The Inter boys played a championship softball game today and I was lucky enough to get to watch several innings. I was struck by the beauty of the day but mostly what stuck out was the absence of stress. This was a championship game and there was zero stress but there sure were a lot of “Atta Boys” . It seemed after each successful play every kid would yell out this awesome term of endearment. Even when one of us struck out, our team responded with, “it’s ok, you’ll get him next time.” There was no ridiculing, no throwing gloves down on the floor, no disappointment and no stress. The boys did their best and worked hard. It didn’t go Chenny’s way this time and our kids lost that game today but there sure were a ton of Atta Boy’s. After they shook the hands of the opposing team and not missing a beat I heard one camper say, “Hey, we got the Chenny Shack now, lets go.” And just like that, making pizza with your boys was the next thing to do today. I was so proud of those kids today as they played hard, gave it their all, supported their teammates, accepted a loss and then moved right along to making pizza. It just doesn’t get better than this.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” …….by Wayne Gretzky

Middy/Inter Girls LAX – CAW 8 vs. Starlight 15

Inter Girls Softball – CAW 15 vs. Poyntelle 9

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 5 vs. Wayne 1

GC/CIT Girls Softball – CAW 3 @ Lavi 0

Freshman/Junior/Middie Boys LAX-A-Rama Tournament @ Wayne  – CAW came in 2nd Place

Inter Boys Softball – CAW 3 vs. Poyntelle 5

Tonight was Head Staff Lip Sync and it was INSANELY GREAT!! I urge you to watch the video when it comes out on line. It was incredibly entertaining and our kids loved it. There is nothing like watching Head Staff Lip Sync in the Hall. The energy is palpable and tonight was no exception. When anyone in our camp family takes the stage, it feels like each of us are up there with them. This sense of pride blankets each one of us. You cant explain it but you love to feel it. The talent, the choreography, the lip syncing, the costumes, the heart and soul behind each performance made tonight exceptional.  There were sensational performances that entertained us all in every sense of the word. Activities like this one, brings us all together as we cheer on our staff and get behind them. There were 7 acts and 5 moved onto to our finals. The divisions that will be represented in the finals are: Freshman (repped by Tom Ratliff & Zach Krieger), Collegiates (repped by John Evitt and Jason Bowman), Seniors (repped by Casey Ward & Nikki Nystrom), Supers (repped by Sandra), GC/CIT’s( repped by Issy Hull). The pressure is on and we love it!

Life is great… just great!!

Chenny out

If you were to bring out a deck of cards and told your kids that is what he/she and their friends will play with for hours on end day after day, would you ever think they would go for it? Not in my house either, but there is something about a deck of cards in this house that can entertain your children all summer long. I was watching 3 boys who were teaching me Palace, a card game I never played before. The boys were so excited to teach me this game and each took pride listing any and all of the rules. They each new this game inside and out and took pride in conveying their strategy on how to get to the end. We all sat under under a shaded area with a deck of 52 cards (shaped like pizza) playing a game that used our minds and gave us over an hour of capturing our attention. I asked each one of them if they play this at home and all three looked up at me with a dazed look and said, “we never play card games at home.” So as the time flew by and we all laughed, played, told stories and had the best time, I was just so struck by the fact that all we had were those 52 cards. When life is simplified, life is simple. It’s not always about the latest and greatest video games or which shows on Netflix we are going to watch that make us the most happy. Sometimes its just a deck of cards. I encourage you to pull out your cards at home and when the kids get back home from camp, ask them to teach you the game called Palace – You won’t regret it.

“Don’t call it a Dream.. Call it a Plan”….by anonymous

Inter/Collegiate/Senior Boys Hockey Tourney at Lokanda – Game 1 -CAW 4 vs Equinunk 5 – Lost in overtime – Game 2 CAW 3 vs. Tyler Hill 6

It was a Round Robin night and camp was packed with happy camper. There was cooking and movies, a road rally and wiffle ball, foam slip and sliding and even a cake war. Camp was hoppin’ tonight and the vibe was awesome. One of those standout nights that feels so campy.

The GC’s had the most perfect day tanning at Santa Monica Beach and shopped on 3rd Street Promenade. They had such an incredible day and just when they thought it couldn’t get better it was off to Malibu for a private party in Paradise Cove. Incredible doens’t even come close to describing their day.

Our CIT’s rolled back into camp around 11:00pm and  the smiles on their faces said it all. They were exhausted from the adventurous trip in Lake George. This group is so close and another shared experience has made their final camper summer beyond anything they imagined. A great trip for a truly spectacular group of CIT’s!!!

Chenny out

Every evening I sit at my desk and write about our day so you at home can have a little insight to that magic that happens here. I find  inspirational quotes that are related mainly to sports, sportsmanship and being the best we can be but tonight I ran across this one and it spoke volumes to me so I had to share with you. “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” by anonymous. This is what happens here. For two month we learn about others. For two months we listen to each others stories. For two months we nominate our friends and share what kind acts they did that deserved recognition. For two months we laugh at the jokes our friends tell us and for two months we can learn a whole lot about someone else. For two months our focus is outside our ourselves and that is why these two months bring so many people into our lives. I felt this quote spoke to all of us here and why the friendships are so meaningful.

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 30 vs. Tioga 20

Senior/Super Girls LAX – CAW 23 vs. Starlight 16

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 3 @ Wayne 5

It is the second to last trip day of our summer and the campers LOVED their excursions.

Our Freshman cuties spent their day at Claws N’ Paws Zoo. They explored this awesome zoo and absolutely loved thier day out of camp. It was back to camp for dinner and then off to the Chen-A-Plex for more animal fun watching Madagascar. A perfect day for our little ones.

Juniors and Middies started their spectacular day jumping around at SkyZone. It was dodgeball mania and the kids had so much fun. As we left, the manager told us that our kids were unbelievably well behaved and respectful and that she has never seen such a well mannered group of kids at SKyZone. What a proud moment we felt. Then after all that jumping around it as off to see the summer Blockbuster, the Lion King. We munched on popcorn and enjoyed a phenomenal movie. After the movies it was back to camp for dinner. Everyone was wiped out and exhausted from the day. Lights out never happened this early for ourCherokee campers. It was a perfect summer day.

Inters and Collegiates had a packed day of fun. They had the trifecta – Bowling, Roller Skating & Movies. WOW! they rolled back into camp exhausted and exhilarated. Where in the world can you bowl, then roller skate followed by a summer blockbuster – At Camp Chen-A-Wanda, that’s where!!

Seniors & Supers started their day at Camel Beach Water Park. The weather was ideal and the kids loved being at the park. It wasn’t too hot or too cold, it was just right and an ideal day for a waterpark adventure. They got out of their bathing suits and headed for some shopping at the outlets. What a awesome day they had.

Our GC’S landed in Los Angeles this am and started their west coast adventure with a tour of UCLA. They explored Pauley Pavillion and took pics at the famous Bruin Bear. The campers took over the student store and had an incredible day 1. They spent their evening at Universal City Walk. It was a perfect start to their incredible adventure.

The CIT’s rolled out of camp as the sun rose. They headed off to Lake George and day 1 was incredible. It was white water rafting and it was spectacular. This special group of CIT’s enjoyed their first day and have more exciting things on their horizon.

It’s Good To Be A Chenny Kid….Life is Great!!

Chenny out

Chenny out

After the last few days of heat, a cool day of rain was perfect. We slowed it down a notch and boy did we all need a day like today. With Visiting Day and Girls Sing behind us, a slower chiller day was exactly what everyone needed. There were movies and card games and just a down for us to downshift. Even with a recharge day, camp is still the best place to be. I watched a group Collegiate  boys play cards on their porch today. They were so engaged and connected with each other and the game, whatever they were playing was secondary to the experience I was fortunate enough to watch. I was a fly on the wall to your children who are making connections, laughing from their soul and just sitting on a porch playing cards. I walked over and asked each of them if they play cards at home and not said they did. It is just here at camp that a porch full of boys and a deck a cards can make a rainy afternoon just about perfect.

Don’t forget to tell yourself positive things daily! You must love yourself internally to glow externally….by anonymous

Freshman/Junior Girls Soccer – CAW 13 vs. Poyntelle 5

Inter Girls Soccer – CAW 0 @ Starlight 3

Super Girls Basketball – CAW 50 vs. Perlman 10

GC/CIT Girls Basketball – CAW 18 @ Tioga 21

CIT Flag Football – CAW 21 @ Tyler Hill 28

The Dancing Scientist blew our lower camp kids minds tonight with the coolest science projects that made everyone in the audience love what they were seeing. There was dancing and singing and science, lots of science. the kids went nuts for tonights show. Laughter isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of science but tonight it was. A great show that entertained our kids and tonight was the perfect way to end another amazing day at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

And they’re off! Our GC’s left camp and are headed to California for a trip of a lifetime. They have watched many divisions before them take this incredible trip and now it’s their turn. No more waiting, no more dreaming – the trip is upon them. We couldn’t be more excited for our GC’s as they embark on a trip they will never forget. Life is Great when when you are a GC.

Chenny out

There is nothing quite like camp traditions and this one is on the top of the list. Girls Sing is the ultimate camp tradition on girls side. Girls have been practicing for days and the pride each division has for making it great is unreal. For days now, you see groups of girls rehearsing their dance, perfecting the moves and memorizing their songs. It defines Chenny and there isn’t a girl on campus that isn’t fully engaged with this event. The big night is tonight and from what we see, the show will be a night to remember. We love everything about Girls Sing!!!

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference…. by Winston Churchill

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 0 vs. Equinunk 4

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW – @ Wayne 5

GC/CIT Boys Tennis – CAW 2 vs. Wayne 3

The night was all about Girls Sing and it was INCREDIBLE. It is a summer favorite and defines our camp tradition and spirit. Each division worked so hard on their dances and songs and it showed. When boys side can sit and support girls side for 2 hours, you know something special is happening. The support boys side gives girls side is just breathtaking. From our adorable freshmen through our crazy talented  and passionate CIT’s, they all brought the house down. I could never bring justice to describing the bonds these girls have with one another but watching them up on stage perform together allows us all to witness it for ourselves.  It is a true sisterhood that will stay with each and every one of them throughout their lives.  Each division picked a theme, danced and sang from their heart and soul. The emotion that was felt by every single camper and staff inside Shield’s Hall could have moved mountains. There were chills upon chills as each division wrote and sang their alma mater to an audience that listened to every single word.  They held hands and did it together and this is why the bonds are so tight. This shared tradition creates memories that will never fade. They will sing their songs for years to come and will never forget a word.

Congratulations goes out to the Inter girls for winning lower camp Sing this year. It was Inter the Pride Land as their Lion King theme was a huge hit. Hakuna Matada to these amazingly talented girls. The emotions that happened as the CIT’s took the was unreal. From the first dance to their alma mater it was all about our 2019 CIT’s. They won for upper camp but the honor of winning wasn’t the highlight. Their connection to each other, the beautiful friendships that they have nurtured and the respect and love they have for one another was center stage tonight. As we all watched this unfold in front of our eyes, you couldn’t help get emotional and cry with joy to watch these amazing young women perform together for the last time on our stage. What a night it was and to bear witness to this long standing camp tradition of Girls Sing was an honor.

Now matter where each girl will go in their life, being a part of Girls Sing helps define their youth. They wont forget the songs they sing or the themes they chose. No matter how much time passes and how many years go by, Girls Sing will always stay forever in their hearts.

Chenny out

THANK YOU. Thank you to all our incredible Chenny families who came to camp and made today spectacular. There is just nothing sweeter than watching you run to your children and hold them tight. That moment when you get your kids back in your arms is when everything is right in the world. No matter what precedes that moment – the heat, trying to balance the giant baskets you are shlepping as you run to the bunks or the pace in which you fly by whoever is in your way – nothing can stop you from getting that first embrace and it is sweet to see. The anticipation on your kids faces as they so desperately want to see you grab them off their porches is a sight that will never get old. The hugs, the tears, the hours spent under a shady tree just sitting with your kids is what makes this day so special. Family is everything and when the band is back together all is where it should be. You trust this process and believe in camp and for that we thank you. We thank you for sharing your precious children with us as we do our very best to provide them with experiences that will enhance their lives for years to come. We see the profound effect it has on everyone that came to camp today and we love being a part of your story.

Jon and I tried to connect with as many of you today as possible and we loved briefly chatting and didn’t want to interrupt the beautiful day you were enjoying with your family. There were so many amazing moments that unfolded in front of our eyes today and we are so incredibly grateful to be able to chat about and hear from you how important camp is for your kids. It is why we do what we do – all to enhance the lives of your children. To let them feel safe and secure in a world that may not always feel safe and secure. This experience belongs to you too and for a handful, it was your last visiting day. I wasn’t prepared for such an emotional goodbye from many of you who have CIT’s and have just experienced your last Chenny visiting day. It may be an end of an era but we hope from our hearts you feel this journey has changed your kids for the better. Your kids have effected us in ways we never could predict and though this may have been you last Camp Chen-A-Wanda visiting day, you will always be a part of our story. Thank you for supporting us and trusting us with your beautiful children. This may be your last summer of cookie cakes and visiting day lists from your campers but we hope that you enjoyed the ride as much as we did. Thank you!

We hope your Visiting Day was outstanding and was exactly what you needed. We have three and half more weeks of this amazing place and we plan to make each day better than the next. Thank you for your love, support and appreciation for how we take care of your babies. Your children make us better people and we are so grateful for each and every single one of them. Visiting day 2019, it’s a wrap!

Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda!

Chenny out

You can’t escape the excitement of what is happening tomorrow. Everyone is getting so very excited to see their families and the feeling here is palpable.  The kids just could not be more excited to see you and the day was spent getting our summer home ready for you. The campers made signs, cleaned their bunks and made everything just perfect for your arrival. No amount of heat will spoil our day. We learn a lot here at Chenny every single day and going with the flow is one of many lessons we embrace – we can’t control the heat but we can and will certainly enjoy the best day of the summer..VISITING DAY IS HERE!

Being Positive Won’t Guarantee You Will Succeed But Being Negative Will Guarantee You Won’t.. by Anonymous

Freshman/Junior Girls Basketball – CAW 16 vs. Starlight 0

Collegiate Girls Tennis – CAW 9 vs. Lohikan 0

Senior Girls Tennis – CAW 0 vs. Wayne 5

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 5 vs. Nesher 1

Inter Boys Softball – CAW 0 @ Westmont 1

Inter Boys Basketball – CAW 16 vs. Lavi 34

Collegiate Boys Hockey – CAW 5 vs. Nesher 11

Senior/Super Boys LAX  – CAW 16 vs. Lohikan 6

GC/CIT Boys Hockey – CAW 10 @ Wayne 4

GC/CIT Boys Soccer – CAW 2 vs. Wayne 1

We honored our Campers of the Week and we are so thrilled to give these campers their very well deserved Camper of the week Sunglasses. The kids wear them with pride and you should have a very proud parent moment!! You have amazing campers with incredible character. Enjoy your Campers of the week tomorrow. #PROUD

Freshman – Fiona Baldinger & Asher Goldstein

Juniors – Jordana Poplock & Jack Zaben

Middies – Mia Koenig & Alex Minkoff

Inters – Lola Housenbold & Max Eber

Collegiates – Sofia Levy & Alec Glazer

Seniors – Taylor Klein & Jacob Pinsk

Supers –Bari Klein & Sean Pesner

GC’s – Lily Staz & Jared Simpson

CIT’s – Sydney Guerwicz & Dylan Bortnick

We Got Kirshed tonight!! It was a great night in Shields Hall as the kids loved being a part of our hypnotist/mentalist show. They laughed and watched the world famous Kirsh hypnotize our counselors as they were definitely were under the power of suggestion as they danced like J Lo and barked like a dog. It was hilarious and a perfect evening camp activity.

All the kids are in their bunks and lights are out throughout camp. We are just hours away from one incredible day ahead of all of us. Safe journey to camp and we can’t wait to see you in the am.

Chenny out

We all live pretty fast paced lives that seem to go by so quickly and at times our schedules seem to overtake us . Even our kids schedules have them on hyper speed as they go from school to activities to practices to games to tutors to hebrew school back home for homework then they do it all over again the next day. Rarely do they have time to slow it down and smell the roses, until they come here. Today Jon and I took their lead and we stopped what we were doing in our office and we just sat at the waterfront and watched your kids who encouraged us to slow it down, be in the moment and enjoy life. We watched a group of kids sitting in the canteen playing cards with one another laughing together and just being totally present and in the moment. From there we found ourselves mesmerized sitting with the Middy boys in the Lego room as they worked together creating works of art, worrying about absolutely nothing other than making a bigger and faster lego car. Everywhere you look at camp, you find campers just enjoying the moment and feeling free. It is joyful to be around and a feeling of pride knowing so many kids get to experience this up here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. Your children are in the moment here and this is magic they spread all throughout camp.

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take……by Wayne Gretzky

Middy/Inter Girls LAX – CAW 11 vs. Wayne 6

Jr/Middie/Inter Barsal Cup @ Camp Lokanda – Game 1 CAW 2 vs. Lokanda 3 / Game 2 CAW 2 vs. Equinunk 4

It was a perfect night of Round Robin here. There was Trivia night for our Freshman kids while Junior girls enjoyed Spa Night. The Junior boys had a basketball skill challenge in Shields Hall  while all the Middies enjoyed a fun black light party in the canteen. The Inter boys loved their Home Run Derby at the Wiffle ball stadium. Inter girls had a crazy fun time in the Lodge decorating cakes while the Collegiates and Seniors enjoyed a relaxing pool party.  The Super girls went on a scavenger hunt which the loved.. and the Super boys had their own Biddy Bball tournament.  The GC’s palyed co-ed arrow tag at teh Zone and the CIT’s had a night out for shakes at Arlos. It was beyond perfect and we are only halfway through summer 🙂

Chenny out.

Time again to honor our kind campers and boy do they love hearing their names being called. It has to be my most favorite award here at camp. To be nominated by your peers for your kindness is an honor that defines great character. To be identified as kind is to be inclusive and supportive and the examples your children write about their friends they nominate warms my heart. It actually gives us great hope that this generation chooses kindness and can recognize acts of kindness that promote inclusion and just making others around them feel really good. Kindness is contagious and we love it. It’s cool to be kind at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. So super proud of our kind kids this week. Roxie Bishop, Alexa Becker, Sophie Hornik, Mandy Adler, Caylee Garland, Jordyn Kapusta, Jordana Yatch, Madison Rosen, Hadley Cohen, Jessica Marks, Averie Katz, Hayden Bergerm Remo Zaben, Ben Brandoff, Aiden Cheung, Tyler Roth, Jordan Shamus and Jake LaRosa

What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player….. by John Wooden

Freshman/Junior Boys baseball – CAW 6 @ Westmont 2

Middy Boys Hockey – CAW 4 vs. Westmont 5

GC/CIT Boys Softball – CAW 9 vs. Tioga 3

The buzz around camp today was all about Chenny Idol. The auditions are done and tonight we announced the Top 10. The excitement was building and the campers were feeling it. We have so many incredibly talented kids here – they blew us away with their beautiful voices and amazing auditions. Each one of our Top 10 contestants will move on to the live show where they will perform one song in hopes to be crowned our 2019 Chenny Idol. The competition was tough but our celebrity judges finalized who would move on to the live show. A huge congratulations to this years Top 10!

1. Lexi Klein & Audrey Winter
2. Dylan Bass
3. Emma Goldenberg
4. Maya Knobloch
5. Addy Goldstein
6. Jessica Marks
7. Sydney Gurewicz
8. Isabella Huttner & Hadley Cohen
9. Rock Paper Scissors – Elon Dagan, Sean Pesner & Jordan Goldklang
10. Laine Bishop

We lift each other up here and that happens on the daily. As the kids were headed back to the bunk, some of the kids who auditioned but didn’t make it to the finals were being supported bu their bunkmates. I overheard several campers say to their friends how great they were and much they loved their voice. One little girl asked her friend to sing her to sleep tonight because she has such a pretty voice. It’s what happens here – total and complete support of one another. We have each other’s back for the highs and the lows. It is why camp friends understand us better than most and why these friendships are life-long.

Chenny out