Month: September 2015

Lots of Ways to Enjoy the Lake at Camp Weequahic

September 7th, 2015

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-04 at 12.29.19 PMCamp Weequahic is blessed with one of the best camp lakes in Wayne County. Sly Lake lies beautifully below our Senior girls’ bunks and is the stage for a wide variety of fun-filled activities.

The jumping off point (quite literally!) for most of our lake activities is our sandy beach. Campers find a buddy and check in with our head lifeguard before heading to one of their waterfront choices. Should they bounce on the water trampoline? Paddle a kayak or stand up paddleboard? Perhaps they should choose free swim or play volleyball on the beach? There are lots of good choices that require several trips to the waterfront to enjoy.

In addition to our waterfront activities, campers interested in learning how to sail do so under the tutelage of experienced instructors. Our Sunfish sailboats stay out on Sly Lake a good part of the summer and are used by complete beginners all the way up to experienced sailors.

Screen Shot 2015-09-04 at 12.29.47 PMWhile most of the activities at the waterfront are on the surface, one program that explores the depths is our fishing program. Anglers at CW get their lines wet every period of every day and we’ve got plenty of fish stories to tell.

Most of our fish are catch and release. However, when we catch a good large mouth bass or large ‘sunny’, our staff will teach the campers how to gut and prepare the fish to be cooked over an open flame. And, yes, they all get to enjoy a bite!

Not to be outdone, our waterski and tubing program is a frothy blast. Campers interested in learning to waterski do so with the help of experienced teachers and boat drivers. We have had many children learn to waterski for the first time at camp and even learn to drop a ski and go slalom! In addition to waterskiing, our wakeboard program continues to be a popular choice as well.

We hope that you will come have a blast at Camp Weequahic’s amazing waterfront next summer!

Camp Changed My Kid

September 2nd, 2015

 
Screen Shot 2015-09-02 at 4.10.04 PMI was nervous and excited to send my son Connor to Camp Weequahic this year. Connor’s best friend attended the camp the summer before and could not stop raving about it. So after plenty of research and discussions, we decided to let Connor spend the summer away. I won’t lie, my “mommy heart” broke a little when he practically jumped out of the car at drop off and didn’t look back, but I was pretty sure we were making the right decision. Last week, when we picked him up, I was 100% sure we had made the right decision. The excited, smiley kid who jumped into our backseat was….different.

 

I couldn’t pin point many differences right away, except for the excitement in his eyes and voice when he talked about all of his new friends and cracked himself up remembering inside jokes and hilarious conversations with his new buddies. One of the main things I noticed when we got home was how helpful he had become. Without me asking, he would make his bed, take his plates to the sink, offer to bring in the groceries or even simply ask if he could get us anything from the kitchen since he was going that way. I noticed a new sense of thoughtfulness when he came back. Not that he was heartless before by any means, but I definitely noticed a change in his willingness to help others and think of others before himself. As the days passed, my heart exploded with joy to see him excited to email, chat and FaceTime all of his new friends. He went to camp a little reserved, and came back social and confident. I loved seeing him interact with his peers, I loved seeing how he was truly listening to what others had to say, and how he felt confident contributing to the conversation.

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-02 at 4.08.57 PMJust today, he told me he was going to try out for soccer tryouts at school, a sport he had never played before camp. He said he was encouraged to try it at camp and played it almost every day while he was there. As a mom, I am blown away at what positive changes have come from sending my son to camp. I knew he would make friends, try a new activity or two, and learn to live both independently and with a group, but I had no idea about the social skills, character development, relational growth, and boost in confidence that spending just a few weeks away could create.

 

Any parent that is even thinking about sending their kid to camp should stop thinking right now and sign them up. Not only will you enjoy a few kid-free weeks of relaxation, but when your kid comes home, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at everything they’ve learned, and more importantly, who they’ve become.

 

Camp Weequahic changed my son for the better, and we are both looking forward to the growth and changes that will happen next summer at camp!