Chenny Blog

Today was Carnival and it was an absolute incredible day filled with snow cones, pop corn, dunk tanks and wedding booths. It was sea of matching Chenny carnival shirts and another day filled with laughter, friends and memories in the making. But even in this dreamlike place, real life happens. We received a call from the Shulman family that they just experienced a huge loss, Mason and Emme’s Grandpa passed away last night and Dad was coming to come to tell them and bring them both home. Dad came to camp, sat with the kids and shared their families terrible news. The loss was significant, painful and confusing.  It just doesn’t make sense. Loss doesn’t make sense. Losing someone you so deeply love doesn’t make sense. Not being able to say goodbye doesn’t make sense and feeling the intense pain and sense of loss at camp doesn’t make sense. The kids had dad there to hold them as they grieved and they also had their camp family hold them up and cry with them. They held onto to their friends and counselors so tight you could literally feel the compassion and support. Every one of Mason and Emme’s  friends felt the loss along with them. They weren’t alone, not for a moment. None of us can avoid these painful moments in our lives but what we saw when every single one of the kids friends, counselors and all who love them here absorb the pain with them. They were not alone and as they drove away with dad to go home and grieve with family, their family here at camp grieves with them too.  Camp is way more the Color War, Arts and Crafts and Slip n Slides – its being held up by people you let in, creating a world where we cry together, hold onto to one another and stand together in the great times and when life hits hard.  Today, the entire Super division stood present alongside their friends Emme and Mason and we know they felt the love.

A huge congratulations to our GC/CIT boys who are the Wayne County Champions in Basketball as they defeated Camp Morasha with a 58-44 victory. Way to go boys!!

Our evening activity was all about our big end of year awards. These campers went above and beyond all summer long and deserve all the recognition for their outstanding character, positive mindset and are the campers everyone wants to be around and play with. Well done Chenny kids, We’re so proud of you.

CAMPERS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025 – GIRLS
	HONOR		ATHLETE		ALL AROUND
FRESHMEN	Fara Kimowitz		Eden Cohen		Sammy McRoberts
JUNIORS	Peyton Shackman		Avery Leahy		Emily Orgel
MIDDIES	Ava Brodsky & Bayley Bromberg		Avery Weiner & Emma Teig		Emma Brick & Laila Pearlman
INTERS	Lulu Harris		Carson Maddox		Finley Rosenberg
COLLEGIATE	Camryn Nazem & Sienna Scarcella		Aubrey Donson & Emmy Sannon		Logan Cohen & Emma Shey
SENIORS	Olivia Penson		Morgan Fischer		Alivia Johnson
SUPERS	Dylan Lefkowitz		Kylie Park		Layla Kahn
GC’s	Noa Dagan		Jodana Kohen		Jordana Poplock
CIT of the Year	Morgan Bassuk

 

CAMPERS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025 – BOYS
	HONOR		ATHLETE		ALL AROUND
FRESHMEN	Jonah Korn		Ryan Quatroni		Matthew Einerman
JUNIORS	Evan Weber		Cameron Sylvin		Joey Goldman
MIDDIES	Max Cohen & Aiden Steinman		Jace Johnson & Jonah Schlissel		Jacob Feldman & Evan Wachman
INTERS	Jared Tarasov		Zachary Wynn		Evan Freeman
COLLEGIATE	Jackson Chaput & Judah Geller		Cooper Rosen & Jake Wexler		Ryder Diamond & Brandon Goldberg
SENIORS	David Chuven		Chase Zigler		Garren Katzenberg
SUPERS	Ben Amster		Jordan Ockner		Chase Schwartz
GC’s	Nick Einzig		Jordan Morris		Tyler Roth
CIT of the Year	Jake Marin

After five days of fierce competition, unforgettable moments, and nonstop spirit, Gold Broadway has taken center stage as the winners of Color War! From the electric Defying Gravity breakout to the final Sing, both teams left it all on the fields, courts, and stage—heart, hustle, and pure Chenny pride. Watching your kids dig deep, push themselves, and play with everything they had was worth it all. Color War at Chenny is something you can’t quite explain, it’s a feeling, a magic that changes each of us in ways only those who’ve lived it can truly understand.

The battle was tight all week, with Red Circus fighting hard at every turn. Every game, every contest, and every performance mattered. But in the end, Gold Broadway shined the brightest, bringing their A-game to every event and sealing their victory in true Broadway style – big, bold, and definitely unforgettable. Tonight, our CITs delivered their heartfelt psych speeches before the silent meal, sharing how much Chenny has meant to them and how these summers have shaped who they are. They spoke directly to our youngest campers, urging them to soak in every moment, because it all goes by in the blink of an eye and to not waste a minute of this experience.

When the announcement came after a serious game of musical chairs, the cheers shook the hall, and the smiles on our campers’ faces said everything. This week wasn’t just about winning—it was about teamwork, resilience, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. But after just a few moments of Gold celebrating their win, it was everyone back together dancing together and embracing the moment inside Shields Hall.

Congratulations to Gold Broadway, and hats off to Red Circus for an incredible week of competition. Now, we come back together as one camp family to enjoy our final four days of summer 2025. Tomorrow is Carnival—and the fun is far from over! Life is great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda!

Color War brings out every emotion and for one Middy camper, it brought out her intense competitiveness. She wanted to win so badly that when she felt her teammates weren’t giving it their all, she would head back to the bunk frustrated. Today, she came to me and asked, “How do I do it?” I smiled and asked, “Do what?” She replied, “Not be so competitive so my friends stay my friends.” She recognized that her need to win was starting to overshadow her friendships, and she wanted to change that. We sat together and talked about how she could still give her all in the games while keeping things friendly in the bunk. That’s one of the most powerful parts of camp, facing challenges, learning about ourselves, and working through them in a safe, supportive community. We came up with strategies she could try, and she promised to put them into practice. Tonight, after evening activity, she came to me beaming. “I did a lot of great work today,” she said. “When our team lost the relay race, I counted backwards to calm myself down. I reminded myself that my friends are more important than that race.” Her competitive spirit is still strong, but now she’s learning to channel it in ways that build friendships rather than strain them. That’s what camp is all about, real moments, real growth, and finding ways to bring people closer, not push them away. Here at Chenny, we’re not just playing games—we’re learning how to be our best selves.

Tonight was all about using our brains instead of our bodies—and the fun was huge. Quiz Night is a loved Color War tradition, and this year did not disappoint. Everyone played, everyone laughed, and what I learned is that we have some seriously smart campers and staff here at Chenny. From solving algorithm equations to tackling tricky geography questions to nailing pop culture trivia, our community proved just how much they know. We’ve got some sharp minds in Red and Gold! The night was filled with big laughs, clever answers, and plenty of “I had no idea!” moments that made the game as entertaining as it was competitive. Heading into Quiz Night, Red Circus had 2,561 points while Gold Broadway held 2,610, a razor-thin margin of just 49 points. In Color War, that’s nothing. Tomorrow, we head into the very last day of these amazing games, and soon a Color War Champion will be crowned. Will it be Red Circus or Gold Broadway? The stage is set—let’s finish strong!

It was a glorious morning, bright, clear, and absolutely perfect for another full day of Color War games and contests. Campers poured onto the fields with faces painted, hair sprayed in bold team colors, and Red and Gold gear proudly on display. The spirit here runs deep and everywhere you look, there’s pride, excitement, and a true sense of belonging. Color War is unlike anything else. You can try to explain it, but to truly live it is to feel the magic—the competition, the camaraderie, the joy. It’s what makes this week the absolute best of the summer.

Today, Boys Side took to the track for their meet while Girls Side dove into the pool for theirs. Both were filled with cheers, high-fives, and endless encouragement as campers pushed toward their finish lines. There was one moment, though, that took my breath away. In a Middy boys relay, the race was neck and neck until, the Gold runner stumbled and fell. Everyone watching saw it happen and  without a second’s hesitation, the Red runner stopped mid-race to help him up. In that instant, the race no longer mattered. What mattered was compassion, sportsmanship, and looking out for one another. It was a moment that captured the very essence of camp, full of heart, humanity, and the understanding that sometimes helping someone else stand up is the greatest victory of all.

Tonight brought one of camp’s most long-standing traditions—Rope Burning and Water Boiling. Counselors from both teams had spent days gathering wood, designing their fire structures, and strategizing for this big moment. With faces streaked in zinc to shield them from the heat, they were ready. The camp gathered around, eyes locked on the flames, as Gold Broadway’s fire caught first. The crowd roared only for Red Circus’s fire to ignite moments later. Soon, all four fires were blazing. Gold Broadway burned their rope first, quickly followed by Red Circus. Then the race shifted to the water boil—Gold Broadway’s pot boiled over first, but within minutes, Red Circus’s water boiled over too. It was the kind of back-and-forth, heart-pounding Rope Burn that made tonights event amazing. Going into dinner, Red Circus held a 21-point lead, but after tonight’s fiery showdown, it’s still anyone’s game. Color War is far from over, and tomorrow promises even more magic.

Until tomorrow, Chenny.

The weather could not have been more perfect—clear, crisp, and made for games and competition. From the moment the day began, campers were decked out head to toe in their Red and Gold, faces painted, spirits high, and ready for Day 2 of Color War. The schedule was packed: games, psych speeches, team meetings, and song practice. The competition was fierce yet friendly—spirited and full of heart. This is what Color War is all about. We play fair, we play hard, and above all, we support one another. You can see the desire to win written across our campers’ faces, but right alongside it is a deep respect for the game and for each other.

Tonight’s evening activity was Counselor Games, and watching our staff compete with such passion on the fields and courts reminded us that the Color War spirit lives in everyone here—not just the campers. The energy was incredible, and with only a 37-point difference between teams, every single match is making an impact. The splits are spot-on, the games are intense, and there isn’t a person on camp who isn’t giving it everything they’ve got.

All day long, everywhere you looked, there were moments that showed exactly why this tradition means so much. From the junior boys’ game-winning soccer goal to the freshman girls’ nail-biting tie-breaker in Steal the Bacon—every play, every win, every effort mattered. It’s a privilege to watch these kids rise to the occasion and do incredible things before our eyes.

Tomorrow brings Day 3, and we’ve still got so much ahead of us. Tonight, though? The kids are sleeping well—tired, proud, and ready to do it all again.