Monthly Archives:November 2020

Created by Calla Craze

Thanksgiving is a joyous time of year to pause and take stock of everything in our lives for which we are truly grateful. Nothing beats quality time with family and friends; many of us have been fortunate to have more of that in 2020 than in other years. Of course, a big part of being together anytime, but especially at the holidays, centers around FOOD.

When asked to share a favorite Thanksgiving tradition at the 2020 Virtual Camp Reunion, many people highlighted cooking with their families and all the glorious food to be enjoyed.

• Aria and Alegra shared, “eating the turkey leg.”
• Izzi and Elena are looking forward to cooking with their moms.
• Mera is excited about eating rutabaga.
• Jackie can’t wait for mashed potatoes.
• JoAnne actually likes sauerkraut with her Thanksgiving meal (something she learned
  from her Dad). She really likes candy corn this time of year too!
• Kim has been known to serve up jelly beans, popcorn, pretzels and toast in honor of the
  feast Snoopy served for a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
• As a kid, Lee shared that she used to try to eat the plastic grapes in the cornucopia
  on her family table. Now she fusses over the centerpiece with “fancy” paper mache
  fruit!

As tough as this year has been, we are all very fortunate that there is still so much to be thankful for this holiday season. When asked, most shared being grateful for their family, friends, and pets this season. Some shared that they were thankful for the extra time to spend at home with their family while others were thankful for their “pod” at school, giving them a little social respite in the chaos. Of course, many people were also grateful for their health and the health of their loved ones.

Even outside of the camp season, we are always appreciative of our wonderful staff and people who keep our favorite place running safely and smoothly. We would like to give a special shoutout to our nurses who work day and night to keep everyone happy and healthy, our kitchen staff who fuel us with delicious meals all summer long, and our maintenance staff who work tirelessly to keep our facilities safe and beautiful. All of these people play an integral role in our program and warm our hearts with all they do to contribute to our camp community.

It goes without saying that you have seen your share of political ads over the past several weeks and months. More than likely, these ads are telling you something about the choices you should make on November 3rd.  So, instead of advising you who to vote for, we would like to give you a better choice this year. We want you to CHOOSE CAMP!Here at Camp Woodland, we actually care about the thing that most politicians only pretend to pay attention to – your kids and your family. Our goal in what we to do is to help kids get outside and explore nature, make new friends and connect with their peers face-to-face instead of through a screen, and to try new things and gain confidence. Regardless of who you vote for, make a great choice by choosing camp. We can’t wait to see you this summer!

CAMP TODAY – THRIVE TOMORROW!

ENROLL HERE FOR SUMMER 2021

We are Camp Woodland and we approve this message.

With Halloween having been celebrated along with a blue moon this past weekend, ghost stories are certainly on our minds. Did you know that we have a spooky tale of our own at Woodland? If you take a leisurely stroll around the outskirts of the cabin area, you may stumble across something slightly amiss. One of the farthest boundaries of camp that is not off-limits to campers is behind the Hilltop cabin. Many curious campers have ventured back to that enchanted, peaceful place to enjoy the beauty of the North Woods just to end up with a sudden feeling of unease. It trickles down your spine like water from a slow dripping spigot as you creep around the bend and something strange catches your eye. 

Right there in the gloom is a lonely set of abandoned stairs. Three stone steps that lead to nowhere. “What could that be?” you ask yourself and, “why is it still here?” The HILLTOP STAIRS have become a favorite spooky destination for campers and counselors alike, all of whom try to make sense of their existence. There are many different theories floating around in the camp community as to what they could be from; some spooky, some silly, some downright ridiculous. 

Daphne (counselor extraordinaire) shared two of the most classic versions of the story with us, “I have heard it burned down from a candle and the ghosts still haunt the stairs. I have also heard that three girls left a hair straightener plugged in when they went out one night.” Both versions provide a nice cautionary tale against fire hazards.

JoAnne of course has a theory that she shares with us at a special campfire every summer. Her story explains the phenomena of our brown tinted Sand lake, leeches, and the Hilltop stairs all in one. History states that the stairs belonged to a big old coffee factory that burned down. All of the workers in the factory then turned into lake gnomes and took up residence as leeches in Sand Lake. So tradition goes that if you are fortunate enough to get a leech, you are really freeing a lake gnome.

No one will ever fully understand the true origin of those beautifully creepy stairs, but whichever story you prefer, it is definitely a spot to visit at Woodland…if you dare! Towering Pines has a spooky tale of its own – best stick close to your counselor when you hear the sharp clanging of metal on metal, echoing across Lake!

Calla Dellinger Craze