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Our Olympic games stands out as a true picture to why Chen-A-Wanda is a remarkable place. Victory is not defined by wins or losses. It is defined by our effort. If you can truthfully say, ‘I did the best I could, I gave everything I had,’ then you’re a winner. Today our campers gave it everything they had. Every camper put their heart and soul into each battle and gave it their all in every competition. The battles were fierce, they were fun and in the end it was the undeniable effort that made today such a standout day. In between the rain, we played hard, had fun and in the end supported one another. When you walk around camp, in the midst of hearing all the chants and cheers during all the games, you also heard “great job, amazing effort, proud of you.” There is something equally valuable to encouraging those around us that actually feels better than getting the win.

Being part of a community that comes together and supports one another regardless of the outcome is what makes Chen-A-Wanda Olympics so spectacular.  Tonight was the Apache Relay and everyone from our Freshmen campers to our CIT’s, play an integral role.  Each individual makes up the team and everyone counts.  No matter if you had run around the quad track holding hands with another camper, leap frog from the lake to arts & crafts or ride a bike to the finish line, the team depended on you. Tonight, Gold Singapore finished Apache by hitting that pole first as Max Secular rode his bike on to Camp Rd. knowing that 1^st place was in sight. Blue New Zealand ended the relay in 2^nd place only minutes behind. A moment that stood out tonight was as the entire camp was down at center camp and Both Blue and Gold had already finished the race, the entire camp started chanting “Let’s Go Red, Lets Go Red”. These cheers came from every camper and  every staff member, not just those on the Red Team but the Blue and Gold were right alongside them cheering them on. The cheers and chants were deafening and we here at Chenny, leave no man or woman behind.  Just a few minutes behind Blue New Zealand came Red Chile’s last cyclist, Mack Schnell who was greeted by all three teams cheering him and his team on. The excitement to finish the race was amplified by each member of the team knowing they had a part in something bigger than themselves. It is the essence of belonging to a team and the importance that we all finished this race together. The cheers were electric as each team hit that pole and the pride that accompanied completing Apache filled us all up with a joy that is indescribable.

When all is said and done, it’s not the shots that won the championship that we will remember, or the home runs that matter but the way we treat one another and the respect we all have for our Olympic Games. All of our campers are sleeping peacefully as they rest their bodies for the last day of Olympics 2016. It all comes down to SING!!!

Chenny Out

The vibe on camp today was all about Olympics and if today was the day.  Lot’s of chatter at line-up,  in the Lodge, down at waterfront, inside the bunks and just about everywhere. These kids wanted to dig their teeth into some serious competition and the energy was electric. Every song that played in center camp, every bugle that blew may have been a sign and the Olympic spirit was strong at Chenny today. These long standing camp traditions are the heart and soul of our camp experience. Olympics, Color War, Girls Sing, Boys Lip Sync – they are events we can count on and look forward to. They tie us to those Camp Chen-A-Wanda campers who have walked before us and have done what we are about to do. Entering into an experience that stands the test of time and when so many things change all around us, our camp traditions stay the exact same. We can count on them. We need them and thank goodness, our campers wouldn’t have to wait too much longer.

Before we broke Olympics, our fields and courts were full of Wayne County Tournament games. Lots of campers got to play the games they love.

Middy Girls Soccer – CAW 8 vs. Tioga 2

Super Girls Softball – CAW 5 vs. Wayne 6

Middy Boys Hockey – CAW 9 vs. Westmont 5

Inter Boys Soccer – CAW 2 @ Wayne 5

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 7 @ Nesher 12

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW 4 vs. Westmont 1

GC/CIT Boys Basketball – CAW 43 @ Starlight 49

In true Chenny form, we love to fake-out our kids and just when they think they know when and how a break is happening, we give them a FAKE and today was so much fun. The word out in camp was Olympics is DEFINITELY breaking at snack call so as the campers munched on their cookies, fruit and water anticipating the Olympics Theme music to play over the loud speakers, what they heard was the theme from Rocky!!! As all our head counselors were dressed head to toe in American flags and banners, they circled center camp on their golf carts and came to a stop surrounded by all our very eager campers. Associate Director, Brian “Makes Me Laugh “Leahy and Cherokee Head Counselor, Dan “Oh My” Godshall took center stage for what was to be a cookie eating brawl. They circled one another like boxers in a ring, staring one another down. It was like Ali vs. Frazier but instead of punches being thrown it was the amount of cookies they could get into their mouths. The kids loved it and just after Brian won in a landslide, the Rocky music stopped and the sounds of Fake-out rang loud and clear. This was not the time for Olympics to break at Chenny.

The bugle rang and it was off to activities. You could see the disappointment and hear the angst as our campers wanted Olympics. They wouldn’t have to wait too long as just an hour later the Olympic Fanfare song played loud and clear. Where to go? Where was it breaking? The campers scattered around trying to find the location and word quickly spread that Shields Halls was where to go. The energy was intense and the spirit was high. “OOOO-LYM-PICS – OOOO-LYM-PICS” was being chanted by all in Shields Hall and our kids were so loud , I am sure the camp down the road heard us. A video was shown, with highlights from last years battle and it gave everyone in the Hall goosebumps on their goosebumps. It is intense, it is  fierce, it is pride, Olympics is here!!!!

The first Olympic event was tonight and everyone gave their all at Tugs of War. Your kids dug down deep and showed their grit and determination. When our campers tug on that rope that feels like it is attached to a brick wall and they dig down deeper to find that strength to pull harder, it exemplifies the will they have to give it everything they’ve got. You see it in their faces, you can hear it when they grunt on every pull, you can feel it when wont give up. Every single one of us has fire in our hearts for something, and it’s our goal to find it and keep it lit. Let the Games Begin.

Chenny out.

 

 

 

I was overwhelmed by how many of our families at home had reached out to me today about last nights blog. There was a sense of relief knowing that their camper wasn’t the only one that may have had some serious pre-camp nerves and may have been faced with dealing with homesickness while here at camp. So many emails asking if it was their daughter I was writing about, and a ton of messages thanking me for writing about the perils of homesickness and how we help your children through this very real experience. When you at home try to piece together your children’s experience from a photo or a quick frame in a video, or their absence from either, please know that like in life at home, there are incredible days and those that feel less than fantastic. This journey that you have sent them on does enrich their lives and allows them the opportunity to navigate friendships, conflicts, homesickness and everything in between. The smiles you see on the vids and pictures are as real as real is. Even if you get a glimpse of them on the outside of the group or sitting alone peacefully reading a book, your mind may wander and try to create a story of sadness and despair. Not knowing all the details to what you may see or read in a letter written at a time when they may have felt down is a killer and though life is great here, there are those experiences that are challenging for our kids. Those moments are as necessary as the ones of total elation, joy and happiness here at camp. When you are surrounded by love and support, it gets you through those moments you think you can’t handle. When missing mom and dad seems overwhelming and you can’t handle it for one more night, the sun always rises here and your kids get through it with a warm loving embrace. They learn that a friends hug or a counselor just listening to them can make just about anything feel better. So yes, sad moments exist here but the work your kids do to get over their mountains is really what camp is all about and we hope from our hearts you know that we are here to catch them when they fall. They are stronger than you think and more capable than at times you may give them credit for. We see it live everyday as we watch your children step up, face and deal with their fears and learn they can do just about anything. That is why you send them to Chenny!!!

You win some and you loose some but here at Chenny, every game played is an opportunity to learn something you didn’t know. We are so proud of our Chenny athletes and the effort they put into every game they play.

Middy Boys Basketball – CAW 18 vs. Wayne 31

Inter Boys Tennis – CAW 0 vs. Wayne 5

Senior Boys Basketball – CAW 37 vs. Starlight 49

Super Boys Soccer – CAW 9 vs. Wayne 1

Our Navajo kids, had an incredible night watching the Scranton Railriders play ball on a perfect summer night. What says summer more, than watching a baseball game, eating a hotdog surrounded by your friends. The smiles say it all as they had a relaxing night at the stadium.

Cherokee and Mohican campers (Freshman – Collegiates) enjoyed their evening watching the video taped auditions of our new Chenny’s Got Talent Competition. we have some incredibly talented kids here and the competition is stiff. From singers, to musicians, to dancers to comedians. They all brought their “A” game. We all cant wait for the live shows. Stay tuned to see our crazy talented cast.

Chenny out.

 

 

Each summer I am privileged to witness the best parts of your children and today didn’t disappoint as I saw kindness and love rise to the top in a very special way. We have a camper who has been coming to Chenny for years but this year, nerves knocked on her door and it hasn’t been an easy ride. From her smiling face, you would never know that on the inside she was feeling homesick and uneasy. But she kept it inside and just didn’t want anyone to know. When she sat with me today and cried and saw a huge mountain in front of her, I asked if she shared these feelings about missing home with her friends to which she shook her head no. I told her the only way to get over that huge mountain in front of her was to trust her friends and let them in and talk about it and that support would get her through the times she felt alone. I knew she needed backup and she couldn’t do it alone, nobody can do it alone.  She named 2 friends to which she thought could be her support and with her permission agreed for me to fill them in. Feeling shy and nervous about revealing her homesickness, I sat with these two amazing girls and brought them up to speed on what their friend was facing and how she was keeping it all inside. Without hesitation, they wanted to help their friend whom they had no idea how sad she was feeling on the inside. These two incredible kids showed compassion and kindness and said it so perfectly, “We got her. We won’t let our friend do this alone. We will have her back and help her through this.” You see, this little girl who has been here for years just didn’t want to burden anyone with how she was feeling and her friends had no idea but when they heard that she was struggling, they stepped up, grabbed her hand, put their arms around her and told her that they are by her side, always. I saw the three of them on their way to dinner and when they saw me they stopped and gave me a wink as to say, Don’t worry we got her covered.  The camper who had cried to me earlier today looked happier than I have ever seen. A smile so genuine and a look as she shed that weight that was heavy on her heart. She opened up, trusted and let her friends help. It was magical and she wasn’t alone. She is climbing that mountain with her friends right by her side. This is what it’s all about.

Onto our athletes who played with dedication and incredible sportsmanship today. We couldn’t be more proud of our Chenny athletes.

Inter/Collegiate Girls Tennis Tournament @ Tyler Hill – Congrats to Jillian Oresky, Julia Knobloch and Shaya Roth made it to the Semi-Finals

GC/CIT Girls LAX – CAW vs. Towanda – CAW wins by forfeit

Middy Boys Baseball – CAW 11 @ Starlight 4

Inter Boys Hockey – CAW 9 @ Westmont 2

Collegiate Boys Hockey – CAW @ Island Lake – CAW wins by forfeit

Senior/Super Boys  LAX – CAW 11 @ Island Lake 12

GC/CIT Boys Baseball – CAW 10 @ Starlight 4

It was Round Robin tonight for our evening activity and each division had their own awesome event planned. There was beach bonfires, and candy sushi, there was birdcage making in Arts & Crafts along with Biddy Basketball tournaments. There was movies and wiffle ball tournaments and we even had an Escape room. The kids loved their night at Chenny and it was just a remarkable day. Just can’t get better than this!!!

Chenny out.

 

 

 

 

Our Freshman – Collegiate campers had an absolute incredible day here at camp while Navajo campers were all out on their trips today. Camp belonged to our youngest campers and they had a ball. It was Color Mudder today and they got down and dirty, literally they were in the mud and couldn’t have been happier. They started at the front gate and the bugle blew and their were off on their race to the finish line. Through the course, it was muddy and wet and it was awesome. There is nothing like watching children jump in and over puddles and squish around in mud pits. As they took heaps and handfuls of mud slopping it on their heads, it was joyful. They were encouraged to get dirtier and just as they couldn’t have been messier, they crossed the finish line where they were doused with color powder adding to this insanely messy day. The messier and squishier the better then everyone jumped into the lake and exhilaration spread throughout camp. Your kids loved it and as one camper said it perfectly as he dove head first into the mud pit,  he yelled “I’ve been wanting to play in the mud my whole life, woohooo!!!”

It was trip day for our Navajo campers and what an incredible day they too. Our Seniors spent their day at the State Park, relaxing, sunning, swimming and enjoying a gorgeous day  with perfect weather. The campers were in heaven as they chilled out and had a perfectly relaxing day. Then it was off to the movies to catch this summer’s blockbusters. A perfect relaxing summer day for our Seniors. Our Supers and GC’s spent their day white water rafting up the Lehigh River and it was exhilarating, challenging, beautiful and a trip our campers loved. They got off the bus when they returned to camp and though they were physically exhausted from the rigors of the river, they were energized from a day well spent. Every single camper said the same thing, “It was AWESOME” and “We LOVED it!!”  Out CIT’s  had a fun day playing laser tag followed by a movie and as the big kids on campus, they chose their own day off and loved it. Our CIT’s are truly amazing kids and they are making their last camper year count. They are spirited, happy, appreciative and so happy to be here. They grew up here at Chenny and they define what a Chenny kid is. We are so proud to have watched them grow into these incredible responsible, kind hearted people who we are proud to call our CIT’s of Summer 2016.

Our first trip day is in the books. Everyone is back home safe and sound and sleeping peacefully from a day well spent. Life is Great!

Chenny out