Happy New Year from YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea!

The year of 2011 is ticking down quickly on this last day.  We're grateful for all the wonderful campers that attended camp in the summer of 2011 and we're really anxious to see what 2012 has in store for us!
One (and only one) resolution we are making here, is that we resolve to continue to provide a safe, fun, awesome camping experience for all who attend!

There's no snow up at camp believe it or not, but the winter is only beginning and we're sure to see some before we know it.   Harmon Pond is frozen however in some areas, from 1/2 inch to 3 inches deep.   The beavers, taking advantage of the warmer weather, continue to chew away some small trees and some not so little ones.   Here's a few pictures from the last couple of days of 2011 at camp.

                                                                Some beaver work.

Their teeth must be really sharp!

Quite the collection of shavings!

Norm admiring their work.

Not the beavers this time. On this one, it's Mother Nature.

Norm, practicing his Jedi mind tricks.

Testing the thickness of the ice.

"It's about 3 inches out here."

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from Camp Wa Wa Segowea!

As this time of year reminds us, we have quite a lot to be thankful for here at Camp Wa Wa Segowea. We are thankful for the mountain laurel that blooms at the beginning of every summer.  We are thankful for the abundant wildlife that call Segowea home (even the beavers!).  We are thankful for the change of seasons, so we see the buds in spring after a long winter, the crisp colors of fall on our trees and shrubs, the freshly fallen new snow in winter and the whole season of summertime when the place just comes alive. We are thankful for the caretakers of our land who are concerned with our every day issues and see to it they are taken care of.  We are thankful for our visitors who come to observe and partake in the most beautiful place on the planet.  And of course, we're thankful for the children, both present and past, that attended our wonderful camp and carried on the wonderful traditions that have taken place here.  Thank you!

It is the holiday season and we have a few ways to assist you in your holiday shopping and gift wrapping!

The 2011 Camp Wa Wa Segowea calendars are in and ready to be shipped to you!  It's an inexpensive way to see Camp all year round and money raised will go towards the benefit of Camp.  (Just $10!) Go to the Friends of Segowea website and get yours today.  www.friendsofsegowea.org.

Books are always a popular item for gift ideas, and once again, Camp Alum, Kristen has organized a fundraiser for camp in the place where she works,  Barnes & Noble,  at 2518 South Road in Poughkeepsie, NY.    In previous years, this same camp fundraiser was done on one day, but this year we're excited to have two whole days to raise money for camp!  Saturday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 10th, from 9 am to 11 pm, the gift wrapping table will be ready for you.  Simply purchase your books and have them gift wrapped right there too!  All donations for gift wrapping will go directly to the benefit of camp.  Also, if you are able to help wrap, either day and for any amount of time that works for you, please contact Kristen at hendricks055@yahoo.com.   Hope to see you there!

As we mentioned in the previous post, we have another fundraiser for camp that you don't have to go anywhere to do.  It's "Sell Your Stuff for Segowea" where you pledge to sell one item that is cluttering up your home and donate the money to Camp Wa Wa Segowea.

Once you've decided what you'd like to sell, simply follow the schedule-
1) By December 1st, e-mail Camp Alum Sarah Mercogliano (smercogliano@gmail.com) your plan to participate. (I plan to sell _________ for Segowea.)
2) By January 15th, complete your sale and e-mail Sarah to let her know how much you raised.
3)  Mail your check (made out to YMCA Camp Segowea) to YMCA Camp Segowea; 1872 Pilot Knob Rd.; Kattskill Bay, NY 12844.
What you get out of it is a few things, 1- that item is no longer taking up space in your home, 2- that nice warm feeling when you help out a place you care for, and 3- a nice tax write off!

Happy Thanksgiving from Camp Wa Wa Segowea!

 

One last look at Camp Wa Wa Segowea's summer of 2011.

The summer season ends, and the autumn one begins! There's still that summer feel to the place, but without the daily noises of camp. We don't hear basketballs bouncing in the lodge, the splashing of free swim and the occasional shout out of YEAH BOATING! Fudge and Goldie, the camp dogs, wonder where everyone went and the wildlife begins to resurface on a more regular basis. The warm air remains though, and we hope it lasts, at least for the first work weekend! (More about that later) We made it through relatively unscathed from Hurricane Irene. Norm and Dianne report there's bits of debris all over camp with tree branches and leaves scattered around. But nothing major occurred, so with the eye of the storm looking like it passed right over the area, we were extremely lucky!

We took some video over the summer and thought we'd share some with this post.

Here's the most popular booth at the Camp Carnivals- The Slip-N-Slide!

Here's one of a few beavers that came right up by the dock this summer.

Here's an Olympic Event!

Some Girls Singing.

The Camp Staff of 2011!

Another Olympic event!

Thanks to Kat, Ed, Annie and Elisabeth for sharing the videos!

The first work weekend of the fall is taking place on the 17th and 18th of September, just 11 days away. If you plan on attending for the day, for the weekend, or even just a few hours, please let Norm & Dianne know at 413-229-9110. A Lasagna dinner is being planned for Saturday night and reservations are being taken for sleeping arrangements! All are invited to attend as there's plenty of work to do. Maybe bring a friend or perhaps friends that are interested in seeing the place for themselves. Lunch is a "bring your own meal", and breakfast will be served on Sunday for the the stayovers.

Hope to see you there!