We honored week 6 & 7 Campers of the Week last night. Congratulations to another set of outstanding campers.

Freshman           Sammie Keane / Sofie Giarratana/ Mason Tave / Jed Schissler

Juniors                Paige Arenberg / Lela Schlanger / Charlie Horton / Max Garnock

Middies               Jordyn Fersko / Abby Issacson / Austin Bernstein / Dylan Nydish

Inters                   Addie Goldstein / Blair Mittleberg / Charlie Marcus / Alex Brandoff

Collegiates          Sylvie Slotkin / Alexa Starikov / Noah Marcus / Jake Konigsberg

Seniors                Lexi Gruberger / Sydney Wood / Ben Shamus / Jase Nadboy

Supers                 Charli Feldman / Sydney Guerwicz /Ben Klien / Adam Levinsky

GC’s                     Dylan Grabow / Jordan Ash / Jacob Graff / Ethan Gatto

CIT’s                    Syd Levitz / Sabrina Marpet / Andrew Larheim

Kind Campers always make us smile. Congratulations to this crew of kids who were honored as Kind Campers: Mason Berlin, Aidan Tessler, Aaron Hafkin, Jared Schwartz, Kobe Koren, Maddy Marcus, Lindsey Komson, Nikki Younger, Rian Marcus, Laine Bishop, Sydney Guerwicz, Rachel Novick, Brooke Kanganis, Ashley Schwartz, Abby Isaacson, Dani Glickman, Izzy Hutner, Natalie Portnoy, Jordan Hansel, Zoe Lederman, Taylor Klein, Ava Lefkowitz, Matthew Leviss, Sam Kreshover, Kash Bishop, Jacob Secular, Max Roth, Sam Brief, Brett Davner, Sammy Goldenstein, Jacob Coffman, Josh Lesser

To you, our Parents at home that have gone through 1000’s of pictures, watched all of our videos, read our blogs and let their children spread their wings with us – we say thank you for trusting and believing in us with your beautiful children. It has been our total and complete privilege to spend our summers with your kids. We read this letter tonight to them at our last evening in Shields Hall. We give them back to you a little taller, a lot more confident, with ton more friends and a summer family that loves them dearly. Thank you again for trusting us and sharing your amazing kids with us all summer long. We will never forget summer 2017.

To Our Chen-A-Wanda Family:

Fifty days ago, we stood in this very spot welcoming you to Summer 2017 and it’s crazy to think about all that we have done together and gone through and here we stand again tonight saying goodbye to one another. Every summer we are amazed at how we all fall in love with this place a little bit more. There is a feeling at this Chenny that just cannot be denied and there isn’t a person in this Hall that wasn’t affected by the magic of this place. Chen-A-Wanda changes you and connects you to others in a way that you just can’t describe but you are sure glad it happened.

We have seen you all grow tremendously in these past 7 weeks. It has been joyful watching you make new friends and opening your heart to new people entering your life. You may have chosen Chen-A-Wanda because of our lake or the Cookhouse or Circus but you come back for the people and how they make you feel. We have seen you work through conflicts and become closer to one another with a true understanding of what the word friendship truly means. We cannot express the feeling we get as we watch all of you take care of one another. When one of you is sad, you have a group of people who will instantly come to their rescue and wrap their arms around you until you feel safe and better. That doesn’t exist in the real world but it does here at Chen-A-Wanda. We are not Insta Friends here.. We are REAL friends. Direct message here means I am talking to you in person and not watching those three dots blinking as I am waiting for a text back – It means, I get to hear your voice and see how much you care about me. Snap Chat just doesn’t matter when we can make Our Real Stories together. We are holding hands and not holding our phones here. This is REAL.. Not what we edit and add filters to. In 7 weeks, each one of you committed to being real and from the looks of things, it worked out pretty well. Take what happened here this summer back home with you and continue talking to each other it is so much better than texting.

To our incredible kind enthusiastic patient and giving staff: You have given so much of yourself this summer. You have pushed yourself to a limit and when you thought you had nothing else left to give, you dug deeper and gave more. Our kids had the most incredible summer not because of our climbing tower or trapeze but because of you and your heart and how much you gave to every single camper in this hall. There wasn’t a day we didn’t see you with a camper on your back or in your lap. Like we said when you arrived, just wait and see how much these kids will mean to you when you leave. It’s hard to describe but we know your campers crept not only into your laps but into your hearts.

To our campers:
You rolled through out gates and literally breathed life into our summer home. Without you, we are just a camp with beautiful buildings, cool courts and fun fields but YOU are the heart and soul to what gives this place the feeling it has here. We have watched you accomplish so much this summer. We have watched you make new friends that are now family. We have witnessed you becoming the best version of yourselves here. You climbed to the top of tower when you were convinced you were afraid of heights. You never thought you would dance and sing in front of the entire camp but that’s what we do here and it felt great. We watched you connect to one another and that connection makes these friendships unlike any other friendships we have. They are stronger, deeper and way more meaningful because you have shared your heart with others in a way that can only happen at camp.

To our CITS:
Well this is it. Your journey as a camper has come to an end and the road ahead is filled with great adventures and a new story you will soon create. You definitely left your mark here at Chenny and you passed on your love for the camp you stayed so loyal to all these years and to the campers you cared for all summer long. We adore each and every one of you and feel a deep privledge to have watched you grow summer after summer after summer. Stay close and connected and always know that Chen-A-Wanda will be your forever summer home. 
Hey GC’s – You’re on deck and we can’t wait to see YOU on The Hill!

So we all came here one way and we are all most definitely leaving here another – we leave with more friends, more connections, more confidence, more experiences all to make us better people. Camp has that effect on each one of us and when we look out at all of your beautiful faces we see a summer family that we are so very proud to be a part of. We leave here inspired by your incredible spirit, moved by your kindness and feeling so grateful because Life is GREAT at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Reality has set in that our last days of summer 2017 is knocking at our door. We had two final Championship games to pay today and went 1-1. Super Boys Basketball played their final game at Morasha and lost 53-57. The GC/CIT boys beat Westmont 3-1 in their soccer championship game.  It was an absolutely amazing sports season at Chenny and we accomplished what we set out to do this summer; play hard, play fair, learn a lot and have fun!!!

As the sun was setting over Fiddle Lake, we were all dressed up in our best outfits and headed to center camp where we took pictures together with our friends & counselors. Everyone looked beautiful. It was a perfect evening and as we walked into The Lodge for an amazing dinner, we were all in awe of how beautifully decorated the room was. It was a Chenny Rodeo and we were all little bit country tonight. It was a true southern BBQ as we dined on brisket sliders, corn on the cob, steak fries and caesar salad. Just an absolute incredible banquet with delicious food to make this night perfect.

After dinner it was off to Shields Hall for our end of the year division Awards. Each Division highlighted the following campers in 3 areas; Honor Camper, Athlete of the Year and All Around Camper. They are truly standout campers and we couldn’t be more proud to highlight and honor them on this great night. To receive on this night is the highest honor we can give our campers. These are remarkable campers who deserve all the accolades and praise they were given.

After the Awards, it was party time and we danced all night long. Shields Hall was full of campers who let loose and danced until their feet hurt. It was over the top fun having our last true dance party with our summer family. It’s so hard to believe the summer is over but we definitely went out with a bang. As campers headed back to their bunks, full of flashing rings, tiaras, glow sticks, glasses and T-shirts and other items that were given out at the party, everyone was exhausted and elated and had the times of their life tonight. It was a party like no other as we celebrated an absolutely incredible summer. One more day!

Chenny out

Today was the last official day of regular activities and we enjoyed every single minute. The pool and lake was full of happy campers. Campers were outside and playing all day long.  We all knew that this day was the last true camp day and everyone was getting it all in before we load those buses on Saturday.

Center camp looked like a movie set with kids having a catch together, throwing the Frisbee to one another and swinging on swings without a care in the world. Can you imagine a world where there is just no pressure and kids outside in the fresh air playing all day long? Your children are in that world for at least the next 2 days!!

The night was all about Late Night with Leahy and this is by far the most anticipated show of the entire summer delivered by our truly remarkably talented Associate Director Brian Leahy. Brian produces the most hilarious and relevant array of great videos and presentations that leave us in stitches. It was hilarious and referenced everything funny about camp this summer and even some videos that replicate You Tube favs but with our own Chenny spin. Every camper and staff member laughed till it hurt. This evening’s activity is a camp favorite and even our counselors that were off duty, stayed in to see tonight’s show because it’s just that entertaining. Campers absolutely went crazy for the hilarity of what they witnessed. It was a perfect way to end a perfect day. Ask your camper how Late Night was and we know they’d say, BEST SHOW EVER!

Just a few more nights to go until summer ’17 is in the books. We have had the most incredible summer to date and our Chenny spirit is flying high here. You can feel the vibe, its undeniable. So with only a few more days to go, we are all looking forward to Banquet tomorrow night, and Memory Night on Friday – 2 camp favorites that will officially wrap up Summer ’17! It’s not over yet.

Chenny Out.

With the last day of Color War upon us, everyone was working hard, having fun and giving it every ounce of effort they had. It meant that much to all of us. Win or loose, each team put their heart on the line and played hard. Each field and court was full of Red and Gold spirit, chants and cheers. The feeling on camp was indescribable. To see groups of kids rally around one another in the true sprit of competition and do it in a way that is uplifting and encouraging is awe-inspiring. It’s the way it should be and it exists here at camp.

Tonight was a silent meal and never was The Lodge so quiet. It was oddly silent as this is the place where we dance and sing but tonight in Color War tradition, we ate silently.  The campers wanted more than anything to talk but knew that every word spoken would loose points for their team. Try and visualize The Lodge full of campers and counselors that just don’t speak. It was a sight to see and not a word to hear. We played tranquil spa music and I definitely saw a few kids rest their head and catch a few zzzz’s with how quiet and relaxed they were.

As both teams entered into Shields Hall dressed as super heroes of every kind,  there was a sense of elation and true Color War pride. This was it, and everyone knew it. Each team presented their plaque and banner and they were truly works of art. Masterpieces that will forever be proudly displayed inside Shields Hall. It was time for Sing and both were ready to perform the songs they worked so hard on and had so much meaning in every verse. There were tears as Red DC sang their Alma Mater and included beautiful lyrics that embodied the feelings they have as their summer comes to an end:

Another summer in the books, Two months is all it took

From the freshman to the CIT’s, for us to become a family

Winter nights without you near, wishing that you were here

Turn the clocks bring back the times, when we were sitting side by side

We never want to leave our home, we never want to leave our home

It was emotional and everyone knew that the end of Color War means the end of camp. What we have all gone through will be with us forever but for now is ending and the last four days as two teams are now back together as one amazing unified camp. Gold Marvel sand with meaning and from their heart:

Summer ’17 – Hard to believe that soon I will be missing you

Try not to cry, As days fade to nights, Ill want you by my side

Never say goodbye

Look around this place, we wont forget the memories we’ve made here

Cause Leaving you is my biggest fear – Our summers through , we’re leaving here

In a Chenny tradition of musical chairs, the last Judge to grab his seat was Red and that signifies the winner of Color War 2017. There was joyous elation throughout the Red team but everyone in that hall tonight felt the electricity that raced through the room. You couldn’t help but feel the intense energy that was contagious and incredible. An entire room was celebrating the brilliance of what we all just went through. The tears came but it wasn’t for any loss anyone experienced, it was knowing we are at the end of this journey. We cried, we cheered , we hugged, we let go and allowed ourselves to feel every single emotion tonight. To be present at this moment was to connect in a way that changes our life. The bonds got stronger and the friendships got deeper. What an absolutely incredible night we had.

We walked into Shields Hall tonight as two very separate teams but we all walked out back together as one camp family. Three more days of living where Life is GREAT!

Chenny out

The rain came down today but nothing in this world could bring down our Color War spirit. We traded our sneakers for rain boots and got onto business. There were psych speeches and games, there were track meets and swim meets. Nothing could stop what we are battling for. When the going gets tough, we get tougher. Your kids stepped up their game and made lemonade out of lemons. So what they were wet, who cares they played soccer in the mud, it didn’t matter that their sneakers got dirty… They had a ball and that is all that mattered. When my kids were little, I would cringe when they stepped in puddles and got their shoes wet. I thought wet shoes = cold feet = catching a cold.. this equation is just not true and it took camp to give me that vision that when there is a puddle, of course the kids will jump right into it. Dirty shoes can get washed and muddy clothes are just not a big deal. The fun our kids have when they jump in those puddles and dirty up their shoes and maybe even stain their shirts from slipping and sliding on the mud is worth it. Every summer, I learn so much from your children and each rainy day my instinct to tell them not to jump into this puddles or avoid the mud piles has been replaced by me jumping in with them. I knew today was a great day when I looked down and my shoes were soaking wet and covered in mud.

The scores were read at dinner and Red DC has the lead but the battle is far from over. Just when you think you have it in the bag.. things turn on a dime like at dinner when Gold Marvel ran back in the Lodge as they found the axe!!! Finding the axe is a color war favorite and a hard fete and the Gold team pulled through tonight and their team went nuts. Just when they needed a lift, the got it!!!!

Scores before dinner : Red DC 2909 vs Gold Marvel 2508

The afternoon was track meet for the girls and swim meet for the boys. The rain just didn’t get in our way, it added to the fun.  The evening was spent with our kids watching counselor game night as they battled for points for their teams. It was basketball in Shields Hall, soccer on the major league field and counselor quest in the Lodge. Our kids supported the staff who played for points. The staff were the stars of the show tonight.

One more day to go in our War of Color. One last day to give it all we’ve got. One more shot to bring it and one last day to leave our mark on Color War 2017.

Chenny out.

It was a glorious morning and a perfect day for more color war games and contests. Everyone was feeling the spirit with their faces painted and their hair sprayed with their team colors. Spirit and team pride runs deep here and everyone feels the excitement. I watched the GC girls play BBG and that could have been one of the most fun BBG matches I have ever witnessed. So much support, a lot of laughs,  tons of jumping around, several moments of stopping the game to dance, lots of random singing and smiles that would light up the darkest room. You just couldn’t watch this game without a smile on your face. I loved being able to witness such joy for an amazing group of 15 year girls.

Boy’s side had their track meet today and girls side battled in the pool with their swim meet. The kids had so much fun as they relayed to their finish lines getting cheers praise for their hard work and effort. To sit back and watch the encouragement we all give one another here is life changing. There was a younger camper who was nervous to swim in a relay race and thought she would let her team down because she wasn’t a really strong swimmer. She told her team how nervous she was and it took about a minute for them to rally around her and told her that she would never let them down. I overheard one camper say to her, “we are team, we do it together and we can do this thing today.” It gave that nervous camper the confidence she needed and she saw her laps with a ll her might. When she got out of the pool, her team was there hugging her with arms wide open telling her how amazing she swam. It’s just mind blowing what you can do when you have a whole team behind you.

It has been three full days of Color War battle and the score before this evening’s event was:

RED DC – 2437 points

Gold Marvel -2178 points

This War is still within reach for either team with 2750 more points up for grab. Tonight was a great event as we all headed to see the long-standing camp tradition of Rope Burning and Water Boiling. Counselors for both teams have been collecting wood and preparing for tonight. Their faces are painted with zinc to protect them from the burning fire that they have created and the entire camp, watches with great anticipation as to which team while burn the rope and boil the water first. Tonight’s win went to Red DC as they burnt their rope in 14 minutes and just 4 minutes later Red boiled their water. So tonight was a big win for Red DC.  Gold Marvel’s rope burnt within minutes after Red’s water boiled.  The water boiling for Gold Marvel was a challenge as they just couldn’t get their fire going but they had their entire team behind them, cheering them on and telling them that they CAN DO IT and NEVER QUIT.  They never gave up on their female water boilers, never not once! This challenge defines the tradition of Color War. Sitting on that hill on a chilly summer night, watching Rope Burn with your friends by your side will forever be etched in the memories of every single person there tonight.  It’s an awesome Color War tradition to be a part of and to witness knowing that so many campers before us has sat on that same field, watching ropes burn and water boil. We are all so proud and grateful to be a part of this long-standing tradition that will forever be a part of each one of us.

Life is so Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out.

The day belonged to color war games and we were all outside playing all day long. There were basketball games, softball, volleyball, BBG & soccer bouts being played all day long. Campers were pushing themselves and so committed to their teams. They laid it all on the fields and courts. You have to see an intense wiffle ball game of campers wearing tutus, bunny ears and face paint. Red DC’s and Gold Marvels where everywhere today. It is the best part of Color War that we can play hard and continue to have the most amazing time with a sense of spirit that is infectious. You can’t watch any one of these games without watching everyone on the sidelines cheer on their team with undeniable support and camp spirit. It is the essence of what these games are about. Play hard, cheer harder and have the best time of your life!!! After every goal there is a high five, after each basket there is a “way to go” and even after an intense game of BBG, there is a giant group hug. It is awesome to watch our kids truly enjoy themselves and embrace their last week of camp.

The scores were read at dinner and the entire camp gasped as they were read. Red DC has earned 1703 and Gold Marvel has secured 1530. Only 173 points separate these two battling teams. After eating our delicious meal and hearing the scores, the entire camp got on the tables and started singing on the top of their lungs. We rocked out and danced like nobody was watching us. If you can imagine the feeling of a room full of people of singing so loudly and dancing so freely it literally moves you to a place that you cant believe exists. There is just no fear to let go and cut loose and it happens here. We see kids who started this journey reserved and timid and these same kids are singing like they are alone in the shower but there are hundreds of friends around them. There is a freedom without judgement to be the most authentic you here. When a giant group of people come together in song and dance, it can literally move a mountain. The energy is tangible, contagious and feel so awesome. Our camp family is united, connected and know to have fun when we sang and dance together.

It was Quiz night and as each camper pushed themselves physically all day long, our minds were stretched and challenged as they had to answer questions ranging from math equations, history challenges all the way to pop culture quizzes. It was a great night as we each challenged our minds to think outside the box and recall information that we haven’t thought about all summer long. It was a fun night full of challenging questions and fun factoids!!! There is 3-more days of Color War and with the scores only 173 points apart,  the next few days will bring some crazy intensity and definitely lots of fun.

Chenny out