YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea 2010 Reunion!

The 2010 Reunion has came and passed, but people are still talking about it! Over 110 former (and present) alumni, friends and family members attended the successful Camp Wa Wa Segowea Alumni Reunion. From as far as California and as close as New Marlborough, Mass they came and reminisced, went for boat rides, visited with old and new friends and had a great time! All were amazed at the many changes in the camp buildings including the redone Beacon and Kitchen. There were representatives from all decades from the 40's right through to present day, 2010. Stories were told and names from forgotten times were somehow being remembered. Many conversations were started with whatever happened to ( ? ). The evening activity, Casino Night was a big hit, especially the addition of the "Pie Walk". Money was raised and official T- Shirts were sold, with all proceeds going to the Capital Campaign (We are continuing fundraising because we're only a little under 1/2 of what we need to raise!) Special thanks goes to the current camp kitchen staff who cooked for the event, people who donated pies for the Pie Walk and for Josh Perks and Holly Fisher for the pictures below!

Amy and Sarah working the registration table.

Lisha talking to Hazel, the future Wa Wa camper!

Enjoying the cookout dinner.

Lining up on the parade field!

More lining up on the parade field.

George Painter addressing and thanking the alumni.

Taking the family for a canoe ride.

Enjoying Open Boating!

It's the professional frog catchers!

The photo albums came out.

Alumni posing!

Catching up on old times.

Week # 6 at Camp Wa Wa Segowea

Week # 6 just passed at Camp Wa Wa Segowea and summer is winding down. However there's still time to register for the last session beginning August 15th! Contact Camp Director Stuart Schultz at 413-229-9110. It promises to be a memorable end of the summer camp season! Here are some pictures from Week # 6.

Archery class-

Campers waiting for the official word from Carlos to shoot their arrows.

Archers ready to fire!

Time to retrieve the arrows.

Soccer-

Playing on the new soccer field!

Goalie Adrian passes the ball.

Going for the goal!

Getting by the defenders.

The goal is scored, much to Adrian's chagrin!

Arts & Crafts-

Nava & campers showing off their potholders made in Arts & Crafts!

Boating and sailing-

Time for boating!

Felix teaching sailing.

Swimming-

Swim class coming to the big dock is welcomed by Fudgina, one of the camp dogs.

Geting ready to be in the water.

Dive in!

First it's swim to the raft.

And then back in the water to go across the lake!

Under the watchful eye, on their way across the lake.

The water front.

And then everyone's favorite activity- hanging out on the porch and front steps of the lodge!

Camping Brothers!

The Directors working on next weeks schedule.

And in the kitchen, Jui Ling working on a recipe.

2010 Friends of Segowea Alumni Reunion!

It's 4 days and counting till the 2010 Friends of Segowea Alumni Reunion! And it's not too late to RSVP. It starts at Noon on Saturday August 7th at camp with a bring your own picnic lunch and the weekend promises to be full of activities until Sunday at Noon. There will be open boating, free swim, the Friends of Segowea Annual Meeting, a cook-out dinner and back by popular demand- Casino Night! Saturday wraps up with a candlelight ceremony. On Sunday, we'll have a nice breakfast, followed by a closing chapel before you're on your way home. Accommodations will be on a first come-first served basis. Stay in the newly refurbished cabins! They'll be room for tents for the adventurous. You can find additional lodging in Great Barrington, Mass. A $15 per person donation is suggested to cover meals and program costs. Kids under 5 are free.

Please RSVP to Josh Perks at josh@friendsofsegowea.org or 512-590-2667. Look forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, here's some pictures from past reunions.

From the 1960's.

At the chapel in 2009.

On the front porch, in 2005

In the dining hall in 2008

Flag lowering in 2009

3 Weeks into the camp season already!

Kids are enjoying and contributing to the magic of Camp Wa Wa Segowea once again. We're three weeks in to the season, but still have 4 more sessions to sign up for! Activities such as Let's Make a Deal, Fun & Games, The Olympics and Carnival have all taken place with more to come, including Halloween in July! In the mean time, here's some pictures of the since finalized camp kitchen (since the last post) as well as some Carnival shots from 3rd Session.

The new Walk-in Cooler/Freezer.

Inside the new kitchen

Inside the new kitchen. Some older equipment and some new ones!

The new storage area. (No longer having to go upstairs all the time!)

From the carnival-

Minna enjoying a early evening snack of some pie!

Face painting at the Carnival with Karen.

Getting it just right!

Dave, the recipient of "Dunk A Counselor"

Camp Director Stuart trying out the Smell, Taste and Feel unknown items booth with Laurel & Nava.

The Carnival Night Favorite- Mud Wrestling with DJ & Jacob!

The forehead says it all!

3rd Session 2010 Camp Wa Wa Segowea!

The Top Ten Best things about Re-opening YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea

So here's what we came up with that make up the top 10 things about re-opening Camp Wa Wa Segowea. In the comments, feel free to leave your top moments about the re-opening!

#10- Seeing all the docks and boats where they are SUPPOSED to be!

# 9- The camp dogs- Cole, Fudgina, Goldie and Tyler have plenty of opportunities for scratches behind the ears, and a lot more table scraps!

# 8- The Camp Kitchen and Staff become the most popular places in camp again! And to see 25 Pound bags of flour and 50 pound bags of potatoes going into the kitchen and great, tasty food coming out is wonderful!

#7 - Place after place, building after building, Norm has left not only his mark, but that mark is totally refurbished, reconstructed and redone with long term use in mind. Extraordinary doesn't define the work Norm has done. It truly is a miracle!

#6 - Spontaneous Dance parties can happen once again (and will at any time!)

#5 - See the front steps of the lodge being used once again with daily use, for hanging out and the steps into the best building on the land. Everyone always fits at Segowea and everyone always fits on the front steps of the lodge.

#4 - Using all your senses at one time, in the night, under the stars, usually on the parade field. You see the overabundance of stars, smell the evening meal and the fresh cut grass, hear nature all around us, feel the grass under us and taste a bit of "camp" whatever it might be for you, in the air.

#3 - The chance for all to come again and be who you really are, and who you are meant to be.

#2- To see a plan come together. The leadership provided a plan including step by step instructions on how to open a summer camp. Hiccups occurred and potholes were felt, but we knew we were all headed in the right direction. We followed the plan, altered the plan and then altered it some more. But we saw the plan come together. We're reliving the past and changing the future at the same time here at camp.

And the top best thing about re-opening Camp Wa Wa Segowea is

#1- KIDS! The singing, the playing, the learning and the growing. Camp is meant for kids to enjoy the magic. Kids need to go to summer camp. Kids need to go to WA WA!