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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, white 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. Our international staff was in awe of how spirited camp was today and how deep our pride is for our country. There is nothing more Americana than the 4th of July and today was just spectacular. Spending the 4th with our camp family is a gift we are so grateful for.

Even with our athletes faces painted and wearing tutus, it was an awesome day of Chenny sports.

Middy Girls Soccer – CAW 8 vs. Island Lake 1

Inter Girls Basketball – CAW 16 @ Lohikan 6

Senior Girls Soccer – CAW 9 @ Lohikan 2

Super Girls Basketball – CAW 27 vs. Island Lake 19

Super Boys Baseball – CAW 20 vs. Island Lake 2

Senior/Super Boys Tennis tourney @ Starlight – Congratulations to Sam Tell and Michael Hellerman who made it to the Semi-fimals in 8th/9th grade doubles

It was an incredible day here at Chenny but we all knew that the night was the best part and it did not disappoint. We all got cozy in our long and longs (that is camp lingo for long pants, long shirts). Then is was up to the amphitheater to watch our incredible firework show. We were decked out 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. As the night grew darker and the anticipation was intense, we all counted down from 10 to 1 and then in a flash, the night sky lit up above us with the most spectacular firework show. 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. There is something about watching a firework show that makes you feel young and reminds you that those summer nights are priceless. I know that each one of us sitting in the amphitheater, will always remember tonight.It wasn’t just an ordinary night but a feeling that made you part of something pretty special.  That perfect feeling of an ideal summer night. There is  no place on earth would we rather be but right where we were, with one another. We had an incredible 4th of July!

Chenny Out

Another awe-inspiring Chenny day was had by all. So much happens in a day here and you can literally go from a guitar lesson, to flying on the trapeze, play in a soccer game, make something outrageously delicious in the cookhouse, climb on the new rock wall, take a spin class and end the day with getting blobbed into the lake. The fun is off the charts and our campers are loving every minute of their packed days. We are keeping our kids, busy, engaged and loving their days spent at Chenny.

Sports…. Sports…. Sports….and more Sports…

Freshman/Jr. Girls Soccer – CAW 0 vs. Starlight 3

Collegiate Girls Tennis – CAW 2 @ Wayne 3

GC/CIT Girls Tennis – CAW 1 @ Weequahic 4

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

Inter Boys Baseball – CAW 2 @ Wayne 4

Super Boys Basketball – CAW 36 @ Island Lake 8

GC/CIT Boys Tennis – CAW 1 vs. Poyntelle 4

The night belonged to Boys Lip Sync and they were AMAZING!!!! To watch boys get up on stage and dance in sync with one another is a sight to see. It is an incredible experience for our boys to feel the freedom to let go, be silly and dance on stage in front of the entire camp. It just doesn’t happen outside our gates but it happens here. This is where they shine and are free to be the best versions of themselves. Shields Hall was electric tonight. Girls side was in full support cheering on the boys with standing ovations. It was a hard call to make with so many great performances but a huge congratulations goes out to the Inter Boys for Lower Camp and CIT’s for Upper Camp for winning Boys Lip Sync 2016!!!  Boys side rocked and rolled and it was another perfect Chenny night.

Chenny out.

 

 

It has been only one week since we arrived here at Chenny and it feels like we have always been here. There is a comfort, a familiarity, a sense of home and it’s only been 7 days. Crazy how much happens in a day and times that by seven and you get a bond between every single one of us here at CAW.  This summer has started out with so much positivity, so much incrediblae energy, tons of kindness and an overall vibe of complete happiness to be here. You can feel it and it is real is as real is. When you see kids skipping to breakfast, holding hands, feeling totally comfortable sitting on the shoulders of their counselors, laying in laps of their friends at line up, getting form one activity the next from piggy back rides, you know the feeling is just pure comfort and security. And we all just got here only 7 days ago. It happens quick and it lasts all summer long. These connections have happened and the magic of this place is no illusion – Everyone is feeling the Chenny love!!!

Our athletes gave it al they got today on our courts and fields. They played hard, they played fair and we couldn’t be more proud of our kids today.

Middy Girls Basketball – CAW 30 vs. Poyntelle 7

Collegiate Girls Softball – CAW 13 vs. Island Lake 2

Senior Girls Soccer – CAW 1 @ Westmont 7

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 6 vs. Poyntelle 5 (CAW wins in overtime shoot out)

Freshman/Junior Boys Soccer – CAW 1 @ Westmont 6

Senior Boys Flag Football Tourney @ Trails End – CAW lost in Semi Finals to Tyler Hill 13-14

Super Boys Tennis – CAW 1 @ Wayne 4

GC/CIT BOYS LAX – CAW 7 @ Westmont 10

We honored our campers of the week tonight and and there is nothing like seeing their faces when their names are called. Every week, the Group Leaders choose one camper from their division to honor and highlight. To receive this honor is saying that these campers have great character, are good friends, are helpful, have positive attitudes and are just great kids all -around.  It is an incredible honor to be named Camper of the Week.  A huge congrats to our amazing campers of the week on this first week of camp.

Freshman – Brianna Duetsch & Cole Wallis

Junior – Sloane Irizarry & Matthew Donchek

Middies – Dara Heifler & Drew Schimer

Inters – Aydan Goldstein & David Stulberger

Collegiates – Dani Covey & Jed Katz

Seniors – Emily Weiss & Jordan Saltzman

Supers – Maya Cohen & Reid Feldman

GC’s – Brooke Mohr & Sam Rochlin

CIT’s – Rachel Schier & David Smolowitz

Tonight was an absolutely incredible night as our GC’s and CIT girls played flag football under the lights. It was Powder Puff Night and it was so much fun. The girls played ball and the boys cheered the crowd on. There were prizes and giveaways all throughout the game. The kids had the best time and of course in true Chenny style it was a spontaneous dance party. We love dancing her at CAW and why not bust out with the Cha Cha slide at a football game. They rocked tonight and our girls played with their heart. This year the CIT’s brought home the victory and they deserved it. The crowd was cheering them on all the way and everyone felt part of this game. It was a night we wont forget.

Chenny out.

 

 

 

Today in Arts n’ Crafts there was a group of boys in our Lego room, all sitting around our new Lego tables each making their own works of art. Some made cars and raced them down our Lego track but everyone in that space was creating and having the best time.  I was watching them as they each worked alone and were completely focused on their project. This space allowed each camper to use their imagination as one camper said to me, “I built a triple decker firehouse, you wanna see what I made?” He was so proud showing me the trap door and the entrance for the fire trucks and it had a story. A few other boys came over to us and asked if they could add on to his firehouse which they all agreed how awesome it would be to connect all their pieces to create a city.  They got a plan of what this would look like and then the plan went into action. What started out as a single triple decker firehouse grew into an entire city. They started out alone and then were drawn together to work with one another. Right in front of my eyes, I saw their connection grow. They used these little colorful pieces to create a work of art and did it together. In a 45 minute period, these boys started out working alone and by the end were all together working in harmony, compromising with one another, negotiating, creating an entire city and this is what it is all about. These boys came to camp alone and are building cities together, with each other.

It was a great day for sports and tourneys at Chenny. We hosted a Collegiate Boys baseball tournament with Wayne, Westmont and Tioga.

Game 1: CAW 5 vs. Tioga )

Game 2: CAW 1 vs. Westmont

Game 3: CAW 8 vs. Wayne 1

Freshman/Junior Girls Basketball – CAW 30 vs. Tioga 2

Inter Girls Tennis – CAW 4 vs. Tioga 1

Collegiate Girls Soccer – CAW 2 vs. Westmont 1

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 17 vs. Westmont 37

GC/CIT Girls Soccer – CAW 9 vs. Tioga 1

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Weequahic 12

GC/CIT Boys Soccer – CAW 0 @ Starlight 2

We have so much talent here at Chenny and it’s just not our campers. Tonight out staff showed just how talent they are at our Staff Talent Show. They sang and danced and got up on that stage and were fearless. Our campers cheered for them with standing ovations and screams of pride. When one of us is on that stage, its as if each of us are on that stage. It what truly makes us a family. Another incredible day here in Paradise.

Chenny out.

 

To say the day was incredible would be an understatement. Waking up to the bluest sky, with the cleanest crisp freshest air, the warmth we feel from the sun shining down on us and the greenest rolling mountains that surround our summer home, gives each one of us a connection to nature and has this incredible positive effect on how we feel. You walk outside and you are just in an awesome mood. When an entire community starts their day with this much positivity, it is hard to have a bad day. That is one of the many reasons why life is great here. We are all embraced by the beauty of our surroundings and it allows us to feel so good, all the time. I try and observe our campers experiences so you at home can feel what is happening here inside our gates but today was that kind of day that deserved a description of the beautiful landscape we live in and how it effects each one of us in the most awesome way.

Our Super boys had a day full of baseball as we hosted Camp Westmont with a double header tournament. They were on the field all day long and loved every minute of it. CAW won both games with a 8-0 victory followed by 2-1 win. More than the win, it was the fact that the boys played baseball all day and they couldn’t have been happier.

As some things change some just stay the same and one thing we can always count on to stay the same summer after summer here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda is Sign & Song. This very long-standing camp tradition is celebrated by so may who came before and you can count on this camp favorite every summer for years to come. Each bunk decorates a plaque that will forever be placed on the bunk walls. It is a tradition that cements your summer here at Chenny. Your name will forever be up on our walls, that you can count on. When any Chen-A-Wanda alum come by for a visit, the first thing they do is find their bunk plaque and grin ear to ear. Each bunk on girls side performs a dance they have worked on all week long. From the cutest Freshman through our beautifully talented CIT’s, the girls put on quite a show tonight. Boys side was cheering them on and nights like this makes us a camp family. There is a winner for lower and upper camp plaques as well as winners for dance in both camps. Tonight was incredible and we didn’t envy our judges as they had a tough time choosing the winners but a huge congratulations goes to the bunks that we’re crowned winners:

Lower Camp Best Plaque- Boys Bunk E and Girls Bunk F

Upper Camp Best Plaque – Boys Bunk W and Girls Bunk W

Winner of Sign & Song Dance: Lower Camp – Girls Bunk H / Upper Camp – Girls Bunk S

It was an electric night and another amazing Sign & Sing is in the books. All campers are sleeping peacefully and camp is quiet but only for a few hours until we rise and do it all over again.

Chenny out.