Category: Uncategorized

We had another beautiful day here at Chenny. It was late wake up this morning and though we’ve only been here for 5 days, it has been a packed 5 days and the sleep-in was so great.  We’ve been playing hard all day and all night long so the extra hour felt amazing. Here at Chenny, we go to breakfast in our pajamas – just like were home. Roll out of bed and head to the kitchen and today was a camper favorite as we all filled our bellies with the best chocolate chip pancakes. A great way to start our day. So we have nourished our bodies and then it was off to play.  The sun was shining, the lake was glistening and camp was full of smiling happy campers.

So much happens in a day here. There were more team tryouts, theater auditions for our show Legally Blonde and the campers were so excited about this years Chenny’s Got Talent show. Campers auditioned for the show and brought their “A” game. There were singers and dancers, comedians, musicians, jugglers and other talents you just have to wait and see for yourself. As each camper took that stage to show what they got, it blew our mind how talented our kids are. Some went in groups and some rocked it all buy themselves. This years show will blow our minds, that you can bank on.

As the sun set over fiddle lake and campers enjoyed free play, which is the time of the day after dinner when kids get to roam around, be with friends and enjoy some unstructured time, we saw something that we had never seen before. Our Dance director had an impromptu Zumba class and there were well over 100 campers that jumped in danced to amazing music and worked up quite a sweat. It was insane fun and the campers loved it.

Evening activity was a blast as our campers played Deal or No Deal. It was electric and so much fun. One camper who played just would’t take a deal as he watched pizza parties and extra canteen for his bunk pass him by. He had his site set on one thing and was playing until he got it. The last case held what he wanted and as the crowd was trying to sway him to take a deal actually any deal for that matter, this cherokee camper wanted the new Chenny baseball hat and in that last possible move – a suitcase turned over and the prize was that hat. He cheered as if he won the lottery tonight and walked out of Shields Hall with the best looking baseball hat on his cute little head. A deal was made and our camper was happy. Doesn’t get better than that. A great day and an awesome night. What life at Camp Chen-A-Wanda is all about.

Chenny out.

Imagine for a moment a world where no electronics existed. There were no tears or heartbreak because you weren’t invited to that party you saw on someones snapchat story or because you weren’t tagged in a picture on Instagram. A world where group texts didn’t exist and that cold isolating screen was replaced with the warmth of your friend laughing at your jokes. You could see his face and feel her emotion when you have conversation. There is empathy that develops when you see how your words and actions can effect those around you. It isn’t just keys you press to communicate. Camp is the ultimate environment that brings us together rather than keeps us apart. I was watching our CIT’s tonight sit around a table after evening activity, some on each others laps, some leaning against one another but the entire circle was connected by human touch. I sat and stared at this group of 16 year olds talking about anything and everything. It reminded me of how things used to be and one of them said, “I am so happy we don’t have our phones – Look at us.” That said it all. Camp makes us better versions of ourselves.

The day was incredible and the campers are taking advantage of every corner we have here at Camp. Gaga games were full of happy kids, the biddy courts had campers playing on them, the spin room was spinning all day long. It just doesn’t get better than this. Today was our get together for our Littles and Bigs. We love this program where we paired up our new Chenny kids with campers who have been here for years. They pass the torch to the new kids just starting their journey and our camp family grows. When you watch the Littles and their Bigs, you see why Camp Chen-A-Wanda is so full of love, laughter, joy and kindness. We take care of on another up here. We are a family.

Love was in the air as our evening activity was a camp favorite, The Dating Game. We had bachelors and bachelorettes and it was a great night. The laughter coming from Shields Hall was deafening. It is a night we all look forward to. Starting with the freshman all the way to the CIT’s – the questions were awesome and the answers were even better. It was a day full of love here at Chenny. Just doesn’t get better than this.

Chenny out.

It’s only day three here and when you look around it is the strangest feeling like we’ve been here for weeks already. The comfort you feel when you are here is unexplainable. Being at Chenny is like wearing the most comfortable pair of warm slippers you just slide right into and never want to take off. Friendships start fast and last long. I was in a girls bunk today at rest hour and was watching these connections develop right in front of my eyes. There were a few girls dancing, another group playing jacks, another circle of painting nails and a group sitting on one bed reading jokes to one another cracking up. It was the happiest place on earth in that moment. As I was sitting getting my hair braided by a very talented and sweet Inter girl, I was in awe of witnessing this moment. A group of girls living together, all very different but each adding something incredible to this melting pot of friendships. I thought how lucky they all are to experience this every day for the next seven weeks. There were new campers that were added to this bunk this summer and they were accepted into the group as if they had always been there. It was magic and my heart skipped a beat as I saw the best part of your children today. Acceptance, Inclusion and Kindness – They way it’s supposed to be for our children. The bugle rang letting us know that rest hour was over and it was onto the next but I didn’t want it to end. I could have sat in that bunk all day long watching your kids exchange ideas, laugh and giggle from their core and see how much they crave these connections.  These girls I spent rest hour with were so happy and as they all ran out of the bunk, full of giggles and smiling faces it reminded me the power of this experience and how it changes every one of us.

There were so many sport tryouts today and our courts and fields were packed with kids giving it their all and most importantly having the time of their life. Sports at Chenny is unlike the experience at home for many. There is no pressure, no stress, no disappointed coaches, no cuts, no bad feelings, no feelings of self doubt, no initimidation and no nerves. There is an enormous amount of encouragement, support, lots of incredible training, insane amounts of fun and a feeling of why playing sports can and should be approached in this manner. I will never forget a few years back when a camper came to me and had tears in his eyes as he begged me to tell everyone at home who would listen how sports can be played without stress, fear and intimidation. You see, he is the star pitcher of his team back home but after his love for the game was being destroyed by the amount of stress that he was feeling, he wanted me to tell everyone how we played up here at camp. That he loved playing ball again because when he played, he was encouraged without stress and the game he loved so dearly was here for him. That same camper comes back each summer and you can find him on field with the biggest smile on his face. I watched him today as he was killing it at his tryouts and what was so impressive was that he was inspiring the new younger kids to have fun up here. I overheard him saying to a new camper, “You’ll love playing ball up here. The game will be fun, you will learn a lot and nobody will be disappointed when you get an error.” We can’t wait to watch these kids PLAY!!

For our Cherokee and Mohican campers it was an incredible night of BINGO… Prizes galore and so much fun. Pizza parties, ice cream socials and a few Beats head sets were given away. Our older kids had an optional evening activity. Some got into a great game of Wiffleball while others opted to hangout in the new canteen, playing card games, listening to music and just having a perfect summer night. We aren’t counting the days up here, we are making the days count!!!

Chenny out.

The bugle rang at 7:45am and reville rang throughout camp waking everyone up to start our amazing day. The sun shined bright and the day was off to a great start. Imagine where you begin your day and everyone is in a good mood, skipping to breakfast in your jammies, smiling from ear to ear while everyone you pass says good morning and have a great day. That is real and that happens here at Chenny. There is just no way to explain how happy we all are to be here and it starts as soon as we all wake up. This is how your children begin their day and the vibe of happy positive feelings is everywhere. You can’t escape it and it feels so good.

It was a full day of activities and camp was hopping. Campers spent their entire day playing. What could be better than that? Outside, in the sun playing with their friends and counselors and loving every minute of it. It felt like a million miles away from our kids sitting in front of the T.V., eyes glued to their phones, disconnected from the world. They were engaged with one another laughing and playing. Exactly what kids need to do. When we take those devices away, they soar. No texting one another but talking to each other. It was a sight you want to see everyday and for the next 49 days, this is where your kids live – In a world where they are connected to the people around them in a very meaningful and profound way.

For our Cherokee (Freshman, Junior and Middies) and Mohican (Inters and Collegiates) campers, they enjoyed an amazing evening activity in Shields Hall. Audiobody dazzled our kids with their light drum show. The kids were engaged and entertained. It was just awesome. Our Navajo campers had optional evening activities as some spent their night having a beach bonfire, eating s’mores and hanging out while the other Navajo campers enjoyed their evening in our new canteen just spending time with one another, being social and  having a perfect summer night. It was a spectacular day and your kids are having an amazing start to their summer. Best news yet, we get to do this all again tomorrow!!!

Chenny out.

At 7:45am, your kids were woken up to the bugles playing  reiville throughout camp and for the next 49 days they will hear Associate Director Brian Leahy call out, “Goooooooood Mooooooooorning Camp Chen-A-Wanda. There is truly no better way to wake up than to hear that announcement. The air was crisp and cool and everyone rolled out of their beds in their pajamas and went straight into The Lodge for breakfast. You know you are home when you head straight to breakfast in your jammies.

The afternoon was spent in activities as Arts & Crafts was full of campers making friendship bracelets and rainbow looms,  soccer fields and courts  were busy with games, the Cookhouse was packed with campers making delicious treats and kids were rocking out in The School of Rock. It was great to get activities underway and the campers loved their first full day of camp. Dinner was a blast with a sing-a-long session that could blow the roof off the building. Singing in unison all together in the Lodge is one of the greatest experiences we all have together. Throughout the day, we are all doing different activities and having different experiences but when all eat together and sing the same songs, it unites us and creates connections that just feel so good inside. The Lodge has a personality of its own and we are so lucky to get to experience this three times a day.

It was a magical night in Shields Hall as master illusionist Elliott Zimmet entertained us with his tricks that blew our minds. He made tables elevate and birds appear in front of our eyes. We were in shock as each illusion unfolded and loved the show. As the campers headed off to bed, we were all still scratching our heads and asking, how did he do that???? It was a great night. There is no trick or illusion here; tomorrow we get to wake up the bugles, hear Brian’s Goooood Moooorning annoouncement and have another awesome day at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny Out.