Jr & Sr High Camp, Final Day, July 19, 2013

Good morning everyone,
This morning as I visited campers in the dining hall, I asked them for one comment that described the whole week.  These are the words they shared...

• It was fun.
• Creative
• Exhausting
• Interesting
• Not a lot of sleep.
• Swimming
• Religious
• Amazing
• Different
• Awesome
• Encouraging
• Exciting
• Interesting
• Unbelievable
• Your worn out by the last day.
• Should be longer, at least a full week.
• Wonderful
• Amazing
• Heavenly
• Sosa 300
• Rejoiceful
• Thrilling
• Spiritual
• Bueno
• Crazy & Fun
• Fun
• Exciting
• Fun
• Weird
• Ouch, but worth it.
• Yum
• Energy
• Fun
• Choice
• Aesthetic
• Very fun.
• Exciting
• Life changing.
• I love it so much and had the best time ever.

Thanks for trusting us with your most valued possessions.  It was a good week for the staff to have a positive impact on campers lives.  See you next summer!

Jr & Sr High Camp, Day 3, July 18, 2013

Good morning everyone. Today I spent some time with the campers in hopes that I would get lots of material for the blog.  Some kids opened up but most were too busy eating a delicious  breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage patties, biscuits and gravy to share with me.  Here were their comments for today...

• The campfire last night was excellent and somewhat emotional.  Last night 6 campers came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
• The creek stomp yesterday was fun but the water was a bit cold.
• Campers are looking forward to swimming and running today.
• The gravy this morning was excellent and tasted like cream of mushroom (as she ate her second helping).
• I am looking forward to more hot chocolate.
• Breakfast this morning was pretty good.
• It has been a great week.
• I learned not to prank people or you will get in trouble.

Campers are having a great time at camp.  I can see that they are enjoying the activities,  making new friends and learning more about God's love.  They are also a great group of kids.  Have a great day everyone.  God bless.

MIke

Jr & Sr High Camp, Day 2, July17, 2013

It's another beautiful day here at Redwood Glen.  We have been starting off cool and overcast but usually around 11:00am it clears and becomes a beautiful day.  The same is expected this morning and the campers are having a great time with activities and each other.

It seems that there is a mean ol counselor who broke a campers marshmallow stick last night to keep him from getting in trouble but all is good today.  By the way, the s'mores last night were a hit.

Here are the camper comments from this morning....

• The squirrels have been having fun in the yard.
• This camp is full of activities and fun.
• The night swim was really fresh.
• I'm tired!
• The night swim was really cool...literally.
• This is my first year at camp and I'm liking it so far.
• Last night, while reading in bed, a bug was attracted to my flashlight.  When I saw the bug, I screamed and woke up everyone in my cabin.  Sorry!
• Um...I like it here.
• Everything is good...no, amazing.
• Boomball was good.
• This is the best breakfast and last night was the best dinner ever.
• Uh ah.

Kids were a little more talkative this morning and there are lots of activities planned for today including "Creek Stomping."  Have a good day everyone and God bless.

Mike

Jr & Sr High Camp, Day 1, July 16, 2013

Good morning everyone!  In my blog, I will attempt to keep you appraised of the happenings at camp.  Each morning, I will visit each table in the dining hall to get comments from the campers.  This morning, everyone was so interested in eating their oatmeal, pancakes and sausages that it was difficult to get them to say much but here is what they shared...

The campfire last night was held down at Indian point followed by a night hike to the outdoor chapel called "Sanctuary."  It was done in the dark with no flashlights so the campers had to rely on each other to move around.  After worship, glow sticks were broken out and they walked back to camp using the sticks as light.  The campers really enjoyed this exercise but a couple of the girls told me they thought it was a little creepy.

• The kids really enjoyed dinner last night of spaghetti and chicken.
• This morning the dew was very heavy and wet.  Today is cool but turning into a beautiful day.
• Campers are looking forward to an evening swim tonight.
• One of the girls said we need larger beds, maybe queen size.
• The campers really love that they can hang with friends while at camp.
• Last night the right side of Moore was really noisy.

I spoke to many of the campers at lunch and they shared how much fun they were having.  Right after lunch, the camp picture will be taken.  Speaking of pictures, be sure to check out our picture blog at pictures.redwoodglen.com.  God bless.

Mike

YMAD, Day 4, July 12,2013

As I visited the campers this morning, pretty much all they wanted to talk about was the Talent Show from last night. Everyone enjoyed the talent that campers have and pretty much everyone in the camp shared.  Here were their comments...

• Someone sang beautifully in Latin
• The jokes were really good
• The Senior skits were awesome
• One camper can sing the Periodic Table of  Elements...cool
• Everyone is so talented
• Some voices are very professional

Comments about other things were...

• Game time was fun but very messy and wet
• Breakfast this morning was really good

Comments from staff...

• These kids have been fantastic
• The staff are impressed as to how talented the campers are

This morning I sat in on a few minutes of morning devotions.  The campers were really enjoying the talk and I believe they were not only paying attention but thinking about how they could apply it in their lives.  The topic for today was "Serve" and the focus was on serving others and God.  The verse was from Matthew 6:31-33.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you as well.  The challenge was to seek God's will in our lives to serve and to be the masterpiece that God has called us to be.

We hope to see you at the Open House tomorrow.  I think you  will all enjoy the presentation of "Friends 4ever" and we would also invite you to stay after for the dedication of our new David M. Sato Nature Center.  It promises to be a fun family day.  God bless.
Mike

2013 OPEN HOUSE

 Saturday, July 13th, 2013

10:00 am - 3:00 pm

TODAY’S EVENTS

10:00am Jr Adventure Check out at Smith Hall

11:00-12:00 Youth Music & Drama (YMAD)

Camp Presentation in Amphitheatre

Friends 4ever

12:15 LUNCH is served at the picnic area

($5.00 donation per plate)

remember YMAD campers eat for free

12:30-1:15 YMAD camper Check-Out

12:30-3:00  Swimming Pool and Tradin’ Post open 

1:30 David M. Sato Nature Center Dedication at the Stove Pipe Tree

All are invited to attend the dedication of Redwood Glen's new nature center!

3:00 Open House Celebration concludes

JRAD, Day 4, July 12, 2013

The campers loved the wake up song this morning.  One of the staff walked around the tents with a serenade this morning.  As he sang, the verses were very soft but the choruses were quite loud.  Loud enough to wake everyone up for a new day of activities.

Breakfast this morning were pancakes cooked on a griddle over an open fire.  With the pancakes were oranges and sausages.  They looked great.  Everyone thought they were making pancakes with cake batter but they looked good and tasted better.

Yesterday the campers enjoyed going swimming twice and the talent show.  For the talent show, everyone was involved in a skit. The campers especially liked the JCP skit, the Box Warrior skit, the Is it time yet skit and the parody of the Papaya song.  In fact they sang it for me this morning.

One of their favorite activities is archery and the slingshot range.

The staff commented on how wonderful the campers are and that as a group, they are the best.  They have lots on energy and seem to be enjoying spending time in the out of doors.

This is the schedule for Saturday

Remember, your children are in the Jr Adventure Camp and do not appear in the performance but you are welcome to enjoy the presentation at 11:00am.  Tickets will be sold at the hospitality tent for the lunch meal for families who would like to attend the dedication.  If you are attending, campers can eat at the cookout for free but you will need to have a special ticket.
Mike

2013 OPEN HOUSE

 Saturday, July 13th, 2013

10:00 am - 3:00 pm

TODAY’S EVENTS

10:00am Jr Adventure Check out at Smith Hall

11:00-12:00 Youth Music & Drama (YMAD)

Camp Presentation in Amphitheatre

Friends 4ever

12:15 LUNCH is served at the picnic area

($5.00 donation per plate)

12:30-1:15 YMAD camper Check-Out

12:30-3:00  Swimming Pool and Tradin’ Post open 

1:30 David M. Sato Nature Center Dedication at the Stove Pipe Tree

All are invited to attend the dedication of Redwood Glen's new nature center!

3:00 Open House Celebration concludes

YMAD, Day 3, July 11, 2013

YMAD is going very well.  Campers are enjoying the experience and the rehearsals are going well.

Last night, the night swim- fun but freezing

Creek stomping was fun, The nurse beat everyone there

Spaghetti was really good

One of the female campers got thrown into the pool by a big bag boy

Another female camper was sprayed with whipped cream by a male camper

One of our male campers thinks he is awesome.  Can you guess who it is?

Talent show tonight and everything is looking forward to it.

Everyone is learning everything so awesomely well for Saturday! 

Saturday should be a fun day for all.  We will give you more information tomorrow.  God bless.

Matt

JRAD, Day 3, July 11, 2013

Today's report is short but sweet.

Night hike was amazing!!! (You have to put 3 exclamation marks) but a little scary for some.

The boys enjoyed beating on one of the staff up in the pool

One of the brothers made excellent  bacon for breakfast

The female counselor is fondly known at “Cappuccino-with-a-splash-of-whipped-cream”

The campers had another amazing day and are really enjoying the experience.  God bless.

Matt

YMAD, Day 2, July 10, 2013

I visited the YMAD camp this morning as they were just beginning breakfast.  This is not the best time to sit down with teenagers as they were not quite awake yet which meant that they were not in a talking mood which meant  they were more interested in eating than talking to me.  Having said that, I persisted in getting some information out of them to share with you.  Here is what they shared. (sort of)...

Last night was "cabin skits".  The campers really enjoyed this time of sharing and especially liked the Retreat Right skit of a silent of a silent movie with a kidnapping twist.
Another favorite skit was by the male counselors who put on the "Do whatever we want show."
The cabin skits were awesome!
Swimming in the pool was lots of fun.
Um!
Archery was fun and the young lady who shared that happened to get a bulls-eye.
Top bunks are the best!
One of the cabins thought their group bonded really well last night.
Another camper felt that archery was cool.
The campers have decorated their living areas and most feel that MacArthur Cabin was beautiful.
One camper told me that the shower in Moore was really loud and then she tried to make the sound but all that came out was a roar.
A camper told me that "every corner is an adventure".

As I write this, I can hear campers practicing for the performance on Saturday.  I think that those in attendance will really enjoy what they see and hear.  God bless.
Mike

JRAD, Day 2, July 10, 2013

When I visited the Junior Adventure group this morning, they were busy doing camp chores and getting ready for a great breakfast.  The chores were things like collecting wood for the campfire, cleaning the area and setting the tables for breakfast.  Some of the campers were helping to cook the meal.  It was a camp full of activity and excitement.

Here were the comments from the kids...

• Swimming yesterday was awesome.
• Creek stomping was also fun as the campers love walking through the deeper water.  Don't worry parents, everything is supervised and our lifeguards go stomping with the camp.
• Campers love tending the campfire and two of the girls told me that they were able to start their fire with just one match.
• Last nights dinner featured foil packs.  Campers chose the food they wanted for the meal and wrapped it in foil and laid it on the fire coals to cook.  One of the leaders said that this was the best foil dinner he had ever seen and no-one burned their food.  It was yummy.
• Five campers mentioned how much they enjoyed the pool and the water seemed warm.  The key word there was seemed.
• The breakfast this morning of French Toast and Sausages was declared to be "deliciousis"!  Translates to really good.
• Today the campers are looking forward to the Trad'n Post, swimming in the pool and archery.

Today as I was preparing to leave the area, one of the campers took me aside and said, "Can I give you one more comment for the blog?"  I said sure and he said..."I love this camp!"

God bless.
Mike

Youth Music and Drama Camp (YMAD), Day 1, July 9, 2013

I visited every table this morning to speak with the campers and to get their comments on camp.  Several commented on how excited they were about the performance this coming Saturday.  They were looking forward to their first day of rehearsal.

Archery and swimming were high on the list of the activities for the first full day of camp.  Other campers mentioned that they were looking forward to meeting God at chapel.

Here are other thoughts from campers...

• Breakfast is good and I like the pancakes
• One girl just looked at me and gave me a big smile and a thumbs up
• Someone told me that she was glad the auditions are over
• Everyone is looking forward to working on their parts now
• Kids are having a good time
• Camp is awesome
• Camp is really big (not sure what that means)
• Kid's liked the s'mores
• Everyone is so welcoming
• Hair dryer ( I really don't know what that means)

I'll visit again tomorrow morning and give you a first hand account of what the kids are talking about.  God bless.
MIke

Junior Adventure (JRAD), Day 1, July 9, 20132

Hi everyone,
JRAD has begun with a great group of campers excited about sleeping in tents and eating in the great outdoors.  I will visit the kids each morning and share their comments with you.  The first morning it is always tough to get anything out of them but after today, there will be plenty to share with everyone.

I visited the campers at breakfast to find most eating a meal of scrambled eggs and potatoes wrapped in a burrito shell.  Some of the boys had already eaten and were making a model of a tee pee.  All were excited about their day and I was able to got the following information from them...

• This camp is awesome and fun
• The view at Indian Point is pretty
• The food is good
• Last night we had a campfire with s'mores
• At worship last night we sang songs like "How Great is our God"
• The counselors are thankful for coffee this morning
• Today we are excited about creek stomping and crafts
• Camp is extremely fun
• Yesterday we went on a hike near the creek

The campers are having a great time at camp this week.  The weather is perfect and the spirits are high.  God bless.
Mike