We all know what is happening tomorrow and we just can’t contain the excitement. We spent the day getting our summer home ready for you and it looks beautiful.  In just a few short hours, our families will be lining up down camp road and visiting day 2016 will officially begin.

Our athletes were focused and fierce today as they played hard on the courts and fields.

Inter Girls Soccer – CAW 7 @ Wayne 2

Collegiate Girls  Softball – CAW 11 vs. Starlight 2

Senior Girls Tennis – CAW 6 @ Poyntelle 1

Super Girls Tennis – CAW 4 @ Poyntelle 1

GC/CIT Girls Basketball – CAW 33 vs. Westmont 44

Collegiate Boys Soccer – CAW 0 vs. Starlight 7

Senior/Super Boys Hockey – CAW 7 @ Wayne 11

Another fantastic week has passed by and another huge congratulations to the following Campers of the Week!!!!

Freshmen –                         Ellie Berlin                 Chase Goldman

Junior –                               Emma Plotkin            Landon Miller

Middies –                            Julia Fitzsimmons      Brett Hafkin

Inters –                               Cori Holzman               Ethan Schwartz

Collegiates –                      Maya Hoffman              Jordan Yagaloff

Seniors –                             Charlie Feldman           Ben Brett

Supers –                             Gabby Katz                     Ben Einzig

GC’s –                                 Rachel Stulberger         Jacob Hersley

CIT’s                                   Daisy Zand                    Alex Croen

We have some extremely KIND campers and the overloaded submission box was packed to the rim this week. The nominations were beyond kind and heartfelt. Our campers saw the special things their fellow campers did for one another and there is nothing sweeter than them taking notice and nominating their friends.

This weeks Kind Campers are:

Shelby Myers, Molly Isen, Sara Agsteribe, Maddy Grabow, Jamie Scheman, Sophia Jaffe, Shaya Roth, Ally Yagaloff, Sydney Rosenberg, Maya Hoffman, Julia Peskin, Daisy Chaskin, Jordan Stone, Jordan Goldklang, Jed Katz, Jack Komson, Jack Santoro, Jack Bazarnick, Ethan Simpson, Eli Kellner, David Stulberger, Max Leff, Matt Glickman, Matthew Doncheck.

Tonight was off the charts fun with our annual Chenny Jam Basketball Game. Girls were head to toe in pink and boys wore all black. It was Girls vs. Boys in this extremely high energy crazy fun game of basketball. When the video comes out, you gotta watch how much fun we all had. The game was insane and the free give-aways all throughout the night was so much fun for our campers. The players put on quite a show tonight. Boys side brought home the win tonight but everyone left with a smile on their face as if they had floor seats at the Garden. What a great night we had.

Only a few more hours until you get to hug your children and hold them tight. We can’t wait to see you in the morning. We wish you nothing but an incredibly joyful day with your family tomorrow. Happy Visiting Day.

Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda

Chenny out.

There is a buzz about camp and we all know what is just around the corner. Arts and Crafts is busy with campers making posters to welcome their families who are headed our way this weekend. Lots of excitement and chatter for Visiting Day and tons of Chenny pride. You can feel the energy and listen to the excitement. Your kids have had 3 incredible weeks and they just can’t wait to see you, show you around their summer home and introduce to our insanely talented staff. Camp is looking beautiful and we are getting ready for you.

It was a full day sports for our Chenny athletes. They played hard, gave it their all and had a great time just playing.

Inter Girls Soccer – CAW 4 vs Tioga 5

Upper Camp Girls Gymnastic Team Placed 8th in the Bryn Mawr Tourney

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 30 @ Tioga 40

Super Girls Basketball – CAW 17 vs. Westmont 20

GC/CIT Girls Softball – CAW 2 @ Poyntelle 8

Inter Boys Hockey – CAW 6 @ Wayne 11

Inter Boys Basketball – CAW 35 @ Lavi 29

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 44 vs. Tioga 15

Super Boys Basketball – CAW 21 vs. Morasha 42

Super Boys Baseball – CAW 8 @Tioga 4

GC/CIT Boys Hockey – CAW 2 @ Westmont 11

The night was Wacky, Wild and Full of Slime. It was Powerhouse night for our Cherokee and Mohican campers and they loved every minute of it. The rubber chicken toss was hilarious, getting pied in the face was priceless and getting slimed with the green goo was the cherry on top! This was the perfect night for our Cherokee and Mohican campers who loved this live actioned packed game show kind of night. Th giggles and laughter were plentiful.

And the fun continued as we always love keeping out kids on their toes so this night was an ideal night to surprise our kids  with a fun night out. They all thought they were watching an in camp movie of Back to the Future but instead we surprised them with a trip to a Roller Skating Rink, Laser Tag and Mini Golf Center. They FREAKED with excitement. They had an hour to get ready and get out the door and there wasn’t a camper who wasn’t hustling to make this happen. They jumped on this buses and off they went to have an amazing night. It was old-fashioned fun and our kids loved every minute of it. We greeted them as they rolled back into camp and as they got off the bus their response was an overwhelming thumbs up!!! They had a ball and night that will stick out as a summer favorite. Roller skating with friends is as good as it gets. A perfect summer night thing to do.

Only one more day until you get to hug your babies. Many of you start that journey tomorrow as you stay at nearby hotels, getting closer to your incredible children who we adore. Safe travels and we will see you in 1.

Chenny out!

It was a brunch wake up today and we all LOVED the extra sleep. After our lazy sleep-in morning, it was off to the Carnival for one amazingly fun day. There were dunk tanks, carnival games, water slides, cow milking, inflatable obstacle courses, snow cones, cotton candy and so much more. The highlight at today’s carnival was without a doubt the Gaming Truck we brought in and the giant Foam Pit Party. Our campers were diving into the foam, jumping around and getting covered head to toe with loads of bubbly fun. It was by far the campers favorite today. It’s a camp tradition to give away Carnival T-shirts on this special day and this years was a huge hit. All our campers were proudly sporting the coolest carnival T-shirt to date. They looked fly and camp looked completely in synch with everyone wearing their Carnival shirts!

The Carnival wrapped up at 4pm but at around 3:45  it was a downpour and there wasn’t a camper or staff member who wasn’t dancing in the rain. We got soaked and it was so much fun. When is the last time it rained and you just stomped in puddles looking to jump into them? When it rained so hard you just laughed getting soaked form head-to-toe and didn’t care for a minute how wet you were or how soaking your sneakers were. That was how our carnival ended today, with everyone drenched and everyone loving it!!!!

It was a fantastic night of Deal or No Deal for our Cherokee and Mohican campers as they vied for great prizes. Everyone was on the edge of their seat watching the board and hoping to keep the good prizes in play. The campers were loving the excitement of our own favorite game show hosted by our beautiful CIT girls. Our Navajo campers had their own fun with an awesome night at Fiddle Lake, chilling out with a campfire on the beach. They relaxed and chilled with friends, ate s’mores and had a blast. The sunset was spectacular and it was an absolutely perfect night at Chenny.

It was a sweet day and now sweet dreams for your children and only 2 more days until you all come to camp and see  where they have been thriving all summer long.

Chenny out.

There is something quite special about heading out of camp on trips with your campies. Everyone is wearing their camp shirts and we all load the buses to some amazing fun places. It unifies us as a group as we exit our gates for some fantastic adventures. Each group had a ball today as they enjoyed themselves beyond imagination.

Our Cherokee campers had a great day at the State park as they played in the lake, tossed the ball around, relaxed on their towels, listened to music and spent a perfect afternoon soaking in the sun. Then is was back to camp for a giant pizza party and movie night. They got cozy in their jammies and relaxed with a  summer night Flick. Freshman and Juniors watched Minions in the Chen-A-Plex and Middies enjoyed Mall Cop 2 in the Hangout.

Inters and Collegiates spent their trip day at Dorney Park. The rode roller coasters, played arcade games, enjoyed all the park offered and spent their time having a ball. When they came back to camp tonight and exited the buses, some of them you couldn’t see as their giant stuffed animals they won were bigger than them. Lots of smiles, laughs and great times were had by Mohican campers.

Navajo campers got wet wild and wacky at Camel beach. The temperature was hot and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day to spend at a water park. After they got swooshed around the giant toilet bowl and played in the wave pool, it was off to the outlets for some retail therapy and our campers shopped till they dropped. An incredible afternoon for our Navajo campers today.

All our kids are back home at camp safe and sound. It’s just about 1:00am and at this time of  night, camp is quiet, peaceful, awkwardly silent and still. It’s a far cry from when everyone is up and running around camp full of life, full of love, full of spirit and energy. So at least for the next handful of hours, your children are soundly sleeping, exhausted from their adventures day. You know that feeling when it’s so much fun to go on a trip but there is nothing quite like coming home!!!  Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out

We all got some needed extra sleep this morning after the past 2 ½ days of Olympic fun. It was a lazy late wake-up morning and then off to The Lodge for a delicious breakfast.  We’ve been on high gear since the Olympic games started so our lazy morning was so very needed.

We got right back into camp action this afternoon with regular activities. The weather was perfect and the mood was ideal. It was great getting back to our regular schedule. We went right back into our Wayne County Tournaments.

Middy/Inter Girls LAX – CAW 3 @ Starlight 6

Collegiate Girls Basketball – CAW 34 @ Lavi 29

Seniors – CITs’ Girls Tennis Tournament @ Indian Head – Arielle Ashkenase & Jess Leicther took 2nd place in Doubles

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 2 vs. Wayne 6

Freshman/Junior Boys Basketball – CAW 15 @ Starlight 22

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 14 @ Poyntelle 7

Collegiate Boys Hockey – CAW 4 vs. Lavi 7

Senior Boys Basketball Tournament @ Towanda – CAW lost both games

Super Boys Soccer Tourney @ CAW – Westmont, Island Lake, Tioga and CAW – CAW wins Tourney 3-o

GC/CIT Boys Softball – CAW 0 vs. Lavi 8

At evening line-up we announced our Camper’s of the Week. There is nothing quite like hearing your name being called knowing that you have done a great job this week. These campers earned it and deserve it. Congratulations to these outstanding campers!! We are so proud of you.

Freshmen                        Hannah Friedman                                Brady Bornstein

Juniors                            Ally Yagaloff                                            Sam Brief

Middies                           Abby Weiss                                              Logan Salzman

Inters                              Alexa Sabatino                                        Jacob Kaftol

Collegiates                      Maya Grill                                              Jake Root

Seniors                          Rachel Novick                                          Zack Isaacson

Supers                           Sarah Gershman                                      Jacob Kernis

GC’s                               Arielle Ashkenase                                    Andrew Roisenberg

CIT’s                             Jess Leichter                                              Max Moritz

Then it was off to an absolutely perfect night for Round Robin as each division took over a spot on camp and had the best time at their own evening activity.

All our Cherokee campers spent their night on a giant Alphabet Scavenger Hunt. They searched for letters we hid all around camp and then it was back to Shields Hall court for a giant scrabble game. The laughs these kids had tonight as they searched hi and low for letters and running back to their team to come up with words was priceless. Mohican girls campers got pampered in their spa party. They were relaxed and in their zen place as they were doing nails, mud masks and hair straightening. Mohican boys were split between Wiffle Ball tournament and Biddy basketball games under the lights. Our Navajo campers loved their choice tonight as it was either watching Bachelorette in the Lodge, The Home Run Derby in the Chen-A-Plex or a Beach Bonfire. The sunset tonight on the beach was picture perfect. A bonfire, some s’mores, friends all around and memories that will last forever. A chill night with some very very happy campers. Another incredible day in the books at Chenny.

Chenny out.

It was another intense day of competition as the campers got into their games.  Our camp was a sea of Blue, Red and Gold. Faces were painted, tutus were in full force, tube socks were a plenty and spray painted hair was all the rave. The race was so close that only 50 points separated the first and third teams as the morning began. Every camper was giving it their all.  It was all about the TEAM today. After a morning of games, it was off to song practice. The teams practiced their Cheer, March and Alma Mater and you could hear these homegrown songs in every corner of camp today.  Mid afternoon it was off to the track field for an afternoon of races.  The campers poured their heart and soul into every competition, every race, every softball throw and their spirit was intense. All three teams wanted the win today and it showed. After all the physical competitions were over, we all entered the Lodge for what was to be this summers INSANE dinner. Every single person inside the lodge was singing on the top of their lungs for the biggest karaoke sing-a-long party of this summer. Don’t get me wrong, we sing and dance at every lunch and dinner but tonight was incredible. We all let go tonight and it was a party like no other. Every song was better than the next and after 2 and half days of intense competition, we all had the absolute best time singing together at the very top of our lungs. When the last song finished, the entire Lodge was chanting, “ONE MORE SONG…ONE MORE SONG!” The kind of singing you do in your car or in the shower when you think nobody is listening, it was that kind of singing but instead of nobody listening….everybody was listening and there was absolutely no fear of letting go and being in that moment. We all shared that moment together tonight and it was AWESOME. One that I know nobody in the lodge tonight will forget.

The Olympic games ended as all three teams presented their songs, banner and plaque inside Shields Hall. Now it was in the hands of judges as the decision of who would win Olympics 2016 was about to be announced. Shields Hall was packed with our campers dressed head to toe in their team colors waiting on bated breath and all at the edge of their seats. The time had come and the judges had a balloon popping race that declared the winner. It was Blue New Zealand who took the Gold tonight!!! This was one close race.

Final Scores:

• Blue New Zealand – 1905
• Red Chile – 1885
• Gold Singapore – 1845

What we learned from these games were that we all played hard, respected the game, supported each other and believed that in the end it wasn’t just about getting the win but being there for one another. Two and half days ago, we began as Red Chile, Gold Singapore and Blue New Zealand and tonight we are back to one camp family.

Chenny out.

Our Olympic games stands out as a true picture to why Chen-A-Wanda is a remarkable place. Victory is not defined by wins or losses. It is defined by our effort. If you can truthfully say, ‘I did the best I could, I gave everything I had,’ then you’re a winner. Today our campers gave it everything they had. Every camper put their heart and soul into each battle and gave it their all in every competition. The battles were fierce, they were fun and in the end it was the undeniable effort that made today such a standout day. In between the rain, we played hard, had fun and in the end supported one another. When you walk around camp, in the midst of hearing all the chants and cheers during all the games, you also heard “great job, amazing effort, proud of you.” There is something equally valuable to encouraging those around us that actually feels better than getting the win.

Being part of a community that comes together and supports one another regardless of the outcome is what makes Chen-A-Wanda Olympics so spectacular.  Tonight was the Apache Relay and everyone from our Freshmen campers to our CIT’s, play an integral role.  Each individual makes up the team and everyone counts.  No matter if you had run around the quad track holding hands with another camper, leap frog from the lake to arts & crafts or ride a bike to the finish line, the team depended on you. Tonight, Gold Singapore finished Apache by hitting that pole first as Max Secular rode his bike on to Camp Rd. knowing that 1^st place was in sight. Blue New Zealand ended the relay in 2^nd place only minutes behind. A moment that stood out tonight was as the entire camp was down at center camp and Both Blue and Gold had already finished the race, the entire camp started chanting “Let’s Go Red, Lets Go Red”. These cheers came from every camper and  every staff member, not just those on the Red Team but the Blue and Gold were right alongside them cheering them on. The cheers and chants were deafening and we here at Chenny, leave no man or woman behind.  Just a few minutes behind Blue New Zealand came Red Chile’s last cyclist, Mack Schnell who was greeted by all three teams cheering him and his team on. The excitement to finish the race was amplified by each member of the team knowing they had a part in something bigger than themselves. It is the essence of belonging to a team and the importance that we all finished this race together. The cheers were electric as each team hit that pole and the pride that accompanied completing Apache filled us all up with a joy that is indescribable.

When all is said and done, it’s not the shots that won the championship that we will remember, or the home runs that matter but the way we treat one another and the respect we all have for our Olympic Games. All of our campers are sleeping peacefully as they rest their bodies for the last day of Olympics 2016. It all comes down to SING!!!

Chenny Out

The vibe on camp today was all about Olympics and if today was the day.  Lot’s of chatter at line-up,  in the Lodge, down at waterfront, inside the bunks and just about everywhere. These kids wanted to dig their teeth into some serious competition and the energy was electric. Every song that played in center camp, every bugle that blew may have been a sign and the Olympic spirit was strong at Chenny today. These long standing camp traditions are the heart and soul of our camp experience. Olympics, Color War, Girls Sing, Boys Lip Sync – they are events we can count on and look forward to. They tie us to those Camp Chen-A-Wanda campers who have walked before us and have done what we are about to do. Entering into an experience that stands the test of time and when so many things change all around us, our camp traditions stay the exact same. We can count on them. We need them and thank goodness, our campers wouldn’t have to wait too much longer.

Before we broke Olympics, our fields and courts were full of Wayne County Tournament games. Lots of campers got to play the games they love.

Middy Girls Soccer – CAW 8 vs. Tioga 2

Super Girls Softball – CAW 5 vs. Wayne 6

Middy Boys Hockey – CAW 9 vs. Westmont 5

Inter Boys Soccer – CAW 2 @ Wayne 5

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 7 @ Nesher 12

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW 4 vs. Westmont 1

GC/CIT Boys Basketball – CAW 43 @ Starlight 49

In true Chenny form, we love to fake-out our kids and just when they think they know when and how a break is happening, we give them a FAKE and today was so much fun. The word out in camp was Olympics is DEFINITELY breaking at snack call so as the campers munched on their cookies, fruit and water anticipating the Olympics Theme music to play over the loud speakers, what they heard was the theme from Rocky!!! As all our head counselors were dressed head to toe in American flags and banners, they circled center camp on their golf carts and came to a stop surrounded by all our very eager campers. Associate Director, Brian “Makes Me Laugh “Leahy and Cherokee Head Counselor, Dan “Oh My” Godshall took center stage for what was to be a cookie eating brawl. They circled one another like boxers in a ring, staring one another down. It was like Ali vs. Frazier but instead of punches being thrown it was the amount of cookies they could get into their mouths. The kids loved it and just after Brian won in a landslide, the Rocky music stopped and the sounds of Fake-out rang loud and clear. This was not the time for Olympics to break at Chenny.

The bugle rang and it was off to activities. You could see the disappointment and hear the angst as our campers wanted Olympics. They wouldn’t have to wait too long as just an hour later the Olympic Fanfare song played loud and clear. Where to go? Where was it breaking? The campers scattered around trying to find the location and word quickly spread that Shields Halls was where to go. The energy was intense and the spirit was high. “OOOO-LYM-PICS – OOOO-LYM-PICS” was being chanted by all in Shields Hall and our kids were so loud , I am sure the camp down the road heard us. A video was shown, with highlights from last years battle and it gave everyone in the Hall goosebumps on their goosebumps. It is intense, it is  fierce, it is pride, Olympics is here!!!!

The first Olympic event was tonight and everyone gave their all at Tugs of War. Your kids dug down deep and showed their grit and determination. When our campers tug on that rope that feels like it is attached to a brick wall and they dig down deeper to find that strength to pull harder, it exemplifies the will they have to give it everything they’ve got. You see it in their faces, you can hear it when they grunt on every pull, you can feel it when wont give up. Every single one of us has fire in our hearts for something, and it’s our goal to find it and keep it lit. Let the Games Begin.

Chenny out.

I was overwhelmed by how many of our families at home had reached out to me today about last nights blog. There was a sense of relief knowing that their camper wasn’t the only one that may have had some serious pre-camp nerves and may have been faced with dealing with homesickness while here at camp. So many emails asking if it was their daughter I was writing about, and a ton of messages thanking me for writing about the perils of homesickness and how we help your children through this very real experience. When you at home try to piece together your children’s experience from a photo or a quick frame in a video, or their absence from either, please know that like in life at home, there are incredible days and those that feel less than fantastic. This journey that you have sent them on does enrich their lives and allows them the opportunity to navigate friendships, conflicts, homesickness and everything in between. The smiles you see on the vids and pictures are as real as real is. Even if you get a glimpse of them on the outside of the group or sitting alone peacefully reading a book, your mind may wander and try to create a story of sadness and despair. Not knowing all the details to what you may see or read in a letter written at a time when they may have felt down is a killer and though life is great here, there are those experiences that are challenging for our kids. Those moments are as necessary as the ones of total elation, joy and happiness here at camp. When you are surrounded by love and support, it gets you through those moments you think you can’t handle. When missing mom and dad seems overwhelming and you can’t handle it for one more night, the sun always rises here and your kids get through it with a warm loving embrace. They learn that a friends hug or a counselor just listening to them can make just about anything feel better. So yes, sad moments exist here but the work your kids do to get over their mountains is really what camp is all about and we hope from our hearts you know that we are here to catch them when they fall. They are stronger than you think and more capable than at times you may give them credit for. We see it live everyday as we watch your children step up, face and deal with their fears and learn they can do just about anything. That is why you send them to Chenny!!!

You win some and you loose some but here at Chenny, every game played is an opportunity to learn something you didn’t know. We are so proud of our Chenny athletes and the effort they put into every game they play.

Middy Boys Basketball – CAW 18 vs. Wayne 31

Inter Boys Tennis – CAW 0 vs. Wayne 5

Senior Boys Basketball – CAW 37 vs. Starlight 49

Super Boys Soccer – CAW 9 vs. Wayne 1

Our Navajo kids, had an incredible night watching the Scranton Railriders play ball on a perfect summer night. What says summer more, than watching a baseball game, eating a hotdog surrounded by your friends. The smiles say it all as they had a relaxing night at the stadium.

Cherokee and Mohican campers (Freshman – Collegiates) enjoyed their evening watching the video taped auditions of our new Chenny’s Got Talent Competition. we have some incredibly talented kids here and the competition is stiff. From singers, to musicians, to dancers to comedians. They all brought their “A” game. We all cant wait for the live shows. Stay tuned to see our crazy talented cast.

Chenny out.

Each summer I am privileged to witness the best parts of your children and today didn’t disappoint as I saw kindness and love rise to the top in a very special way. We have a camper who has been coming to Chenny for years but this year, nerves knocked on her door and it hasn’t been an easy ride. From her smiling face, you would never know that on the inside she was feeling homesick and uneasy. But she kept it inside and just didn’t want anyone to know. When she sat with me today and cried and saw a huge mountain in front of her, I asked if she shared these feelings about missing home with her friends to which she shook her head no. I told her the only way to get over that huge mountain in front of her was to trust her friends and let them in and talk about it and that support would get her through the times she felt alone. I knew she needed backup and she couldn’t do it alone, nobody can do it alone.  She named 2 friends to which she thought could be her support and with her permission agreed for me to fill them in. Feeling shy and nervous about revealing her homesickness, I sat with these two amazing girls and brought them up to speed on what their friend was facing and how she was keeping it all inside. Without hesitation, they wanted to help their friend whom they had no idea how sad she was feeling on the inside. These two incredible kids showed compassion and kindness and said it so perfectly, “We got her. We won’t let our friend do this alone. We will have her back and help her through this.” You see, this little girl who has been here for years just didn’t want to burden anyone with how she was feeling and her friends had no idea but when they heard that she was struggling, they stepped up, grabbed her hand, put their arms around her and told her that they are by her side, always. I saw the three of them on their way to dinner and when they saw me they stopped and gave me a wink as to say, Don’t worry we got her covered.  The camper who had cried to me earlier today looked happier than I have ever seen. A smile so genuine and a look as she shed that weight that was heavy on her heart. She opened up, trusted and let her friends help. It was magical and she wasn’t alone. She is climbing that mountain with her friends right by her side. This is what it’s all about.

Onto our athletes who played with dedication and incredible sportsmanship today. We couldn’t be more proud of our Chenny athletes.

Inter/Collegiate Girls Tennis Tournament @ Tyler Hill – Congrats to Jillian Oresky, Julia Knobloch and Shaya Roth made it to the Semi-Finals

GC/CIT Girls LAX – CAW vs. Towanda – CAW wins by forfeit

Middy Boys Baseball – CAW 11 @ Starlight 4

Inter Boys Hockey – CAW 9 @ Westmont 2

Collegiate Boys Hockey – CAW @ Island Lake – CAW wins by forfeit

Senior/Super Boys  LAX – CAW 11 @ Island Lake 12

GC/CIT Boys Baseball – CAW 10 @ Starlight 4

It was Round Robin tonight for our evening activity and each division had their own awesome event planned. There was beach bonfires, and candy sushi, there was birdcage making in Arts & Crafts along with Biddy Basketball tournaments. There was movies and wiffle ball tournaments and we even had an Escape room. The kids loved their night at Chenny and it was just a remarkable day. Just can’t get better than this!!!

Chenny out.