Camp Woodland Blog

Just kidding! Now that I got your attention…

A camp director friend at another camp says to parents, “Your kids are going to summer camp in a few years, it’s called college.” Living independently, problem solving, navigating an unknown world, making new friends, and more are a few of the skills necessary to succeed in life after high school (college, trade school, getting a job, traveling, etc). At camp, kids practice and develop those skills over the course of the summer. I actually know someone who is the ED of a fraternity organization on a university campus who shared with me recently that he can always tell the students who have gone to or worked at a summer camp. They exude leadership, confidence, the ability to make decisions, and resilience (just to name a few) that is easy to pick up on over those that did not attend camp.

It is easy to come up with reasons NOT to send your kid/s to camp (too far, too long, too buggy, too hot, too cold, too fun, etc). Yes, camp may actually be TOO. MUCH. FUN. It may have crossed your mind that an extended sleepover in the woods couldn’t possibly be an experience with any substance or observable outcomes. Kids playing, laughing, singing, and having the best time must be just that.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret…

To the kids, our campers, camp is supposed to be F-U-N. And, it definitely is that. Camp is Loads. Of. Fun. And, we want it to be that way. Camp will always be FUN.

To you, the parents and caregivers, camp is SO. MUCH. MORE.

Each aspect of the camp day has layers of intentionality behind it:

• Cabin living = independence and conflict resolution skills
• Activity choices = decision-making and time management
• Evening programs/Special events = social confidence and community building
• Overnight canoe trips = problem solving and teamwork
• Camp traditions = leadership development and belonging

I think it is even EASIER to come up with ways of why you SHOULD ABSOLUTELY be considering camp for your kid/s. Everything we do at camp is just another way to foster cool growth opportunities for ages 7-17 (and beyond). Add that to being surrounded by nature and away from the daily “noise” we live in most of the time, and you have the perfect ecosytem for CRAZY GROWTH!

Thinking about Camp Woodland or Towering Pines for 2025? Know someone who could benefit from a Northwoods camp experience? 

If you or a friend/family member would like to learn more about the Woodland/Towering Pines summer camp experience, we invite you to join us for our Virtual Info Event on Sunday, January 26 at 4 pm CST. (Zoom link will be sent out prior to event). Other events TBD in the months ahead!

If you aren’t able to attend one of our meetings, our leadership team is always willing to spend time sharing what our camps have to offer at Camp Woodland for Girls.

Please DO send your kids to camp (and help them prepare for life after 18)! There is still time to reserve your spots by Registering for Summer 2025!

Right before the holidays, I watched this video posted by Chad Littlefield of We and Me, that talked about how a question that is asked to us can potentially edit or change the future. Chad mentioned that someone asked him the simple question, “what would you like to do more of?” He paused and then answered with “scuba diving.” Chad grew up off the Massachusetts coast and learned how to scuba dive as a young kid. It is one of those activities that he did regularly until life got busy, and he hadn’t been in four years. Several months down the road after Chad was asked that question, he was headed to Florida for a conference and decided to extend his trip by a day so that he could enjoy scuba diving again.

That thoughtful prompt, that one question, actually edited Chad’s future by putting scuba diving back on the list of things he wanted to do. It may have seemed trivial at the time, yet the impact was far reaching. I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea over the past few weeks, especially because we are at the start of another year. Many of us, myself included, take the closing of one calendar year and the start of another to reflect on the past 365 days and set goals for the next 12 months.

Among the top resolutions that are made at the start of each New Year worldwide, some of the most common goals can be met while having an AMAZING summer experience at Camp Woodland:

• Eat Healthy: Instead of serving processed food, we provide meals made from “scratch” using the freshest ingredients.  No powdered eggs here!
• Get Moving:  Being a fixture on the couch is not an option if you live on County D Road. All of us are active at camp and get plenty of exercise in the great outdoors. We use our feet to take us just about everywhere we need to go!
• Reduce Stress: Camp is a great way to “unplug” from the constant flow of social media distractions & messages and mindless scrolling. It is also a time to put the pressures of school and grades aside and just enjoy living in the moment. Above all, camp is FUN!!
• Try Something New: With a variety of physical, recreational, and creative activities to choose from, campers have the opportunity to explore a wide range of interests. Who knows what spark will ignite and become a lifelong career or hobby?!
• Spend More Time With Friends:  Imagine spending 24 hours a day each week with a group of your closest friends…how AWESOME is that?!  We believe in true “face time” versus “screen time”!

CAMPER RESOLUTIONS (August ’24) Towards the end of camp, we asked the question to each girl, “What is a new habit that was started at camp that you would like to continue at home/school?” Now is the perfect time to check in with your daughter to see how she is doing with this goal that was set back in August as this question could have, quite possibly, edited her future after camp! *All campers whose form we received are included here:

Sunrise

Jacinta: exercise; Milly: keep singing Celos and emotional regulation; Sloane: brushing my hair; Reggie: take care of my stuff; Fiona: brushing my hair; Mara: make my bed.

Silver Birch

Liza: to clean every day; Georgia: getting out of bed; Audrey: kneeboarding; Amelia: drama; Lucia: tennis and sailing; Luci: fishing; Eleanor: take a shower every other day; Lizzy (CIT): going out of my comfort zone and talking to new people.

Starshine

Maria: being flexible; Evie: sailing; Dani: kneeboarding; JoJo: kneeboarding; Jaclyn: making my bed.

Sunnyside

Lia: I have the same habits in both places; Clara: working hard in everything and being open to trying new things; Emilia: do different activities that I don’t do at home; Elyse: being more confident with things; Indira: sleep more hours and try new things; Alice: making a calendar to keep track of what is happening; Julia: kneeboarding; Masyn: being myself and trying new foods; Mojo: more reading.

Driftwood

Ana Roberta: going to camp; Casi: waking up quickly; Ren: stretch every day when I wake up in the morning; Olivia: making my bed right after I wake up; Maggie: waking up with a song; Delia (CIT): making my bed

Treetops

Maria: keep my drawers organized; Amelia: making my bed int he morning and getting up quickly; Maddie H: being awesome; Hannah: brushing my teeth twice a day; Olive: making my bed every day; Maddie B: trying new things and foods; Lou (CIT): keeping a personal hygiene tally.

Hilltop

Norah: making my bed every morning; Julia: sail race; Sydney: sailing; Karen: spend time with my friends; Clara: trying new things; Taylor: cleaning every day for 30 min; Regi: making the most of everything; Phoebe: being more organized.

Tamarack

Mariana: listening to “hype” music and cleaning; Ana Lau: reading; Katherine: making my bed every morning and taking time for myself; Izzy: getting ready for the day quickly; Elizabeth: time management; Ivana: going to bed early; Amalia: staying organized and clean; Stella: saying, “what the fart”; Vale: reading and keeping a journal.

Aquarius

Ivana: waking up early; Robs: waking up early; Lilah: making my bed every morning.

MAKING YOUR BED

It looks like “making the bed” is the clear *winner* for responses across the age groups for habits to be continued upon return from camp. There is something to be said about beginning each day with a task that you know you can complete. Something as simple as making your bed can lead to other “wins” throughout the day. It might just be something small that turns into something BIG that can change how things go in life AND in the world.

A BONUS RESOLUTION

Get Along With Siblings: Towering Pines and Woodland is the summer home for many brothers and sisters. The older campers typically take responsibility and look out for the younger ones and the “fighting” you might see at home vanishes for a few weeks.  Siblings actually look forward to seeing one another on occasion when sharing a common camp experience!

New Year’s Resolution: ENROLL for SUMMER 2025

Now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2025 and reserve your spot/s: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

We are VERY EXCITED about the upcoming summer where we will Enjoy the Ride in ‘2-5!

December 2024

A few weeks ago, I hosted two of my dear Woodland friends, Ana Cristina and JoAnne, in the small coastal town where I live. Because both of these longtime friends (almost 40 yrs!) arrived post sunset, we took out for a walk the next morning so that I could show them the neighborhood where they would be hanging out for a few days. We had barely taken but a few steps, and Ana says out loud, “It is really quiet here. I don’t hear any traffic or other background noise; it is so nice.” JoAnne quickly agreed. With Ana being from Mexico City and JoAnne from the Chicago area, the stark contrast between the noise from a bustling city of millions of people and a small town of a few thousand nestled on the water’s edge, the difference is drastic and  immediately noticeable.

Now that I am spending several days each week in a more urban center and taking my dogs for their morning walk around the perimeter of a mall that is bordered by one of the busiest thoroughfares in this area (and five minutes from an international airport), I, too, am keenly aware of the times when I am not hearing the sounds of road and air traffic. I find myself longing for the peaceful sounds of nature; especially, the birds in conversation with each other, the trees waving to passersby with their movement from the breezes (or the gusty winds as of late!), and the waves finding their way to shore. I’m even challenging myself to see if I can block out or at least “mute” the loud background noises to listen to those softer, calmer sounds of the natural world around me.

There is a lot of noise out there in general. School, work and home have their own sounds that pull us into the tailspin of having so many things to do. Don’t even get me started with the noise of the holidays. Shopping, sending gifts and cards, going to parties and events, and traveling. How many more things can we squeeze into the confines of an hour, day or week? On top of that we get dings, pings, and all the things our phones remind us that we should or could be doing. So. much. noise. TOO. MUCH. NOISE.

June 2022

I will never forget the first night of camp when campers arrived a few years ago. The bus with our friends from Mexico pulled into the camp driveway in the dark, and I helped a girl, who at that time was coming for her second summer, take her luggage to her cabin. This camper stopped before getting to the steps of her new home, and looked up. I did too. We stood in silence and were in complete awe of our view of the stars. She told me that she had waited 10 whole months to return to the quiet night sky, away from the city lights, where the stars are as numerous as grains of sand or blades of grass.

Sounds of Summer: A Different Kind of Noise

I think it is fair to say that to this day, this veteran camper treasures the quiet of being in the Northwoods for a period of 6 weeks. The “noise” we hear on County D every summer are the unforgettable sounds of summer…laughter, joy, the bell ringing to signify the end of one cool activity and the start of another, cabin doors slamming as girls rush out to get to the next exciting activity or event, friendships being cemented by the spigot when hygiene routines (toothbrushing/shaving legs) turn into a group activity, counselors and campers learning together, and a flurry of catching up in the dining hall as cabinmates reconvene and share the good and no-so-good moments since the last meal and expressions of the exciting things to come. One of my favorite end-of-the-day rituals that we have at camp is the CIT singers who come to the cabin door right around the time lights go out to send us into the world of dreams with a good wish. I would take the sounds of summer any day instead of the whir of planes and automobiles (no trains where I live!) the other 10 months of the year.

Nature delights us with her own sounds…the pitter patter on the cabin roof when it rains, loons calling to one another across the lake, pine needles crunching underfoot while walking through the forest, owls hooting in the distance, horses whinnying and shifting their hooves in the pasture, and sand squishing between your toes, just to name a few. The rhythm of a camp day shares opportunities to hear the pop of a gun at riflery, the whoosh of an arrow as it finds its way to the target, the clucking of chickens, voices rehearsing their lines, the bounce of a tennis ball, feet landing on a gymnastic mat, 8-counts being rehearsed outside the Rec Hall, and the chitter-chatter in the craft room. Every summer we are graced with the splashes and squeals as campers enter the water, halyards clanking on the mast, a canoe being sent off from shore, singing at campfire, the motor boat taking off with a skier, the canteen window opening during Rec Swim,…a sampling of the different kind of “noise” we hear at camp. The kind of noise that I can never get enough of. The unforgettable sounds of summer.

Join us in 2025 for 6 weeks of experiencing the unforgettable sounds of summer that we long for this time of year! Sign up HERE: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

There are so many moments in the course of our 6-week summer that span the minutes, hours, days, and weeks from Opening Day to Closing Day. Eating Dan’s mac & cheese, playing parachute games, and looking for “aliens” are just a few things that kicked off the first weekend at Camp Woodland. Getting dressed up and having “Thanksgiving” dinner in the togetherness of the front of the lodge, giving applause for the many achievements earned in activities, demonstrating skills learned in the final shows, and making a candlelight wish in hopes of its return to the Woodland beach is how we wrapped up the summer of 2024.

Since we have been immersed in school and home life for the past few months, all of those moments become treasured memories that we pull out at random times to bring us back to those carefree days that make up a summer at Camp Woodland. If we happen to be able to gather with camp friends in the winter months, we recall those moments as if they happened just yesterday.

Our first official reunion for the season was held in the Chicago area this past weekend where campers and staff were together for part of the afternoon to catch up on the past few months, share memories and stories of summers past, and build excitement for “Enjoy the Ride in ’25” with new campers coming for the first time! It was just like being back at camp during Fair Day…snacks were served and games were played (with prizes). If smiling faces say anything, I think some campers in attendance are excited to be first in line for cookout or skip the line for another meal next summer!

One of the things I have learned over the years is that campers (and staff) return to camp because of the people. Sure, activities and traditions are part of the draw to come back to County D Road. However, these wouldn’t be the same without the individuals who are there to create the memories we rely on this time of year when summer is still over a half a year away.

Towards the end of the summer, we asked campers to reflect on their favorite memories from summer 2024, and here is what made the list for each cabin group!

Sunrise: “celos”, friends, campfire, Loli’s birthday party, cabin night on row boats, aqua tramp, ugly Counselor Contest, and Woodland Fair

Silver Birch: teaching Regi how to sail, learning how to sail in high winds, cabin slumber party, kneeboarding, my step brother, frizzy hair, the “block”, jokes, the Shrek clown for Woodland Fair, a frog in Georgia’s backpack, and winning most events

Starshine: my friends, my counselors, Juno, canoe trip, watching the animals grow in Farm Zoo, Willy Wonka, doing a forward roll out of my bed, do do do do do do, hanging out with friends during Gold Rush, and the warm fuzzy campfire story

Sunnyside: canoeing with MoJo, Olympics, learning how to ski, passing out of level 4 swimming, getting a 57/60 in archery, riding Seven, sailing, playing “touch the fence” in tennis, when a raccoon snuck onto the pontoon boat, flipping off the banana boat, canoe trip, swimming, 4th of July, sailing, TP/CW Fairs, “Marty”, “Thed”, marshmallow torch, playing tag in the water, Cathy’s, aqua tramp, tubing, cabin nights, and s’mores

Driftwood: winning Olympics, being with my cabin mates, sailing, having my Dad visit, being Casi’s bunk mate, meeting Emilia, seeing the tree on our canoe trip, tubing with Masyn, our mice friends, my friends, camp, passing out of swimming, trying riflery and really liking it, and arriving at camp and just being here in the Northwoods

Treetops: being hoppers, going to Cathy’s, teaching Spanish to cabin mates, decorating the cabin table, being in the cabin, passing to 30/40 yds in archery, watching how much I’ve grown in 4 years, meeting new friends, getting my first qualifier in riflery, drama plays, canoe trip, cabin nights, and being able to trot when riding

Hilltop: spending time with my friends, riding, having fun cabin nights, canoe trip, sailing, Song Contest, TP/CW Fairs, Gold Rush, first day of camp, and swimming the horses

Tamarack: cabin night Rec Swim, canoe trip (and peeing in the woods in the middle of the night), 1st hour riding group canters, sailing conversations, one for you/one for you, The Lorax/The Batman, canoe trip, banana boat with Andy, Olympics, using our hammock, parties at the spigot, cabin nights, going to Cathy’s, dance parties, my activities, laughing a lot, playing “speed” with Zoe, getting a 45 in riflery, and inside jokes

CIT’s: clown collage dinner, coed show practices, Uncle Fester, sail race, setting spinnakers, canoe trip, tie-dying, Ugly Counselor Contest, spending time with friends, going out on the pontoon boat, going to the ropes course, all of them!

As you can see, there are so many individual moments over the course of a summer that eventually become memories and stories to tell and retell. This is what makes up the MAGIC of camp. This is how we are better friends with the people at home or school. This is how we show patience and empathy to those we might not normally hang out with. This is how we are persistent when doing something challenging. This is how we appreciate nature’s beauty around us. This is how the spirit of camp is with us all year!

Camp Comes to YOU

The gathering in Chicago was the kickstart to camp reunions anywhere, anytime! It is EASY to host your own reunion for camp friends where you are (in-person or virtually). Let us know HERE that you are interested, and we will help get it organized!

ENROLL for SUMMER 2025

Now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2025 and reserve your spot/s. Sign up HERE for making moments next summer: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

Now that our calendar reminds us that it is November (not sure how THAT happened!), we find ourselves continuing to reflect on the recent summer. It’s always good to put some time and space between the emotional high the end of the camp season brings and the new routine of getting back to our “normal” lives during the other months of the year. In this transition, I am enjoying taking yoga classes and have zoomed into one of the phrases I hear repeatedly during each session, regardless of the instructor.

As we move through various poses that stretch one side of the body, the words, “back to center” often follow before beginning to move and stretch the opposite side. That subtle “pause” allows the body to regroup, refocus and get grounded again before starting the next thing. For many of our campers and staff, being at camp is a way to come “back to center.” Those 6 weeks in the Northwoods are often needed to regroup, refocus and get grounded again after a busy school year. It is a time to take a well deserved “pause” before the next school year begins.

Just like the dock where I take yoga during the year gives me a break from the busyness I can get caught up in from September to May, I love the hour of being in a beautiful setting looking over the Cape Fear River, hearing the sounds of the waves finding their way to shore, and just enjoying the presence of the others who are in that same space. It is a beautiful opportunity to clear my mind for a short period of time before going back to whatever is on my “to do” list.

Camp is also beautiful, beautiful to see children laughing and playing. Beautiful to witness girls relaxing into the rhythms of camp life, being free to explore, play, create, and discover. It is beautiful to see kindness, budding confidence, and willing enthusiasm color whatever we are doing. It is beautiful to hear organic silliness and laughter everywhere at camp. It is beautiful to feel so close to so many people.

I find that taking yoga classes in the outdoors to be nothing short of magical. Being in the open air without being confined to the space inside four walls provides treasured moments to be in nature and witness unexpected surprises. I never know when a massive ship will quietly make its way through the channel a few feet in front of my mat, dolphins will chase fish in search of their next meal, a pelican will perch on a nearby post, or the rays of sunshine will glisten and shine on the water’s surface while bringing warmth to a breezy day.

Camp is magical in its own way, too. It is full of delightful surprises, moments when we embrace the wonders of nature and each other. It is magical how the simplest things are fun, often hilarious, and end up being a source of deep comfort. It is magical how everyday is both exciting and worry free, filled with new experiences.

It was in the lower 60’s this morning when I found a spot for my pink mat on the dock. I was wearing two long-sleeve layers, leggings, and a puffy vest. The brisk north wind blowing was refreshing. We had another bout of summer weather last week, so I was reveling in the cooler air on my bare face and feet. I challenge myself during each yoga class to have my phone off and out of sight. I am also not allowed to look at my watch until the class peacefully ends with, “namaste.” It is 60 minutes of uninterrupted time to go “back to center.”

Camp is also refreshing. Our Northwoods weather is refreshing (as well as Sand Lake first thing in the morning!), and so is the feeling of being a part of the Woodland community. It is refreshing to connect with the people so easily, to make almost instant friends with everyone, and to be embraced for our authentic selves. For many, it is refreshing to simply be away from the allure of electronic devices.

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite dock instructors came back after being away for almost a year. Erica told the story of why we were seeing garland and white ribbons wrapped around the two main posts as we set foot into our yoga space. She strummed the ukulele and sang a tune in memory of the founder of the yoga dock who fought hard to battle brain cancer. I could feel the strength and courage of this person whom I had never met. I felt a few tears roll down my face during this emotional moment in time.

Camp, too, is emotional, packed with experiences that we feel deeply. We cheer for each other almost everyday. We are thrilled by all the novelty and adventure of the activities, exchanges and trips (even if just across the lake for a night under the stars). There are so many hugs, smiles, and sweet moments of affection. Sharing this much, being this open and genuine, makes even the challenges we face both manageable and meaningful.

Yes, camp is beautiful, magical, refreshing and emotional —altogether miraculous. It is for everyone, campers, staff and directors alike, an experience that’s hard to describe, but one that we cherish each and every year. We remember each summer fondly, seek its spirit throughout our days at home or school, and yearn for its return sometime soon. Camp is a place and time to “come back to center.”

We thank you for helping make this special experience possible, for your support, and for sending your girls. We miss our camp family so much. We look forward to seeing you next summer when we can come together at Woodland and rekindle the camp spirit we love.

In the meantime, until we can all be together again, we are excited for “reunion season” and will kickoff opportunities to come together on Saturday, November 23rd, in the Chicago area. Let us know HERE if you would like camp to come to a location near you!