Kindness is Spreading

Up here at camp there is one thing we expect from our campers and staff and that is to lead with kindness. You can’t go wrong when you show kindness and every single day we see these actions all around us. Making others feel good is part of our ethos and everyone here is catching on, beautifully. You see it daily and it warms your heart. When you start your day and everyone on your left and right greet you with “Good Morning” or when you are walking up the hill to Circus and anyone who passes you gives you a high five. Tonight, I was visited by two boys who brought to my attention a counselor, who wasn’t even their counselor who made an impact on them. These two campers were sitting at the hockey rink and one was sharing how he was feeling a bit homesick. In ear shot, this counselor that they didn’t know walked over and sat with them. He asked if they wouldn’t mind if he joined them and then shared a story about how he too felt the same way when he went off to college. Whatever was said helped the camper who was feeling a bit challenged with missing home but the story didn’t end their. These two campers felt compelled to ask me if I would consider giving a Kind Camper T-shirt to this counselor. He had made such an incredible gesture by just sitting with the kids, sharing his story and providing support that they wanted to honor him. The boys even said how it inspired them to listen and look for people who may need their support to get through tough moments. Nothing made me smile bigger today than bearing witness to this incredible connection and amazing act of kindness.

Our kids are off and running with their Wayne County games:

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 6 @ Westmont

Freshman/Junior Boys Basketball – CAW 35 vs. Westmont 42

Inter Boys Basketball – CAW 29 @ Tioga 4

Super Boys Tennis – CAW 2 @ Westmont 5

GC/CIT Boys Lacrosse – CAW 4 vs. Westmont 7

Tonight’s evening activity was INCREDIBLE!!! It was the staffs’s talent show and it was so good. WhenI say the campers loved it, that doesn’t truly represent what happened in Shields Hall tonight. There were dances, magic acts, singing, comedy and other incredibly talented people taking center stage and blowing our minds. The entire camp family was up on their feet, singing along and cheering at the top of their lungs. You had to see it to believe it and we experienced a night to remember. One of our new counselors was so beyond fearful to showcase her singing talents and before the show she was contemplating bailing out due to nerves. Her campers got behind her and motivated her to face those fears, get on the stage and sing and that she did. She had us all in the palm of her hands and sang her heart out. I have seen some pretty incredible ovations here at camp but this one took first place. She was incredible and after her performance all her girls ran to her with so much pride and adoration that she began to cry with joy. That counselor approached me and said that it wasn’t easy for her to sing in front of a crowd this size or any crowd for that matter but her girls gave her the courage. That is the magic of this place. We inspire one another to be better, to be brave, to step out of our comfort zones and to be magnificent.

Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out.