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!

Camp Wa Wa Segowea Spring Activities!

The snow is finally gone, and Harmon Pond is ice free as Spring has sprung here at camp!  Buds on the trees are aplenty, the sun is a little warmer these days and the May flies are not out yet, which we're grateful for!  Spring is also the busiest time of the year (next to summer of course) with many camp related events and happenings.   So in this blog post, we'll let you know all the camp goings on, as well as a little piece on a camp staple, Friendship Bracelets!

We just had our first Open House this past Sunday and it was a wonderful success!  We had many people come and visit, take a tour, visit with new and returning camp staff, enjoy the campfire and even make s'mores!  New Camp Director Josh Scott was on hand, chatting with many visiting parents and campers alike.  Overall, it was a great day!   If you wished you could have joined us, no need to worry!  The next Open House will take place May 19th from Noon to 3pm.   Here's a couple pictures from the Open House.

Perhaps you can't wait till then, and you want to lend a hand?  Why not join us for the first work weekend coming up soon on April 27th and 28th.  We'll be tackling large (Cabin roof) and small (water tank) projects and could use some help!  We can use some experience when it comes to the roofing project, but all kinds of help is appreciated, even if you can just stay for a few hours.  Dinner Saturday night and Breakfast Sunday morning will be provided.  Please let Josh know if you'll be coming- jscott@nwcty.org or 413-229-9110.

The highlight of our spring is the 4th Annual Wa Wa Wally Waddle! This 5k Walk/Run is coming up on May 12th and is once again, taking place at Vassar Farms in Poughkeepsie, NY.  The race continues to raise money for Dutchess County children to have the life-enriching experience of attending YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea.  We'll have more about the Waddle in an upcoming blog post.

It is with sadness that we relay the news of the passing of Camp Alum, Barrett Wyles Raymond.  Barrett died in a tragic accident while canoeing on the Hudson River last December.  Barrett's dad, Jeff Raymond who currently sits on the Smith Park Board for camp, shared the pictures below of Barrett.  Among Barrett's passions were sailing (he earned his captain's license from the US Coast Guard) and painting and his family and friends.  Our deepest condolences to the Raymond Family and to Barrett's many friends around the globe.

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                       Friendship bracelets. 

They begin as multi-colored thread, or yarn or beads or something you can string together, then woven and knotted around a friends wrist and lo and behold, you have a friendship bracelet!  It's often more time consuming than just that, but it's purpose remains the same at camp.  It's a symbol of friendship.   It's something so simple, yet intricate and often has a special meaning behind it.  The making of them does indeed take some skill, and some time.  One good thing though is they can be pretty inexpensive to make!     

According to braceletbook.com, knot-tying arts have developed independently in different parts of the world.  China, Arabia, Italy and France are all "tied" in to the knot tying culture.  However, friendship bracelets themselves became widely known in American culture in the 1960's and 70's.  Some say Guatemalans were the originators of the craft and others say Native Americans made the first ones.  What we do know for certain is the popularity of them at camp is always evident as year after year, someone always seems to be making one!  The tradition behind them is as such-  a bracelet is made and then placed on a friend, tying it at the wrist.  It is supposed to be worn until it falls off naturally, honoring the hard work that went into creating it.  Often both people give each other bracelets, creating that friendship bond forever.   Some too are made for wishing purposes, with the recipient making a wish when the bracelet is placed on his or her's wrist.  Then the bracelet wearer keeps the bracelet tied until it naturally falls off, when the wish will come true.  

So what makes them so popular at camp?   I asked several people and received the following responses- 

I like being able to look down at my arms and think of the different people that made them for me.

I LOVE making them and then giving them away!  It keeps me connected to all my friends. 

I love friendship bracelets, and having hundreds of them on my arms. I love how they look, and it's something everyone has at camp. But then back at home it's different and I have my own style with them, plus they remind me of camp.  However, I can't make them and I just end up tying a bunch of knots!

I also asked Peg Smith, CEO of American Camp Association, and here is her response- 

“Treasures brought home from camp, whether they be friendship bracelets or other arts and crafts projects, give physical form to what campers and families value from the camp experience — new activities tried, new friendships formed, new skills and confidence acquired. While social, emotional, and cognitive gains can’t necessarily be worn around the wrist or ankle, friendship bracelets can . . . and they serve as a reminder of the fun and learning that took place at camp.”

It is indeed a reminder of the fun and learning at camp and we'll likely see the popularity of them continuing this coming summer.  

In the meantime, if you're interested, here's a couple bracelet making tutorials online- 

http://snapguide.com/guides/make-friendship-bracelets-3/    and   

http://www.ohsoprettythediaries.com/2012/04/diy-fishtail-friendship-bracelet.html

And at least one website has such bracelets as their top sellers-  

http://www.maidennation.com/pages/designers 

Friendship Bracelets are the perfect camp souvenir and a fun project for any age.  They're a chance to show your creativity and at the same time, make that connection with the lucky recipient.   Time to start tying!