As you might have seen in a previous blog post, one of our newest "friends" this summer is our swimming pool.  Now that all the concrete has been taken away and a new deck has been poured, the crew is beginning to work on the final touches. Pictured below is the Maltese Cross in the middle of the well, opposite the diving board. 

Another one of our old "friends" has been repurposed in a very clever way.  Many of you remember playing on the wooden playground outside of Stockham gym.  Three of our very dedicated volunteers, who also happen to be old friends, spent a weekend removing the wooden playground. The wood received new life in the form of a covered wooden bridge.  What a great place for a photo opportunity! They didn't want any recognition or their photo posted, but as camp blogger, it is my responsibility! :) So here is a picture of the new bridge by the Craft Hut.

"Old friends," we have a way for you to re-connect with Winnataska.  Fill out an online form, and your interests will be cataloged in our volunteer database.  We are always in need of willing volunteers! Go to  Heritage pages > Volunteer.

As our camp staff finish up their exams in college, as our campers have field day and end of the year activities at school, as the days get warmer and the nights get shorter, as anticipation builds every day we get closer to camp, we are eager to welcome all old friends and new friends to Camp Winnataska!

The days are hot, the nights are cold,

In the swimming hole!

Singing that song to myself today as I think about all the exciting things going on this spring at Camp Winnataska.  First of all, our registrations are up significantly from this time last year. We are excited to welcome so many new and returning campers! (Also a reminder that one should register quickly if planning to come to camp this summer.) 

Second, we have a construction project at camp that the kids are going to be so excited about...We are getting a new swimming pool! You might not have realized that the swimming pool was close to 50 years old.  She made it almost half a century.  That's pretty amazing for a pool, and we are grateful that she lasted so long.  However, she was getting a little tempermental in her old age, and the staff is looking forward to maintaining a new pool, complete with Maltese cross in the middle.

As you can imagine, a pool is a very large investment, and the Board of Directors and the board of Friends of Winnataska, Inc. are thankful for the parents and alumni who continue to support camp so that we can make needed improvements.  Many volunteers have worked tirelessly over the past couple of years to make this happen...I think they are almost as excited as the campers will be!

While I don't want to spoil the moment that you first lay eyes on the new pool, I do want to give you a few glimpses. (There are a few surprises in store!) Pictured below are snapshots of construction.

The first order of business was removing the deck around the pool.This is the most recent picture from last week as crews prepare the ground for the new deck. 

Mark, known as "Mr. B" at camp, is someone that you have probably met before. He's always out greeting and directing traffic during the summer months.  Quick to smile and one who has never met a stranger,  Mr. B makes everyone feel welcome at Winnataska immediately. 

A sense of humor is mandatory if you work at Winnataska! Mr. B is a great sport!Mr. B worked as a leader and Blackfoot at Winnataska.  In the past, he has been employed as a youth pastor, firefighter, and an EMT.  Winnataska officially welcomed him back as the camp caretaker in 2009. Mark, his wife Sharon, and their three children: Bailey, Charlie, and Emily, reside year-around in the residence by the front gate known as Grayson Lodge.  In the off -season, he maintains the camp buildings and property and also works with the groups that come to Winnataska on weekends in the fall, winter, and spring.

Working at a summer camp means that one must be prepared for almost anything! Mr. B feels called by God to serve in any way that he can, and Camp Winnataska is a better place from his service and willing attitude.  He and Sharon are the very definition of "hospitality" and welcome camp staff and alumni with open arms. 

Winnataska has many treasured places, but truly its family members are the real treasure! On behalf of all the campers and staff members who rely on him in so many ways, I say, "Let's hear it for Mr. B!"

When I was a Chico, it was a simple answer when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, "A Comanche." Being on staff at camp is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

As a third generation camper, it has always been clear where I wanted to spend my summers. In the big world we live in, camp is a place that you have to experience to understand. And once you experience it, you’re hooked for life. Camp introduces you to the most genuine people you will ever encounter. Getting to be your true self at such a wonderful place makes you so grateful.

Being on staff at a place like that is even better. The bond between staff members becomes even closer as camp comes to an end every summer. Being a role model in Christ to hundreds of kids every summer is more beneficial than most jobs one can have in his or her life. Camp teaches you more lessons, in my opinion, than any class ever could.

The Bible verse on the back of the staff shirt from this past summer was 1 Timothy: 4:12. It says: “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believer in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” This verse can be said for the campers and leaders as well. Camp teaches us to be positive, happy people. What’s better than that?

Seeing your camp friends in hats, scarves, and coats is a little unnerving at first.  Unconsciously you know that something just isn't right.  You might not recognize them with hair styled, make-up on, and without the lovely odor of the horses!  But it only takes a big bear hug and sharing of laughter before you get that warm camp feeling again -- in winter!  That's why people say that Candles and Carols is just enough Winnatska to hold you over until the summer.

If you missed Candles and Carols this year, please be on the lookout next year for the date and time.  Here are a few pictures from the event.  You can see more pictures by clicking on the photo gallery under the Heritage section. Enjoy!

And Merry Christmas from the entire Camp Winnataska family!

iPod Touch, Xbox Kinect, a new bike, a princess castle, a basketball goal, superhero toys…does this sound like your child’s Christmas list?  The kids see the latest commercials or the ads in the newspaper and their lists seem to grow and grow sometimes.  The joy of Christmas morning when they open up that perfect gift can sometimes come when you think outside of the box, and we think we’ve come up with that perfect Christmas gift.  The Gift of Camp Winnataska.  It’s a gift certificate that allows that favorite child in your life the opportunity to attend camp for another summer, or of course, for the first time.  

The Gift of Camp is perfect for any parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend who is trying to come up with a gift idea that’s more genuine and original than something you pick out at your local Target.  These gift certificates can be written for any amount, and they can be applied to a camper’s account once they have registered for camp.  

When you give a child the Gift of Camp Winnataska for Christmas, think about what you are in essence giving him or her:

·         A week of fun

·         Chances to be make new friends

·         Opportunities for riding a horse, canoeing, swimming, crafts, ropes course fun, and much more.

·         A chance to appreciate God’s beautiful creation

·         Time to learn and sing a ton of new songs

·         A lifetime of memories

That seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. 

Let me know if you would enjoy giving someone the gift of Camp Winnataska this Christmas.  In order to have these ready and mailed to you in time for Christmas, we’ve made the deadline for this for December 15^th.  Send me an email at info@winnataska.org today and we’ll handle it for you!

As much as camp people love Camp Winnataska, in some strange way, it can be hard to express why we love it so.  If you are a camp person, you just get it.  Once you attend, you are forever hooked.  You understand that feeling of coming home every time you enter the gates of camp.  You marvel at God’s creation each time you sit at Wayside on Sunday evenings.  You will never forget the first time you watched the pageant of The Holy Grail.  You really don’t care that much that camp is hot because you are too busy having fun swimming and playing in the gorge.  You never forget the excitement on the campers’ faces as they arrive on Sunday.  (Campers are the most important part of camp, after all!)

The camp family loves spreading the good news about Winnataska, so this year we are hosting Camp Winnataska recruitment parties.  I had the privilege of coordinating and attending the first Camp Winnataska recruitment party of the year at the lovely home of a family in Homewood, Alabama just a couple of weeks ago.  Sisters Isabel and Lydia greeted me with excited smiles (oldest sister Virginia returned from cheering at a school basketball game later on in the evening).   Mom Rachel and dad Lane were also there and ready to spread the word that Winnataska is the place to be!  

Pretty soon the girls and their moms started arriving.   With greetings and introductions, we were ready to gather together to watch our new promotional video.   I catch myself smiling every time that I watch it and nodding in agreement with everything that is said during the video.  My absolute favorite part comes when Blackfoot Richard Pettey says, “We definitely pour into the kids in all the ways that we possibly can.”  Okay, moms…doesn’t that sum up how at Winnataska, we care about your children and it’s all about the campers?

Coming to camp with a buddy for the first time is a great idea.  However, that doesn’t mean your child won’t come home from camp naming all of their new friends they made during the week.  So, these recruitment parties give campers a chance to tell their friends about camp and invite them to give Camp Winnataska a try.  Once you become a camp person, you are forever a camp person, and you don’t need an excuse to tell others about your love for it…whether you are a kid or an adult. 

Attending a Camp Winnataska recruitment party is a wonderful way to learn more about camp.  We will be hosting several parties both before and after the holidays.  Check out the “Winnataska parties” link on the homepage of our website to see if we are scheduled to come to a city near you.    If you are interested in attending a camp party, please email me for more information at info@winnataska.org.  I’d love to share Winnataska with you and explain why we are truly “Christian Camping at its Best” and always will be.

One exciting thing is our new website! We hope you like the new format, videos, and pictures.  Registration for summer 2012 is already open and ready to take campers!

We also have a new blog. This will be a great place for everyone in the Winnataska family - campers, leaders, Comanches, Blackfeet, alumni and parents - to share about camp.  I'm the blog administrator, and I would love to have some guest bloggers share about their camp experiences.  It's like an ever-changing scrapbook, and I can't wait to see how it evolves!

A little about me - I'm a volunteer Weekly Director at camp.  I love camp so much that I have been coming since 1981, AND I am willing to post a picture of myself with a hamburger hat.  That's a lot of love! But one thing that camp has taught me is that you've got to learn to laugh at yourself, and growing up doesn't mean losing your sense of play.

One thing you can do to help us out is to like Camp Winnataska on facebook.  Check back soon for more blog posts. I did promise my children not to post any more embarrassing pictures of myself, but I am on the hunt for some funny pictures from camp!