Session 5, Day 3

Today was another great day here at camp. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing and all the campers are out on overnights now. Alpine is headed to the Estuary Sport, Highlands to Old Ropes, Sherwood to Pirates Cove, and Teens to Neverland.

This morning's program was fantastic! The Alpine girls had a slumber party in The Cove, and Bagira & Bola brought them waffles, sausage, bananas, and more deliciousness. Later, the whole Alpine unit was together and they did a wiggle walk! Those are always so much fun.

Highlands spent their morning preparing for their value session this evening. They spent time outside, in the lodge, and the art palace, decorating and designing pictures that describe them.

Sherwood's morning was really busy! They were "breaking all the rules" here in camp, including dumping cold water on the directors! Other things they did: making their own flag, moving a counselor's bed to the middle of the unit, putting out of order signs on the bathrooms, swinging on the ropes, and a kitchen raid!

Unfortunately, Session 1 Travel Camp has come to an end after spending the day at the BEACH.... Before they left this afternoon, they were able to go kayaking, tie-dying, and to the camp store!

A dismissal for you:
I like Waffles

I like waffles,
I like waffles,
I like waffles,
I LIKE WAFFLES!!!!!

Session 5, Day 2

Camp, it's such a great place to be!

Here is a song to help you feel as if you were here:

On the Loose
Have you ever seen a sunset
Turn the sky completely red?
Have you slept beneath the moon and stars
A pine bough for your bed?
Do you sit and talk with friends
Though a word is never said?
Then you’re just like me and
You’ve been on the loose

Chorus:
On the loose to climb a mountain
On the loose where I am free
On the loose to live my life
The way I think my life should be
For I’ve only got a moment
And a whole world yet to see
I’ll be looking for tomorrow on the loose

There’s a trail that I’ll be taking
Just to see where it might go
Many places yet to visit
Many people yet to know
So in following my dreams
I will live and I will grow
I’ll be looking for tomorrow on the loose (Chorus)

So in search of love and laughter
I’ll be traveling through this land
Never sure of where I’m going
For I haven’t any plans
So in time when you are ready
Come and join me take my hand
And together we’ll share life out on the loose (Chorus)


Today was a great day! The weather report this morning said it was going to rain, but alas it was wrong! No rain for us today, which is great, because our amazing Teen 2's left for their two night overnight. They are headed to some new overnight spots, Mirkwood & Neverland.

I must tell you about how amazing our Teen 2's are. The first day, they already exhibited signs of leadership when running to catch up to those of us carrying the 15 bags of already lost bags from the river. They have jumped in to lead songs, and help out cabins, as well as sweep the lodge! It is great to see a group of teenagers pitch in to help the community.

Now, Sherwood today learned how to be spies.... They went around and scouted out other units to see what they were doing and to keep an eye on them. They found some treasures as well!

Highlands at the current moment is coming back from starstomping! This of course was the icing on the cake! Today they also visited the camp store, art palace AND did challenge course!

Alpine also had a great day, hanging out and being at camp. They had a spa party and painted their nails! Link (Alpine's support staff this week) even had his nails painted in many different colors!

Today ended on a fabulous note for everyone. First, Travel Camp made their final stop at the beach before heading back to Portland for the final leg of their trip. It was great to see them, and hear a few of their stories! Secondly, we had a Talent Show tonight! We were visited by the Glitter Explosions (boy band looking for another talented person). We had quite the groups performing too! Many new original skits and songs, some keyboard playing, and birthday singing. Lastly, Sherwood & Alpine had their own dance parties! They spent their evening dancing the night away!

Tomorrow, the campers will start packing up for their overnights! WooHoo! A night to spend out under the stars!!!

Mother Child 1, Day 2

Good evening friends and family of Westwind. I bet you can't imagine what I am looking at right now. Only the most beautiful sunset ever! It's nice and orange. I'll try uploading the picture, to see if it works (cross you fingers!).

MoCho has been having a great start! Of course, the weather...Not so much... It has rained the both days, but that's not stopping us! We had a BBQ yesterday, played games on the beach, had campfire, with some lovely skits by the Blue Group & Teens, tidepooling this morning, challenge course, tide-dye, hiking, archery, slip 'n' slide, and crafts of course!

Tonight, Shrek & friends visited us and put on a Talent Show. Great skits from families, and of course Balto's annual burp! :D Man he's good at that! Although, last week we had a camper who burped her ABCs!

Tomorrow is another fun filled day, with the camp store, challenge course, hiking, kids activities, art, ocean dipping, High Meadow hike, s'mores, archery, kayaking, and more!

Now the kids are in bed (mostly) and the mom's are having some nice relax time on their own, while the babysitters are watching the sleeping kids.

Oh, did I mention that some of the moms are getting massages?!

Session 4, Day 5

We sure have had a lot of fun this session! I can't believe that the camp session is over tomorrow! It has been a quick week yet again! I'm not sure where all of our time went.

Since our overnight, we've had tons of fun. Yesterday was our all-camp event. It was (of course) Harry Potter themed. The campers were able to get their "fortunes" read, grab some butterbeer, decorated wands, hot cocoa, sought out the horcruxes, and watched the staff act out scenes from the movie. It was great! It ended in a dance party, and all the children seemed to really enjoy it.

Today, we did some service projects at camp. They did garbage pick-up, pulled up thistle, moved the benches down by campfire, and the teens built stairs. They did a fabulous job and both Camp Westwind and the Westwind Stewardship Group both appreciate the campers taking care of our magnificent program.

This afternoon:
- Sherwood spent time at the Barn (archery, bouldering wall, soccer) and at aquatics (kayaking, mudmucking, ocean dipping - their choice).
- Highlands spenti time at aquatics and the Barn as well! There is a really awesome video that Daisy (our own camp paparazzi) took... Unfortunately, I can't get blogger to upload any videos! But, they will be on the DVD.... ;D If you are interested in purchasing that, you can do some on your UltraCamp account. Questions about it, feel free to call Sassy Sarah, the Office Manager, she would love to help you out!
- Alpine had a sleep in breakfast, beach games, lodge hangout, challenge course and had a few value sessions.
- Teens, they are awesome! Today they prepared for the campfire, taking gravel to Highlands, and SHOWERED!! I have to say, Harry Potter + High School Musical + Teens = one EPIC campfire!

I hope you all and a wonderful evening and week!

Happy Camping!

Session 4, Day 3

Welcome to the third night of camp! Right now, camp is quiet. The campers and staff are having overnights (around camp). Fortunately, the weather held off long enough for them to have afternoon sun, and were able to cook their meals outside. Now, it has begun to rain again, so campers are sleeping all over main camp. Alpine is under the LC, Teens kayaked to the Estuary Spot, Sherwood is in the program side of the lodge, and Highlands has split between the program side of the lodge and are braving outside the lodge in the sand.

Today in units, the camp participated in Interest Groups. A favorite of Alpine was Extreme Napping. This is where they discovered how cool it would be to sleep under the LC! Highlands had build & burn, where they built projects, and then had the opportunity to burn them (in the fire rings of course!). Sherwood's continuous favorite are the fairies! The campers love building fairy houses and writing notes to the fairies! It is so cute!

Now to talk about Teens. Our teens this summer are amazing. The session 4 Teen Leads are on top of their stuff. They are engaged in campers, and are becoming more actively involved in the camp program at a leadership level. They have shadowed counselors twice now, and the staff love having them. They have truly stepped up to the plate!

For those of you who are reading this, I'd like for you to know that we still have openings in our travel camp program. One of the trips leaves Sunday. That program is looking for at least one more camper!! The program is open to teenagers. If you have questions, please contact Sarah "Sassy" at westwind@ywcapdx.org, or Janette "Pickle" at janettek@ywcapdx.org.

Happy Camping!

Session 4, Day 2

I don't think that I can describe in words, what camp at the beach is like. The community and energy out here is amazing, and the Talent Show. Oh man! Before I go into that though, I think I need to go back a few days, to Father Child Camp.

This weekend, we ran our first ever Father Child Camp. Now, these dads were amazing with their children, and very involved in the activities we offered. While I was at the archery range, three kids got a bulls eye, not to mention, the dad's were getting all their arrows in their targets! Besides archery, the dads and kids participated in tide-pooling, kayaking, mudmucking (although I don't think anyone did that one), tie-dye, elimination, and more! I know that we are so grateful for all the families that went through this first ever session for dads and their children!

Now, as the families were leaving yesterday, our new set of campers were movin' in! I for one can't believe how fast summer is going! Just yesterday, I felt like I was writing Session 1's blog... *sigh* Okay! Back to Session FOUR! This week, we've decided to be a bit themed... I'm not sure if any of you readers like Harry Potter, but this week... This week is Harry Potter week! We've had campfires, talent shows, and other fun activities that are themed. Now, for those of you who are not a fan of HP, not every activity is HP themed, so don't worry!

The talent show tonight was amazing! One of the campers borrowed Gnarwhal's keyboard and played a song, Alpine had everyone doing a dance party, and there was a great little improve skit with one of our staff (who teaches it out of camp), and her out-of-camp students!


Sad Note: Unfortunately, our Internet out here is too slow, and won't let me upload pictures tonight! Oh NO!!! I'll try again tomorrow...

Sleep tight friends of Camp Westwind!
These sessions are continuing to become more and more amazing as we continue down the summer!

Session 3, Day 3

Hello Friends and Family!

We have had a pretty busy week at camp! For example..Tonight, after dinner we had our last campfire in which a story was told that took us on a ride down to camp. On this ride, they met Murray the Rabbit Boy, Frampton the Crab, a Fairy, a Giant, Poor Boy, Rich Girl, and Baby Moon. (Those are all camp songs) Following the campfire, we thew our hands up in the air, and had a dance party! The Sherwood boys had s'mores while Maid Marion got their snow cones for having the cleanest cabin!

Also, you're never going to guess what happened! The Fairy Queen wrote to the Sherwood girls, and explained that the fairies were all away at camp, but would return and sleep in their new houses tonight. I wonder if they will get more letters tomorrow!

This week, one of our campers made their first sandwich ever! On this sandwich, she put: 2 pieces of bread, mayo, cheddar cheese, strawberry jam, mustard, ketchup, slice of turkey, 2 slices of tomato, and one grape. She was so proud of herself, ate the whole thing, and enjoyed it!

This evening, at sunset, there were 27 elk in the field today too! And, a deer came to visit us at the archery range.

Okay, it's time to say goodnight! I can't believe that Session 3 ends tomorrow! Bring on Father Child Camp! WooHoo!

Session 3, Day 1

Daisy on my Toe
I’ve got a daisy on my toe
It is not real, it does not grow
It’s just a tattoo of a flower
So I look groovy while taking a shower
It’s on the second toe of my left foot
Doo-doo loot doot doot
It has a stem, but has no roots
Cause it wouldn’t look good!
Oh pretty daisy on my toe
My right foot loves my left foot so-o-o
Doo-doo loot doot doot

Welcome parents and campers to session 3, Mini Camp/First Timers! Today was a wonderful day!

Our small session of campers was greeted today by lots of sun and enthusiastic staff! While crossing today, the lifeguards today worked on their kayaking skills while the campers played games with the staff on the beach. They had an active day of games, emergency practice drills and campfire; not to mention our Tuesday Sundaes!

Did you know that the Olympics came to Camp Westwind tonight?! These were not any ordinary Olympics, these were extraordinary Olympics! Countries participated in finding who could drink the most water, fire blow, and some others (sorry, I forgot already!) Mixed in between, we had some fabulous skits by campers! They were amazing, the effort the campers put in to put on a skit on the first night.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!!!

Menu:
Dinner: Spaghetti, meatballs (Veggie option), red sauce, salad bar, "Sundae Sundays"