Camp waziyatah's adventure bound program expands campers' horizons
Welcome The Wigwam New Campers! Camp Wekeela...campers and their families. As the calendar churns...
Transcript of Welcome The Wigwam New Campers! Camp Wekeela...campers and their families. As the calendar churns...
The Wigwam
create thoughtful, develop-
mentally appropriate and
formative experiences for
children. Lori and I look
forward to working together
throughout the school year
and in the year ahead, to
prepare ourselves to be the
best partners and informed
resources we can to our
campers and their families.
As the calendar churns to-
wards summertime and the
start of camp, we will be on
the road extensively in Janu-
ary through April. We hope
to see many of you. We have
scheduled more Wekeela
Wednesdays in other great
cities this spring. The
countdown to Wekeela 2020
has begun!!
Happy New Year Pioneers!
The 20’s have arrived! One
hundred years ago, the
1920’s were a booming
period. The social and
cultural aspects of this era
was known as the Roaring
Twenties. In this new
decade, we’re inspiring
people to take life by storm
and using the new year and
new decade to motivate oth-
ers to make positive changes
in their lives. And as always
be grateful and remember
to be humble and kind.
The New Year is an
opportunity for making and
trying new things, learning,
living, pushing, and chang-
ing yourself. We believe the
experiences our campers
have at Wekeela prepares
them to manage challenges
brought by the new year.
Through camp, they have
learned resiliency, to step
out of their comfort zone,
to take initiative, and to
write their own story. Camp
Wekeela and other summer
camps are preparing chil-
dren for life. It is a joy and a
gift to be part of that
process. This gift of
partnering with parents and
being responsible for other
people’s children also comes
with an obligation to
continually educate ourselves.
As parents, the best gift in
life is your kids. When they
smile at you, tell you they
love you, and kiss you good-
night, you know all the hard
work is worthwhile. And one
of the best gifts parents can
give their child is the gift of
sleepaway camp. We have a
responsibility to reflect on
the camp experience, to
challenge ourselves to learn
about the complex world
with which our youth are
faced, and to be intentional
about the creation of our
camp communities and each
individual’s experience within
those communities.
At Wekeela, we seek
opportunities throughout the
year to learn, to broaden our
perspective, and to help us
C a m p We ke e l a
Visitor’s Day is Friday, July 24th. Make your
lodging arrangements now! The hotels and
inns book early. Download the “Places To
Stay” information from our website.
The Wigwam - Winter 2020 Volume 99, Issue 1
Welcome New
Campers!
Full Session:
June 27 - August 15
1st Session:
June 27 - July 25
Rookie Sessions:
June 27 - July 11/July 11-July 25/
July 26 - Aug 8
Visiting Day:
July 24
2nd Session:
July 26- August 15
2020 is also Maine’s
bicentennial. Come celebrate
with us this summer!
Horseback Riding! The Wekeela Riding program takes place at the beautiful Oakwood Equestrian Center, a 200-acre farm led by Tina and Ray Nichols. It features outdoor and indoor arenas. Pioneers get lessons in balanced seat, basic
dressage, and jumping. There are two sessions per week at three hours per session; a three hour session allows time to touch on all aspects of horsemanship, working students from the ground up, including a solid hour in the saddle in addition to grooming, tack up, and tack down.
The facility also features miles of trails that overlook the beautiful western Maine mountains. Space is limited. To register complete the optional program form on our website under forms and waivers.
Page 2 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2
Please make reading the Parent/Camper handbook a priority. All important
information and forms are now available to download at our website such as:
Camper Health Forms, Camp Wekeela Store, Camp Trucking, Pack My Rx, Travel, senior campers,
(first session) must complete and submit the Canada Trip Permission form. Second session Teen
Campers (seniors, juniors and inters) must submit the Whitewater Rafting Permission Form.
Wekeela Notes: To keep parents connected with their children we provide our own Email service.
It’s called WekeelaNotes! WekeelaNotes allow parents to send emails to their children and receive
scanned letters from the campers returned on a timely basis. WekeelaNotes are much quicker than
sending your children letters via snail mail. We offer WekeelaNotes at a special flat rate per family
(instead of per camper). Please register for WekeelaNotes at our website.
Pack My Rx: For campers taking medicine, we use Pack My Rx to service all individual medication
needs. Please read more about Pack My Rx at Parent/Camper Handbook available at our website.
Be Prepared For This Summer …
Coming this Spring:
• Spring Wigwam
• And much, much more!
“Camp purists point to the Maine
camps as the most traditional,
sought-after experiences, mostly
because of Maine’s abundant
wilderness and pristine lakes
and beaches.”
Maine Camp Experience
Wekeela Daily Schedule
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Camp Activities - At Wekeela,
campers attend their activities with
their age group. Our camp schedule
features an A-B-C-D rotation with a
Wekeela day every fifth day. The
Wekeela day is a special day of
programming, such as a carnival or
a field trip. Please review the
guidelines below with your child so
that they fully understand what is
expected in these areas:
Instructional Swimming - Kids
Camp campers (ages 7-12) are
required to attend one instructional swimming class each programming day throughout
the summer. Teen Camp campers (13-16) do not take instructional swim.
Waterfront, Tennis, Land Sports, Outdoor Adventure, Environmental Education,
Creative Arts, Culinary Arts and Performing Arts - All campers are required to attend
one instructional class on a rotational basis throughout the summer.
Waterski - All campers attend a double period of waterski! It includes a choice of
waterskiing, wakeboarding, knee boarding, or tubing on a rotational basis throughout the
summer.
Tripping - Wekeela offers optional day and overnight hikes. Campers can register for them
while at camp. All hikes are age appropriate. The Wekeela Orienteering program is very
popular. It features trailblazing alongside the adjacent Hayford Brook in our “New
Frontier.” The highlight will be making s’mores at a campfire and then sleeping under the
stars in our Lenape Village.
2020 will mark 98
years of summer camp
fun on the shores of
Little Bear Pond. It’s
also Lori and Ephram’s
24th season at
Wekeela!!
Travel Information
Please review the 2020 transporta-
tion information available on our
website. It contains suggested U.S.
and International flights, as well as
chartered coach information from
Rye, NY and a travel request form.
Please remember that airlines
change their schedules frequently.
We will update these schedules
throughout the spring.
All campers flying from our
chaperoned flights (Ft. Lauderdale
and Baltimore June 27th) must
book their airfare directly through
the Atlas travel agency. Please
contact Dianne Doucette at:
508.488.1193 or
Campers flying from other
destinations may make their own
arrangements or use any other
agent. We will require a copy of
all transportation forms by May
1st.
We meet all campers arriving by
air and accompany them to camp
with our special charted coach bus
service. Also note that more
airlines are requiring children to
travel as unaccompanied minors.
Check with your airline for details.
Please feel free to call us at
201.612.5125 with any
related travel questions.
Camp Trucking
Please utilize Camp Trucking. They provide duffel delivery service from
your door in the USA (except Alaska and Hawaii) to your child’s bunk
and from his / her bunk, back to your door. Camp Trucking can be
reached at: 970-949-0690 or www.camptrucking.com This service adds
convenience as well as saves you time and money. Did you know … your
child’s counselors unpack their campers before they arrive at camp?
Please DO NOT SEND HARD TRUNKS, as we have no place to store
them. When you pack please choose a soft duffel bag or other collapsible
luggage. If you plan to lock your child’s duffel with a combination or key
lock, please send the combination or a spare set of keys (labeled with your
child’s name) to the camp office - just in case. All luggage will be sent
home via Camp Trucking. Please note, we do not have a shipping center
on campus and cannot arrange for shipping of luggage outside of Camp
Trucking.
Wekeela Steps For Success in the ‘20’s!
Create Goals:
Think about where you want to be next year or next decade, and write down some goals that you’d like to achieve.
Believe In Yourself:
We all make mistakes, that’s part of life! Try to avoid that cycle of negativity that holds people down, instead focus on the positive and remember that tomorrow is a new day!
Invest In Yourself:
Hit the gym, read more, take a class. These are just some quick examples of how you can get off of autopilot and live life to achieve your goals!
What are your hopes and dreams for 2020?
Page 4 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2
Please follow us
on Facebook!
Follow us
@Camp_Wekeela on
Twitter and Instagram! [email protected]
Introducing Wekeela Wear: Our Inaugural Retail Store
We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our very own Wekeela Wear store. We will be carrying
fabulous, couture Wekeela clothing designs, bedding and bath essentials, accessories, and so much more!
Campers, their families, and staff can order directly from our store. We will be offering the full camp ex-
perience for everyone’s convenience and to help cut down on the stress of packing for camp. We will be
labeling (labels can be ordered via the store), packing, and delivering items directly to your child’s bunk
in anticipation of their arrival. The store will be fully operational during the camp season so your child
can purchase what they would like directly at camp. If your child needs a swap on sizes - no problem - we
will take care of it right away as we
carry stock of everything. There is
also availability for certain items to
be shipped to your home (e.g. the
duffel bags).
Please note that we are the only
approved and authorized
manufacturer of Camp Wekeela
merchandise.
We have created a new packing list
for 2020 and it can be found on the
store website. You will notice a
suggested list for 7 weeks. Please
use that as a guide and adjust
accordingly for your child’s stay.
There is also a clear list of required
items for each camper to have for
their stay at Wekeela.
To shop at the store visit our website: www.campwekeela.com/shop
Our customer service representatives are standing by so that they can help you with
ordering, sizing and packing. Contact us at: phone: 201.444.0577
email: [email protected]
If you have any ideas for merchandise you would like to see us carry in our store, please
feel free to make suggestions. This store will be your one stop shop for everything Camp Wekeela!
5Page 5 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2
Wekeela Friendship Club!
Refer a friend to Camp Wekeela! When they
enroll, you will receive a special Wekeela
"Crazy Creek style" foldable chair!
“At this
camp,
everyone
can!”
Page 5
Wekeela Campers and Staff! Who's excited for summer 2020? WE ARE!!!! Start thinking of what costumes, face paint, and fun PJ’s you
can bring to camp. Our suggestion - the sillier and wackier the better!
Page 6 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2
The Hidden Value of Camp
Alma Mater
(To the tune of
“Love Me Tender”)
Far from cities,
rushing streams,
Far from strife
and care,
Lies the haven
of our dreams,
Wekeela Camp
so fair.
Wekeela Camp,
There she lies,
Under skies
so blue.
We shall ever sing
thy praise,
To thee we’ll e’re
be true.
All parents want their children to become competent, independent individuals.
The camp experience teaches these critical life skills with a side of s'mores.
Please read on:
Your children want to go to camp for a variety
of reasons: to swim, boat, craft, play games,
sleep in a bunk, make up stories, sing songs,
eat s’mores, and stay up late. Who among us
wouldn’t want to spend many warm weeks of
summer having fun with our friends? And while
parents endorse all those endeavors, fondly
recalling sing-a-longs around campfires, secret languages made up in the dark, and
days on end spent in wet bathing suits, the real reason we send our kids to camp?
It’s the independence.
We have no choice but to be protective these days as parents. The dangers are all
too real. Sending our kids to camp lets us give them the freedom we remember
from our youth. Freedom to play and be adventurous, to explore and discover na-
ture and ourselves, away from the eyes of adults. Camp life is an alternate reality
that is controlled yet wild. We can trust that our kids are safe, being watched over
by counselors and staff, but with space to get immersed in the outdoors, to form
their own tribes, to go a little native in the deep woods of Maine.
Campers know that Camp Wekeela is a special place. That it’s kind of a magical
world that exists apart from and outside the one we inhabit the other ten months
of the year. Campers are aware that it’s an escape from the pressures of the school
year. What they may not realize is that they are acquiring skills, through play and
everyday activities, that help them grow and develop, independent of parental guid-
ance.
You are giving your kids the incredible gift of self-discovery and the confidence
gained through succeeding at tasks, whether a ropes course or simply getting up,
dressed, and ready for the day all by themselves. The secret of camp is daily incre-
mental growth intertwined with self-assurance. At the end of their weeks away, you
will be so impressed by your small person, how proud they are, how strong they
have become.
It’s a sort of paradox, and a wonderful one, that a summer away at Wekeela can
change your child in these two distinct ways. First, that they happily unplug and
commit to play and the quiet study of the world around them you thought had been
lost in the unblinking eye of technology. Second, that they have
transformed into a more capable, competent human being. More childish wonder
and more independence, all at once. And it happened without them even knowing
it.
Camp teaches kids something every single moment of every day, even when we all
are at play.
#Wekeela Worldwide
Take some Wekeela Wear the next time you hit the road and snap a photo of
yourself and your friends! Then send the photo along with a description to
capture the scene. Please email it to: [email protected] or send it to
@camp_Wekeela on Instagram!
WARNING: At Camp Wekeela you may enjoy yourself beyond all comprehension. We cannot be held responsible if you end up returning year after year after year after year after year ... but we will understand because we are all going back for another summer.
Page 7 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2
The Power of Unplugging and the Great Gift of Camp Moving forward into the second decade of the 21st century children need sleepaway camp more than ever … their development depends on it. Summer camp builds character. Summer camp breeds affinity with nature. Summer camp forges bonds between children that last a lifetime. There’s nothing better than a camp friend. The child who goes to sleep-away camp makes real connections. In addition, camp provides principles such as: living in the moment, being present, and having empathy. At camp, children do not have access to electronics or technology. It gives today’s child an important opportunity to “unplug.” These days, sleep-away summer camp may be the last environment where a child can unplug and have quality facetime. Children feel more creative and have more time for reflection when they are given a break from technology. They are more present with each other. When you turn off electronics, you appreciate what ’s in front of you. And sleepaway camp does that better than anywhere today!
21st Century Skills Preparing Children for Adulthood today requires 21st Century Skills. They are: ☺ Communication ☺ Collaboration ☺ Creativity Critical thinking ☺ Leadership
Parents that truly understand and value summer camp, and send their children to sleep-away camp have always appreciated camp’s educational potential. Yet the parent who never went to sleep-away camp may think summer camp as only recreational or skill develop-ment. According to Wendy Mogel, Ph.D., “parents today find it harder than ever to uphold their own values within their families, when they seem so at odds with those of our current culture. We seek security in a society that seems more and more dangerous, grace that thrives on competition, and gratitude in an age of ever-increasing materialism. How can this generation of parents raise self-reliant, compassionate, and ethical children?” The answer is summer camp, where kids go outside and play.
Investing in Independence At summer camp, children learn to function independently, to work as part of a cohort of peers, in an unparalleled setting of natural beauty. They gain independence in a place that is charmingly rustic, yet provides everything they could want. Camp Wekeela is nurturing, safe, and a lot of fun. Why send your child to camp? They can sleep under the stars. Catch a fish. Learn how to play piano. Paddle a kayak. Go wakeboarding. Make more friends. Build a campfire. Hike a mountain. Make friendship bracelets. Have a summer they will always remember. Camp helps nurture future successful adults. Our planet needs successful people to be peacemak-ers, healers, restorers, and storytellers of all kind. The second decade of the 21 st century is here! We appreciate all registered Wekeela 2020 families that and entrust us with their most precious cargo. Thank you very much for sending your child to Camp for the Twenty -Twenty season. It’s a great gift you’ve given.
Camp provides
principles such as:
living in the moment,
being present, and
having empathy.
Directors/Owners:
Lori and Ephram Caflun
979 Allison Court
Ridgewood, NJ 07450-2201
Phone: 201.612.5125
Fax: 201.612.9927
www.campwekeela.com
May the new year be
filled with health,
happiness, and
prosperity for all
Wekeela Pioneers and
their families!
Mini-Reunions and Wekeela Wednesdays ... Throughout the “off-season” in different cities in the US and in Europe we have informal mini-reunions and meet and greets that take place. It’s a great opportunity to see camp friends and meet new ones! Please contact Wekeela HQ to find out when we are coming to your area. Each last approximately one hour and have different start and end times. We hope to see many Pioneers in the New Year!
Wekeela “Wednesdays” 2020:
1/22: London, England
1/23: Paris, France
1/25: Dallas, TX
1/25: Darien, CT
2/1: Los Angeles, CA
2/26: Rye, NY
2/29: New York, NY
3/21: San Francisco, CA
3/28: Brookline, MA