July 4th at camp Archives

It was an action-packed FOUR days of activities, and tribute to the red, white and blue! We told you there was MORE in 20-1-4! We cannot believe it’s only been a little over a week because our campers are in the routine, having a blast and the spirit is high!

It all started on Thursday with a foggy lawn breakfast buffet (did you see it on the Live Camp Cam?), then we got in 2 activities, a sultry lunch and an awesome live CAMPAPOLOOZA concert in our amphitheater (complete with big beach balls, water hose, ice cream and the sounds of FIKUS blasting excellent classic rock and roll to our dancing crowd). As soon as the concert ended, we got some very specific lightning bolts jolting around our region. Our planning was right on target as we had already cancelled general swim due to our impressive weather staion with pinpoint lightning detection so everyone was already safely back in the bunks when the rain pummeled the already saturated ground…the rain and t-storms delayed dinner and our campers got some quality, relaxing time together in the bunks.

We finally ate and then the Dorm Girls (our most senior campers) ran an impromptu foul shooting contest, which we call Horseracing in the field house. And since I got in my famous backwards half court shot, I promised if I made it, reveille will be at 8:30 AM!! Whew…

We continued our July 4th festivities on Friday. The weather changed from sultry summer to dry and crisp autumn! A beautiful day of patriotic honors, co-eding, silly name day, breaking the Guinness Record for yo-yo ing and then Friday Nite Flix.

We kicked off the festivities with the Jets and Debs’ Color Guard at Flagpole, a morning of fun Coed activities, an All-American chicken, rib & vegetarian lunch BBQ and then we all joined together to beat the Guinness Record of Yo-Yo participation; this was crazy fun and everyone received Yo-Yo lessons from our very own world champion Yo-Yo master, Dan Green (ranked in world competition) , returning for his 2nd summer. As a souvenir of the day, everyone got to keep their very own Camp Towanda logo’d Yo-Yo!

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Then the British Staff took over the newly paved road behind the Girls Bunk line and declared it forevermore “Abby Road”…the stripes will be officially painted in the coming days!

One more coed activity then we had our weekly Friday night shabbos dinner, services in the Field House with the fireplace lit, Friday Nite Flix which played to a standing ovation and under-lined the totally immersed excitement we are living here; having fun, learning, growing and did I mention FUN?!!!

Don’t forget to check out our Friday Nite Flix page for our weekly highlights. Usually posted on Saturday morning.

I joined the oldest “CLUB” boys on Friday night for an after hours campfire; a very special gathering of the brotherhood from Club members of the past and now present. We can’t talk about it, but this ceremony underlines and reinforces the foundation of what these boys have gained over the years since they started here….and now they are ready to lead by example, spirit, trust, respect, confidence, balance and pride! This is what this what growing up at camp is about… in an unplugged, old school way of life….

The weekend was filled with more fun, activities and new families starting to tour Towanda for Summer ’15. New campers and parents visiting tell us that Towanda looks, smells, sounds and feels like the way camp should be! Our kids and staff are smiling, active, look really happy and there is an overall sense of warmth and pride here……OMG and thanks! That is our goal…so it is nice to hear it from the outside looking in. I share that with our staff and it just helps them want to do even better!

Saturday our campers put on a show that showcased their diverse talents! It was good fun and everyone cheered! Towanda’s Got Talent people!

Sunday was a Top 10 weather day and certainly one of the best days at camp so far (that’s a bit unfair since every day gets better). Activities, fun, Grateful Dead BBQ and Luau at Sunset Lake followed by our delayed 4th of the July fireworks which were just awesome…..set to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture! It was a big sky of ooooh-ahhh-ohhh!

Life at CT is amazing…watching everyone grow, get together and hearing the feedback from staff that tell me…”I love my kids and I cant believe I feel like I have made so many new best friends in such a short time”…well, that attitude just trickles down to the kids; we all feel it here.

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What a weekend and a week to come!!!! Magic Show, Steve Maxx Returns, Excursions, Upper Camp Play and much more in store in 20-14! Week 2 is in full swing already… off to lunch, we hear American Pie playing…

What an action-packed, HOT 4th of July weekend we had here at Camp Towanda. Did we mention HOT? There’s so much to share…where to begin?

On Thursday (July 4th), we started reveille with patriotic fanfare as the Debs and Jets presented the colors at flagpole while the entire camp saluted in red, white and blue garb!

The morning coed-ing activities were fun and entertaining; from sidewalk art, kickball, tennis, volleyball to soccer, ghost and basketball. We all had fun while American Tunes played all day, Lunch featured apple pie and AMERICAN PIE (of course)!

After lunch we had a blast of a live concert in the amphitheater (aka Campapalooza) with beach balls, water hose and red, white & blue ice pops. After the concert , we all achieved our Guiness goal of having over 500 people leap frog (crazy fun) altogether! You have to watch Friday Nite Flix to see it!

Later in the afternoon, Lower Camp had General Swim with me and Casper (going down the slide) while Upper Camp squeezed in one more co-ed activity!

Dinner was an All-American BBQ, listening to the Grateful Dead’s AMERICAN BEAUTY Album! Grilled ribs, chicken, corn and pasta…and watermelon!

After walking our goats during Free Play, we all sat in the amphithetaer (did u see us on the live cam?)

All, under a beautiful setting sun as the audience really enjoyed one of our best plays ever, as Upper Camp presented High School Musical; fun, entertaining and engaging..an awesome finish to a great day. Did you check out the highlights on Friday Nite Flix?

Milk and cookies and then bed for a well deserved rest before we start up again Friday for a complete day that included inter camp games (tennis, Lax, soccer and basketball), the Dorm Girls’ Canoe Trip, Services at Sunset Lake followed by awesome and highly anticipated fireworks show (over the lake and set to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture…a camp tradition) to cap off our Independence Weekend celebrations.

Friday (the 4th on the 5th) was an awesome 95 degree day; sweaty activities, fusion water and the misting fan, refreshing general swims, inter camp games and the Senior girls canoe trip! Even our chickens left the coop! It was also our annual Silly Name Day! Ask your kids what their name was?

Shabbos dinner, services at Sunset Lake as the sun set followed by a heart throbbing, enthusiastic and intense fireworks display to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture….man, it was great!

Want to hear SOME MORE? Saturday we woke up early to another hot day and our S’MORE TOUR for future camp families! Great to see new families (and some familiar faces–2nd and 3rd generation alumni) experiencing the fun, spirit and life at Camp Towanda!

The Talent Show in the amphitheater was incredible; fun, extreme talent, and amazing confidence that produced audience participation and enthusiasm! I am not just saying this, but it was one of the best Talent Shows we have had in years…..

so much so that afterwards a lot of campers came up to me to ask “when is the next one” which is actually what happens here a lot. Campers come out of their comfort zone by being a part of the camp community/family…they see and sense that it is okay to get on stage, try a new activity, be a little silly and have fun; while not being judged or ridiculed…this is the magic and support of the Towanda family. This is how the kids blossom here. And.. keep in mind, that at Camp Towanda, the entire camp is at the evening activity; so that fosters that the little kids know the big kids and vice versa…

Sunday was a real chart-topper….almost an 100 degrees scorcher!! Lower Camp enjoyed an extended General Swim; Casper and I “frolicked” with Lower Camp in the lake (which felt warmer than the pool) as we rode the awesome water slide and surfboards with the campers!

All while inter camp games continued with baseball, tennis and basketball games.

Our Grateful Dead BBQ almost got rained out but the thunderstorm just missed us and we were able to squeeze in the evening activity scavenger hunt! It is really great to see ALL ages have good ol’ fashion fun; running around as a group, with their counselors, trying to figure out clues.

As the sun went down last night, it seemed to have taken the humidity finally with it.

Camp is great, we are all bonding, smiling and enjoying, even the simple things. We hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July weekend as much as we did and be sure to watch this week’s episode of Friday Nite (we mean Saturday Nite) Flix!

Mitch’s Chart-Topping Sunshine Mix

firework

Good Day Sunshine (Beatles)

Here Comes the Sun (Beatles)

Invisible Sun (Police)

Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Elton John)

Waiting for the Sun (The Doors)

Sunday Will Never Be The Same (Spanky & Our Gang)

Ain’t no Sunshine (Bill Withers)

You are the Sunshine of my Life , (Stevie Wonder)

Tag: July 4th at camp

Four days of 4th of July!

4th of July Weekend Recap!