Hello again from Windsor!
It has been a fabulous week in the camp bubble. The summer weather has really blossomed and we’ve enjoyed sunny days, starry night skies, and balmy evenings. We couldn’t have asked for better weather for these final days of camp! Click here to view photos from the last week.
As we mentioned last Monday, we began the week with international rotation. Each morning we learned about different countries and cultures including Australia, Germany, India, Mexico, France, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa, England, and Scotland among others. Tuesday’s evening activity gave campers the opportunity to “travel around the world in 80 minutes”. Campers and counselors from all the different countries represented at camp set up booths around camp, and campers traveled from booth to booth with their Windsor Mountain passports. At the English booth campers learned British Bulldog – a traditional game that children in England play. At the Indian table visitors sampled homemade Chai tea, and at the Mexico/Venezuela table campers participated in a game of “sillas musicales” (musical chairs), learned Spanish phrases and viewed traditional Mexican dress.
Throughout the week campers shared evening activity with their living units – on Wednesday they came together as big living units (Cabins, Dorms, and Tents). On Saturday the campus was buzzing with excitement as campers rowed out on the lake on the “Row Barge”, baked cookies in the dining hall, went swimming and off the rope swing at the waterfront and gathered around campfires to sing camp songs.
Friday was a day full of surprises and special activities for campers – it was Super Happy Fun Day! In place of clean up after breakfast, campers returned to their living units for a living unit party. Morning meeting began in the pine grove, but quickly moved to the ropes course as counselors were belayed out of trees and came down the zip lines. We learned the story of the Jabborwocky camp legend, and following morning meeting campers worked together to catch the Jabborwocky’s accomplices and defeat the Jabborwokcy. Lunch was Diamond Fakers Day – a favorite for campers. In place of siesta campers had an hour long fiesta followed in the afternoon by Dragon Boat racing. Each team of campers created a team chant, designated and dressed a team model and turned their canoe into fierce looking dragons. With all the preparation behind them, they then headed to the waterfront where the relay races commenced. One dragon capsized, but refused to give up paddling all the way to the finish. At the end of the day everyone gathered for the all camp dance organized by the LITs.
The festivities continued yesterday with the much anticipated Dunny Day. Dunny Day is an all camp afternoon at the waterfront. The docks move to the outer side of the floats creating a larger swimming area. Campers can swim, go off the dive tower or rope swing, take out a canoe, kayak, or sail boat, relax on the beach, or participate in other waterfront games special to Dunny Day. Smoothies are also available on the beach, and dinner is a cook out served from the waterfront grill. The hot summer weather was perfect for Dunny Day. A surprise shower passed over camp about an hour after the start of Dunny Day, but it was a quick passing shower followed closely by more sunshine and blue skies. The rain shower added a special element to the day with campers dancing in the rain and then jumping back into the warmer lake water. It was certainly a Dunny Day to remember!
It’s hard to believe the summer is already coming to an end, but we are excited for all the fun events that will come in the next few days including Hot Rodicus Supersonicus (gargoyle themed hide and seek with a twist), awards banquet, LIT graduation, Paul and Paula Bunyan Day (lumberjack themed activities), and the final camp fire.
Thursday is closing day. Here are some reminders for parents.
Campers being picked up at camp should be picked up between 9am and 12pm. The New York bus departs at 9am so we encourage parents to wait until 9:15 or so to avoid the bus rush. Most campers are usually picked up by 10 or 10:30. If you’re going to be late please let us know.
The Boston Van is scheduled to drop campers off at 11:30am at the Riverside Station on the Green D line (Newton, MA)
The New York Bus is scheduled to make three drop offs.
-Hartford at 12:00pm – Parking Lot near Motel 6 and McDonald’s
-Mt. Kisco at 1:30 pm – Bedford Rest Area on the Southbound lane of route 684
-NYC at 3:00 pm – 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam
We encourage parents with children on the bus to NYC to call the office around 2pm to ask for an updated arrival time. By then we’ll know if the bus is running early, late or on schedule.
We do our very best to hand back all Lost and Found items to campers before they leave camp, but if you notice something missing when you begin unpacking please send an e-mail to Deidre@WindsorMountain.org and we’ll do our best to get the item(s) shipped home as soon as possible. When picking up your camper from camp or the bus please be sure to collect all their luggage.
Although this summer is coming to an end, we always have summer on our minds here at Windsor Mountain. We hope you remain a part of the Windsor Mountain family next summer; it is never too early to sign up for camp 2010! Also, keep your eyes open for Windsor Mountain’s fall, winter and spring events (fall reunion at camp, winter ice skating reunions in Boston and NYC) and work weekend at camp. We love to keep in touch throughout the year!
Looking forward to another fantastic summer in 2010,
The Windsor Mountain Team
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
August 2009 Week 2 Update
Yet another week has flown by at Windsor Mountain.
We were excited to see so many familiar faces and meet new families yesterday! We hope you enjoyed all that visiting day had to offer from the entertaining morning meeting, to the delicious brunch, lunch line entertainment, and fabulous theatre festival performance (great job to all those involved!). For photos from Visiting Day and the rest of week please click here.
Leading up to visiting day the week was full of energy. Tuesday morning began with the Respect morning meeting run by the girls from Goldrush. The Alpha Wolf evening activity left the campus saturated in different howls and wolf calls as groups of campers sought out their “alpha wolf”. Wednesday began with a whirlwind of music – morning meeting was run by the music department afterall! In the evening campers gathered by living unit for big living unit night which included tent unit idol and an evening at the waterfront. On Thursday we celebrated Jamaica Day at morning meeting and gathered for our weekly community celebration (sing) in the evening. Friday’s morning meeting received some help from the LITs, and the evening’s activity found campers working together to solve the mystery or who or what might have created the hole we discovered the week before. Saturday’s morning meeting filled the pine grove with laughter as campers learned ways to have a successful visiting day.
Today, Monday, marked the start of our international rotation. Classes, meals, morning meetings, and evening activities include an international flair as our campers and staff from around the world share information about their home countries. We enjoyed a Mexican themed burrito dinner this evening and will be “traveling around the world” tomorrow night visiting the booths of various countries including Mexico, Russia, Australia, England, Germany, and Jamaica among others. Some of this week’s classes with international themes include “World Cup Cricket”, “Greek Goddesses”, “International Rock Band”, “How to be a Kiwi”, and “English Ettiquette”. By the middle of the week we’re all sure to have learned one new piece of information about another culture represented at camp.
With only 9 days of camp left we know time will fly, and we’re making the most of every moment between now and the 20th. Our final update and batch of photos will be posted next Monday along with reminders about closing day, so be sure to check the blog on the 17th.
Until then…
Enjoy the photos and the final days of summer!
The Windsor Mountain Team
We were excited to see so many familiar faces and meet new families yesterday! We hope you enjoyed all that visiting day had to offer from the entertaining morning meeting, to the delicious brunch, lunch line entertainment, and fabulous theatre festival performance (great job to all those involved!). For photos from Visiting Day and the rest of week please click here.
Leading up to visiting day the week was full of energy. Tuesday morning began with the Respect morning meeting run by the girls from Goldrush. The Alpha Wolf evening activity left the campus saturated in different howls and wolf calls as groups of campers sought out their “alpha wolf”. Wednesday began with a whirlwind of music – morning meeting was run by the music department afterall! In the evening campers gathered by living unit for big living unit night which included tent unit idol and an evening at the waterfront. On Thursday we celebrated Jamaica Day at morning meeting and gathered for our weekly community celebration (sing) in the evening. Friday’s morning meeting received some help from the LITs, and the evening’s activity found campers working together to solve the mystery or who or what might have created the hole we discovered the week before. Saturday’s morning meeting filled the pine grove with laughter as campers learned ways to have a successful visiting day.
Today, Monday, marked the start of our international rotation. Classes, meals, morning meetings, and evening activities include an international flair as our campers and staff from around the world share information about their home countries. We enjoyed a Mexican themed burrito dinner this evening and will be “traveling around the world” tomorrow night visiting the booths of various countries including Mexico, Russia, Australia, England, Germany, and Jamaica among others. Some of this week’s classes with international themes include “World Cup Cricket”, “Greek Goddesses”, “International Rock Band”, “How to be a Kiwi”, and “English Ettiquette”. By the middle of the week we’re all sure to have learned one new piece of information about another culture represented at camp.
With only 9 days of camp left we know time will fly, and we’re making the most of every moment between now and the 20th. Our final update and batch of photos will be posted next Monday along with reminders about closing day, so be sure to check the blog on the 17th.
Until then…
Enjoy the photos and the final days of summer!
The Windsor Mountain Team
Monday, August 3, 2009
August 2009 Week 1 Update
Hello from the Bubble!
The first week of camp has been a blast! The weather has been a bit undecided – sunny one day and rainy the next, but we’re currently enjoying a beautiful, warm, sunny day and the forecast looks great for the next week.
It’s been a busy week full of creative classes, mysteries, camp legends, and fun!
On Wednesday we awoke to find a hole dug below the high ropes course. We moved morning meeting to the hole surrounded by rocks and caution tape and contemplated the mystery of the whole scene. Along with a letter dated from 72 years ago we began to realize that whatever might be behind the creation of the hole/in the hole responded well to music and rhyme. Throughout the week we’ve been writing poetry and dropping it into the hole. In response we’ve received poems in return. One morning at breakfast we found all the stools from the dining hall stacked in the middle of the deck with a large poem attached. Our visiting day Theatre Festival theme based on Shel Silverstein poetry seems to have evoked this mystery and we anticipate an unveiling on Sunday.
On Wednesday night each large living unit – Cabins, Dorms and Tents – gathered for a living unit specific activity. The dorm girls created superhero personas for their counselors and dressed them accordingly for a project runway walk off, and the tent unit worked in groups to build umbrellas from miscellaneous materials.
Thursday started off a bit dreary, but after learning the rules of the waterfront at morning meeting the skies cleared and we were able to have the community celebration (sing) outside in the cabin meadow with a campfire! Through rhyme Friday’s morning meeting told the story of the Lorax, and campers went ballistic in the evening for a high energy game of (appropriately-named) Ballistic Trivia. Friday morning began with a mosquito themed skit from the performing arts department. In the evening each bunk got together with their counselor for small living unit night. Some bunks journeyed throughout camp to complete a scavenger hunt, while some canoed to the big island, and others engaged in a game of broomball in the dining hall – lots of fun all around!
Sundays follow a slightly different schedule than the rest of the week. After a sleep-in and breakfast we all head to the pine grove for Sunday morning meeting. Sunday’s meeting is a silent, Quaker-style meeting. A theme for the meeting is announced the day before and posted around camp for campers and staff to think about. At Sunday morning meeting individuals stand up and share their thoughts on the topic followed by a silent applause (using sign language). This Sunday’s meeting topic asked the question “what does it mean to follow your heart?” It was a thought provoking hour of ideas, stories, thoughts and quotes. Following brunch and siesta we all come together again for Sunday afternoon activity. This Sunday was the OLYMPICS. Living units were broken into teams and each team member was given a task that they would complete at various points during the relay race. The Olympic events included kayaking, swimming, relay reading, and a dance off among many other things.
This morning began with a camp legends morning meeting. Now we all know who the Bollywogger, Jabborwocky and Rollo Booth are (giant Beaver rumored to live in the swamp, two headed creature, and Gargoyle keeper, respectively). The laughs during morning meeting were contagious and frequent! This evening brings the highly anticipated game of CAPTURE THE FLAG -originally scheduled for Friday, but rained out. Campers are split into two teams – Dragons and Wizards – and are spread out around camp devising strategies for capturing the opposing team’s flag. There is no doubt campers will sleep well tonight!
We’re excited to see many of you on Visiting Day this Sunday, August 9th. If you have not already received your invitational flyer you will shortly. Visiting Day begins at 10:30 and we ask that families arrive between 10:30 and 11. Please do not arrive early as it can interrupt campers as they finish their super clean-up and it also causes concern for campers whose parents arrive on time. If they see everyone else’s parents arriving early they will fear that their parents are late. We appreciate your understanding. If you are not able to make it to Visiting Day, don’t worry. We arrange for an off campus trip for all campers whose parents aren’t able to join us. You can also give permission for your child to go off campus with another camp family (please e-mail such permission to Deidre@WindsorMountain.org). We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
For a glimpse of this week in photos please click here, and enjoy the photos.
See you Soon!
The Windsor Mountain Team
The first week of camp has been a blast! The weather has been a bit undecided – sunny one day and rainy the next, but we’re currently enjoying a beautiful, warm, sunny day and the forecast looks great for the next week.
It’s been a busy week full of creative classes, mysteries, camp legends, and fun!
On Wednesday we awoke to find a hole dug below the high ropes course. We moved morning meeting to the hole surrounded by rocks and caution tape and contemplated the mystery of the whole scene. Along with a letter dated from 72 years ago we began to realize that whatever might be behind the creation of the hole/in the hole responded well to music and rhyme. Throughout the week we’ve been writing poetry and dropping it into the hole. In response we’ve received poems in return. One morning at breakfast we found all the stools from the dining hall stacked in the middle of the deck with a large poem attached. Our visiting day Theatre Festival theme based on Shel Silverstein poetry seems to have evoked this mystery and we anticipate an unveiling on Sunday.
On Wednesday night each large living unit – Cabins, Dorms and Tents – gathered for a living unit specific activity. The dorm girls created superhero personas for their counselors and dressed them accordingly for a project runway walk off, and the tent unit worked in groups to build umbrellas from miscellaneous materials.
Thursday started off a bit dreary, but after learning the rules of the waterfront at morning meeting the skies cleared and we were able to have the community celebration (sing) outside in the cabin meadow with a campfire! Through rhyme Friday’s morning meeting told the story of the Lorax, and campers went ballistic in the evening for a high energy game of (appropriately-named) Ballistic Trivia. Friday morning began with a mosquito themed skit from the performing arts department. In the evening each bunk got together with their counselor for small living unit night. Some bunks journeyed throughout camp to complete a scavenger hunt, while some canoed to the big island, and others engaged in a game of broomball in the dining hall – lots of fun all around!
Sundays follow a slightly different schedule than the rest of the week. After a sleep-in and breakfast we all head to the pine grove for Sunday morning meeting. Sunday’s meeting is a silent, Quaker-style meeting. A theme for the meeting is announced the day before and posted around camp for campers and staff to think about. At Sunday morning meeting individuals stand up and share their thoughts on the topic followed by a silent applause (using sign language). This Sunday’s meeting topic asked the question “what does it mean to follow your heart?” It was a thought provoking hour of ideas, stories, thoughts and quotes. Following brunch and siesta we all come together again for Sunday afternoon activity. This Sunday was the OLYMPICS. Living units were broken into teams and each team member was given a task that they would complete at various points during the relay race. The Olympic events included kayaking, swimming, relay reading, and a dance off among many other things.
This morning began with a camp legends morning meeting. Now we all know who the Bollywogger, Jabborwocky and Rollo Booth are (giant Beaver rumored to live in the swamp, two headed creature, and Gargoyle keeper, respectively). The laughs during morning meeting were contagious and frequent! This evening brings the highly anticipated game of CAPTURE THE FLAG -originally scheduled for Friday, but rained out. Campers are split into two teams – Dragons and Wizards – and are spread out around camp devising strategies for capturing the opposing team’s flag. There is no doubt campers will sleep well tonight!
We’re excited to see many of you on Visiting Day this Sunday, August 9th. If you have not already received your invitational flyer you will shortly. Visiting Day begins at 10:30 and we ask that families arrive between 10:30 and 11. Please do not arrive early as it can interrupt campers as they finish their super clean-up and it also causes concern for campers whose parents arrive on time. If they see everyone else’s parents arriving early they will fear that their parents are late. We appreciate your understanding. If you are not able to make it to Visiting Day, don’t worry. We arrange for an off campus trip for all campers whose parents aren’t able to join us. You can also give permission for your child to go off campus with another camp family (please e-mail such permission to Deidre@WindsorMountain.org). We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
For a glimpse of this week in photos please click here, and enjoy the photos.
See you Soon!
The Windsor Mountain Team
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