YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea Happenings!

It happens every year.  Spring arrives, and signs of life begin to take shape at camp.  The buds on the trees, the spring peepers, the May flies come out and the annual arrival of the mountain laurel is sure to happen any day.  And people start coming to camp!  Work weekends and Open Houses happen.   People from the local area pop in to say hello. The weekends fill up quickly with events and get togethers and before we know it, summer has arrived and camp has officially begun!

That's where we are right now in the middle of all that!  The 4th Annual Wally Waddle took place (which was a great success!)   We've had couple of Open Houses and Work Weekends in April and May with more to come in June.  And this year we even have a June wedding happening at camp!  

These are all building up to what we think will be the best summer!   We are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Camp Wa Wa Segowea this year, "A Century of Community" with a Reunion happening on August 3rd and 4th.    More info on the reunion can be found HERE.  And of course why Camp Segowea is here in the first place and that's for Summer Camp!  The first day of camp for the 2013 summer season takes place on June 30th.   For the full summer schedule of session for camp, click HERE.

Here's the rest of the Spring Schedule:

June 8th, Work Day

June 9th- Work Day (Morning)  + Open House

June 15th- Wedding

June 30th- First Day of camp!

Yes, the Wa Wa Wally Waddle was a success!  For the 4th straight year, runners and walkers came to Vassar Farms in Poughkeepsie to raise money for scholarships for children to go to camp.  Thanks to all the sponsors, the volunteers and participants that came out on a pretty cloudy day!  Here's a few highlights-

We also want to thank all the volunteers that came out for the Work Weekends.  This past weekend, we did some general cleanup, worked on the camp directors roof and also worked on the refurbished basketball court at the top of the hill.  We want to thank the wonderful members of the Leo Club from Spackenkill High School (Natalia, Emily, David, Karrie, Andre and Adam their advisor) as well as the Dee Family, Steve and some board members, all volunteering their time.  We couldn't do it without you guys!  Here's just a few pictures:

One last item for this post and that is if your child is interested in attending camp this summer, there's a few ways to save!  There's a discount for a 2nd child, there's referral credits and a possibility of free day camp.  SImply visit the camp website for more info.  http://www.nwcty.org/wawa/wawa.htm

Also, if you sign up your child at the Camp Open House on June 9th, you'll get a discount as well!

See you at camp!

It's time for the 4th Annual Wa Wa Wally Waddle!

The 4th Annual Wa Wa Wally Waddle is happening!  It's a wonderful event as well as the largest fundraiser for YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea and it's taking place next Sunday, May 12th.   It begins at 7:30 am with Race Day registration taking place right up till 9:00 am.  At 9:30, the One Mile Kids run (for 13 and under) takes place, followed by the 100 yard Kids run at 9:45 (9 and under).  Both kids races are free, but you do need to register!  www.mhrrc.org

Then at 10:00 am, the main event begins.  Runners and walkers line up on the Vassar Farms Course and race for a few reasons.  The first, simply for the joy of running!  The Race is superbly organized by the Mid-Hudson Runners Club with great sponsors like MVP Health Care and others.  The course is a mostly flat closed dirt road with a closer look here.

A second reason is absolutely for the pies!  Where else can you win a pie for running?   Camp Segowea alumni get together for a Wa Wa tradition and bake some pies,  so instead of medals or trophies, we give these goodies to our overall male and female winners and age group winners!  (There's always more pies, and they're given as prizes in the post award free pie raffle, so it's worth sticking around!)

Lastly, and most important, the race itself is indeed the largest fundraiser for camp.  It's run by Camp Alumni and raises money so that Dutchess County children have an opportunity to go to camp.  In an interview last year, Josh Perks, race organizer  said "Camp should be credited for having a long-term positive impact on the lives of hundreds of Dutchess County residents since it opened in 1928." The Segowea experience gently encourages kids to try new things that take them out of their comfort zone. Many first-time Segowea campers never swam in a lake, sang taps, ate wild blueberries, hiked several miles, danced the Time Warp, or transformed from stranger to friend in just a few days.  Segowea creates a safe space for its campers to experience remarkable growth, learning about both self and others."

And of course, Josh is correct!  it's because of the Wa Wally Waddle and its walkers and runners that $10,000 has been raised to help kids have that unique Wa Wa experience.   Thank you all!

Thanks to all the sponsors this year too:  

MVP Health Care

Anthony C. DiLullo Financial Planner

Cold Moon Farm Bed & Breakfast

Mid-Hudson Oral Surgeons

Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club

Morris Associates Engineering

Roadkill Racing

Tubby's Bathtub Resurfacing

Zimmer Brothers Jewelers

Visit www.mhrrc.org to register online.

Here's a collage video from the past couple of years of the Wa Wa Wally Waddle!