We woke up to a gorgeous sunny summer morning and everyone rolled into breakfast in their cozy jammies.  After we ate our delicious breakfast, it was time to get down to camp business and get outside for some serious fun. Camp was hopping and everyone was outside having a blast.  The Cookhouse was cooking some amazing desserts and the School of Rock was just rockin’. The fields were full of active kids and we were flying on the trapeze. Walking around camp its truly an awesome site seeing our campers hit homeruns over the Big Red Monster at the Wiffle Ball stadium while kids are getting blobbed off the water trampoline in the lake. Its non-stop fun from dusk to dawn.

Our Chenny athletes were busy playing and having fun.

Super Girls Soccer – CAW 5 vs. Lohikan 1

GC/CIT Girls Soccer – Starlight 3 vs. CAW 1

Freshman/Junior Boys Street Hockey – CAW 3 vs. Tioga 1

Middy Boys Baseball – CAW 11 vs. Starlight 6

Senior/Super/GC/CIT Boys Tennis – Starlight 4 vs. CAW 1

Super/ Senior Boys LAX – CAW 10 vs. Island Lake 3

Senior Boys Basketball Tourney at CAW

Westmont 27 vs. CAW Gold 17

CAW RED 39 vs. Tioga 30

CAW Gold 28 vs. Tioga 26

CAW RED 38 vs. Westmont 36

CAW RED 47 vs. CAW GOLD 26

Super Boys Soccer – Tioga 7 vs. CAW 1

GC/CIT Boys LAX – Towanda 15 vs. CAW 1

With all we have here, the most important components are being able to do these things with our friends. There was a large group of  Junior girls in jewelry making that spent their time in Arts & Crafts making friendship bracelets for one another. They each picked another camper to make this symbol of friendship for. They all sat around the table weaving threads of beautiful colored string, not for themselves but for their friends. The best part was listening to all of their conversation that was had during this group experience. They chatted and laughed and connected with one another as they spent their time creating something beautiful for a friend. As they finished each bracelet and put it on the wrist of their friend, it bonded them together as they experienced the act of giving something from their heart. How lucky are we to have these moments and experiences to connect with one another.

Chenny’s got Talent and it was our staff who put on the show tonight. There is nothing quite like seeing your counselor on stage singing their heart heart and dancing to entertain us all. Our LAX specialist Hunter said it all after he sang on a stage for the first time in his life. He stood up and said, “This was for my boys in Bunk O. I did this for you tonight and I did something outside my box. Face your fears. If I can do this, so can you”. Needless to say he got a standing ovation!!!!

Chenny out

The fun just continues here with our first divisional trips today. Our Cherokee Camp (Freshman – Middies) spent their morning in regular activities and lunched out side in center camp in the bright warm sunshine. There was rain in the forecast so after lunch, they all boarded the buses and headed to the movies. It was a great chilled out afternoon for our youngest campers as they munched on popcorn and got to see some fun summer blockbusters. Then it was back to camp for a BBQ dinner. The rain came through camp right when all of Cherokee camp was safe and sound back in their bunk playing fun bunk games. They had a fantastic day.

Mohican Camp (Inters & Collegiates) spent a full day at Dorney Park and they had the best day ever. They went on rides galore. It was a sunny beautiful day spent with friends riding roller coasters and having the time of their lives. Exactly what an ideal summer day looks like. When the buses rolled in and our campers rolled off the buses, some campers took off giant stuffed animals they won at the park.  It was a great day spent with great people.

Navajo Camp (Seniors-GC’s) spent began their day at Camel Beach for some fun in the water park. It was great way to beat the heat while having the time of their lives.  They swooshed down the toilet bowl, got lazy down the lazy river, slipped down the slip and slide and got bounced off the giant bungee blob. Then it was time dry off and head out to the Crossings for some fun shopping at eating and that is exactly what they all did. It was a packed day of fun for our Navajo campers

Our CIT’s enjoyed a packed day as they enjoyed breakfast at Binghams. If you have never been there, it needs to be on your bucket list as the world Best Breakfast!!! Then it was straight to Walmart and the Mall for some afternoon shopping. As they worked up an appetite, they headed to Hibachi for a delicious dinner. To round off their perfect day, it was a night at the movies. As the storm rolled through our area, the theater they were at experienced a power outage so they loaded they vans and headed back to camp. A fantastic day and night for our CIT’s as they had a blast on their trip day.

All the campers are safe and sound back in their bunks, all exhausted from an amazing day out. What a successful first trip day, full of memories that will last a lifetime. Your children were absolutely fantastic and every place our Chenny kids were today, we received praise on how well behaved and respectful our campers are.  Gotta love that. We sure do. As the trips were uber-successful, we dodged the storm and had the best day ever.  No rain can ever dampen our spirits up here as the fun will always continue at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny Out

The entire camp headed out to the Scranton RailRiders (Yankees AAA).  We all spent the morning in our regular fun activities but everyone was so excited about heading out to the ballpark. We got a few games in before we all headed out this afternoon.

Senior Super Girls Volleyball Tournament @ Camp Wayne for girls

B’Nai Brith 2 vs. CAW 0

CAW 2 vs. Island Lake 0

Wayne Girls 2 vs. CAW 0

Middy Girls Basketball – Tioga 12 vs. CAW 8

Inter Girls Basketball – CAW 6 vs. Tioga 5

Collegiate Girls Softball – Westmont 9 vs. 8

The evening was all about baseball and we had a ball.  The entire camp filled the stands with Gold Chenny shirts in PNC stadium where we watched 4 great innings of baseball. The rain came down and the game was called in the fourth inning.  The night started out amazing as we cheered on Junior campers Zachary Friedman and Jordanan Brief as they threw out the first pitch. Am awesome sight to see and for Zachary and Jordana, a night they will never forget. We cheered for our favorite players, we sang songs in the stands, we did the wave and we all had a great summer night at the ballpark before the rain came down. What could be better than hanging out with your friends, eating ice cream and watching the ballgame?  The spirit was high and the energy was just so much fun tonight. Another standout night spent with great friends.

It was a Camp Chen-A-Wanda takeover at the stadium. Little kids, big kids and staff all proudly wearing their Chen-A-Wanda shirts, which define us as one giant family and as we departed the stadium tonight, the other fans and staff complimented on how well behaved, polite and respectful our kids were. We were proud of them and as we all rolled back into camp, once again we were home.

Chenny out

Every summer I sit in amazement and watch the relationships we all make up here flourish into something you cant quite put into words. For our new campers it is happening right front of their eyes and it occurs so quickly. When all you see are campers arm in arm walking together to activities or sitting on each other’s lap during line-up or just holding hands walking to The Lodge, you realize that we need this connection, we crave these types of relationships. We may not even realize how much we need it until we get here and it just happens so naturally. It truly doesn’t matter if you are a boy, girl, younger, older or staff, we all need that human contact and here is where we get it, freely and openly. It brings our friendships to a very different level than with our home friends. It is why our friends become our family.

We truly hope that the videos and pictures we post give you a glimpse into the world we get to live in for 7 weeks. What if the real world had this element of connection to one another?  Our experiences here are not without moments of frustration and conflict but having this connection with one another gives us the ability to move past the tough times quicker and provides us all with the tools to work things out because at the core is respect and love. As I sat with two campers who needed to work out some issues they had, they looked at each other, spoke from their heart and listened to one another. That is all it took to bring these two back to a place they both so desperately desired to be. They couldn’t do this at home because texting got in the way. It is face-to-face honesty and as I sat with them watching in awe of the true magic camp has to offer, I felt privileged to bear witness to how these two amazing young girls worked out any hurt feelings they had. Needless to say, they walked off arm in arm, with a better understanding of how they played a part in their disconnect and how easy it was to bridge the gap. If the outside world would just follow suit, life would be as glorious outside our gates as it is inside.

It was another amazing day of games played by all of our Chenny athletes.

Freshman/Junior Girls Soccer – CAW 5 vs. Westmont 1

Inters Girls Basketball CAW 4 vs. Morasha 14

Inter Girls Tennis – CAW 1 vs. Tyler Hill 4

Super Girls Softball – CAW 10 vs. B’Nai Brith 3

Inter Boys Roller Hockey – CAW 14 vs. Indian Head 10

Collegiates Boys Tennis – CAW 5 vs. Tioga 0

Freshman/Juniors Roller Hockey – CAW 0 vs. Starlight 15

It is Camper of the Week time and these campers deserved the recognition. They were chosen by their Group Leaders and Head Counselors as they exhibit everything it is to be a Camper of The week.  These campers participate in all the activities, have positive attitudes, are kind and respectful and are all around terrific kids. Congratulations to our awesome Campers of the Week:

Freshman                    Zoe Gorsky                             Alex Brandoff

Juniors                        Lucy Wexler                           Jacob Kaftol

Middies                       Remi Graff                              Matt Berger

Inters                           Alexis Siegal                           Jake Wolf

Collegiates                  Jenna Wolf                             Zachary Greenblatt

Seniors                       Phoebe Warshauer               Bennett Goldstein

Supers                        Dani Zuckoff                          David Smolowitz

GC’s                             Michelle Steinberg               Evan Goldstein

CIT                              Alexa Zysman                         Brett Wolf

It was Powder Puff World Cup tonight as our GC’s and CIT’s girls battled it on the soccer field under the lights. The crowd was full of excitement as they blew their vuvuzelas and noisemakers in support of both teams. Faces were painted, pom poms in hand and chants and cheers ruled the sidelines. Our GC girls claimed victory tonight with a final score of 1-0.  It was another amazing day and night in the best place on earth.

Chenny out

What an absolutely perfect day we had today. The sun was shining bright down on us all and camp was buzzing with a vibe you can’t fully imagine unless you are here to experience it. Your kids are living in a place where being outside and having a catch with buddy replaces sitting on the couch watching TV. The kids are spending their days jumping on water trampolines rather than texting friends. It is amazing to see and more importantly, valuable beyond measure. A new freshman camper summed it up perfectly when she asked me, “How did I get so close to my friends in only 7 days?”

Our sports teams had a great time on the fields and courts today. We are beyond proud of our Chenny athletes who always exhibit sportsmanship and great character as they compete. It’s so refreshing to see sports being played this way.

Senior Girls Basketball – CAW 28 vs. Starlight 26

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 4 vs. Starlight 3

Inter Boys Baseball – CAW 16 vs. Towanda 6

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 23 vs. Tioga 28

GC/CIT Boys Basketball – CAW 67 vs. Tioga 23

As perfect as our day was, the night was even better. Sign and Song is a long-standing camp tradition and tonight was the best show we have ever seen.  This camp favorite, is where each bunk make s a plaque and Girls side prepares a dance for the entire camp to see. So much time and effort is put into the plaques that will hang in our bunks forever. When the campers of 2014 grow into adults and have kids of their own, their plaques will still be hanging on the walls of the bunks they lived in. It is their mark that they were here the summer of 2014. It always amazes us to see the creative ingenuity that is put into every aspect of their plaque. This is camp pride at its best.

Girl’s side brought it tonight as they put on a spectacular show. From our adorable Freshmen to the talented and beautiful CIT’s, each girls bunk delivered jaw dropping performances that we will never forget. Can you imagine getting standing ovations after dancing in front of the entire camp? That is what we do here for one another. Each group took the stage and after every single one, the applause, chants and cheers were deafening. We love to show our undying support for each other here. It is like no other place on earth. Every girl that danced on stage tonight felt the love. They blossomed and soared so high it was hard to contain the feeling they felt. Tonight each bunk shared this awesome experience together. The competition was tough but our Group Leaders picked the winners for Lower & Upper Camp Plaques and Dances.

Congratulation to tonight’s winners. They were all outstanding.

Best Plaque – Lower Camp Boys – Bunk I Illusionists

Best Plaque – Upper Camp Boys – Bunk R Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Best Plaque – Lower Camp Girls – Bunk H #Swag

Best Plaque – Upper Camp Girls – Bunk O Out Of Control

Best Dance Lower Camp Girls – Bunk C Classic

Best Dance Upper Camp Girls – Bunk W Wanna Fight

Nights like tonight is what it’s all about and explains why Life is so Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out.

There is nothing quite like spending the 4^th of July here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. It is the best place to celebrate our day of independence. Everyone got into the red, white and blue spirit. Faces were painted, flags were flying high, red, whit and Blue tutus were everywhere and the continuous chants of “USA” were at every turn. Pride for our country was at an all time high and everyone got into the spirit. It was awesome to be apart of something so special.

Games, Games and more Games on this great 4^th of July.

Girls Senior Soccer – CAW 2 vs. Starlight 1

Girls Senior Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Starlight 2

Girls GC/CIT Basketball – CAW 28 vs. Westmont 22

Girls GC/CIT Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Weequahic 2

Boys  Freshman/Juniors Basketball – Starlight 29 vs. CAW 19

Boys Freshman and Junior Baseball Tournament @ CAW

RED CAW 12 vs. Tioga 2

Westmont 7 vs. RED CAW 4

Tioga 10 vs. GOLD CAW

Westmont 8 vs. Gold CAW 6

Boys Inters Basketball – CAW 34 vs. Starlight 29

Boys Inters and below LAX – CAW 10 vs. Indian Head 3

Boys Senior/Super Roller Hockey – Nesher 7 vs. CAW 2

Boys Senior Baseball – CAW 7 vs. Weequahic 1

Boys GC/CIT Soccer – CAW 6 vs. Westmont 2

It was an incredible day here at Chenny but we all knew that the night was the best part and it did not disappoint. There was a chill in that air but not a cloud in the sky. It was one of those nights that everyone was just in a great mood. There was this vibe here at camp that was happy and contagious.

As dusk turned into night, we all headed up to the outdoor pavilion decked head to toe with glow sticks galore & flashing headbands.  We started the night with the biggest dance party to get us going and that it did. It was boys side vs. girls side and I think they heard us all the way home.  The smiles were priceless and the fun was off the charts. The countdown began and the first firework shot up in the air and it was spectacular. I truly don’t know what is more impressive to watch; the sky light up with a rainbow of colorful fireworks or the look of amazement on your children’s faces as they watch with such anticipation for each firework to unveil above them.  They were just in amazement of what they were seeing and watching them enjoy it so, was a gift they gave to us. With every firework, there were Ahhhhhh’ss and so many Ooohhhss. It just doesn’t matter if you are 9 or 99, there is magic in the air above us all and sitting side by side with your camp family just feel s so right. No place on earth would we rather be. We are all together sharing this experience and that is what makes this night a summer standout.  We hope you enjoyed your night because we all enjoyed ours.

Chenny Out

Today started out like any other amazing summer day here and camp was full of happy campers. All of the campers got a full morning of activities in and camp was electric.  Just before lunch, the weather turned and in came the rain. It has been a hot few days here so the needed rain cooled us all off. We all made to The Lodge for lunch as the rain came down and there is no better way to wait out a storm than fill our bellies and have a giant sing-a-long session with the entire camp. If you can picture us all standing on our seats, watching the rain come down onto Fiddle Lake as we all sing in unison at the top of our lungs. It is a site to see but being here gives you chills upon chills to watch it. There is a magic that happens when you let go and sing together. From our smallest Freshmen to our oldest CIT’s , everyone is up on their feet dancing and singing like nobody’s watching. Our inhibitions become bravery here and there is no worry about being judged. As the rain came down harder, we sang louder. Moments like these bond us together and truly make us all one giant camp family.

Because of today’s weather, we were only able to get in one Wayne County Game. Congratulations to our Junior Girls basketball team who were victorious with an 18-4 victory over Camp Weequahic. The girls had a great time.

As the storm rolled out, the skies returned to a gorgeous shade of blue and our campers enjoyed an evening of Round Robin. Freshman girls spent their night in the Cookhouse making Rice Krispie Treats on a stick. We don’t know what was more delicious, the treats or the adorableness of these campers. Our Freshman boys spent their night having a Mario Cart Wii tournament. They loved every minute of their own private tourney.  Junior girls took over the canteen with chocolate making followed by bracelet making. It was great night for our Junior girls. Junior and Middy boys had their own GaGa tournament and it was fun and fierce. They had the absolute best time playing a everyone’s fav camp game, Gaga. Middy girls spent their night in Arts & Crafts creating their own Dream Catchers. They had such a fun time designing and creating. Inter girls had their own fun playing a killer game of kickball. The Inter Boys spent their evening playing a mass Trivia game. It was a fun brain teasing evening for them. Our Collegiate girls had a ball playing Family Feud. There were a ton of laughs and good times for our Collegiate girls. The Collegiate & Senior boys spent their night  having a flag-football tournament under the lights.  Senior girls had spa night as they painted nails and toes, had mini-facials and other beautifying fun things. Super boys and girls enjoyed Chipwhich making in The Lodge. They all made, baked it and ate it. GC girls were in Arts and Crafts making the coolest string and woodcrafts we have ever seen. Our GC boys got into bathing suits and spent their night on the Chenny Zoom. Our 150 foot slip n’ slide didn’t disappoint.  The CIT’s spent their night together watching a movie.

It was another tremendous day spent in paradise. We are the lucky ones that get to do this day in and day out for another 6 ½ weeks. Feeling grateful.

Chenny out

For our new families that don’t yet know our camp division lingo – here you go: Freshman – campers going into 2nd and 3rd grade / Junior – campers going into 4th grade / Middies – campers going into 5th / Inters – Campers going into 6th / Collegiates – campers going into 7th/ Seniors – campers going into 8th / Supers – campers going into 9th/ GC’s – campers going into 10th/ CIT’s- campers going into 11th

It was another magical day up here in Chennyland. Over 175 campers signed up to participate in our Hip Hop Boot Camp. We brought in a famed NYC choreographer who spent the day teaching our kids to pop, lock, tut and break dance. Our campers jammed out and found their groove. This 2-day intensive master class taught our kids moves they never knew they had. It was incredible to see each session full of groovin’ campers. Both boys and girls loved their first day of classes and the fun continues tomorrow with another full day of the coolest Hip Hop classes just for them.

Sign and Song is just around the corner and girl’s side is getting ready. All across camp were groups practicing their dance for the show on Saturday. Arts and Crafts was packed with campers getting their bunk plaques ready. There is such great pride with these works of art that are left hanging in the bunks forever. It is the stamp that we were here summer 2014. Girls practiced their dance over and over to get it just right. It is a collaboration and teamwork as they create their perfect dance to show the entire camp. A long-standing Chenny tradition and from the looks of it, this year will not disappoint. We cannot wait to see them up on stage showing us all what Sign & Song at Chenny is all about.

The past 3 days have been packed with tryouts for every sport we offer. Campers are enjoying their sports and more important than the outcome of each game is the level of sportsmanship we exude here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. There is always high fives with our competitors after each match or game. Playing up here is very different than playing anywhere else. There is no pressure or screaming, no expectations or disappointing looks from the sidelines. Our campers play sports here for the pure love of the game. It’s allowing them to be the best they can be through sport. We congratulate our athletes for participating in a movement here that enables sport to be stress free and fun. The way it was intended. Your children are learning skills and techniques that will enhance their game but what we value more here is their effort and dedication to play with integrity and character.

Here are the scores from our first Wayne County games of the summer.

Collegiate Boys Basketball – CAW 47 vs. Weequahic 17

Senior Boys Soccer – Weequahic 6 vs. CAW 4

GC Girls Lacrosse – CAW 15 vs. Brynmawr 12

We hope the videos and pictures translate to how special our summer is going so far. Life is Great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.

Chenny out.

We had another remarkable day here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda. It was all happy smiling faces and it was no coincidence that today was picture day. We all sported our Chenny gold shirts and gathered together as bunks and as each picture was snapped, it locked in an image that will be with us forever. As years pass us by, the bunk pictures will forever remind us of that summer we shared together.

The afternoon was another beautiful one spent in the lake, the fields, the courts, the studios and just being able to be outside and getting to experience the beauty of where we are is joyful. Everything around us up here is remarkable. We all get to live in this gorgeous landscape with fresh air surrounded by mountains and our glistening lake. Having a catch with your buddy in center camp looks as if we are on a movie set. It is a site that never grows old. With all the excitement and energy that happens here at Chenny, there is a sense of calm that nature provides us with. There are no traffic lights or smog, no honking horns or ringing cell phones. The gifts of summer camp go way beyond the obvious. We are all feeling pretty grateful that this is our playground.

Love was in the air as we all enjoyed our evening activity of The Dating Game. Freshman through our CIT’s participated in this long-standing camp show. There were bachelors and bachelorettes and questions that made us all laugh till it hurt. It was a great night full of fun happy moments. No one left Shields Hall without a smile on their face and everyone who was in the show had a ball.

We’ve only been here for a few days and it already feels like home. That is how quickly it happens here. We do truly become a family. Spending every moment together allows us to connect in a way like no other experience can provide. As I was in awe of the joy I witnessed as the Inter boys were having the time of their lives in Arts & Crafts today making glitter water bombs from strips of sponges. The laughter that was coming from inside the building drew me in and what I saw was just awesome. With all of today’s technology keeping our children at times so isolated from one another, it took just strips of sponges, a lot of glitter and some great creativity that gave these boys the opportunity to engage with one another and have the time of their lives. This is what camp is all about.

Chenny Out

There is just no better way to wake up than hearing reveille. And as the bugle rang throughout camp, all our campers popped out of bed knowing that today was the first full day of activities. It was electric and being here felt awesome. The biddy courts on boys side was packed with basketball games before breakfast and girls were on their porches and playing tetherball. Everyone was eager to start the day.  You could feel the energy and the excitement was off the charts. Campers were so ready to get out there and play.

The sun was shining bright on us here at Chenny today.  The pool was full of happy campers and everyone loved zipping around Fiddle Lake on banana boats and the Great Big Mable. Our lake is such a special place to play and watching the kids embrace it defines summer.

The waterfront wasn’t the only place to be today. Our fields and courts were packed with campers trying out for their favorites sports.  This is where playing sports is the way it was meant to be, to have fun playing a game you love. Even if you never have played before, you learn here without any pressure, just pure joy and a love to play. The excitement on our camper’s faces as they got to play ultimate Frisbee with their friends is priceless. It’s like watching children in the state they are intended to be in. There is no stress here, there is no pressure here, there is a freedom to do and be exactly who they are here. We see the best parts of your children here.

Each moment is momentous and magical here. As our new campers get in the groove and settle in, our returning campers know all to well how precious each day is here. Today was picture perfect and your campers experienced a beautiful first day of their summer.

Tonight’s evening activity was by far the best magic act we have ever seen here at CAW. Elliott Zimet blew our minds with his illusions and our campers were stunned, entertained and loved every minute of the show. As campers left Shields Hall after the show, it was all we could talk about. He elevated table, pulled birds out of thin air and literally read our minds.

Our first day of full activities was a success and all of our campers are soundly sleeping from an amazing first day. The greatest part is we get to do this again tomorrow. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Chenny out