Greetings from Camp Nakanawa!
We can hardly believe we only have one week of camp left! Time has flown by these past three weeks. We are so busy in our classes and preparing for the operetta. We are having a great time!
Monday: This Monday began with sending out our laundry. It was a regular class day. We are experiencing new things such as holding a baby rat and practicing war canoe. For Evening Entertainment, we met in our team meetings. The 6th graders got the special surprise of traveling to Senior Camp to attend Senior Camp rock meetings. It was a little preview of the fun ahead in Senior Camp next summer.
Tuesday: Tuesday continued with a regular class day schedule. Classes as usual were fun, even when a little rain or thunder caused us to have rainy day classes. An evening rain storm kept our Valkazon Party at the dining hall instead of Valkazon point. We enjoyed eating hot dogs and sitting together by our age groups instead of assigned tables. Octet came over from Senior Camp to beautifully sing our special team songs and the Lady of the Bracelet song. The team captains presented Ann with the bracelet.
Wednesday: On Wednesday, we awoke to a beautiful day. We had a regular class day. At breakfast we were excited to hear that tonight would be our overnight! After our final class of the day, 6th graders canoed to the dam for the overnight. At the dam, they swam, had a Grunch dinner, a dance party and talked and giggled late into the night. The younger girls enjoyed a Grunch dinner and then changed into their pajamas. Next we met in the Council House for a group devotion. Laura Ellis read Pickles and the Pea Flock, and we sang camp songs. Then we took our sleeping bags to our assigned spots around camp. The 3rd graders were on the Games field, the 4th graders on the archery field and the 5th graders were at the Teepee. We loved cooking and eating s’mores! Then each grade helped Margaret Matens release some now grown possums back into the wild. We all fell asleep snuggled up next to our cabin mates under a beautiful starry sky.
Thursday: We awoke early on Thursday as we were asleep outside. We loved going to the dining hall in our pajamas! Ruby made us pancakes, French toast, sausage and hot chocolate. It was so yummy! Our free day activities included hiking to Senior Camp, canoeing to Senior Camp, learning to Salsa dance, making a necklace in Arts and Craft and practicing for our operetta. The campers who travelled to Senior Camp had a scavenger hunt in the Senior barn and library. A few campers checked out books to read. The 3rd graders decorated and beaded wooden necklaces that Val had carved. After rest hour, we gathered at the garden for the Garden Party. Pepe talked about gardening and showed us lots of different vegetables that we enjoy eating. Some are growing in the garden by the nature hut. Then we all enjoyed a snack of fresh veggies and ranch dressing. Next all the 6th graders went to Senior Camp to zip line. The younger campers had fun playing bucket ball on the Games field. For Evening Entertainment, we had a run through of Oklahoma!. It was wonderful to see how all our songs and dances fit together for the operetta.
Friday: Friday was a regular class day. As we come closer to the end of camp, we are working hard to learn new skills in our classes and meet our activity goals even as we have lots of fun. For Evening Entertainment, we lined up on the Games field for our walk to Council Ring. In our legend (acted out by Cabin 5), Narcissa learns to clean up after herself and be responsible for her own belongings. We cheered for our fellow campers in the fun challenges. It was rewarding to see so many girls being recognized for their hard work during classes. Pepe ended our time together reminding us that our time at Nakanawa will end soon, so enjoy our final week.
Weekend Fun: This Saturday we awoke to a rainstorm. Luckily it was just a brief one. After cabin cleanup, we went to our team pep meetings. Then we went to an Archery meet. We enjoyed watching the archers shoot. After the meet, we walked to the waterfront for our milk break and a waterfront meet. We had fun swimming and cheering on our teammates! Some campers participated in a canoeing tug-a-war game. Last was the diving meet where we all watched as divers worked hard to make their dives correctly. After rest hour, we all went to the Playhouse to watch the tumbling meet. Then we all played mass soccer. Evening Entertainment was the always popular sock hop. We had fun dressing up and dancing the night away! On Sunday, we slept in for an extra 30 minutes and then enjoyed a yummy breakfast of Nakanawa coffee cake. Next we had our third tennis meet, where we were divided into stations: volleys, jailbreak with forehands and backhands, serves and scramble! We enjoyed Counselor Church where the counselors shared a history of Lake Aloaloa and the spirituality of water. After a long rest hour, we had a run through of Oklahoma!. We got to wear our hats and costumes. It is so fun to see the production coming together. At the end of the day, we all participated in Valkyrie Vespers. On the Junior side of camp, we formed a bracelet while Senior Camp formed a necklace. Vespers ended with campers floating their candles in the lake and sitting on the Crows Nest singing camp songs. What a lovely evening.
Activity Highlights
Archery – During archery, the girls continued scoring as well as improving their skills. Campers can still achieve the different classifications. Campers worked to prepare for Saturday’s meet.
Arts and Crafts – For the 3rd week of camp, campers went on a nature walk to the waterfront gazebo by the crow’s nest. The girls sketched the gazebo and then watercolored it. There were many unique perspectives! The 6th graders were busy completing their lap boards.
Canoeing – During canoeing, the girls started working on lines and landings. Two campers achieved Blade and are learning the strokes to maneuver a canoe solo. The younger girls continue adventure canoeing as they explore the lake and strengthen their paddle strokes. The 6th graders worked on paddling together in the war canoes.
Diving – We continue to work on front dives with 3 step approaches. We have also started learning back dives and other more complicated dives. More girls have successfully gone into the water head first.
Games and Tumbling – For week 3, the girls prepared for the Tumbling meet on Saturday. Their preparation included a variety of stretches, rolls, cartwheels and round-offs. The girls played a mass soccer game of Amazon’s versus Valkyries on Saturday.
Glee Club – We are keeping busy as we enter our third week of Glee Club. We continue to practice for the operetta and have learned several camp songs for Valkyrie Vespers this coming Sunday. We have also finished the set for Oklahoma and started to distribute costumes. Our musical endeavors are beginning to come together!
Nature – Week three in Nature was very eventful. Each of the four age groups completed their special projects: 2nd/3rd graders finished their fairy villages (Pinecone Hill, Blossomtown, Ivy Wild Wood and Shady Shores) complete with zip lines, gardens, pools, swings and other features. A favorite activity is letting the baby rats explore the fairy villages. After collecting the sassafras roots, 4th graders built a fire and cooked the roots to make a syrup which will be used to make ROOT beer. 5th graders built two survival shelters, a flat roofed pavilion and a teepee, and then learned to build a one-match fire. The 6th graders finished their hiking sticks (which they whittled with pocket knives, sanded and then wood burned with their names.) The Nature classes held a birthday celebration for Ann Perron on Wednesday with a tour of the fairy villages, a decorated throne and a flower crown. On July 16, World Snake Day, we released one of the big rat snakes who slithered up a huge oak tree! We also welcomed ten new orphaned possums.
Riding – As a change from riding in the ring, Junior campers have taken short trail rides this week. Gaining awareness of surroundings and steering without fence rails nearby are two ingredients to safe trail riding which have been part of our lesson periods. Some girls have also continued to work on steering, calm hands, and trotting in the ring. As we take turns on different horses, counselors give instruction in saddling and bridling a horse correctly and let the campers try their hands at tacking the ponies. Campers’ enjoyment and confidence at riding has grown, and the older girls even had a bareback afternoon during which they rode double, without saddles, and giggling abounded.
Swimming – We are loving this amazing weather at the lake this week. We are working on breaststroke with both the form swimmers and competitive swimmers. Everyone is working hard to make sure they are doing the proper kick and have the timing correct. We are looking forward to the cake races at the end of camp!
Tennis – We had lots of fun playing tennis during the third week of camp! The girls have really improved their skills and have started matches for the sixth grade tournament. We practiced serves and learned the formal scoring of a tennis game so we could start playing matches and apply all the new skills to an actual game.
Wall – Being the third week of the wall, we have tirelessly been working on achieving around the world. This is the hardest route on the wall, and it must be completed by each camper to be in the medal meet. Many girls have achieved this route already, and many are still working hard to achieve it. We continue using the ropes to belay campers, and we have played Sharks and Minnows, a game that is fun and intriguing for everyone to play on the wall!
We have had a wonderful summer with your daughters!
Love,
Monday: This Monday began with sending out our laundry. It was a regular class day. We are experiencing new things such as holding a baby rat and practicing war canoe. For Evening Entertainment, we met in our team meetings. The 6th graders got the special surprise of traveling to Senior Camp to attend Senior Camp rock meetings. It was a little preview of the fun ahead in Senior Camp next summer.
Tuesday: Tuesday continued with a regular class day schedule. Classes as usual were fun, even when a little rain or thunder caused us to have rainy day classes. An evening rain storm kept our Valkazon Party at the dining hall instead of Valkazon point. We enjoyed eating hot dogs and sitting together by our age groups instead of assigned tables. Octet came over from Senior Camp to beautifully sing our special team songs and the Lady of the Bracelet song. The team captains presented Ann with the bracelet.
Wednesday: On Wednesday, we awoke to a beautiful day. We had a regular class day. At breakfast we were excited to hear that tonight would be our overnight! After our final class of the day, 6th graders canoed to the dam for the overnight. At the dam, they swam, had a Grunch dinner, a dance party and talked and giggled late into the night. The younger girls enjoyed a Grunch dinner and then changed into their pajamas. Next we met in the Council House for a group devotion. Laura Ellis read Pickles and the Pea Flock, and we sang camp songs. Then we took our sleeping bags to our assigned spots around camp. The 3rd graders were on the Games field, the 4th graders on the archery field and the 5th graders were at the Teepee. We loved cooking and eating s’mores! Then each grade helped Margaret Matens release some now grown possums back into the wild. We all fell asleep snuggled up next to our cabin mates under a beautiful starry sky.
Thursday: We awoke early on Thursday as we were asleep outside. We loved going to the dining hall in our pajamas! Ruby made us pancakes, French toast, sausage and hot chocolate. It was so yummy! Our free day activities included hiking to Senior Camp, canoeing to Senior Camp, learning to Salsa dance, making a necklace in Arts and Craft and practicing for our operetta. The campers who travelled to Senior Camp had a scavenger hunt in the Senior barn and library. A few campers checked out books to read. The 3rd graders decorated and beaded wooden necklaces that Val had carved. After rest hour, we gathered at the garden for the Garden Party. Pepe talked about gardening and showed us lots of different vegetables that we enjoy eating. Some are growing in the garden by the nature hut. Then we all enjoyed a snack of fresh veggies and ranch dressing. Next all the 6th graders went to Senior Camp to zip line. The younger campers had fun playing bucket ball on the Games field. For Evening Entertainment, we had a run through of Oklahoma!. It was wonderful to see how all our songs and dances fit together for the operetta.
Friday: Friday was a regular class day. As we come closer to the end of camp, we are working hard to learn new skills in our classes and meet our activity goals even as we have lots of fun. For Evening Entertainment, we lined up on the Games field for our walk to Council Ring. In our legend (acted out by Cabin 5), Narcissa learns to clean up after herself and be responsible for her own belongings. We cheered for our fellow campers in the fun challenges. It was rewarding to see so many girls being recognized for their hard work during classes. Pepe ended our time together reminding us that our time at Nakanawa will end soon, so enjoy our final week.
Weekend Fun: This Saturday we awoke to a rainstorm. Luckily it was just a brief one. After cabin cleanup, we went to our team pep meetings. Then we went to an Archery meet. We enjoyed watching the archers shoot. After the meet, we walked to the waterfront for our milk break and a waterfront meet. We had fun swimming and cheering on our teammates! Some campers participated in a canoeing tug-a-war game. Last was the diving meet where we all watched as divers worked hard to make their dives correctly. After rest hour, we all went to the Playhouse to watch the tumbling meet. Then we all played mass soccer. Evening Entertainment was the always popular sock hop. We had fun dressing up and dancing the night away! On Sunday, we slept in for an extra 30 minutes and then enjoyed a yummy breakfast of Nakanawa coffee cake. Next we had our third tennis meet, where we were divided into stations: volleys, jailbreak with forehands and backhands, serves and scramble! We enjoyed Counselor Church where the counselors shared a history of Lake Aloaloa and the spirituality of water. After a long rest hour, we had a run through of Oklahoma!. We got to wear our hats and costumes. It is so fun to see the production coming together. At the end of the day, we all participated in Valkyrie Vespers. On the Junior side of camp, we formed a bracelet while Senior Camp formed a necklace. Vespers ended with campers floating their candles in the lake and sitting on the Crows Nest singing camp songs. What a lovely evening.
Activity Highlights
Archery – During archery, the girls continued scoring as well as improving their skills. Campers can still achieve the different classifications. Campers worked to prepare for Saturday’s meet.
Arts and Crafts – For the 3rd week of camp, campers went on a nature walk to the waterfront gazebo by the crow’s nest. The girls sketched the gazebo and then watercolored it. There were many unique perspectives! The 6th graders were busy completing their lap boards.
Canoeing – During canoeing, the girls started working on lines and landings. Two campers achieved Blade and are learning the strokes to maneuver a canoe solo. The younger girls continue adventure canoeing as they explore the lake and strengthen their paddle strokes. The 6th graders worked on paddling together in the war canoes.
Diving – We continue to work on front dives with 3 step approaches. We have also started learning back dives and other more complicated dives. More girls have successfully gone into the water head first.
Games and Tumbling – For week 3, the girls prepared for the Tumbling meet on Saturday. Their preparation included a variety of stretches, rolls, cartwheels and round-offs. The girls played a mass soccer game of Amazon’s versus Valkyries on Saturday.
Glee Club – We are keeping busy as we enter our third week of Glee Club. We continue to practice for the operetta and have learned several camp songs for Valkyrie Vespers this coming Sunday. We have also finished the set for Oklahoma and started to distribute costumes. Our musical endeavors are beginning to come together!
Nature – Week three in Nature was very eventful. Each of the four age groups completed their special projects: 2nd/3rd graders finished their fairy villages (Pinecone Hill, Blossomtown, Ivy Wild Wood and Shady Shores) complete with zip lines, gardens, pools, swings and other features. A favorite activity is letting the baby rats explore the fairy villages. After collecting the sassafras roots, 4th graders built a fire and cooked the roots to make a syrup which will be used to make ROOT beer. 5th graders built two survival shelters, a flat roofed pavilion and a teepee, and then learned to build a one-match fire. The 6th graders finished their hiking sticks (which they whittled with pocket knives, sanded and then wood burned with their names.) The Nature classes held a birthday celebration for Ann Perron on Wednesday with a tour of the fairy villages, a decorated throne and a flower crown. On July 16, World Snake Day, we released one of the big rat snakes who slithered up a huge oak tree! We also welcomed ten new orphaned possums.
Riding – As a change from riding in the ring, Junior campers have taken short trail rides this week. Gaining awareness of surroundings and steering without fence rails nearby are two ingredients to safe trail riding which have been part of our lesson periods. Some girls have also continued to work on steering, calm hands, and trotting in the ring. As we take turns on different horses, counselors give instruction in saddling and bridling a horse correctly and let the campers try their hands at tacking the ponies. Campers’ enjoyment and confidence at riding has grown, and the older girls even had a bareback afternoon during which they rode double, without saddles, and giggling abounded.
Swimming – We are loving this amazing weather at the lake this week. We are working on breaststroke with both the form swimmers and competitive swimmers. Everyone is working hard to make sure they are doing the proper kick and have the timing correct. We are looking forward to the cake races at the end of camp!
Tennis – We had lots of fun playing tennis during the third week of camp! The girls have really improved their skills and have started matches for the sixth grade tournament. We practiced serves and learned the formal scoring of a tennis game so we could start playing matches and apply all the new skills to an actual game.
Wall – Being the third week of the wall, we have tirelessly been working on achieving around the world. This is the hardest route on the wall, and it must be completed by each camper to be in the medal meet. Many girls have achieved this route already, and many are still working hard to achieve it. We continue using the ropes to belay campers, and we have played Sharks and Minnows, a game that is fun and intriguing for everyone to play on the wall!
We have had a wonderful summer with your daughters!
Love,
Your Junior Counselors
