The Last Day!

After a chilly night, we awoke to a day of sunshine! Breakfast was cereal and Wamah Golden Bread, a plain sweet bread. This morning's classes were exciting, since campers learned whether or not they had passed swimming and boating classes! As we told campers in a Morning Thought today, there are much more important things about camp (making new friends, learning things about yourself, having fun) than passing a class, so no one should be sad about not moving up to the next level. Everyone certainly worked hard and showed great improvement this session! Sports classes took a nature walk, visiting various camp sites and learning about different spots of camp. Arts and Crafts classes were a little different today, because campers had already finished their projects. Instead of crafting, hilltoppers did Zumba, and lakesiders did a nature scavenger hunt. Canoeing and sailing classes, and anyone with free time this morning, helped to clean the boats and put them away for the winter. It is sad to see the lake empty of sailboats! Dinner was a camp favorite--lasagna! Bread and salad were served on the side, and lemon bars followed for dessert!

After a nice Rest Hour, campers gathered on the A-field for a game, to replace 4th period. We played a modified kickball game, Run Around Town. In this game, one team lines up between two cones for their offensive round. One of their team members kicks the ball and then must run around their lined-up team as many times as they can before the other team stops them. The defensive team plays in the field and must catch the ball, line up, and pass the ball between everyone's legs, at which point the play is over. It was fun! After the game, we had our usual General Swim to cool off. Then, we had Activity Period, with knock-hockey and tetherball tournaments, frisbee golf, and an '80's themed Zumba party.

After such an active afternoon, everyone was ready for a hearty supper of meatball grinders, applesauce, cucumbers, and chips, with apple crisp for dessert- yum!!

Now, campers are beginning to pack their belongings, taking everything off the clotheslines and cabin shelves in preparation for tomorrow. When they finish cleaning up, we will have our traditional end-of-session campfire! Campers will gather in the council ring for s'mores, singing, and boating, swimming, archery, and track meet awards.

While campers are sad to be leaving tomorrow, they are also very excited to see their families!! Please come between 8:30 and 10 to pick up your child.

Thanks for reading the Birch Blog!

-the Birch Blogger

Banquet Thursday!

Today was another beautiful day on the lake! Campers enjoyed bagels with cream cheese and cereal for breakfast this morning followed by a normal daily schedule.Campers who passed into an advanced level in boating took out boats by themselves during general swim. Campers who passed into a different swim area got a chance to swim in that area during general swim later on today. Tomorrow night they will receive their certificates at our final campfire of camp! If the campers didn’t pass yet they have one more day to show their teachers their stuff. The campers then enjoyed a lunch of egg salad, tuna salad, ham, turkey, pb and j, with pickles, chips, and pudding for dessert.  The staff then got ready for banquet! Counselors moved tables into the upper lodge, compiled the Birch Barker, and got the candles ready for the candlelight service. During rest hour, one camper was sent from each cabin to be the candlelight reader and receive their bible verse about the goodness of light. This person is chosen because of their hard work, effort, and enthusiasm for camp.

The campers went to general swim and fourth period class. Then some went jumping off the tower for the first time if they passed into level four. Other activities offered for activity period were, games on the A- field,  finishing up projects in arts and crafts, and aquarium games. Others got ready for banquet.

All cleaned up, campers went to the last Banquet of the summer! Banquet is our traditional last Thursday night meal and evening program. We started with a supper of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.  We then had Shady Glen ice cream(mint chocolate chip and chocolate caramel crunch) to finish this WONDERFUL meal.

We then sang lots of songs, received year awards (based on how many years you’ve come to camp), watched a slide show of the session, and had our candlelight service. Today the weather was perfect for putting our candles in the lake.

It was a great day at Asto Wamah. Check back here tomorrow to find out how campfire and the last day of camp went!

- The Birch Blogger

Wacky Wednesday!

Today was a clear, sunny day! Campers began the day with a yummy breakfast of blueberry bread, cereal, and fresh peaches. They then went to their morning classes enthusiastically, excited to be back outside after yesterday's rainy weather. It was a perfect windy day for sailors! Dinner was parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and bread, with lime Italian ice for dessert!

Everyone enjoyed their Rest Hour and General Swim, although campers were a bit chilly when they got out of the water and into the afternoon breeze. Fourth period Arts and Crafts warmed up by building a fire in the lower lodge! With the session nearing its end, campers are finishing up their pillows, baskets, and bracelets. Activity Period today included jumping off the tower, paddleboarding, board games, and sailing!

Supper was eat-out. Campers made cold-cut or peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches to eat outside with their cabins. It was a beautiful evening for a picnic!

Tonight's Evening Program was a "Carnival." Each cabin ran a booth with a game or activity, and campers could walk around to other cabin's booths to play. Favorites included limbo, musical chairs, face painting, and battleship. It was a fun time! After a snack of nectarines, everyone went to bed for a refreshing sleep!

Check in tomorrow evening for updates on Banquet Day!

-the Birch Blogger

Terrific Tuesday!

Today was anticipated to be a washout, but luckily we avoided any showers on Columbia Lake. The campers feasted on cereal and golden bread for breakfast, along with the usual orange juice and hot chocolate. After cleaning the cabin/camp, the campers prepared for a raining morning so classes were held inside. While it didn't rain much they avoided a cold swimming day. Dinner was meatloaf, mashed potatoes,  green beans, and layered cake for dessert. Rest hour brought a few rays of sunshine and the campers were able to go out for fourth period. After fourth period today, we had a special program. Ray from Bwana Iguana. He taught us all about snakes, turtles, a skink, and a baby alligator! Campers had the opportunity to hold a yellow Burmese python! It was a really cool program.

Supper was steak sandwiches with applesauce, carrot sticks, and chocolate cake for dessert. Tonight's evening program was a camper talent night! Campers sang, played instruments, performed comical skits, demonstrated karate, and there was LOTS of dancing :D

IT was a fabulous Tuesday!  Check back tomorrow!

- The Birch Blogger

Marvelous Monday!

Today was yet another beautiful day on Columbia Lake! We began the day with a sweet breakfast of French toast and honeydew melon, and then campers followed the usual morning schedule. After a day off from classes yesterday, swimmers and boaters were ready for a fresh attempt at their strokes and skills today. In Arts and Crafts, a new group of basket-makers began their projects. In sports, some campers played football while others went to the ropes course for team-building challenges. Dinner was Texas Casserole, a dish of hamburger, rice, and tomatoes--delicious! Salad and bread were served on the side, and dessert was a rich chocolate cake with whipped icing and sprinkles--tasty!

The sun shone all afternoon, so everyone enjoyed their General Swim. During Activity Period, swim races--the last event of the track meet--were held. Deep water swimmers raced to the raft and back with the front crawl,  intermediate swimmers raced with kick-boards,  and aquarium had noodle races. Like yesterday's marathon, these races were optional, but many campers showed up to earn points for their team! Campers who chose not to race did other activities as usual, including volleyball, water quidditch, jumping off the tower, and working on bracelets and baskets.

Supper tonight was chicken patties, chips, and applesauce, with vanilla cake for dessert! After this hearty meal, the campers will be ready for tonight's Evening Program--Cops and Robbers! In this game, campers are each given a piece of paper with a number on it. Each number is given out twice, so there are camper pairs with the same number. The goal of the game, for the campers, is to find their number buddy, at which time they earn a point for their team and are safe. They do this by running around camp shouting out their number, hoping their pair will hear it, or that they will hear their number being called out by their pair. Meanwhile, the counselors will run around trying to tag campers and guess the color of their number paper. If the counselor guesses the right color, the camper loses the paper and must get a new number. Without their old number, their pair will unknowingly have no buddy. It is a tough but exciting game! After all the running around, everyone will sleep well tonight!

Until tomorrow,

-the Birch Blogger

Track Meet Sunday!!

Good evening, blog followers! Today was an exciting day at Camp Asto Wamah--track meet! After a hearty breakfast of corn bread and cereal, campers spent the morning on the A-field instead of going to their regular  classes.  The morning's events included the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw, and 50-yard dash. Campers, split into green and white teams, competed against other campers in their area of camp--hilltop, lakeside, or seniors. Winners of each event earned points for the green or white team. It was a fun morning, with everyone trying their best and cheering each other on. The weather was cool, but after all the running, jumping, and throwing, campers appreciated getting in the lake for a General Swim before Dinner. Dinner was our traditional track meet meal of ham and noodles, corn, and bread, with apple turnovers for dessert--yummy!

Everyone recharged during rest hour, getting ready for an active afternoon. Following rest hour, campers had the option of running the "marathon," a race starting at the A-field and going down part of the camp road, finishing in front of cabin 5 for a total of about at half mile. Lots of enthusiastic runners showed up for the challenge! After the run, we had the Indian War Relay, a whole-camp relay that starts at the top of the camp road and continues into the lake with boaters and swimmers. In this relay, most campers are chosen to be runners-- they relay the baton down the camp road to the lake, where the rest of the campers--boaters, canoers, and swimmers-- bring it home to main dock. Today's race was a close finish, but green team won!

After the relay, everyone checked in for another General Swim. The water was beautiful! Then, Activity Period was held as usual. Activities today included badminton, yoga, jumping off the tower, a knock-hockey tournament, and paddle-boarding!

Supper tonight was pizza and salad, with green-and white-frosted cake for dessert!

As I write, campers are gathering for a Round Robbin. They will rotate between activities, such as obstacle courses and the bucket brigade (a team relay to carry water). In the spirit of track meet, points will be given to the team to finish their relay first. It is sure to be a lot of fun!

Until tomorrow!

-the Birch Blogger

Sweet Saturday-

Today we awoke to the smell of bagels wafting throughout the camp, on this fine sunny morning. They also ate honeydew melon and cereal! Today was the half-way mark of the session, so campers had the opportunity to switch bunks, from bottom to top, or top to bottom. They then cleaned the cabins and camp as usual. The  schedule was pretty regular this morning, although there was SO much sunshine! Dinner was ravioli, baguettes, and salad with ranch. They also enjoyed pears for dessert. The campers went to rest hour and then enjoyed a general swim to cool off. The activities offered today were paddle boards, sailing on the Hunter, Zumba, and games in the upper lodge. Today was another kitchen's night out, so the campers had a cookout this evening for supper. They feasted on hot dogs, pasta salad, carrots, chips, and cookies for dessert. They enjoyed eating in a seat of their choice outside around the lodge. Tonight for evening program, campers will reveal their secret sister! Campers have enjoyed doing scavenger hunts and receiving thoughtful notes and gifts. They will also play a special game of Soccer called, Triad. It is basically a three team soccer match with the whole camp playing! It will be a ton of fun!

Tomorrow is our Sunday Track Meet. Campers will enjoy the friendly competition between the green and white team.  There will be a TON to report so be sure to check back here for the low down!

Til Tomorrow!

-The Birch Blogger

Friday - Day Six!!!!!!

Hello Birch Blog readers! Sorry for the lack of blog yesterday! Camp gets so busy! Last night before evening program, we announced the beginning of a three day long activity, new to this year. It is called secret sisters. Each camper and cabin counselor drew a name from a basket and now have three days to send their secret sister a positive message, a friendship bracelet,  or a simple, yet thoughtful, gift they crafted. The campers are really excited about this program and are doing well at keeping their sister a secret.  The evening program last night was King Dodge, another fun dodgeball game.  The campers also had a vespers on Hygiene. The campers listened to a rendition of the "Twelve days of Christmas", only the words were about the twelve days of camp! We have reminded all campers that they should have taken a shower or two by now :D

We had a very rainy Friday today but still filled with lots of fun! Camp slept in (an extra half hour) before breakfast.  For breakfast we enjoyed Sue's Cinnamon Bread, cereal, orange juice, and delicious hot chocolate. Morning classes had to be inside today because of all the rain. Swimmers got to play lots of rounds of Scategories. Boating classes went over the parts of the boat and other rules. Sports classes got to play team bonding games.

Dinner today was Sweedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and greenbeans! Campers awoke to more rain so instead of a general swim we played counselor trivia. The campers got to learn a lot of fun facts about their counselors and compete to find which fact belonged to which counselor. The campers then went to a shortened fourth period and activity period. They played many board/card games in the upper lodge. The campers had a supper of chicken melts, chicken- rice soup, chips, and pickles.  They feasted on vanilla cake with chocolate frosting for dessert! YUM!

Now the campers are inside again for evening program. They are playing a reverse scavenger hunt game. Reverse Scavenger Hunt, involves cabins collectively bringing 10 items from the cabin to use as props in skits. They are given a scenario, such as impersonating a counselor, acting out a pop concert, or doing some sort of camp activity, and then have a few minutes to prepare a skit and perform it for the other cabins in their area of camp. For each scenario, the cabin with the funniest skit gets a point.  Because the skits involve a lot of improvisation, everyone always laughs a lot during this game!Tomorrow the secret sisters will be revealed and we will get ready for Sunday's Track Meet!

I hope you check back tomorrow for more news from Wamah!

-The Birch Blogger

Wonderful Wednesday!!!

Hello Birch Bloggers! Camp really feels like it is in full swing, the campers all have a schedule and lots of new friends and are all confidently moving around the camp like they have been here for ages. Today was a fun camp day starting with Chicken Fat (our quick morning exercise and then some tasty waffles. Peanut butter was served with the waffles, a long standing camp tradition, and while new campers thought the idea of putting peanut butter on their waffles was a bit funny they agreed, after trying it, that it is delicious!

It was much easier for everyone to jump into the lake today with the warmer weather and their was a nice breeze on the lake all day; the sailors looked like they were having a great time sailing all around the lake. Arts and Crafts included lots of pillow making, bracelet beading, and lots of types of decorating. Campers have an opportunity to go on a nature activity during their Arts and Crafts class. Today the nature instructors lead a scavenger hunt, campers worked in two teams to find different things (twigs, moss, acorns, etc.) which fit different adjectives like fragile, hardest, smooth, and so on. The campers got to walk around camp with a different perspective to the nature around them.

Lunch today was a wonderful meal of Shepard's Pie with salad and whole wheat bread and some tasty pears for dessert. Campers had a nice rest during rest hour topped off with a candy bar and a letter from home, then they hopped right into the lake for general swim.

During activity period the card games Spoons was a favorite activity, there were also plenty of row boats, canoes, and sailboats on the water. Campers also jumped off the tower, got to go for a ride on the hunter, or play some volleyball on the A-Field.

Every Wednesday and Saturday our hardworking kitchen staff has dinner and the rest of the day off after lunch so we all get to participate in Eat-Out. Eat-Out includes making a sandwich or two right after activity period. Counselors choose a spot on camp to bring their campers, some cabins ate on the rafts, the A-Field, or in the Counsel Ring. The weather was perfect for eat out tonight! The campers are now putting on their dark clothing for evening program tonight. Tonight's game is PIRATES! The campers are split into two teams and are given a “pirate gun”. The gun is a cloth filled with flour. The teams roam throughout the camp/woods trying to tag each other with their pirate gun. The  campers are all dressed in dark clothing so they will be able to tell if they are hit by a gun. If they get hit by a member of the opposing team, then they have to give up their pirate gun, which are worth points. While the two teams ‘battle’ each other for guns they are also looking for their teams’ hidden treasure. Somewhere in camp, two jugs (treasures) are hidden and if they are found the teams get many extra points. It is going to be a great game.

Til tomorrow night!

- The Birch Blogger

Terrific day Two, Tuesday!

Hello again Birch Bloggers! The campers came down to flagpole today bundled up in their sweatshirts and long pants, but no one was complaining especially when they saw the delicious cornbread and hot chocolate on the breakfast table. After breakfast the campers smoothly moved to clean the cabin and get to their camp duties. The first Tuesday of camp is always a fun day because the campers have learned all of the rules for swimming, boating, and the camp schedule so they can move from one class to the next with plenty of time for each activity. Most sports classes today played a fun and fast moving game of ultimate ball, a combination of football, handball, and ultimate Frisbee.

Lunch today was baked ziti with salad and rolls - a meal that quickly puts a wide smile onto everyone's face. Campers sang songs like Princess Pat, The Girls of Asto Wamah, and The Littlest Worm as they waited for their jello desserts. Then the campers moved to their cabins for a nice, relaxing rest hour. Since it was a little chilly after rest hour, campers were given the option to go in for general swim or they could head up to the A-Field for a few rounds Non-Stop Cricket. This game gave some campers a chance to run around and work together. There were still lots of swimmers who were very happy to jump right into the lake, everyone had a fun time!

The class schedule continued as many first years campers got their turn to row a boat for the first time. The smiles on their faces where priceless when they started to get the rhythm of the oars down and moved a big, heavy boat with four or five passengers inside!

During Activity Period campers had the option to jump off the Tower, go sailing in the Hunter, play aquarium games, or go paddle boarding.

Dinner was next, but first the campers learned who won cabin inspection. Cabins One, Old Six, and Six got the winning flag this time! The whole camp went to the lodge for some delicious chicken fajitas and rich chocolate cake.

The evening program game tonight is Spies and Smugglers! Half the campers, the smugglers, will be given paper with a certain number of points to smuggle from the lodge to the A-field. Popular smuggling strategies include hiding the paper in secret pockets, and/or running as fast as possible to avoid being tagged by the spies. The spies will try to catch the smugglers and guess where their paper is hidden. Spies have three guesses, and if they do not find the paper, the smugglers continue on their way. It is sure to be an exciting game!

Signing off for now!

The Birch Blogger

Merry Monday!

Welcome back blog followers! Today I was given a challenge for the blog. I have to do it in a rhyme so here we go...

Today the campers awoke on chilly Columbia lake,

Sue was in the kitchen ready to bake.

She made French toast slices with maple syrup too,

 she didn't have much left over, there were so few!

The campers went back to their cabins, full to the max,

for they had to clean the cabin, do camp duties, get ready for their classes and put sunscreen on their backs!

The day was a sunny one, but windy gusts kept the temperature low,

 The campers were a little chilly in the water but the sailors couldn't wait to go!

The campers started arts and crafts projects such as, bead/string bracelets, gimp, and journals galore,

The sports classes played Nuke 'Em ( a dodgeball game) and all the campers wanted to play more!

The Dinner today was chicken tenders with bbq and ketchup, green beans, and rice,

But the best part of the meal was the butterscotch pudding,which was oh so nice!

The campers went to the store for a  little extra sweet treat,

they were so excited by all the choices they could choose to eat!

Skittles, M&M's, Reeses's, and mentos were popular choices,

as long as during rest hour they kept down their voices.

The campers awoke after an hour of rest,

to go in for a general swim which was THE Best!

The campers then went to play games with the counselors, a period of fun activities and leisure time.

they went fishing, boating, jumping of the tower, and played badminton( a hard word to rhyme),

Supper tonight was a splendid feast,

we ate pulled pork beast!

The sandwiches were accompanied by applesauce,chips, and carrot sticks

The dessert was warm apple crisp,  a dessert that every camper picks!

The game on the field is Capture the Flag,

 The whole camp plays and tries to capture an old potato bag.

Tonight the campers will be read a story they chose,

then they will fall asleep quickly, I suppose :D

-The Birch Blogger

First day of Second Session Girls!

Welcome back Blog Followers! Excited new and old campers rolled down the camp road today at 1 o'clock ready for a full two weeks today! Campers got settled in their cabins and learned (or re-learned) the ropes at Camp Asto Wamah. The campers were first introduced to their counselors and their cabin-mates then went over rules, cabin goals, got a tour of the camp and played some fun ice breakers to get the conversations flowing. Staff members came around to check which boating and swimming classes the campers are in along with seeing if the campers would like to participate in Tennis or Archery during sports class.

When the first bell rang, all the campers and staff sat at our council ring. Nancy gave a warm welcome to all of the campers and went over camp life and expectations - a place where everyone is treated fairly and everyone fits in. Next we introduced the campers to all of our staff including counselors, Sue the cook, kitchen staff, our nurse, boating and swimming directors.

First year campers had their swimming classifications to see which level they would be in for swimming classes and general swim. This gave returning campers some time to catch up with old friends around the tether ball pole, knock hockey tables, and ping-pong table.

The next bell that rang was for our cookees to set up the dinner table and then for our traditional first meal of hot dogs and tater tots with Sue's delicious brownies for dessert, YUM.

As I blog the campers are listening to the rules for tonight's evening program - Medical War! Medical War is always played on the first night, it is a game of dodge ball with a twist. Each team has two medics and four guards; when a player gets out the medic can run to them and bring them back into the game! This is definitely a camp favorite of many returning campers.

It might be a bit too chilly tonight for a Quick Dip in the lake tonight but the cool weather will definitely make it easier to sleep on this first night. Counselors have already picked out what books they will be reading to the cabins throughout these two weeks- a relaxing tradition to help the campers to calm down and fall asleep better at night.

Thank you for reading and we will be back to give all the details on the first full day of camp tomorrow night!

The Last Day!

Today was our last full day of Session 1 Girls Camp. We started the day with a themed breakfast. Everyone came to flagpole dressed as Dr. Seuss characters, and each cabin did a short skit or song to represent a specific Dr. Seuss book. It was entertaining and really woke everyone up! We raised the flag and then ate bagels and cereal. Classes this morning were exciting, since many people learned that they passed into the next swimming and boating levels! Everyone improved so much this session and should be very proud of themselves! Campers who passed into the advanced level of boating or canoeing were able to go out on the lake by themselves during counselor swim and Activity Period today.

Dinner was Texas casserole--a meat, rice, and tomatoes dish, with baguettes and salad on the side. Peaches followed for dessert.

We enjoyed our last Rest Hour and General Swim, and then made the most of Activity Period. Today's activities included volleyball, zumba, aquarium games, paddleboarding, sailing, and jumping off the tower (newly passed level 4 swimmers took their first jumps!).

Supper was meatball grinders, carrots, applesauce, and chips, with lemon cake for dessert-yum!!

After supper, campers went back to their cabins to pack up anything they won't need to use tonight. Soon, we will meet in the council ring for our traditional last-night campfire. We will sing songs, eat s'mores, and give out awards for boating, swimming, track, cabin inspection, and LT trivia.

It has been a truly wonderful session. The campers are sad to be leaving tomorrow, but they are very excited to see their families!! Please come between 8:30 and 10 to pick up your child(ren).

Thanks for reading the Birch Blog!

-the Birch Blogger

Banquet Thursday!

Hip-Hip Hooray, It is Banquet Thursday!! Banquet Day is always a great day at Camp Ast0-Wamah. Campers awoke today excited to start the day before them!  They dined on waffles, with peanut butter and maple syrup ( a camp tradition). They also had their usual choice of cereal along with orange juice/hot chocolate. They proceeded with their usual morning classes, although counselors started to decide who had mastered the required skills over the two week session and were ready to pass into the next level. All the campers have worked very hard and even if they haven't passed their current level yet, they should feel proud of all they have accomplished in such a short time frame.

Dinner today was assorted sandwiches. Campers got to choose from peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish, and egg salad sandwiches. They then went to rest hour while the candlelight reader received a passage of  The Bible to read at tonight's banquet.   The candlelight reader is a camper chosen from their cabin to read a special verse about the goodness of light. This selected camper has demonstrated to their counselors that they are a responsible, helpful, mature, and considerate camper.

The rest hour ended at  3pm but due to the overcast the campers had some extra cabin time to plan out a cabin song they would sing at Banquet tonight. All the campers in the cabins came up with new lyrics to the tune of a camp song. All of camp then went to play a game on the field. The came was called "All around town". The camp was split into two teams, one team was in the field while the other was lined up, as close to one another as possible. A camper from hilltop, lakeside, and seniors was picked each round from the lined up team, to kick the dodgeball to the team in the field. The kicker then, ran around the entire team as many times as possible to score points for their team, while the team in the field caught the ball and lined up as well. The team in the field lined up so they could pass the ball down the line, through the legs of every team member. When the ball reached the end of the line, the whistle was blown and the runner had to stop. It is a quick and exhilarating game.

The campers then went to a shortened fourth period and then a shortened activity period before the banquet supper. Campers dressed in their least wrinkled shirts, many in the camp colors (green and white). Guests of Center Church and Camp Asto Wamah joined the festivities this evening. Banquet is always the second Thursday meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, gravy, and mints. Many campers have been counting down the days till banquet since they arrived! They had Shady Glen ice cream for dessert! Tonight's ice cream choices were chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate caramel crunch! YUM! The campers then cleared their tables in the upper lodge and sang some camp songs and then each cabin stood up and sang the cabin song they wrote lyrics for this afternoon. They were really creative! The campers also received their Birch Barker, a camp newspaper of sorts, it contains the winning team from Sunday's track meet, the winners of all the races, some stories and interviews submitted by campers, and illustrations of camp as well. The campers watched a slide show of pictures taken over the course of the two weeks! There were some funny photos for sure! Nancy then gave out the year awards to campers who are not staying for another two weeks. The campers then sang some more songs and prepared for the Candlelight service. The whole camp receives a candle and as the selected candlelight reader reads, Nancy lights every camper in that cabin's candle. The sight of all the light as the readers read the verses about the goodness of light is stunning.

The campers then blow out their candles and go back to their cabins to get ready for bed. The campers are not allowed to talk after they blow out their cabins to reflect upon the meaningful service. The counselors will read to them and then I'm sure they will be asleep in no time after such a busy day!

Tomorrow is our final full day! The campers will enjoy the traditional last evening campfire!

Until then,

-The Birch Blogger

Wacky Wednesday!

Today was another wonderful day at Camp Asto Wamah. After flag raising and a breakfast of English muffins and cereal, campers cleaned their cabins and did camp duties as  usual, before heading to their morning classes. Sports classes played nuke 'em, and boaters and swimmers worked hard on their skills, hoping to pass as we near the end of the session. Dinner was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots, and bread, with pears for dessert.

Everyone enoyed their Rest Hour, before heading down to the waterfront for a fun General Swim. The water has cooled off a bit this week, making it more refreshing to jump in the lake!

In 4th period, seniors tie-dyed in Arts and Crafts. It was messy but fun, and the shirts (or other articles of clothing) came out great!

For Activity Period, campers jumped off the tower, played volleyball, and went paddleboarding. Others took advantage of their free time to shower, in preparation for tomorrow's banquet.

At flag lowering, we learned that Cabins 1, 4, and 6 won cabin cleanup today! Since today is Wednesday, the kitchen's night off, supper was another eat-out. We ate cold-cut or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pickles, and chips, with cookies for dessert. Cabins went to docks, rafts, the gazebo, and the A-field. It's always nice to have a change of scenery!

For Evening Program tonight, we will play Murder By Night. In this game, one counselor has "murdered" another staff member (someone on their day off), and campers will be split up into teams in to try to solve the mystery. Counselors will have alibis will other counselors, and the one whose story doesn't match up is guilty. It is always a fun game!

Check in tomorrow for more updates!

-the Birch Blogger

Terrific Tuesday!

Hey there blog followers! Today was a B-E-A -utiful day on Columbia Lake!  The campers gathered around the flag pole in the summer sun for the pledge and chicken fat! They ate chocolate chip bread, cereal, oatmeal, orange slices, and drank orange juice/hot chocolate. The morning schedule was the same as usual, swimmers in the upper levels had a butterfly clinic and those in arts and crafts had the option to tie dye today! The boaters worked on their pivot turns and retrieving an oar from the water, while the sailors practiced shouting, "Coming About!" to signal their change in direction.  The dinner today was Italiano! One cheesey dish of Lasagna, accompanied by salad and bread. Dessert was vanilla pudding!  The campers went back to their cabins for rest hour at 2pm and then met back at the waterfront for a beautiful afternoon general swim at 3pm. The campers then went to fourth period. Today the activities being offered for activity period are, sailing on the Hunter (the largest sailboat in camp), jumping off the tower, stand up paddle boarding, and the option to work on their arts and crafts projects! The supper tonight is tacos with chocolate cake for dessert! YUM! Tonight's evening program is LT carnival. The LT's have planned several fun activities for the campers to play. The LT's will each lead an activity so it should be a lot of fun! The campers will be given beans to use as tokens to each game and they can win tokens at the games!

That is all for today!

Signing off from Columbia Lake,

-The Birch Blogger

Magnificant Monday!

Today, we awoke to sunshine and birdsong. We feasted on cereal, cornbread, yogurt, and nectarines for breakfast. A regular morning schedule followed. Dinner was chicken parm, spaghetti, bread, and salad, with frozen juice pops for dessert.

We had an exciting afternoon, due to a special program! After Rest Hour and General Swim, two guests came to Asto Wamah to teach us about birds of prey. They work in wildlife rehabilitation, and they brought with them some of their healing birds. We got to see a falcon, a red-tailed hawk, a baby screech owl, and a barn owl. We learned a lot, and the campers really enjoyed the show!

Because of the program, we skipped 4th period today. However, we still had Activity Period due to the pressing need to practice talent night skits. Everyone worked together to finalize their acts. Some campers whose skits were done went to activities such as jumping off the tower, aquarium games, and yoga.

Supper was grilled cheese, carrot sticks, and chips, with peach crisp for dessert!

After supper, everyone gathered by the lower lodge (the stage) to watch Talent Night. It was a great evening of performances. Highlights included some funny skits, singing and dancing solos, cabin dances, and a zumba flashmob. In between acts, we had commercial skit breaks. It was a fun night with lots of laughter. We have some really talented campers here at Asto Wamah!

Now, all the campers are fast asleep, getting ready for another fun day tomorrow!

-the Birch Blogger

Track Meet Sunday!

Good evening, blog followers! Today was an exciting day at Camp Asto Wamah--track meet! After a hearty breakfast of French toast, campers spent the morning on the A-field instead of going to their regular morning classes. The morning events included the standing long jump, running long jump, softball throw, and 50-yard dash. Campers, split into green and white teams, competed against other campers in their area of camp--hilltop, lakeside, or seniors. Winners of each event earned points for the green or white team. It was a fun morning, with everyone trying their best and cheering each other on. Once the events were completed, everyone went in the lake for a short General Swim to cool off. Dinner was our traditional track meet meal of ham and noodles, corn, and bread. Dessert was apple turnovers-yum!

Everyone recharged during rest hour, getting ready for an active afternoon. Following rest hour, campers had the option of running the "marathon," a race starting at the A-field and going down part of the camp road, finishing in front of cabin 5 for a total of about at half mile. Lots of fast runners showed up for the challenge! Several campers tied with their friends on purpose, holding hands across the finish line, a good way to give everyone a chance to earn a place! After the run, we had swim races. As with the marathon, campers could choose whether or not they wanted to participate. Many people did, and everyone showed great effort!

Following these races, we had the Indian War Relay. This is a whole-camp relay that starts at the top of the camp road and continues into the lake with boaters and swimmers. Most campers were chosen to be runners-- they relayed the baton down the camp road to the lake, where the rest of the campers--boaters, canoers, and swimmers-- brought it home to main dock. It was a close race, but green team won!

After the relay, everyone checked in for a General Swim, a refreshing way to end the afternoon.  After, campers had a little time in their cabins to plan acts for Talent Night, which is happening tomorrow night! Many cabins are planning group skits, and some individuals are going to sing, dance, or do their own act.

Supper tonight was chicken melts, chips, and pickles, with green-and white-frosted cake for dessert! Campers seem energized by all the activity, and supper was followed by lots of energetic singing--a welcome sound!

Soon, campers will gather for a Round Robbin. They will rotate between activities such as obstacle courses and the bucket brigade (a team relay to carry water). In the spirit of track meet, points will be given to the team to finish their relay first. It is sure to be a lot of fun!

Until tomorrow,

-the Birch Blogger

Super Saturday!

Today we awoke to sunshine and no humidity- hip hip hooray! We had a sweet breakfast of cinnamon bread and cereal. Then, we had an exciting cabin cleanup.It was mid-session, so it was the day to switch bunks! Some campers who wanted a top bunk switched with those on the bottom.

We had a regular morning schedule. Boaters and swimmers were happy for a warm day to be on the lake! In Arts and Crafts, some campers finished their baskets-they came out really nice!

Dinner was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans, and bread, with butterscotch pudding for dessert!

Following dinner was our usual afternoon of Rest Hour, General Swim, and 4th Period. In 4th period, sailors enjoyed the gusts of wind in their sails. During Activity Period, some campers worked on their cabin skits or individual acts for Talent Night. Others went to activities offered by counselors; these included jumping off the tower, bracelet making, volleyball, and paddleboarding.

Everyone met for flag lowering and heard inspection winners. Today, Cabins 1, old 6, and 7 won! Supper was another eat-out meal. Campers ate buffet-style in front of the lodge. They were served hot dogs, pickles, and chips, and all of camp was free to sit where they wanted and mingle with other cabins. For dessert, we had cookies and fresh nectarines.

Tonight for evening program, we will have an exciting game of King Dodge, another version of dodgeball!

Tomorrow is track meet day! Check back tomorrow evening for results!

Fantastic Friday!

Hello again blog followers! Today was another cool and wet day on Columbia Lake. Campers awoke to bowls of warm Mapo- oatmeal, cereal, bagels, and orange juice/hot chocolate. The campers, dressed in their sweatshirts and sweatpants, enjoyed the warm dishes! The campers had a normal morning schedule because as 10 o'clock rolled around, the rain let up! The lake water is always a bit warmer on a cool cloudy day,  so campers in the upper swimming levels enjoyed working on their butterfly stroke today. Campers were allowed to get out of class a few minutes early to change back into warm clothes. The campers worked diligently on their projects in arts and crafts and continue to show improvement in their boating classes as well. The dinner today was a camp favorite, Sheppard's pie with salad and bread. The dessert was blue raspberry or lime sorbet. The campers enjoyed relaxing during rest hour and then instead of doing a general swim, the whole camp went up on the A-field to play a game of non-stop cricket. It was a lot of laughs!

The activities offered today were zumba, catch phrase, apples- to apples, Nuke em, and many campers decided to use the period to work on their talent night skits. I look forward to seeing some funny acts on Monday night! Today's inspection winners were cabins, 2,4,&6! The campers had a supper of chicken fajitas with applesauce and chips. They finished the meal with a dessert of pink cherry cake for dessert! YUM! Many campers also received something from their secret sister today. The sisters gave notes, bracelets, and complements sneakily so they can keep their identity a secret.

Tonight's evening program is one that campers wait all year for...PIRATES! The campers are split into two teams and are given a "pirate gun". The gun is a cloth filled with flour. The teams roam throughout the camp/woods trying to tag each other with their pirate gun. The  campers are all dressed in dark clothing so they will be able to tell if they are hit by a gun. If they get hit by a member of the opposing team, then they have to give up their pirate gun, which are worth points. While the two teams 'battle' each other for guns they are also looking for their teams' hidden treasure. Somewhere in camp, two jugs (treasures) are hidden and if they are found the teams get many extra points. It is going to be a great game.

Hope you all had a fantastic Friday! We sure did!

- The Birch Blogger