Category: Uncategorized

You Need To Give Up….

December 9th, 2016

Something. You need to give up something. Maybe even a lot of things. That was a very strong message passed along by one of my teachers a few weeks ago. Yes, I still have people I consider ‘teachers’ in my life, even at my ancient level….

We all have soooo much in our lives. These little gadgets in our pockets connect us, quite literally, to the entire world and can entertain us for hours. We receive gifts around this time of year, many of which will, sadly, be forgotten or fall disused in months.

It’s not ‘just’ about stuff. You have friends, teams, schoolwork, family, responsibilities, and entertainment competing for your attention. Inside your head run desires, dreams, and false demands.

And we wonder why we feel more than a little hectic most of the time?*

Good Moments

There are moments, however, in our lives with little worry, less rushing, less comparing. Those moments have simplicity and calm and joy and depth. You know the ones I’m talking about. Why can’t we find those moments more often?

We get a lot of these moments at Camp Weequahic. A LOT. Want to know why?

Think about things we don’t have. No one is carrying a phone in their pocket at camp. You aren’t preparing for a test. You aren’t hustling from one activity to the next shoveling food into your mouth. No one is going to judge you on what your wear, where you are from, or how good you are at sport or art or anything else.
Rather, at Weequahic, you are with your friends, focused on the task ahead of you, and surrounded by people who want you to 1) be safe and 2) have the time of your life. You get to be you, without all the ‘stuff.’

That’s it. You’ve already given up so much ‘stuff’ just by getting on the bus. We keep things simple (and fun) at Weequahic. And, because you have room in your life, you can fill it with so many great, little moments with your friends and mentors at camp.

Your Next Steps

So, what are you going to give up? Sorry – you can’t give up schoolwork, your family or your responsibilities at home. But, there are lots of other things you can let go of right now.

Are you spending too much time on your phone? Do you want to give up caring what the other kids think about you? You probably have a lot of clothes you haven’t worn in months/years. How about giving them to someone who may need it more? How about spending less on lunch and more on others? It’s amazing how much money can be saved by drinking water instead of soda, slushies, or coffee.

As for me, I have several things to prune from my life. (But not slushies. Never slushies….)

I’ll continue to work on things. I hope you will, too. Regardless of how successful I am during the year, I know one thing for certain: when we get back to Weequahic, I’ll be all-in for those simple, meaningful moments. I know you will be, too!

Can’t wait for camp!

*Please don’t think that our family doesn’t fall into the same pattern. We are just as busy as the next family at home and are doing our best to find the right balance.

The Reward a Child Experiences When Having a “Big Sister/Brother”

December 5th, 2016

 

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Imagine being 7 years old and coming to camp for the first time. You’re one of the youngest and newest campers on campus, and you may feel a little lost, intimidated and overwhelmed. You may begin to think that coming to camp may have been a mistake, and start wondering if it is too late to call your parents back to come and get you. And then an older, taller, more experienced camper walks right up to you, knows your name, and makes you feel like you belong. They are your big brother/big sister, and for the entire duration of camp, they’ve got your back. You can breathe a big sigh of relief because you’re not alone anymore and someone is there for you. Young campers benefit immensely from the Big Brother/Big Sister program because they can transition quickly from “nervous and new” to “confident and included.” They bond quickly to their camp sibling and rest easy in the fact that if they have questions, need someone to sit with at lunch, or just need someone to talk to, they have their big brother/big sister.

 

Each year, an older, more experienced camper is paired with a younger newer camper. The new camper benefits for all of the reasons listed above, but the big brother/big sister benefits too. It is a big responsibility to be a big brother/sister, and they take it very seriously. By proving that they are trustworthy, reliable, friendly, patient and kind, they are given the opportunity to make a difference for a new camper. This boosts their confidence, improves their leadership skills, and gives them something to look forward to. They get the chance to be a mentor to someone, to be a teacher and a friend, which helps them immensely when they are back at school and in the “real world.”

 

Entering a new place can be nerve-wracking, especially when you’re surrounded by tons of new people who seem to know what they’re doing, where they are going, and already have their pack of friends to do things with. When a new camper is matched with a Big Brother/Sister, they can get through that awkward newness quickly and move on to getting settled in. With someone to answer their questions, introduce them to new friends and give them a tour of the campus, they begin to feel comfortable with their new surroundings and can begin to experience camp as it is meant to be experienced. Young campers can also look forward to the day when they too will be a big brother/sister for someone else, and pass what they’ve learned down to someone new.

 

There are so many benefits of having a big brother/big sister during your first time at camp. It makes camp seem a little smaller when at first it feels so big, and it can make it feel a little less daunting and whole lot more fun.

A Thanksgiving Present

December 2nd, 2016

I must admit that Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays at the Kelly household. Many of our family members enjoy cooking and entertaining, everyone loves to eat, and it gives us time to think about what we’ve been grateful for over the past year.

A Merry Thanksgiving

campsgiving-2016One thing I am grateful for is receiving notes, emails, and calls from our families and staff during the year. Over the holiday weekend, we received this picture of many of our CITs ’16 sitting around the Thanksgiving table together. (Behar family, you are troopers!)

The picture was great but what makes it special is that those smiling young men and women hale from five different states – New York, Florida, New Jersey, Texas and California. They built such a strong connection over their summers at Weequahic and wanted to keep the connection going.

The Call

The cherry on top of this GACsgiving treat was the call I received from one of their moms later in the week.

“Cole, did you see the picture of our children together?” she asked.

“Yes, it was amazing! Did all of the families get together?”

“No, just the kids. Here’s the thing. Those young people are so incredible – they are kind, and generous, and just good kids. We trust them all so much that we put them on planes to go see their friends. And, there were so many families to help pick them up and house them! I don’t know what you do at Weequahic to turn out such great kids but it’s working!”

The Weequahic Experience

It’s wonderful to think that our community has had such an effect on these young peoples’ lives. They come from caring families who expect good things and work with their children to make them happen.

That’s the type of experience we strive to build each summer and throughout the year – something that binds great kids together in all the right ways and walks with them as they grow. We are lucky to have so many families who trust us to do so with their children.

Thank you, CITs ’16, for putting a big smile on your camp director’s face. I’m so grateful for you all!

With GAC,
Cole