Healthy Planet & Healthy Bodies

Every day here at camp, we focus on one of our core WEHGC values. Today's value was "Healthy Planet/Healthy Body". The girls displayed this value throughout the day.

First, they had a "Mother Nature" fashion show where everyone wore something representing nature.
Then the girls visited a recycling plant. They could barely tolerate the smell, but they were amazed at the process of recycling and all of the things that can be recycled.

Later, the girls cleaned up a local beach and spent some time enjoying the water and the scenery.

Lastly, the girls had their first campfire meal: Hot dogs, potato salad, pretzels, and campfire crepes. Everyone is stuffed!

*Today, Jailyn and Oriana helped me with the blog by taking some of the pictures above and having me post their thoughts on the day below:

"Today we went to the beach. It was so much fun! At the beach we had to pick  up trash for healthy planet, healthy body day. Today's Pick & Stay choices were the camp blog, recycled magazine art, and games in the recreation center."
-Oriana

"At the recycling plant is was very smelly and dirty. Lunch today was very tasty. It was pizza. At rest hour we relaxed and got ready for the beach, When we were cleaning up to the beach all I basically found was cigarette butts. It was gross. Why don't people stop smoking?"

-Jailyn

BUGS!

B est
U nique
G irl S

Jailyn, Etinnah, Neila, and Valerie would like to share with you their highlights of the day:

1. Going to the beach
2. Rest hour
3. Cookies and milk
4. Painting in arts & crafts
5. Leaf identification
6. Capture the flag
7. Reading


Today was a fun-filled day at WEHGC. The girls were introduced to the daily schedule and the many activities that they will be participating in throughout the session. And ... as much as they hate them, the girls have decided that they are all ... BUGS! (see above)

Camp Kapers aka daily chores

Painting nails during rest hour. A WEHGC camper-made tradition and favorite rest hour activity.

Finding leaves for leaf identification.

Getting ready to go to the beach. Even middle schoolers can be cute;)

Evening Activity: Dutch Auction (this was an MJ impression)

The girls waving goodnight! Goodnight!

Time to get some rest .... we have an even bigger day tomorrow!

-Rae, WEHGC Director



"Who runs the world? Girls Camp!"

(Title = Beyonce' lyric)

This is Neila and Etinnah speaking. Maine, so far, is bright. There is lots of of ... what do you call it??? Nature. We will have to get used to it. The staff here are very understanding and open minded. Basically, they are awesome! There are a lot of places to explore and a lot of activities to do.

When we first came into the house, we all had to use our teamwork skills to get our luggage up to the cabin. We've already done a great job on teamwork. The first-time campers are still adjusting to the many differences between here and the city.

The swimming test was interesting and challenging because it was in a lake. The water was chilly, but we got used to it. Eventually, everyone got over the "different habitat" and we collectively decided it felt great to be in open water.

In conclusion, so far, WEHGC is like NO OTHER PLACE - it's better!

Etinnah and Neila

Learning the Water Front Rules

Taking the Swim Test

Arts & Crafts: Making our own stationary

Learning to build a campfire



Making S'mores (Mason came to visit our campfire!)



Camper Things to Know
By: Etinnah and Neila

1. Be Responsible
2. No Running in Rocky Areas
3. Take Care of ALL of Your Things
4. Remember to Have a Positive Attitude
5. Say "Please" and "Thank you"
6. Ask the Counselors if You Need Something
7. Put on Sunscreen
8. Take Care of Camp


*What a great first day for session 2! It's going to be an exciting session.

So long to Session 1! What a FUN week!

Session 1 had a great last full day of camp and now everyone is home safe and ready for nap! Check out the pics below:

After some interesting morning stretching ... the girls were ready to get started! It was the last full day of camp; no time could be wasted!

*First up was team building: Crossing the Chocolate River (Careful, if you fall in the group has to start over!)

Once everyone is across the line they will be safe!

One is safe ...

a few more have made it ...

just a few left ...

last one ... Everyone made it to safety! Whew! That was close!

Next was Arts and Crafts. Bracelet making was very popular. The girls even made bracelets on their way  back to Boston.

Then it was on to a serious game of kickball.

Everyone showed off their skills.

And we learned that everyone has different skills to show off;)

Nice pitch!

Laura, who is helping me write this, wanted to share how she thinks camp is like kickball:


1. Like in kickball, at camp, everyone has fun!
2. Like in kickball, you have to put energy and effort into learning new things and working as a team.
3. Getting to all of your camp programs is like getting to all the bases. The more you get to, the better.
4. Just like in kickball, when you have to go around the bases in the correct order, at camp you have to follow the schedule.
5. Unlike camp, Rae is very bad at kickball:)

Time for a water break.

Some of the girls took a different kind of water break ... and went canoeing.

We ended the day and the camp session with  S'mores, awards, and campfire songs.

You rock session 1! Have a great rest of the summer:)

A Holiday on Holiday

Hi Everyone!

Today was a super special day at camp because we celebrated the 4th of July. From breakfast and the patriotic fashion show - to a trip to the beach and a picnic at a park - to an ice cream trip into town - to the infamous Color War - it was a fun-filled holiday for all.



Celebrating together ... the WEHGC way!

 

Ice cream was the perfect way to cool down a hot 4th of July.

Smiles all around!

 

 What a perfect day for color war!

We had the white team, the blue team, and Rae!



Game faces were on ...



  



for the most part.









The competition was fierce!

  

Serious planning was involved.

The challenges were mental and physical.

 

In the end we were all exhausted ... but congratulations to ...
The WHITE TEAM! Session 1 2012

                       COLOR WAR Winners!                   



After all of the excitement, it was time to relax, hang-out, and get our reading in (of course!):)

___________________________________________________________________________ 



Tonight we would like to spread some of the laughter we experience here at camp with a few camper quotes from the week ...

*"Are we suppose to gather 4 hand fulls of wood?" -Annie

   "Yes Annie, 4 hand fulls." - Staff

   " But I only have two hands!" - Annie

*"Fact. Grasshoppers have very small butts." - Oriangella

*"No one should be racist. Everyone should try to be like a panda: they're black, white, and Asian." - Aleena 



*"Who can remind me of one of the camp fire rules?" - Staff

  "Don't touch the fire." - Wendy

   "Not one of the ones we went over, but if it needs said, it needs said." - Staff



 

 

 

Goodnight everyone!

-WEHGC Staff











We're off to see the Wizard!

(More regarding the title later.)

The session 1 girls had a very exciting day in camp today. Check out the pics below .... 



Getting ready for advanced bug hunting - notice the use of tools. These girls know what they are doing.

Teambuilding ... it was tough,

but we have a plan for next time.

I think they got some on the pine cone .... maybe not.

Ha! Pine Cone Bird Feeders!

In arts in crafts the girls drew nature portraits of the beautiful scenery.

What a day! Camp friends forever. CFF

________________________________________________________________________________ 

Today's blogger helper quotes (these girls helped me decide what pictures to post and acted as the camp photographers during pick&stay):

"My favorite part of the day was nature because we put sunbutter and bird seed on pine cones to make bird feeders and since we had it all over our hands, Maddie put it on her face. It was really funny!"

-Serena

"Today I was not as tired. I was also the first girl at camp to earn the "Super Star Swimmer" award for passing the extra hard "Super Star Swimmer" swim test. Rudy's cookies are also soooo good."

-Wendy

"My favorite part of the day was breakfast. It just makes me feel so welcome. I love breakfast."

-Aleena

"My favorite part of the day is breakfast too!!!!"

-Laila



The girls are very proud of this photo.



________________________________________________________________________________ 

*We closed the night with our first campfire. We learned songs to sing in rounds (Black Socks and Fish & Chips & Vinegar). We also learned part of the song ,"Puff the Magic Dragon" and Nurse Dona told us the official legend of the West End House Girls Camp Wizard. We named him because "West End House Girls Camp Wizard" is not a good name. After careful considerations and a random drawing, the wizard's name is .....

Bob Alex Wilson
aka
"The Great BAW"

The Legend of the Wizard of the West End House Girl’s Camp

The Wizard revealed himself to us on a warm summer night in the year 2012. He spoke to us, not with words, but with images in our minds. He told us that he is as old as the woods and as young as our hearts.

The Wizard came into being from the whispers of the forest flora and fauna. Whispers of hopes and dreams, whispers of the ache only a mother can feel for her own. If you listen closely you can still hear these whispers. The Wizard hears them always, and holds them close until we are able.

It was told to us that the wizard is magical, but he is not invincible. And so The Wizard is most active after midnight, choosing to take on the form of a wooden sculpture during the day. The Wizard may choose to reveal himself to us, but only after receiving a very direct invitation pinned to a nearby tree. And only after we have proven ourselves worthy by listening carefully and lovingly to the whispers of the forest dwellers.

And so begins the legend of the Wizard of the West End House Girl's Camp, deep in the woods of Maine and  deep in our hearts......
Can you hear the whispers?

Good Night Wizard!