Category: Dare to Explore in 1-4!

Driftwood Can’t Wait for Summer!!

Driftwood 2014 Favorite Things

Sofia G: I love being in a cabin that is your age, the awesome counselors we have (Jenny and Tori), aqua tramp, activities, canoe trip, Gold Rush, Alien Invasion, Fairs, TP/Woodland exchanges

Ana Marta: food (grilled cheese, lasagna, pizza), activities (sailing, tennis, water-skiing), cabin mates, camp songs, counselors, lake, sun, friends, EVERYTHING!

Sarah: my bunk, crazy dance parties at night, the woods, canoeing in the middle of the lake and having the deepest conversations, sprinting up to the cabin, failing at tennis, riding, GiGi outlawing saying that camp is over, the waterfront, they way the sand feels on my feet, Gold Rush, midnight dreams

Jenna: having Jenny and Tori as my counselors, the coziness of Driftwood, talking to cabin mates about challenges, riding Cat Dancer on trail rides, canoeing with Claire when the water is calm, sleeping in one tent on our canoe trip, writing letters, hearing the bell in the morning, getting ready for the 4^th of July campfire, TP & Woodland Fairs with the cabin!

Gigi: taco bar, riding, my cabin mates, sunny weather, the smell of pine, my cabin counselors, my activities, Camp Woodland!!

Lorenza: friends, cabin, tennis, arts & crafts, food (everything), Big Banana and tubing, movie night, cabin night, campfire, sailing, canteen, counselors (Jenny and Tori), canoe trip, aqua tramp, ropes course, Song Contest, Lip Sync, Ugliest Counselor Contest, Gold Rush, Spoon Assassins

Tamarack 2014 Makes a Splash!

Hilltop 2014 Favorite Things

Barbie: Olympics because you cheer other team but you also play and fight for 1^st place, 4^th of July because I enjoy watching the fireworks at TP, my cabin because of the trust I have with all of my cabin mates, the food, the nurse because she takes care of you when you are sick, counselors because they help you with whatever you need, activities because you get to have fun while doing sports, friends because they trust in you and you have a true friendship, Fair Day because it is fun, Spoon Assassins because it is a fun game, Canoe Trip because you go across the lake and get to sleep in a tent, and Aqua Tramp at TP

Valentina: my favorite things about camp are Olympics because I have a lot of fun cheering for my team and playing all of the games, Sunday’s because we get to sleep in and have breakfast in our PJ’s, movie Night because the movies are the best and we get candy, and Spoon Assassins because it is so much fun

Adri: Olympics because you get to do something different and cheer for your team, the food is good, my cabin because I feel comfortable with them and I have fun (I LOVE my cabin!), activities because I like how you can do different things and have fun, all of my friends, and Spoon Assassins because it is a fun game. Bascially, I LOVE EVERYTHING!

Hilltop 2014

Kelly: excelling in activities and meeting new people

Abbey: Spoon Assassins, Olympics, and EVERYTHING (except leaving!)

Irene: peaches, Gold Rush, Spoon Assassins, and riflery

Cayley: because this year everyone had really good sportsmanship, the food because everything was extra good this year and we are the best eaters at camp, my cabin because we got along and everyone is soooo nice, camp activities because I can participate in different things that I can’t do at home, my counselors because they are so understanding, and I know that I can talk to them about everything and I can trust them

Taylor: my favorite things about camp is the variety in the activities and how everyone is different. I like how event if you are different, you are accepted. I also enjoy Sunday’s!

Georgia: my favorite things about camp are the food, Fairs, Spoon Assassins, Gold Rush, activities, and friends.

Chelsea, Aranxta, Colette, Sofia, Daphne, Elena 

Here are the final updates from campers who attended the Chicago Reunion last month.  The 2015 CIT’s interviewed each girl and asked: 1) what is the favorite thing about school this year, 2) activities when not in school, 3) any fun trips taken or planned, and 4) what each camper is looking forward to next summer.

Chelsea: 1) Student Council, 2) go running and hang out with friends, 3) cruise to South America over winter break, 4) Co-Ed Show

Aranxta: 1) be with awesome friends, 2) dance & tennis, 3) came to reunion from Mexico, 4) Co-Ed Show and be a good CIT

Colette: 1) at a new school and I really like the people I have met, 2) dance & soccer, 3) came to reunion from Florida, 4) being a CIT, being in Co-Ed Show and assisting classes

Sofia: 1) junior tennis team at school and intermediate girls choir, 2) hanging out with friends, 3) no trips planned, 4) being a CIT and Co-Ed Show

Daphne: 1) being part of the tennis team, 2) tennis and hanging out with friends, 3) Arizona for my sister’s graduation, 4) sailing and Co-Ed Show

Elena: 1) meeting new people in HS, 2) school’s dance team, hanging out with friends, and spending time with family, 3) going to an island off the coast of Florida before camp, 4) being a CIT, being in Co-Ed Show, organizing events, and seeing all of my camp friends

Grace, Claire, Caroline, Jackie

Grace: 1) my cooking class, 2) volunteer at a barn for kids with disabilities, 3) possibly going to Italy, 4) camp

Claire: 1) my Spanish class, 2) sailing team for school, 3) going to visit camp friends in Mexico City, 4) being a 2nd year CIT

Caroline: 1) fashion merchandising class, 2) planning a Relay for Life event, 3) going to visit camp friends in Mexico City, 4) being a 2nd year CIT and making new memories

Jackie: 1) AP History class, 2) 3 clubs: Future Educators of America, Volunteering Club, and National Spanish Honor Society, 3) Mexico City to see camp friends in January and a cruise in March for Spring Break, 4) being a 2nd year CIT

Jenna and Gigi

Jenna: 1) Science, 2) dance, 3) Mexico, 4) riding

Gigi: 1) the end of the day, 2) riding my horse, Buddy, 3) Door County in Wisconsin, 4) seeing everyone

Aubrie, Chelsea, Sofia, Arantxa, Irene, Susie, Daphne

Irene: 1) plays the trumpet in band, 2) plays soccer and softball (made it to the Allstars), 3) possibly going to Italy for Spring Break, 4) seeing everyone again

Lydia: 1) being in 8th grade, 2) Riding horses and trying out for volleyball, 3) Italy?, 4) seeing everyone again

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Maya, Susan, Molly, and Liz

We were excited to have several alumni present at the annual Chicago reunion in November with their daughters!  Maya will be a first year camper in 2015, and Molly joined the Woodland family this past summer.  Susan (Austin) Short was at Woodland for 10+ years including time as a camper, CIT, JC, and counselor.  Susan and I were actually co-counselors together my first summer at Camp Woodland in 1986; we even ended up rooming together while we were both in grad school in the early 90’s.  Liz (Churchwell) Kunkle spent 5 years at Woodland (and still has her pendant!) from 1981-1985.  Liz was a camper for several years as well as a junior counselor.

To continue our updates of campers at the reunion, each girl shared: 1) her favorite thing about the current school year, 2) activities when not in school, 3) travel plans, and 4) what she is looking forward to for summer 2015.

Maya: 1) likes school a lot, especially Math, 2) takes dance and gymnastics, 3) will be visiting her grandfather in Naples, FL over Spring Break, and 4) Riding and getting a turn on the Big Banana during Rec Swim

Molly: likes her classmates and learning about the American Revolution, 2) Girls on the Run, 3) going to Florida this winter, 4) meeting new people

Sam and her parents Renee’ and Tom

Sam: 1) my friends, 2) soccer and horseback riding, 3) Denmark, 4) seeing all of my camp friends again

Libby, Rachel, Katie, Tory, Amelia, Molly, & counselors Calla and Raquel

Libby: 1) my friends, 2) tennis and singing, 3) came to reunion from Wisconsin, 4) riding horses

Rachel: 1) Math, 2) dance and gymnastics, 3) went to Paris right after camp, 4) horseback riding

Katie: 1) Recess, 2) swimming, 3) Galena, IL, 4) seeing my friends

Tory: 1) really likes her classmates and her teacher, 2) tennis, ride horses, dance, gymnastics and soccer, 3) will be going to Florida for Christmas, 4) excited to see camp friends again

Amelia: 1) lunch and Social Studies, 2) dance, 3) Door County in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, 4) seeing everyone

Calla: doing her student teaching this fall with 6th grade science and now 3rd grade; will be graduating in December and looking for a long-term substitute for the spring

Raquel: is graduating in December and has a part-time job at a barn in Grayslake working with horses and goats

Aubrie, Lou, and Jess

Aubrie: 1) has a super awesome teacher, 2) ice skating, 3) went to Denver for Thanksgiving, 4) horseback riding (Aubrie is still taking care of Marshmallow and Butterscotch!)

Lou: 1) Math, 2) art class, 3) River Forest for Thanksgiving, 4) riding

Jess: 1) extracurriculars, 2) Fermata Nowhere & Express – singing groups, 3) will be going to Orlando with her choir, 4) getting to have new and bigger experiences as a JC

We’re Excited for 1-5!

As you can see, we had a FABULOUS turn out for the annual Chicago reunion the weekend before Thanksgiving!  In a series of blogs in the upcoming weeks, we will give you an update about the Woodland girls who joined us for the afternoon to watch the 2014 camp video, flip through the new scrapbook, relive camp memories, and of course, to eat yummy treats.  Irene was the winner of the “how many more days until camp?” contest (she answered correctly that it was 216 on the nose that day) while Aranxta took the prize for traveling the longest distance to get to the reunion since she came all the way from Mexico!

Molly A, Eden, Sam, and Molly J

The 2015 CIT’s had their first “duty” at the reunion; they helped us interview everyone to find out 1) what is the favorite thing about school this year, 2) what activities campers do when they are not in school, 3) any fun trips taken or planned, and 4) what each camper is looking forward to next summer.

Molly A: 1) new teachers, 2) gymnastics, dance, and lacrosse, 3) Pennsylvania for Winter Break and Florida for Spring Break, 4) doing all activities

Eden: 1) new teachers, 2), tennis and soccer, 3) London, 4) getting 5 year pendant!

Sam: 1) my friends, 2) soccer and horseback riding, 3) Denmark, 4) seeing all of my camp friends again

Molly J: 1) Mrs. Reggie is my favorite teacher, 2) horseback riding and soccer, 3) went to California, 4) seeing all of my friends again

Kelly, Cayley, and Abbey

Kelly: Kelly’s big news is that she has a new puppy, Sadie!

Cayley: 1) my friends because they are always there for me, 2) volleyball team and singing for fun, 3) came to Chicago from Florida for reunion, 4) seeing all of my friends

Abbey: 1) singing “Feliz Navidad” with the choir, 2) making music videos, 3) Florida for Thanksgiving, 4) seeing everybody again

Susie and Claire

Susie: 1) really likes her teachers this year, 2) field hockey and boxing, 3) went to New York to see her brother, 4) seeing everybody again

Claire: 1) likes new teachers, 2) made new volleyball team, 3) travel to cousin’s house, 4) CAMP!

Stay tuned for more Reunion “Rap” in the next blog post…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Silver Birch Favorite Things:

Jillian: I love Dan’s cooking, especially taco bar; watching Yeller’s long mane fly when I canter; Boot Camp is my favorite evening activity because it is intense and we do 100 squats and planks; seeing the looks on people’s faces when they go to the “love bench” at the TP Fair; Spoon Assassins is my favorite all-camp activity – what’s not to love about “killing” people with a spoon?; listening to the “warm & fuzzy” and “lake gnomes” stories at campfire because they are so funny; I love Song Contest because you get to hear everyone’s creative songs

Alien Invasion

Nyki: the delicious homemade cookies are so good!; campfires when people dress up and do skits and songs up; Olympics when people have fun and laugh all they want; Woodland Fair – the fishing booth was so much fun; archery because I get to pass levels, and I get really excited when I get a bulls-eye!

Tory: there are so MANY things I love about camp!  I love activities; riding and tennis are my favorites.  In riding I love Big Red, Spud, and Yeller; in tennis I love the game “Queen of the Court”.  I absolutely love Dan’s homemade M&M cookies!  The favorite part of camp is my cabin; I love all my friends and counselors.  My counselors are always laughing and dancing, and it’s a blast!  My bunkmate is always smiling, and we play this game where we steal blankets from each other.  Last but not least, I love Woodland Fair!  Our cabin was in charge of the fishing booth, and we ran out of prizes so we gave out sticks and money.  One time I put a piece of popcorn I found and the person who was “fishing” ate it!  These are just SOME of my favorite things I love about camp!

Lip Sync Contest

Katie: I like passing levels in activities; I LOVE the grilled cheese here!   It’s awesome when my cabinmates and I make forts during rest hour.  It’s fun just sitting and laughing with everyone even if it is not that funny.  I like when we’re in a goofy mood and making random jokes like “knock, knock”, “who’s there?”, “hoo”, “hoo who?”, “Is there an owl in here?!” I like dancing to songs at night and swimming for cabin night.  My favorite activity is riding.  I loved all of the booths at Woodland Fair, but the fishing booth my favorite because we gave out random things, and it was funny.  These are all the reasons I LOVE Camp Woodland!

Libby: my friends, Dan’s yummy food, riding, Birdie (a horse), canoeing, Dan’s sugar and snicker doodle cookies, the awesome counselors, the goats, Banquet, EVERYTHING!!!!

Final Banquet