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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, mechanical shark, inflatable obstacle courses, snow cones, cotton candy and so much more. The highlight at today’s carnival was without a doubt was the Foam Pit Party and the marriage booth. 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. Today was beyond perfect and the campers and staff completely enjoyed themselves. The ideal summer day full of fun inflatables, prizes, cotton candy and great memories made.

We had amazing night as it was the Chenny Globes and the stars were out. It is our annual awards show and the kids love it. There is a red carpet, paparazzi and of course the Globes.  Nobody knows who is nominated in all 11 categories and the audience just goes crazy when those names are read. Campers dress up for the big night, as this is a real deal Hollywood-esque celebrity show. Without further adieu, Tonight’s Chenny Globes goes to:

Best Eyes: Charley Roth & Dylan Bonano

Most Spirited: Sylvie Slotkin & Ben Simons

Most Likely to be an Olympian: Ava Sobel & Bennett Votano

Most Likely to Brighten Your Day: Hannah Friedman & Gabe Horton

Most Likely To Get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: Callie Nadel & Jake Weiss

Most Likely to Be President: Cami Cohen & Wyatt Jacobs

Most Likely to Have Their Own Talk Show: Jolie Krieger & Ben Amster

Next TikTok Star: Charlotte Cangiano & Seth Haber

Best Laugh: Eve Lindenauer & Jake Mongeluzo

Best Hair: Rachel Sklar & Austin Acree

Most Creative: Maya Kushner & Elon Dagon

Another incredible day spent at the best place on earth!!

It was another GREAT day at camp. We all spent this morning taking our camp bunk pics. The kids were lined up at the beach ready to go. It was a beautiful morning as every bunk gathered together and took that snap shot in time of their bunk in summer 2021. Once we all took care of the bunk pic business it was all about the afternoon color run and 5k. The campers were ready to go, dressed in white at the starting line right at the go-kart track. The ran down the hill reaching milestones where they were doused in colored powder. They ran under the Chenny sign out to the Camp sign at the end of Camp Rd. All along the way, getting splashed with every color of the rainbow. After they reached the camp sign it was time to turn around and head back to camp where they stopped at the fire truck waiting to spray them with water. It was an absolute blast of a day. Our older kids (collegiate and up) had an opportunity to run a 5K and they LOVED it. They too hit the markers and were doused with colored powder. The views on that run were outstanding and the challenge of the course was so much fun for the kids who ran the 5k. Every camper came back after their race and asked to do this again. To run in the countryside is breathtaking and we are so happy to have our campers take advantage of the benefits running offers. Today was a home run of a day. Just so much fun.

Our GC’s got back in the morning after they went camping yesterday. They loved their experience. Putting up their tents, cooking their food on the open fire, taking a gorgeous nature walk, making s’mores, sitting around the campfire laughing with friends and bonding with your camp sisters and brothers. When the kids rolled off the buses this morning, they looked exhausted and ready for a shower but each and every one of them said it was an amazing time they had together. The GC’s know that this is their last camper summer together as group and they have fully taken advantage of every second, every moment they have left at camp. They have embraced this summer and found joy together as a division. Watching them find so much happiness from a night making s’mores around a campfire, sleeping in tents and bonding together as a group is what this is all about. Memories they will never forget and friendships that impact our lives. We know these last 2 and a half weeks will fly by but our GC’s will cherish every last moment.

Another Boys Side vs Girls side competition at our annual Wiffle Cup. Girls sported anything and everything neon while boys wore black and looked fire. The chanted, cheered and played some intense waffle ball but in the boys side pulled out a victory!!!! Another incredible day here at Camp Chen-A-Wanda!!

To be awarded Camper of the week is a huge honor here at Chenny and these campers deserved it. They show leadership, great character, honor, loyalty and kindness. They are standout campers and earned this high honor. We are so incredibly proud of them and know that you at home will be too. Congratulations to our awesome Campers of the Week.

Rookies: Gabe Porat & Zach Burbank / Lily Koenig & Maya Rubin

Freshman: Garren Katzenberg & Cole Pruss / Charlotte Cangiano & Zoey Kornblau

Juniors: Ryan Katz & Asher Goldstein / Julie Gold & Layla Cahn

Middies:   Brandon Worth & Ryan Scarcella / Alexis Burbank & Jordana Poplock

Inters: Elan Harel & Noah Simon / Maya Tave & Mia Koenig

Collegiates:  Alex Lindenbaum & Noah Simon / Remy Zaben & Emily Bensich

Seniors: Jordan Tave & Greg Michaels / Emma Plotkin

Supers: Jake Weiss & Derek Satz / Jesse Gatto & Haylin Roth

GC’s: Jake Koningsberg & Josh Baum / Bari Klein & Sylvie Slotkin

It’s Cool To Be Kind at Camp Chen-A-Wanda and this honor is solely driven by the campers themselves. They nominate each other and this week we had over 750 nominations. We read every single one and it is one of my favorite things I do here. I get to read your kids words about their friends and bunkmates and how they recognize and honor kindness. It is special and they see how kindness is contagious. As I announce the kind campers at line-up, to see their faces when we call their names is truly priceless. The pride they feel and happiness they exude is just joyful. When you get recognized and honored by your peers for being kind, there is just no bigger compliment these campers can receive. They wear the kind camper T’s with a pride that comes from the inside and radiates outward. It’s an honor and your kids are so KIND!!

Girls Side Kindness: Zoe Ratner, Ava Sobel, Lexi Ortix, Brier Schweibel, Marissa Holtzman, Daniela Portanova, Brynn Stern, Madison Rosen, Sophia Giarantanna, Amalia Berman, Bailey McAlevey, Ella Goldberg, Maddi Klatsky, Abby Sugarman, Emma Rice, Liv Steinberg, Alivia Johnson, Jamie Eber, Casey Ashkenase, Jordan Hanel, Sammie Diamond, Jaden Bugni, Maya Kushner, Charlie McClure, Taylor Klein, Syd Geller, Sydney Garfield, Dylan Bloom, Gracie Frankel, Sammy Simpson

Boys Side Kindness: Dylan Cohen, Ryan Donoghue, Jordan Ockner, Ben Simons, Zachary Marasia, Alex Orlando , Parker Agulnick, Matthew Doncheck, Zac Penson, Logan Shapiro, Justin Horowitz, Austin Levitz, Jesse Lederman, Eric Baldinger, Adam Rashid, Landon Shlanger, Trent Hernandez

Another day with more memories made and we get this for another 18 days! Camp is going quick but we won’t waste a minute. There is so much more to do. 🙂

Life is GREAT at Camp Chen-A-Wanda!

I had to title this entry as Days Like This… Because the world would be a happier place if everyone had days like this.  Its hard not to be completely fulfilled when you start your day eating breakfast overlooking the most beautiful peaceful lake with all the glass doors wide open and you can feel that morning breeze. Then its off to play activities, maybe a baseball game or a biddy basketball tournament. After that your off to the lake to go tubing with your friends. You find yourself making a friendship bracelet in Arts and Crafts. You have built up an appetite so it’s off to the Lodge for lunch and it’s not any lunch, it’s chicken nuggets and french fries. Wohooo! The food was delicious but it didn’t compare to that giant sing-a-long party you had. You will forever remember Build Me Up Buttercup. There is something so awesome to stand on the table, sing at the top of your lungs in a room full of everyone singing with you. After lunch you take a needed rest and put away all your clean laundry. Then you and your friends head out to a few more awesome fun activities. You enjoy an afternoon snack and the wrap up your day with one last fun activity to do. Its time to shower and after that you head back into the Lodge for some incredibly delicious lasagna. Just when you thought your day couldn’t get any better, its off to your evening activity and tonights camp favorite Chenny Jam delivered. This is the day your children had. This is why we have happy campers – because they have days like this.

The talk throughout camp today as all about tonight’s evening activity, Chenny Jam. It was Girls side vs. Boys side and the competition was fierce. There was a lot on the line, as this intense staff basketball game would bring pride to either Boys side or Girls side. The campers brought the energy and were cheering on their players. Girls side wore everything pink as the boys side sported all black. Our faces were painted, the spirit was intense and the energy was off the charts. .The game was intense with lead changes every other possession. It was incredible but in the end, Boys Side pulled away with the Win. Actually, everyone won because the fun was off the charts to make this night, a camp favorite.

It was our first ever Virtual VisitingDay and it was a success. It was joyful getting to watch your campers face when they got to go through their visiting day box with you at home. The candy and gifts and a piece from home made today that more special. Kids were loving shlepping their goodie box back to their bunk to share with their friends and were smiling ear to ear. It was a different kind of Visiting Day and yes we are all so excited to have camp full again with our visiting families but for today, it was just great. From inside camp, your kids were so excited to see you at home and share all their adventures and experiences with you. They loved their goodie boxes  full of candy and other fun things you put in their but seeing your faces was all they needed. This must have been a new experience for you too as you may not be used to or have ever face-timed your kids for 30 minutes. Considering the circumstances, we wanted you to have those moments with your kids that allowed you enough time to hear all the incredible things they are doing this summer and all the amazing people who have entered their life. There is an entire group of people here who adore your kids and though this summer, you wont have the opportunity to meet them and hear all about how much they care for your children but believe us when we say, they do! It’s such a unique summer and we are so beyond grateful to be able to provide your kids with this experience. They are thriving here and they are safe and happy. That is our only goal. We wish those families who have their virtual visit tomorrow, a great one. It’s so great to be able to see their faces and hear their voices and know they are doing amazing.

Tonight was as incredible as the day. It was an ideal perfect summer night. The entire camp was at Biddy City and we were entertained but he coolest BMX bike show ever. They dazzled us with their crazy cool tricks and jumps. The kids loved it. When the entire camp comes together, there is an energy that is indescribable. It is what makes us one summer camp family. The chants and cheers and spirit is contagious. The vibe is pure happiness and the connections are deep. It is magic and it is real. Tonight felt like a great camp night; all together watching a fun show, laughing with friends without a care in the world. That is what camp is all about.

When we announced auditions for the Camper Talent Show, we had no idea how big of a splash this would be. The line wrapped around the building and the talent was superb. There were singers, dancers, gymnasts, piano players, rappers, magicians and more. Our kids are so incredibly talented and they worked so hard on their acts. They put in the time, rehearsed and were ready for the big show. Tonight didn’t disappoint. It was incredible. Truly magical. Every act put their heart and soul into their moment and tonight was their time to shine. What was remarkable about tonight wasn’t just the talent on stage – It was the audience singing along, screaming their friends name in support, jumping up and dancing, clapping and cheering every inch of the way. When the performance was done, there was an eruption of cheers, yells and crazy support. There were such good vibes inside Shields  Hall  tonight. The feeling was just incredible. The energy was electric.

Then to watch each camper who performed tonight walk up on that stage, no matter how nervous they were and look out to an entire packed Shields Hall and do their thing was beyond impressive. That takes an enormous amount of courage and belief in yourself and we just couldn’t be more proud of every single camper that made tonights show one of our most favorite evening activities of the summer. We had so much talent that we couldn’t fit it all into one show so our Camper Talent Show #2 will be coming in the next few nights. It was our intention to video tape tonights show but we ran into some technical difficultly and were unable to do it. The next show will be taped so be on the lookout for that.

All of the Collgiates  and Seniors spent their night at a twilight swim party. Music, friends, pool games and the most gorgeous sunset at Fiddle Lake is what dreams are made of. It was picturesque and being their took your breath away. The Inters ran a Road Rally and had the most incredible night. They went of a full camp scavenger hunt and it was so much fun to watch them. There was so much going on tonight but camp felt like it was full of happy, content and satisfied campers.

The GC’s and Supers spent their night at Skate Escape with some fun rollerskating, arcade games and laser tag. It was another fun Friday night for our oldest kids on camp. Its not always where you go but who you are with the matters the most. These kids just have developed such strong bonds amongst them, it makes wherever they go an absolute blast. We truly know that they will never forget their summers spent at Chenny together as a summer family.

What an incredible day we had today. I mean really incredible. A day you want to duplicate and never forget. The sun was shining and the weather was absolutely perfect. Not too hot not too cold, just perfect. The campers were literally skipping to breakfast this morning. Actually skipping. You can’t help but have an amazing day when you start out skipping to breakfast. It sets the tone and makes you feel good from the inside out. Not a better way to be and live and fills up your soul with good feelings of positivity. Your children are surrounded by this vibe all day long. It has been 4 weeks and this feeling is why we all Wanda!

Fields were full, studios were rocking, fitness was working out, cooking was delicious and our camp was full of happy kids. Everyday I get to witness the beauty of living in a place for 2 months that breeds good vibes. A place where you are greeted with, “Good Mornings” and “Enjoy Your Day Today” . It’s truly a world of peace and kindness. A place to learn lessons, some harder than others but all that make us better people. We learn so much here and there are daily reminders that this experience changes everyone who opens their heart to Camp Chen-A-Wanda. It’s way more than a summer camp and especially this summer, the experience is so profound an important for every single person here.

Are you ready for some football? Tonight’s Powder Puff game was UNREAL. It was a fierce battle between our GC’s and SUPER girls. GC’s were dressed head-to-toe in black and the Supers sported everything white. They were playing for bragging rights and the stakes were high. Our girls were serious with faces painted and a determination to bring it tonight and of course the guys provided the spirit. They cheered on the girls and the watching crowd. This was our Super Bowl and the kids loved it.  Music pumping, everyone dancing and the game was intense.  The GC’s took the lead early with the first Touchdown and then a comeback as the Supers took over. It was heading for a tie and in the last few minutes as the Supers had an interception that sealed their win.  With the upset of the summer, the Supers pulled out the “W” with a  21-14 victory but we were all the winners with an epic summer night! There is so much pride and tradition with Powder Puff and tonight just didn’t disappoint. An awesome game played hard by our Super and GC girls. The boys supported the girls with their off the chart spirit. They may not have been on the field playing but their energy was flying high.

It was anything but a typical day today at Camp Chen-A-Wanda as the Corn Man came to Chenny and he hit it out of the park with his delicious sweet roasted corn on the cob. He started roasting the corn early in the morning and that yummy sweet smell covered every corner of camp all day long. Mid afternoon came, it was time and the campers were ready. You have no idea how much your kids LOVED the roasted corn. It was the sweetest most yummy corn I have ever had and there wasn’t a camper who ran up to myself and Jon asking for the Corn Man to came back every summer, which he will. Were all hooked. One Junior boy, in between bites said “My mom will never believe me when I tell her I ate Corn on the Cob”. And of course what else is the perfect summer treat but a tall cold glass of homemade lemonade to go with our sweet corn. It was just a delicious day.

Campers played games , went to activities, played in the lake and had a carefree kind of day. The kind of day we have all wanted our kids to have for quite some time now. It was good old fashion fun in Shields Hall tonight with Simon Sez. That silly addicting game is alive and well and still gets us every time. With all the technology that has occupied our minds and daily practices for so long, it is so incredible to watch your kids play a game that has stood the test of time. A simple game with no frills or special effects can grab the attention of so many. To say your kids loved this night is an understatement. Simon says, laugh so hard your belly hurts. Simon says, have the greatest time at camp. Simon says, make great friends and Simon says, summers at Chenny are just the best.

It was Western Day at Chenny and it was so much fun. The Rookies thru Inters had a gold rush scavenger hunt. There were gold rocks hidden throughout camp and the campers found them and traded them in to the banker for gold coins. They worked as a bunk and collected as many rocks as they could find. they had so much fun running all around camp trying to find these hidden gold rocks.  From there, it was off to our auction where the campers bid on amazing prizes. They bid and won Ice Cream Sundae parties for their bunk, a late late night Chen-A-Plex movie party and other amazing items. They had an absolutely incredible day. We were all dressed up in our western wear and all throughout camp you can heard country music playing loud and proud.

Our Collegiates  thru Seniors had their own fun at Casino Day. They learned and played casino games and budgeted their winnings on amazing prizes they bid on at their very own auction. It was such an incredibly fun day these campers had and you can see it in their smiles. Sitting around a casino table with your friends playing black jack and loving every minute if it is just what happens here. Just pure camp fun watching your kids thrive here, there is just nothing better.

We continued the country fun with learning square dancing. We do-si-do’ed and learned the two-step. It was an absolute blast. Every camper got into it and country square dancing was so much fun. Today was a great day. Just a perfect summer day spent with the most amazing people.  We dressed up, played all day, danced to and sang country songs, learned how to square dance, went to and was in a live auction and won incredible prizes. If it sounds like a jam packed awesome day, that’s because it was.

It was brunch day and we all needed that extra sleep. Getting to sleep in after the effort and intensity of our Olympic games was needed and appreciated by all.  The sun was shining bright today at Chenny and it was perfect weather here. Not too hot, not too cold and 100% no rain. Everyone seemed so positive and upbeat because the weather was just ideal.

Our Supers were off for their camping overnight at Hickory State Park. These kids are having an experience that they will never forget. They pitched tents, enjoyed beautiful hikes, roasted hot dogs, made S’mores and enjoyed making jiffy pop popcorn right on the open fire. You know that Jiffy Pop that has the foil that pops. They loved it. What could be better than sitting around the campfire with your friends on a warm summer night, roasting marshmallows and laughing until your stomach hurts? These summer moments are just the absolute best.

There is nothing quite like dressing up in your Halloween costume in July. We were all so into our Halloween costume parade as each camper strutted their stuff down the catwalk. They showed off their costumes and had the greatest night. Everyone was in on the fun and loving celebrating Halloween together. After the parade, it was off to trick or treat and campers went station to station as they filled up their bags with oodles of treats. The spooky halloween music playing all over camp set the stage for our ghouly evening. In true Chenny tradition, the Senior girls made a haunted spook house in the Dance Studio that spooked and creeped out everyone who dared to enter. It was a great night and one that won’t soon be forgotten.

We wanted to give our GC’s a night they would never forget as we celebrated all our Sweet 16’s. It was their night and it was remarkable. This group, these kids are AMAZING. They had the greatest night as they danced, took pics, ate amazing food, danced more, ate more, laughed more and had the absolute best Sweet 16. The venue was incredible and rustic and beautiful. The food was beyond delicious but it was the people there that made this night as special as it was. The GC group is one special group. It is more like a family who truly love being together. You can see it and you can definitely feel it.  It was just as perfect of a day as you can dream of. Best news, we get to do it all again tomorrow.