Hello,
We are now into our second week and it has been an exciting two weeks! Last night as I visited each unit to say good night- I was so proud of all your daughter's. They chose to come to camp and try living in the woods. Unfortunately, so many girls and families do not want to go to summer camp.
Every Sunday after dinner, the girls go back to their units and have a camp fire with s'mores. They sing songs, talk about camp noises, and camp rules. We think this is a great way to start the week.
As I visited the units to say good night, it was so wonderful to hear them singing, laughing and enjoying being at camp. I love being here and seeing the girls interacting with the counselor's and bonding- how great is that!
We will get all the pictures posted from last week- we had some internet problems
Take Care,
Barb ( BC)
Friday, June 21, 2013
Hi!
Well we finished our second week and while the counselor's and most of the campers had a good time- it was very disheartening getting phone calls from parents this afternoon. Last week all I heard were wonderful things about how much the girls loved camp. This week we had so many parents with concerns. I would encourage your daughter's to make sure they tell the counselor's when they don't feel well, or have something wrong. It is so hard to fix a problem after the camper's leave.
We try our best to make every girl have a good time at camp- just this morning watching all the girls at breakfast talking and singing- hugging each other good-bye. Telling the counselor's good-bye- it made me so proud of everyone. To see your daughter's come into camp- learn about our different traditions- and by the time they go home know exactly what to do at the end of the week. Who is the sweeper, who is the wiper, the scrapper, or the runner. They all have jobs to do- and they do it! I just stand there and beam- because of how much they grow over the week.
I know many girls do not like all the walking, or the bugs- but it is the ones who get what camp is really about- the people- the friends you make and learning how to cope being away from home- that is what camp is really about! Some just don't get it- and I feel so sorry for them. They can't get over wanting to go home, they just aren't prepared for camp. And that ruins it for them. They never come back. I run into people all the time who say they had a bad experience at camp because they were not prepared enough.
I would like to tell you about one of the unit's this past week called- "District Gallahue". This unit was patterned after "The Hunger Games". The girls learned survival skills on Tuesday and then on Wednesday spent the day and NIGHT out in camp finding their lunch- and then setting up their tents, and building their fire and cooking their dinner. on their own! They were so proud of themselves and I was too! They had to canoe from the beach to Ardath to get their sandwiches, and then perform some tasks to earn it. They walked all around the camp- earning prizes from sponsors, and had to figure out how to get along with everyone. And they did it! they built their fire- cooked their dinner, survived within their own groups- with some help from us. But how cool is that!
Please prepare your children for the world- don't think by sheltering them and doing everything for them is loving them- it only hurts them when they finally have to go out into the world and have to figure out what to do on their own.
I also apologize for anything my staff does that you as a parent do not like. Sometimes the staff are tired and snap at your daughter for screaming because a spider is on them. That is not right and I talked to them about how that behavior is not what I want going on at my camp. I have staff that love your daughter's and try their best to make their week wonderful. We don't always exceed at that. They make mistakes and learn from them. But we always try to have your daughter's safety first and want you to know that.
So- with a heavy heart from complaints from this past week- I sign off- hoping next week will run so much smoother with parent and girls. I hope everyone arrives happy and leaves happy!
Yours in Camping,
Barb
BC
Well we finished our second week and while the counselor's and most of the campers had a good time- it was very disheartening getting phone calls from parents this afternoon. Last week all I heard were wonderful things about how much the girls loved camp. This week we had so many parents with concerns. I would encourage your daughter's to make sure they tell the counselor's when they don't feel well, or have something wrong. It is so hard to fix a problem after the camper's leave.
We try our best to make every girl have a good time at camp- just this morning watching all the girls at breakfast talking and singing- hugging each other good-bye. Telling the counselor's good-bye- it made me so proud of everyone. To see your daughter's come into camp- learn about our different traditions- and by the time they go home know exactly what to do at the end of the week. Who is the sweeper, who is the wiper, the scrapper, or the runner. They all have jobs to do- and they do it! I just stand there and beam- because of how much they grow over the week.
I know many girls do not like all the walking, or the bugs- but it is the ones who get what camp is really about- the people- the friends you make and learning how to cope being away from home- that is what camp is really about! Some just don't get it- and I feel so sorry for them. They can't get over wanting to go home, they just aren't prepared for camp. And that ruins it for them. They never come back. I run into people all the time who say they had a bad experience at camp because they were not prepared enough.
I would like to tell you about one of the unit's this past week called- "District Gallahue". This unit was patterned after "The Hunger Games". The girls learned survival skills on Tuesday and then on Wednesday spent the day and NIGHT out in camp finding their lunch- and then setting up their tents, and building their fire and cooking their dinner. on their own! They were so proud of themselves and I was too! They had to canoe from the beach to Ardath to get their sandwiches, and then perform some tasks to earn it. They walked all around the camp- earning prizes from sponsors, and had to figure out how to get along with everyone. And they did it! they built their fire- cooked their dinner, survived within their own groups- with some help from us. But how cool is that!
Please prepare your children for the world- don't think by sheltering them and doing everything for them is loving them- it only hurts them when they finally have to go out into the world and have to figure out what to do on their own.
I also apologize for anything my staff does that you as a parent do not like. Sometimes the staff are tired and snap at your daughter for screaming because a spider is on them. That is not right and I talked to them about how that behavior is not what I want going on at my camp. I have staff that love your daughter's and try their best to make their week wonderful. We don't always exceed at that. They make mistakes and learn from them. But we always try to have your daughter's safety first and want you to know that.
So- with a heavy heart from complaints from this past week- I sign off- hoping next week will run so much smoother with parent and girls. I hope everyone arrives happy and leaves happy!
Yours in Camping,
Barb
BC
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Hi parents,
We had each unit sleep in their unit house last night and did not receive any rain- we are watching the weather for today- it is windy here, but nothing else. The humidity has left! The mini sail girls are in heaven! They have a regatta planned for today! I will keep you posted.
Yours,
Barb (BC)
We had each unit sleep in their unit house last night and did not receive any rain- we are watching the weather for today- it is windy here, but nothing else. The humidity has left! The mini sail girls are in heaven! They have a regatta planned for today! I will keep you posted.
Yours,
Barb (BC)
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Hello,
This week has really flown by! Monday was a great first day of camp and Tuesday was even better. Everyone cooked out dinner, I had a hot dog and mac and cheese with Ringmasters, many had walking tacos, or pudgy pie pizzas, while "You can't do that at camp" ordered pizza from Pizza Hut! I pretended to be upset that they ordered it!
The Hoofies were down riding the horses, Ringmasters were also getting their time at the barn. Best Day Ever girls made dragons from Mulan, some tye dyed, while others did archery, I met some at the beach canoeing and topped off the night lighting their Tangled lanterns and sending them off from the top of the dam. The Journey girls helped them light the lanterns and made eclairs for desert! Light's Out spent the night calling owls, looking for bats, and they painted trees with a sugaring sauce for moths to be attracted to. Mini Sail/ Spinnakers were busy learning how to capsize their sail boats and getting back in. Can You Canoe, did canoe over canoe- and it was so funny watching them! They watched a movie last night on the beach in the canoes and invited " You can't do that at camp".
Today is our all camp, and we are getting everything ready for that- we are watching the weather and will have the girls stay in the unit houses in case of severe storms tonight. Sometimes weather in Indy is bad, but not here- so don't worry!
recipe for eclair's: take a dowel rod, wrap foil around the top of it, wrap a crescent roll around it and cook over coals. then, slide off onto your plate, fill with whipped cream and drizzle chocolate on and eat!
This week has really flown by! Monday was a great first day of camp and Tuesday was even better. Everyone cooked out dinner, I had a hot dog and mac and cheese with Ringmasters, many had walking tacos, or pudgy pie pizzas, while "You can't do that at camp" ordered pizza from Pizza Hut! I pretended to be upset that they ordered it!
The Hoofies were down riding the horses, Ringmasters were also getting their time at the barn. Best Day Ever girls made dragons from Mulan, some tye dyed, while others did archery, I met some at the beach canoeing and topped off the night lighting their Tangled lanterns and sending them off from the top of the dam. The Journey girls helped them light the lanterns and made eclairs for desert! Light's Out spent the night calling owls, looking for bats, and they painted trees with a sugaring sauce for moths to be attracted to. Mini Sail/ Spinnakers were busy learning how to capsize their sail boats and getting back in. Can You Canoe, did canoe over canoe- and it was so funny watching them! They watched a movie last night on the beach in the canoes and invited " You can't do that at camp".
Today is our all camp, and we are getting everything ready for that- we are watching the weather and will have the girls stay in the unit houses in case of severe storms tonight. Sometimes weather in Indy is bad, but not here- so don't worry!
recipe for eclair's: take a dowel rod, wrap foil around the top of it, wrap a crescent roll around it and cook over coals. then, slide off onto your plate, fill with whipped cream and drizzle chocolate on and eat!
Yours in Camping,
Barb (BC)
Camp Director
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Hello!
Welcome to the fabulous summer at Camp Gallahue! We are so excited to meet everyone this summer! Come to my blog every week to hear about the cool and exciting things we are doing at camp. Also check-out our pictures on Flickr to see all the fun the girls are having. I look forward to a great summer.
Welcome to the fabulous summer at Camp Gallahue! We are so excited to meet everyone this summer! Come to my blog every week to hear about the cool and exciting things we are doing at camp. Also check-out our pictures on Flickr to see all the fun the girls are having. I look forward to a great summer.
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