You helped make visiting day 2012 absolutely perfect and we thank you. You can feel the love in the air as you ran to your campers and embraced them so tightly. Nothing is quite as special as that moment when we witness that first hug you give your camper. Your kids have been living away form you for three weeks and have been thriving. They have been making decisions on their own and navigating their way through this experience and they have grown. Oh how they have grown.

We hope you enjoyed your day and truly appreciate all of your support. We are having the best time here with your kids and hope you left today seeing just how special this place is and how much we all love doing what we do. It is a joy getting up to bugles and playing wit your children all day long. We have four more weeks of pure bliss here and we aren’t not going to waste a moment of it. Continue enjoying the pictures and videos of what is to come because one thing is for sure, we will be having an absolute ball here at Chen-A-Wanda.

There was so much talent in our Chenny Idol competition; we made the decision to have our Top 4 move on to the finals. Congratulations to Daisy Chaskin, Daniel Gur, Julia Bromley and Two Direction. We are excited to see what you bring to the stage.

Thank you again for making today so very special.

Chenny out.

 

You can’t escape the excitement of what is happening tomorrow. Everyone is getting to see his or her families and the feeling is tangible. We are all so excited for what tomorrow will bring.

Even with the anticipation of tomorrow, we were able to play some great games.

Boys 3^rd/4^th Grade Soccer – Poyntelle 3 vs. CAW 0

Boys 6^th Grade Softball – Tyler Hill 10 vs. CAW 3

Girls 6^th Grade Basketball – CAW 24 vs. Westmont 8

Girls 7^th Grade Basketball – Westmont 21 vs. CAW 18

Boys 7^th Grade Tennis – Westmont 4 vs. CAW 1

Girls 8^th Grade Tennis – CAW 3 vs. Poyntelle 2

Congratulations to our Campers of the Week. You shined and were outstanding this week. You are an example to be followed. Great work.

Girls Side

Bunk A – Sarah Kaplansky

Bunk B – Lily Isacson

Bunk C – Carly Arends

Bunk D – Laine Brodsky

Bunk E – Julia Warshauer

Bunk F – Anna Kaplan

Bunk G – Kate Richman & Kelsey Silver

Bunk H – Rachel Platt & Jolie Dinow

Bunk I – Skylay Kohn & Maya Cohen

Bunk J – Haylie Baum

Bunk K – Julia Kaplansky

Bunk L – Skylar Bloom & Olivia Metzger

Bunk M – Carly Wills & Sam Snedekker

Bunk N – Elliana Sutton & Amanda Behrens

Bunk O – Amanda Model

Bunk P – Haily Zion & Gabby Vargas

Bunk Q – Ashley Epstein & Hannah Siegel

Bunk R – Dani Beck, Morgan Perlman & Lindsay Sandler

Bunk S – Brooke Singer & Sara Harris

CIT – Paige Mandel

 

Boys Side

Bunk A – Zachary Keschner

Bunk B- Brady Weiss

Bunk C – Sam Isen

Bunk D – Colby Frankel

Bunk E – Alex Kapusta

Bunk F – Evan Marcus

Bunk G – Wolf Cukier

Bunk H – Matthew Haber

Bunk I – Jason Tantleff

Bunk J – Jacob Werner

Bunk K – Brent Goldstein

Bunk L – Reed Dooskin

Bunk M – Jordan Myles

Bunk N –  Sammy Metzger

Bunk O – Fisher Filippazzo

Bunk P – Jared Kohn

Bunk Q – Jakob Rubenstein

Bunk R – Kyle Stern

CIT – Dan Shulman

Tonight, our talented Chenny Idol Top 10 performers entertained us. They sang their hearts out and we loved every minute of it.  Chenny definitely has talent and a lot of it! There were solos, duos and group performances that blew the roof off the house. We are so proud of the singers who took the stage and equally proud of the audience who gave respect and gratitude to all those who sang with everything on their heart. What a night we had. You can actually feel the love we all have for each other.

We are so excited to see you all tomorrow. Welcome to your children’s summer home!

Chenny out.

 

 

 

 

 

We all spent the morning in our regular fun activities but everyone was so excited about heading to the Binghamton Mets baseball game. We got a few games in before we all headed out this afternoon.

Boys 3^rd/4^th Grade Basketball – Independent Lake 22 vs. CAW 16

Girls 6^th Grade Tennis – Bryn Mawr 5 vs. CAW 1

Boys 6^th Grade Baseball – Westmont 10 vs. CAW 0

Boys 8^th Grade Basketball – CAW 46 vs. Nesher 29

The evening was all about baseball and we had a ball.  The entire camp filled the stands in the Binghamton Mets stadium. 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. The night was ideal. What could be better than hanging out with your friends, eating ice cream and watching the game?  The spirit was high and the energy was just so much fun tonight. Another standout night spent with great friends.

The biggest compliment we received tonight was when the staff at the stadium made a point to compliment us on how well behaved, how spirited and how respectful all of our campers and staff were this evening. Our Chen-A-Wanda family is not only amazing inside our own house but we truly shine on the outside as well.  There is so much pride to be a part of this Chen-A-Wanda family.  Way to go Chenny!

Chenny out.

The morning was spent enjoying our activities. The sun was out and it was a hot one. We loved splashing in the pool, jumping on the water trampoline and tubing on the Big Mable. Ask your camper about Big Mable when you arrive at camp this Saturday for visiting day. She is a huge hit this summer.  It was just an amazing morning full of play, play and more play.

Our sports teams had some great competition on the field and the court. We congratulate them for an amazing display of effort and sportsmanship.

Boys 6^th Grade Basketball – Independent Lake 25 vs. CAW 23

Boys 6^th Grade Soccer – Wayne 6 vs. CAW 2

Girls 6^th Grade Softball – Cayuga 16 vs. CAW 5

Boys 7^th/8^th/9^th Grade Hockey – CAW 10 vs. Nesher 3

Our GC Boys enjoyed a 12mile bike tour followed by a refreshing swim in a swim hole at the end of their route. They came back and were elated with their accomplishment. What a great day they had.

It was an outstanding evening at CAW as we had a night of Round Robins. Freshman Boys loved their wiffleballl tourney as they chomped on their Bid League Chew. The Freshman Girls had a night of beauty as the older campers painted their nails, braided their hair and they were all adorned with tiaras and jewels. The Junior girls spent the night playing board games and charades. Middy girls were scrapbooking the Arts & Crafts. It was a dodge-ball-a-thon in the hockey rink for our Junior and Middy boys. All the Inters & Collegiates had a mad game of BINGO in Rec Hall. All of the Seniors spent the night in the Chen-A-Plex watching a great movie together. Super & GC Girls cooked in the Cookhouse. Super & GC Boys spent the night in The Lodge watching some sports and playing card games. The CIT’s got out for the night as they celebrated one of their Birthday’s.

It was another fantastic day and night at this place we all love so much.  We all went to bed knowing that in just a few short hours, we get to wake up here and do it again.

Chenny out.

 

It was Trip Day at Chenny and all the campers had such a great day.

Our Freshmen and Juniors stayed in camp and had the place all to themselves. They loved every minute of it. It was Ally & Eric Day and they had pool parties, they played dodge ball in The Zone, the had an amazing Wiffle ball tournament, they watched a movie in The Rec Hall and had a ball slipping and sliding down our 100 foot slip and slide. A perfect day spent at camp. They were the big shots at camp today and as I heard one camper say to another, “I miss the big kids, but love having this place all to ourselves!!!” A very special day here just for our youngest campers.

The Middies & Inters spent the day at Camel Beach and had a ball. There were rides, wave pools and of course the Big Toilet Bowl ride was a huge hit. Hanging out at a water park with your campies is just pure joy. Can’t get better than that. When the bus rolled back into camp and everyone was walking arm in arm back to their bunk, you could see the happiness on everyone’s faces. They were exhausted but exhilarated. They just spent the entire day with their friends, making the best memories and still couldn’t get enough of one another as they were going over all the funny details they had experienced TOGETHER! That was the magic of today.

Our Collegiates and Seniors spent their day at Dorney Park. Another homerun of a day, getting to hang out with great friends and play at an amusement park, what could be better than that? I feel privileged to get to see just how much these kids truly enjoy each other and how much fun they have being together

The Supers and GC’s had their own fantasy day spent at the State Park. They hung out, they layed out, they tossed the Frisbee, and they just enjoyed themselves. After this completely enjoyable afternoon spent with great friends it was off to the movies. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Our CIT’s enjoyed their own phenomenal day of breakfast at Binghams, relaxing at the State Park then off for some bowling followed by a great dinner. It just doesn’t get better than that.

Our Head Counselor Brian Leahy tells a great story how going to Disneyland alone, albeit the happiest place on earth, would be miserable and lonely. It truly only comes to life when we experience it with our friends.  Today, all our campers got to experience another magical summer moment that will be with them forever. How lucky we are to have these moments.

Chenny out.

 

We all got some extra sleep this morning and really enjoyed it. It was a lazy morning and then off to The Lodge for a delicious brunch.  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.

Girls 4^th/5^th Grade Softball – Westmont 12 vs. CAW 9

Boys 7^th Grade Soccer – CAW 2 vs., Island Lake 0

Girls 7^th Grade Soccer – CAW 3 vs. Towanda 2

Boys 8^th/9^th Grade Volleyball Champion Game – CAW 25 vs. Westmont 11 – CAW WINS CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!

We spent the night on the lawn as we watched Karate Kid on a giant outdoor movie screen under the stars. There is something quite remarkable about watching a classic movie with all your camp friends. Everyone brought sleeping bags and blankets, munched on their snacks and had a perfect summer night. Moments like tonight, we will always remember.  Another perfect Chenny day!

Chenny out.

After two and a half intense days of Olympic games, Red India brought home the Gold. The morning was full of games and the Olympic spirit was strong. Everyone gave it all they had. No matter if it was a game of steal the bacon, kickball or basketball the intensity and desire to win was there. Each team fought a great battle to the very end.

After a full day of games and track meets, it all came down to this evenings’ SING. Each team presented their plaque and banner.  The artwork was spectacular and will forever be a part of Chen-A-Wanda Olympic history, as we proudly will display them for years to come. Each team presented a Cheer, an Alma Mater and a March for the judges.  The lyrics, the meaning and the heart in which they were performed made everyone in the Rec Hall feel as if they were part of something pretty special. All singing in unison, these words will never be forgotten and will leave an indelible mark on all of us. To be present for such a display of sportsmanship and honor is quite humbling.

What made this summers’ Olympic games so special was to see the elation of Red India’s victory and then to see them turn to their fallen comrades and congratulate those on Gold Ireland and Blue Israel for a battle well fought.  The sportsmanship and empathy displayed in our Rec Hall this evening was awe-inspiring. There were tears of joy for winning and there was heartache of defeat but in the end these three separate teams came back together as one camp family and showed respect for the games and honor for one another. That is what these games are all about. In life there will be times we win and times we loose but at camp, we truly honor the effort we have all given and the respect we have for each other and that makes all the difference.

Chenny out.

 

Victory isn’t defined by wins or losses. It is defined by 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. They 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.

Watching a community come together and support one another regardless of the outcome is what makes Chen-A-Wanda Olympics so phenomenal. Tonight was the Apache Relay and everyone from our Freshmen campers to our CIT’s played an integral part.  Each individual makes up the team and everyone counts.  No matter if you had to walk up the slide, play leapfrog from the Lake to Arts and Crafts or bike ride to the finish line, the team depended on you. Tonight, Chen-A-Wanda history was made with all three teams finishing within minutes of each other.  Blue Israel crossed the finish line first tonight with Gold Ireland and Red India right behind.

When all is said and done, it’s not the shots that won the championship that you remember, but the friendships you made along the way.

Chenny out.

 

Today began like any other amazing day here at CAW. We played all day long but as 4th activity period started, the sound of the Olympics theme song played throughout camp. You could here the music from the Lake all the way up to Wiffle Ball and out of every corner appeared our Head Counselors dressed in their tracksuits and headbands. They stood united just outside of Arts and Crafts and waited for the last Head Counselor, Brian Leahy to arrive with our very own Olympic torch.  We all began the procession up to the Minor League Baseball Field where all of camp gathered for our opening ceremonies.

Each Head Counselor then took a moment and spoke about key components that are needed and necessary as we head into the next 2 days of Olympic Competition.  They are:

COMPEITION

SPIRIT

CAMRADERIE

TEAMWORK

SPORTSMANSHIP

DEDICATION

& HAVING FUN

Camp was split into three teams RED INDIA, GOLD IRELAND and BLUE ISRAEL and the spirit was insane. The chants and cheers began and it was off to our first Olympic battle, Tugs of War.  It was intense and the dedication was present. No matter if the team won or lost, there was support for the effort. True sportsmanship ruled today and it was an awesome sight.

It is not the end result we look for but the journey and how we get there that matters most. Everyone individual makes a team and everyone counts. We are entering these games wanting to win and playing them with respect and dignity.  To watch an entire camp give it all they got, to dig down deep and work towards a common goal is truly awe-inspiring.

Congratulations to all of our Campers of The Week. They deserved it and we are so very proud of them.

Girls Side:

Bunk A – Zoey Wood

Bunk B – Molly Isen

Bunk C – Jordan Jurist

Bunk D – Morgan Camche

Bunk E – Sydney Gurewicz

Bunk F – Lauren Kerner

Bunk G – Jamie Scheman & Halle Racenstein

Bunk H – Jenna Seitler & Gabby Katz

Bunk I – Jordana Leff & Dani Cohn

Bunk J – Lexi Lichten

Bunk K – Rachel Mahler

Bunk L – Hunter Halpern & Jordan Brunner

Bunk M – Stevie Weingard

Bunk N – Morgan Maschler & Dani Zuckoff

Bunk O – Sydney Salk

Bunk P – Kayla Legatt

Bunk Q – Peri Zemlock

Bunk R – Nikki Gross

Bunk S – Julie Mendelson & Hillary Schier

Bunk W Jordan Tell

 

Boys Side:

Bunk A – Jonah Baum

Bunk B – Jaret Fensterstock

Bunk C – Drew Brassloff

Bunk D – Jared Brunner

Bunk E – Aaron Hafkin

Bunk F – Spencer Wexler

Bunk G – Jake Berlin

Bunk H – Adam Covey

Bunk I – Sam Rochlin

Bunk J – Eli Kellner

Bunk K – Josh Polansky

Bunk L – Jared Berman

Bunk M – Max Moritz

Bunk N – Zach Fishberg

Bunk O – Josh Antell

Bunk P – Harrison Bloom

Bunk Q – Russel Ettinger

Bunk R – Jason Levine

Bunk W – Michael Teich

 

 

The wait is over and we are proud to announce this years TOP 10. This year we opened the competition to duos, trios and groups. Congratulations to our Top 10!

1.Julia Bromley

2.Jordan Leeds

3. Daniel Gur

4.Sidney Rochlin

5.Ally Heller

6.Daisy Chaskin

7.Max Rovner

8.Olivia Hornik

9.Cami Oresky & Carly Wills

10.Two Direction (Josh Lomita, Ben Metzger, Jonathan Swill, Jared Bouer & Evan Wadler)