs. Lavi 8

Senior/Super Boys Softball – CAW 8 @ Westmont 5

Super Boys Baseball – CAW 7 vs. Westmont 4

 

Tonight was Round Robin and that is where each division had their own activity all around camp. There was Dodgeball in Shield Hall and Trivia in the Lodge. We had spa night and a Road Rally to name a few. It was a perfect night for our Chenny kids. They embrace every day and every night in this very special place they call their summer home.

Chenny out.

 

If you were to bring out a deck of cards and told your kids that is what he/she and their friends will play with for hours on end day after day, would you ever think they would go for it? Not in my house either, but there is something about a deck of cards in this house that can entertain your children all summer long. I was sitting with a group of collegiate boys who were teaching me a card game I never played before. They were so excited to teach me this game and each took pride listing any and all of the rules. They each new this game inside and out and took pride in conveying their strategy on how to get to the end. We all sat under the apple tree, with a deck of 52 cards playing a game that used our minds and gave us over an hour of capturing our attention. So as the time flew by and we all laughed, played, told stories and had a ball I was just so struck by the fact that all we had were those 52 cards. When life is simplified, life is simple. It’s not always about the latest and greatest that make us the most happy. Sometimes its just a deck of 52 cards.

It was time for Camper of the Week awards again tonight and you can only imagine the look of pride when each name is announced. When you think about what it takes for these campers to raise to the top and excel is pretty awe-inspiring. They have been great friends, they have been amazing helpers, they have been a positive force in and out of their bunk and they are so deserving of this honor bestowed upon them by the staff who are so proud of their accomplishments. Way to go to each and every camper who deserve this award.

 

Freshman          Dylan Schissler                   Alex Minkoff

Juniors                Charlie Halpern                Chase Goldman

Middies               Lexi Klein                            Zach Gelfman

Inters                   Amanda Horn                     Robbie Shields

Collegiates          Molly Isen                            Justin Miller

Seniors                Cami Delillo                         Jake Root

Super                   Emily Kushner                    Alex Kapusta

GC ( kids are away on Cali Trip)

CIT                      Sami Miller                           Lucas Krieger

It was an incredible camp favorite night as we all loved watching Head Staff Lip Sync Battle. Each Division was represented by a Head Staff member who rocked the house with their fierce lip syncing abilities. They blew our minds with their choreography and delivery of each awesome song they performed. The crowd was in it and the level of entertainment was high. There were 8 performances and the top 5 are moving on. The competition was fierce and the scores were so close but there had to be a top 5 that are moving on to the next round. The kids were in it all the way and the roof just about blew off Shields Hall as each finalist was announced. Tonight was one of this nights that was just crazy fun and the staff put their best foot forward and gave our kids a night to remember. It is hard to imagine how will they top tonights performances but we have a crazy inclination that they will bring it for the finals.

Chenny out.

There is something prideful about each girl camper having a “camp wrist”.  That is where you have layers and layers  of friendship bracelets adorning your wrist. It is a badge of honor and right passage to wear that camp wrist as long you can. Even when the kids back from camp, they just cant part from their camp wrist. Each bracelet has their own meaning on who made it and it defines so many relationships here. Camp wrists aren’t limited to younger campers or older ones, as this is a girl side thing.  There was a large group of  Super girls in jewelry making today that spent their time making friendship bracelets for one another. They each picked another camper to make this symbol of friendship for. It was so sweet to see these girls sit around a table intently making something beautiful for a friend. They all sat around the table weaving threads of beautiful colored string, not for themselves but for their friends. The best part was listening to all of their conversation that was had during this group experience. They chatted and laughed and connected with one another as they spent their time creating something beautiful that had so much meaning. As they finished each bracelet and put it on the wrist of their friend, it bonded them together as they experienced the act of giving something from their heart. With each new bracelet that went on each camp wrist, it told a story of friendship and love. What a great day of camp love, tradition and friendship.

A 1st Place Win and off to a few more Championship Games!!!! Chenny athletes Rock.

Gymnastics Competition @ Starlight – Chenny wins 1st Place Team Overall / Cami Platt 2nd in Vault 3rd in Beam and 3rd Overall/ Riley Jacobson 3rd in Floor 3rd on Bars  and 3rd Overall/ Jordana Yacht 2nd Vault 2nd in Floor/Zoe Gorsky 2nd in Vault / Ava DeRose 3rd on Floor.

Inter Girls Soccer – CAW 8 @ Tioga 0 – Chenny Going To Championship Game!

Collegiate Girls Basketball – CAW 34 vs. Lavi 16

Senior Super Boys Hockey – CAW 6 vs. Starlight 4 – Chenny going to Championship Game vs. Westmont

Tonight was our Hypnotist show and the kids loved it. The counselors were up on stage dancing like Britany Spears when a they heard a whistle or howled like a lonely dog when their right shoulder was touched or even liked the bottom of their shoe when told it was an ice cream cone . It was hilarious to see our counselors loose control and do things they may never do without being under hypnotic suggestion. The kids loved it, the staff couldn’t believe they did the things their campers told them did and the night was a epic. Another outstanding day and evening at our favorite place in the world. Best news is that we get to do this all again tomorrow.

Chenny out.

It was a hot one today and Fiddle Lake was full of campers keeping cool. The pool was packed and the slip and slide was getting a ton of use today. There is nothing quite like taking a dip when the weather is hot and today our campers kept cool. It was that kind of day you just didn’t mind if your friend poured their water over your head… you actually asked them to do it.  As I was watching the kids at the lake, I noticed a group of boys huddled around a an area off to the side. They were in full discussion and it intrigued me so I wandered over and took a listen. They found a frog and all these junior boys were creating an entire story about this frog, their new friend they call Green Bean. Each one of them added to who Green Bean was and why he was at camp with them. They were cracking up and so was I. Each played a part in this incredible story about Green Bean and each one of them asked me if he could stay in their bunk tonight. They were trying to convince me that they would take such great care of him and what a great addition Green Bean would be as part of their bunk pet. After explaining that having a frog live with them may not be the best idea, they let that go but what came next was amazing. One camper literally knelt down and told Green Bean that he shouldn’t be scared, even though he was alone because he was at Camp Chen-A-Wanda and this is where you are never alone. He said , “You can make and find frog friends like we all did.” It was such a sweet moment that I shared with this darling group of junior boys. They stayed with Green Bean until the activity period ended and I know that tomorrow, those boys will head directly back to the lake to see if Green Bean is still there. What cold possibly be better than searching for a frog with your friends.. Just doesn’t get better than that.

Here is our scores from todays games:

Inter Girls Softball – CAW 10 vs. Westmont 9 – CHENNY HEADING TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Collegiate Girls Soccer – CAW 7 vs. Tioga 0 – CHENNY HEADING TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 1 vs. Westmont 2 (went into overtime)

Inter Boys Hockey – Lokanda Tournament / CAW went 0 for 3

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 26 vs. Weequahic 43

Collegiate Boys LAX – CAW 8 @ Wayne 12

Senior Boys Baseball – CAW 15 vs. Tioga 0

Navajo  (Seniors, Supers and CIT’s) spent their evening at the Scranton Yankees baseball game. It was food, friends and ball. A perfect way to spend a summer night. Hot Dogs and ice cream were in a plenty and our kids chilled out at the ball park. Collegites had their own special night with a bonfire and s’mores on the beach. It was a beautiful night with a perfect Fiddle Lake sunset and our Collegiate kids had a ball being the big kids at camp tonight. Our youngest campers took the stage tonight with our second Chenny Got Talent Talent Show. There is just so much talent and your kids shined pretty bright tonight. Watching them get up on that stage with a fear in the world to only perform in front a Hall full of their friends encouraging them all the way through, makes you feel pretty darn good on the inside. There was dancing, and singing and card tricks and tumbling and after each performance, the audience screamed, YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR!!!! That room was so full of love and kindness tonight, it was contagious. No mis-steps or an off key note would damper their spirit tonight. They had an absolute ball tonight getting up on that stage just like they were home in their living room, performing for you at home. This is their living room, and they are performing like their home because they are!!!

Chenny out.