Camp Woodhaven Newsletter 2012
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Transcript of Camp Woodhaven Newsletter 2012
HOME OF THE HAPPY CAMPER!
Spring 2012
Thispastsummer,Ireceivedanemailthatanycampdirectorwouldlovetoreceive.Amotherwrotetosaythatherdaughterbroughthomeaglowingreportaboutcamp.Herdaughterhadinformedherthat CampWoodhavenwas“betterthanDisneyWorldANDChuckE.Cheese.”AlthoughIwasastoundedatfirstatthecampbeingcomparedtosuchroyaltyofentertainmentasDisney,onfurtherthoughtIrealizedthat evenWaltDisneyhimselfwouldapproveoftheimaginativeplay thattakesplaceatcamp. Iamoftenamazedatwhatcampersconsiderthehighlightofcamp.Manytimes,theiractivityofchoiceisnotsomethingthatispartofformalprogramming.Onmyofficedoortherearehanddrawnpicturesfromcampers.Amongthem,thereisadeclarationofthe“Sandpit”beingafavoritepartofcamp.The“Sandpit”fillstimeifcampersendanactivityearly.Everysummer,myhusbandGeorgewaitsuntilcampbeginstohavethebigdumptruckpulluptoemptyanewloadofsand.Thecampershavesomuchfunclimbingthepile,andthen,thegrandmovementofsandbeginsastunnelsaredug,roadsaremarked,andbuildingsbegantoform.Sticksandrocksjointhemixtoaddthedetailstotheircreations. IwillneverforgetthetimethatGeorgehadcrushedstonedeliveredforamaintenanceprojectduringvacationcamp.Thecampersaskedmeiftheycouldplayonthesmallpile.Astheywereworkingtogethertocreateapassinthe topofthepile,onelittleboylookedupatmewithlarge,seriouseyesandwistfullysaid,“IwishIcouldtakethispilehomewithme.”Itwasaremindertomethatthoughweentertainourchildrenwiththestimulatingworldofexpensivetechnologicaltoys,thereisstillavoidthatcanonlybefilledin thewonderofnatureandthegreatoutdoorswhereactivityis notall“programmed”forthem. Lastsummer,Inoticedaninterestingdevelopmentnexttothearcheryrangewherethecamperswaitfortheirturnatarchery.Theoldercampersconstructedagardenofrockformations.Thedarktowersstoodagainstthebrightgreenfoliageattheedgeofthewoods,addinganairofancientmystery.Ihopethattheyhavebirthedanewtradition,andthatthismasterpiecewilldevelopovertheyearstocome. ~continuedonpage2
Welcome to Camp Woodhaven!
Nutsy and his camp friends
AttheNationalEnvironmentalEducationconferenceGeorgeandIattendedinRaleigh,NC,IlearnedrangersatparksinNewYorkCityarenowbeingcalled“playworkers.” Theyarefacilitatorsofchildren’snaturaltendencytobecuriousandcreative.Theymayprovidesomematerialsandsupervision,butitdoesnottakemuchactionontheadult’sparttoinitiateplayanddiscovery.ThisisaconceptIwant tobringtoourcampcounselors. Creativityandimaginativeplaywereimportantcomponentsofmyupbringing.WedidnothaveaTVinourhome,soIplayedoutdoorsonour100acredairyfarm.OneChristmaswhenIwasinelementaryschool,myfatherboughtmeatoolboxoftools,lumber,ModPodge,andstainformypresentthatyear.Heshowedmesamplesoftoyshehadmadeasachild.Wecutdesignsoutoftracingpapertotransferonthewood.Then,hetaughtmehowtocutonhisjigsaw.Ispenthoursinmyworkshop,fillingimaginaryorders. Tothisday,oneofmycreations
hangsonthewallinmy90yearoldgrandmother’skitchen.Thecreativitytheyencouragedinmehasgivenmefourgiftsthathaveimpactedmyadultlife:curiosity,inventiveness,determination,andindependence. Creativedevelopmentatcampdoesnotjusthappeninaphysicalsense.Sincemostoftheplayisdonewithtwoormorechildren,socialcreativityisalsobeingstrengthened.Astheyworktogether,theyarealsocomingupwithimaginativewaystorelate,communicate,andworkasateam. Iseetheseasvitalskillsthatmustbenurturedasmuchoftheirsuccessasadultswillbebasedontheirabilitytoworkwithotherpeople. AttheAmericanCampingAssociation’snationalconferenceinAtlantathisyear,ChristineCarter,PhD,asociologistandpopularauthor,spokeonthehappinessofchildren.Shesharedaboutastudywherechildrenweregivengraduallymorecomplexpuzzles. Thechildrenwhowererewardedwithpraiseforworkinghardandnotfortheirinnatetalentorintelligencetookonmoreadvancedpuzzles.Thechildrenwhowerepraisedforbeingsmartor
gifteddidnotwanttotakeonthemoredifficultlevelsbecausetheywereafraidtolosetheirtitleofbeingsmart.Cartersaid,“Whenchildrenarepressuredtoachieveyoudulltheiremotions,stifletheircreativity,andmakethemunhappy.”Childrenareexposedtoachievementpressuresallthetimethroughschoolandathletics. Forthisreason,camphasaveryimportantplaceinachild’seducation.Campprovidesacounterbalancetoachievementbasedlearningthattakesplaceatschool.Atcamp,wehavetheperfectopportunitytoletcampers“try”whatevertheywanttodowithoutfearoffailure.Therearenogradesatcamp.Childrencanparticipate,makemistakes,andlearnfromthem.Campisa“safe”placeforcampersofallagestopracticecreativitywithoutinhibitionorfearofmissingachievementstandards.Thestaffwillbetheretocheerthemonaswegrowtogetherandnurturethe“senseofwonder”thatinspireseachpersontowanttolearnandexperiencemore.
George&PaulaDeTellisCampDirectors
No lines, no waiting,
camp is ready for creating! another great
day at camp
camperS create a bruSh Shelter
camper getS aSSiStance from archery SpecialiSt
Thisfall,GeorgeandIattendedthenationalconferenceforenvironmentaleducation.Wehavebecomeveryinterestedingrowing theenvironmentaleducationsideofcamp.Forthepasttwoyears,ClintonElementary hasbroughttheirthirdgraderstocampforafieldtrip.Studentsgettoexperienceaday ofcampbyparticipatinginateambuildingexercise,shootingbowandarrows,enjoyinganaturecraft,playingdodgeball,andhikingtoexploreanaturelesson.Ifyouthinkthisissomethingyourchild’sschoolwouldbeinterestedin,pleasespreadtheword.Itisour desiretoassistschoolsinmeetingcurriculumrequirements,soteachersareencouraged toletusknowwhatgoalsneedtobeaccomplishedwiththeirvisit.
Program Dates for 2012
CampwillrunfortenweeksthisyearbeginningJune18thandendingAugust24th.Anumberofschoolsalreadyhaveschooldaysscheduledduringweekone.Thecampisofferingadditionaloptionsforshortersessionsforthatweek.Itistheperfectopportunitytotrycampforadayifyourchildisnewtoourprogram.Transportationandextendeddaypricingforshortsessionswillhavetobediscountedmanually,socall theofficebeforeyoupayforthoseservices.
AfourthweekinAugustwasaddedattherequestofmanyparents.Wehopethatextraweekwillhelpmeetyourdaycareneeds.Thankyouforlettingusknow howwecouldserveyoubetter.
Environmental Education
CamP is a PlaCE to...
sEE olD friENDs
aND makE NEW friENDs
Studying frogS from the bog
camperS take SampleS of water from the vernal pool with the nature SpecialiSt
Electives
AtCampWoodhaven,campersselecttheactivitiestheywanttodofortwoperiods.Theelectivesusuallytieintothethemeforeachweek.ElectiveswillbereadyforonlineselectionbyApril1st.Anemailwillbesentouttoallregisteredcamperswhentheyareonline.Thethemeweeksareavailablenowonwww.campwoodhaven.com underthe“AboutUs”tab.
open HouseOurannualopenhousewillbeheld April28,2012from10am-2pm. ThisoccurspriortotheMay1stearlybirddiscount.Inviteyourfriendstocome. TheinvitationisreadytoshareontheCampWoodhavenfacebookpage.
Bus stop location added
Anewbusstophasbeenaddedforsummer2012.Parentscan nowdropofftheirchildrenat theWalmartparkinglotat 137WestBoylstonStreetin WestBoylston.
tug of war
camper rollS
log for highland
gameS
playing knock-out
camperS lead SongS for overday yarn bug elective
come meet our wonderful Staff
wacky wedneSday color war team
Camp Woodhaven P. o. Box 777 West Boylston, ma 01583 Phone: 508-835-9883 fax: 508-835-0910 www.campwoodhaven.com
In2011,thecampaddedthreenewstructuresandamuchlovedgagapittotheproperty.Theaddedspacehasbeensohelpfulasnoweveryspecialistareahasaplacetogoifitrains.Thankyoutoeveryonewhodonatedfinanciallytowardthebuildings.Wealsohadafurniturebusinessandalocalfoundationdonatealargequantityofusedofficefurniture. Anew20X40buildinghousesthedramadepartment. Itissurroundedbywindowstoletinlightandsummerbreezesthankstoalocalbusinessmanwhowaswillingtogiveusthewindowsatcost.Thefacilityprovidesgroupswithplentyofroomforactinganddancing.
Inthewoods,thenaturecenterprovidesa25X25spacefortouchtanksandnaturedisplays.Thisuniquestructurehasslidingbarndoorsandwindows.Theroofiscoveredwithclearpolycarbonatetoletinthenaturallight.Thankyoutoeveryonewhodonatedtanksandcagesfordisplays.Weevenreceivedsomewiththeanimalsinthem,whichwasreallyfunforthecampers.Anenormousconferencetablewasdonatedaswellassomemetalcabinets.Onthewishlistforthisyear,wewouldliketoinstallsolarpanelsinthisbuildingtorunthefiltersforthetanksasthisbuildinghasnoelectricity.Wealsohopetohaveenoughelectricitytorunaprojectorforamicroscopeorcomputer.Ifanyonehascontactsforsolarenergykitsorifyouwishtodonatetothisproject,givetheofficeacall.
Anotherlarge40x60pavilionoverlooksthepoolareaatthebaseofthesportsfield.Itprovidesrainydayplayspaceforthesportsandadventureprogrammingareas.WealsowouldliketousethispavilionforrainyOverdaycookouts.Thebuildinghasafoundationforalargestonefireplaceatoneend.Thepricequotewereceivedtobuildthefireplacewas$17,395.Asthereisaneedforotherbuildingprojectstotakeplace,thecampdoesnothavethefundstoputintoafireplace.Ifyouhaveadesiretohelpwiththisprojecteitherbydonating,findingbusinessestodonate,orintroducingustoanothermasonforanotherquote,pleaseletusknow.Parentsandchildrenalikewillenjoy abeautifulcenterpieceforOverdaypicnicsifwecanpulltogethertogetthispavilioncompleted.
Thegagapitprovidesplentyofexcitementforcampers. Thegameof“gaga”or“IsraeliDodgeball”isplayedwithinanoctagonalstructure.Theballcanbeplayedoffthewalloranotherperson.Insteadofhavingteams,eachplayerisagainstalltheotherplayers.Astheballhitsplayersbeneaththeknee,theyexitthepit. Iftheballhitsabovetheknee,thepersonthrowingtheballisout. Thelastpersonstandinginthepitisthewinner.Thisgamewas sopopularatcampthisyearwehavedecidedtobuildanother oneinadifferentlocation.
Construction Projects Completed in 2011