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The morning started with all the kids getting ready of their day off camp. There was a buzz in their as campers were scurrying around in the gold trip shirts, so excited to venture out of our bubble.

Our Navajo campers (seniors, supers and GC’s) were lathered up with sunscreen and they boarded the buses for their journey to the roaring rapids. They were headed to their white water trip and were excited to face the river. They all jumped in boast and battled the rapids. They rowed, they bumped and bounced and they made memories that will forever stay with them. It was an experience that they had with their camp family and it was an awesome day for our oldest campers.

Cherokee and Mohican Camp (freshman, juniors, middies, inters & collegiates) had a great day at the ballpark. They all headed to watch the New York Yankees AAA team Scranton RailRiders. It was a perfect day filled with hot dogs, funnel cake and of course watching a great ball game. The game went into extra innings and it was a nail biter with the RailRiders cinching the win in the 11th inning. After this perfect afternoon at the ballpark, it was back to camp for a pizza party and a movie. An absolutely perfect summer day for our younger campers.

Our CIT’s had an incredible day as they visited Syracuse University, went shopping at a nearby mall, eating out all day long and spending an incredible day with their camp family. They came back with arms full of fun stuff they purchased along the way. It was a great first day off for our oldest campers.

There was so much excitement for the kids first trip out of camp but there is just nothing like coming back home. As each bus rolled back into camp, and campers got of the buses all with smiles on their faces, exhaustion from head-to-toe I overheard one camper say to another “I am so glad to be home” . This is their home!

All campers are safe sound back at Chenny, sleeping peacefully from a day well spent.

Chenny out.

 

Today was one of those summer days we wish wouldn’t end. Having been here for only 11 days, its incredible to see how close we get in such a short period of time . We all wait so long to spend 50 days here and as each day passes, the bonds get stronger and the feelings of pure bliss have wrapped up us all in this incredible huge Chenny blanket. At this point in the summer, everyone seems to cherish the little things that truly matter the most. Our relationships have grown stronger by the day and our new friends have officially become our family and old friends have continued to enrich our lives.

There is something that sticks out to me every summer as I watch these relationships grow and that is benefit of a hug. Something so simple and easy as a hug or a piggyback ride or holding a hand is just what we do, daily. It’s human connection that we all crave and here is where we get it. We may not even realize how much we need it until we get here and standing next to your friend or counselor seems awkward without sitting on their lap, holding their hands or giving them a hug. You have to see it to believe it and living in this environment breeds it. There isn’t a day that I don’t hug your children and I live for the hugs I get back. It’s the thread that makes us closer and the benefits are profound. How different the world be if getting and giving hugs happened like they happen here at camp. You can’t help but smile as you watch campers walk arm in arm to an activity. It warms you from the inside out. It brings our friendships to a very different level than with our home friends. It is why our camp friends become our family. It’s why we love this place so much. It’s why we call Chenny HOME!

Sports……..Sports……..Sports…….

Inter/Collegiate Girls Tennis @ Tyler Hill

Summer Housenbold (singles) advanced to Quarter Finals / Lexi Coulthard & Haylin Roth (Doubles) advanced to Semi Finals/ Jillian Oresky (singles) advanced to Semi Finals

Super Girls Basketball – CAW 28 @ Starlight 46

Middy Boys Hockey – CAW 1 vs. Westmont 3

Chenny Cup Soccer Tournament @ CAW (Collegiate Boys)

CAW 1 vs Wayne 9 / CAW 6 vs. Tyler Hill 1

Senior Boys Soccer – CAW 3 @ Lohikan 9

GC/CIT Boys Baseball – CAW 13 vs. Tioga 0

We have some insanely talented kids here and tonight was the big audition show. There were dancers, singers, pianists, drummers, stand up comics and other incredible talents that dazzled us with their gifts. We put together a video montage of the auditions and the kids loved it. They shined so bright and we loved that they shared their talent with everyone in Shields Hall tonight. We will soon be announcing who will make it to the live show so stay tuned for the big announcement. Our kids love being the stage and we love providing to them. Hollywood here they come!!!!!

Chenny out.

There is nothing like being at camp on the 4th of July, truly nothing.  It is a full day of celebrations. Everyone is dressed in Red, White & Blue, faces painted, tutus on and camp is decorated proudly displaying our American pride. Everyone felt the spirit of today. You couldn’t help but part of it, we all were. Seeing our youngest Freshman to our oldest CIT’s all dressed up and proudly showing their American pride is just plain awesome. It was a day of honor and pride here at Chenny and spending the 4th like we did was just about as perfect as you can get. Days like today day stand out and make us love summer.

That’s right that we played games with our faces painted red white and blue..It’s July 4th! Our athletes had a ball today playing their games.

Middy Girls Softball – CAW 11 @ Pearlman 5

Collegiate Girls Soccer – CAW 10 vs. Morasha 0

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 36 vs. Morasha 45

Senior/Super Girls Softball – CAW 18 @ Nesher 2

Freshman/Junior Boys Baseball – CAW 0 vs. Starlight 5

Inter Boys LAX – CAW 0 @ Starlight 8

Collegiate Boys Soccer – CAW 0 @ Starlight 2

Super Boys Tennis – CAW 5 vs. Island Lake 0

As dusk turned into night, we all headed up to the outdoor amphitheater and had an insane Dance-Off.  It was girls side vs boys side and the kids were rocking and rolling. The energy was insane tonight and just so much fun. Everyone was head to toe in red, white and blue glow necklaces, flashing flags and everything American. The countdown began and the first firework shot up in the air and it was breathtaking. 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. No matter if you are 8 or 88, the 4^th of July fireworks amaze always seem to take our breath away. It defines summer and reminds us how lucky we are to live in a country where we are free and able to enjoy a night like this. As the show ended and the kids were heading down to their bunks for bed, there wasn’t a camper that didn’t thank us for the most amazing firework show they had just watched. This night is one of my personal favorites and I know it was theirs too.

Hope you all had a great 4^th because we sure did.

Chenny out

 

It was another incredible day spent at our summer home. The weather was perfect and campers were happy, active and engaged. You can’t ask for more than that for our kids. It is why we do what we do. Seeing the tremendous growth that happens with each and every camper daily is what drives us all.  It takes a village and boy do we have an awesome one. You don’t see counselors without a camper holding their hand, sitting on their lap or catching a piggy back ride. It is such a beautiful sight to see as these bonds that happen and happen so quickly. Regardless if it’s wiping tears away and providing comfort to your children or just having a catch on a beautiful sunny day. These connections are so special and as a parent who sees this relationship with my own kids, I know that their presence in our kids lives makes them better people. Here, a twenty-something counselor has the ability to provide something us parents can’t. It’s a bond that is set apart and will forever hold an important place in the lives of our children. They learn differently from these relationship and there is a level of trust that is developed and doesn’t go away. We all give our children roots and sending them to sleep away camp is giving them their wings. It’s hard to imagine someone other than you understanding their fears, being there when they cry, tucking them in at night, laughing at their jokes, eating every meal with them and guiding them through their journey and that is exactly what our staff is doing with your children right now.

It was a busy and great day for our Chenny athletes. Enjoy the scoreboard:

Freshman/Junior Girls Soccer – CAW 9 @ Tioga 6

Senior/Super Girls LAX – Won by Tioga Forfeit

GC/CIT Girls Soccer – CAW 2 @ Wayne for Girls 5

Middy Boys Basketball – CAW 27 @ Westmont 29

Inter Boys Hockey – CAW 3 @ Westmont 14

Senior/Super Tennis Tournament @Starlight – Sam Tell Got to the Quarter Finals (Singles) – Jared Shiffman & Noah Shiffman Got to the Quarter Finals (Doubles)

GC/CIT Boys Tennis Wayne County Tournament @ Starlight – Noah Simpson Got the Semi-Finals (Singles) – Matthew Hellerman & Matthew Sussman – Semi Finals (Doubles)

The night belonged to Boys side as the put on quite a show with Boys Lip Sync 2017.  We often hear from parents that they just can’t imagine their boys getting up on stage performing a dance in front of the entire camp. Every single boy on camp came together with their division and performed an absolutely incredible performance tonight.  From the cutest and most adorable Freshman through the hilariously talented CIT’s, these boys put on a show that blew our minds. The entire Shields Hall was mesmerized as they watched, clapped and sang along with the boys on stage. I looked out at the crowd who all had smiles from ear-to-ear as they supported each other. Girls side was loving it as they cheered on boys side. It is the absolute best part of camp watching the support we give each other. We call it Chenny Pride but call it whatever you want, it is how we become family to one another. To see boys let loose, dance in front a packed house with such confidence and joy is awe inspiring. They let go and felt free – this type of outlet for our boys is just plain beautiful and it is what camp is all about. As hard as it was to pick a winner tonight, the Inters won for lower camp and for upper camp it was a unanimous decision as the CIT’s brought down the house and earned the Win!!  What a night we all had.

Life is sooooo GREAT at Camp Chen-A-Wanda!!

Chenny Out

 

We all live pretty fast paced lives that seem to go by so quickly and at times our schedules seem to overtake us . Even our kids schedules have them on hyper speed as they go from school to activities to practices to games to tutors to hebrew school back home for homework then they do it all over again the next day. Rarely do they have time to slow it down and smell the roses, until they come here. Today Jon and I took their lead and we stopped what we were doing in our office and we just sat at the waterfront and watched your kids who encouraged us to slow it down, be in the moment and enjoy life. There were a group of freshman boys making sand castles next to a group of Inter girls searching for four leaf clovers in the grass while a group of Collegiate girls were gazing up to the sky staring at the clouds above us, all without a stress in the world. We sat back in beach chairs fully relaxed with the biggest smiles on our faces and we had an hour of smelling the roses.

Straight from our Sports Center, Todays scores:

Freshman/Junior Girls Basketball – CAW 8 @ Wayne for Girls 10

Middy Girls Basketball – CAW 28 @ Wayne for Girls 4

Collegiate Girls Softball – CAW 5 @ Poyntelle 6

Freshman/Junior Boys Hockey – CAW 4 @ Starlight 5 (overtime)

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 0 @ Westmont 5

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW 2 @ Weequahic 3

Senior/Super Boys Softball – CAW 9 vs. Nesher 1

Are you ready some football? We are. Tonight’s Powder Puff game was epic. It was a fierce battle between our GC’s and CIT’s girls. GC’s were dressed head-to-toe in white and the CIT’s sported all black. They were playing for bragging rights and the stakes were high. Our girls were serious with faces painted and a determination to bring it tonight and of course the guys provided the spirit. They cheered on the girls and the watching crowd. This was our Super Bowl and the kids loved it. There were t-shirts, hats, tons of Chenny swag tossed out throughout the game. After each quarter, there was an impromptu dance party and of course everyone was getting in the groove. The entertainment was not just on the field, it was in the stands and every camper was part of the fun. Nights like these makes you smile from the inside out. You know it was an insane night as the entire camp was dancing down the hill back to their bunks after the game. Our CIT’s pulled out the “W” with a  14-0 victory but we were all the winners with an epic summer night!

Chenny out.