Sunday, August 4, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I promised another short one today as we said goodbye to our one-week and Period Plus campers. I have just a few notes to share today as we move into the homestretch of what continues to be an absolutely incredible summer.
I have a few things I want to share from the last day or two just to catch up on some thoughts and activities.
The other day at the swim docks the staff and campers had so much fun playing and swimming. It was a hot one, so every single camper got in the lake and had a wonderful time. One of our new swim CITs Ezra I led two unit 3 cabins in water aerobics. The campers had the best time following the staff in the interactive dance activity. Later in the day LTP section came down to the docks for a free swim period. Instead of just swimming we decided to run a crazy fun game of water polo. For those who may not know, water polo is an activity we run at swim where nets similar to hockey nets are placed on either side of the dock and players swim with a ball similar to a volleyball and try to score on the other team’s net by throwing the ball in. This game incorporates swimming skills and land sports activity into one incredibly fun game. The campers got so into the game and had such an amazing time. It was such a close game of 15-14 the campers worked well together and were cheering each other on the whole time. Later in the day one of our very own swim staff was chosen to be one of the eight Northland Games captains for this year’s games!! Maya D had been an exemplary staff member all summer both on the specialty and in her unit.
Yesterday was LTP Prom night! It is more an entire day activity than a prom, but it was Prom night, nonetheless. It actually began with ‘promposals’ where they paired off and made fun, public, and creative prom proposals. Needless to say, everyone said yes, and we were off to the races. They took some time to make dresses out of plastic tablecloth (a sacred and time-honoured tradition here at camp), took group pictures at the docks at Northland Enclosure, got a limo ride from the beach to the Playhouse…and then the party began.
Lunch today was a big deal…or should I say dill? That’s right we surprised everyone with the return of the Kosher Pickle Food truck for lunch. I had the pulled beef on French Fries, and it was delicious. Thanks to Shlomo and the team for making it so much fun and so yummy too.
Today we sent out overnights to Second Point and Abracadabra on Moose Lake. So, if you have a child in Unit 2/Section 2 or TnT, you may have a little one sleeping under the stars tonight.
Well, when we wake up tomorrow it is day 1 with just the group that will ride out summer 2024 together. The camp is a little more intimate, a little less hectic, and seems a lot more in tune with how lucky we are to have these special summer moments together. There is a lot of gratitude in the air. In fact, I just returned from the Unit 1 Gratitude Yoga EP. We did meditations, we did visualization exercises, we did coloring, we shared inspirational readings and quotes, and we shared lots and lots of gratitude. So many campers got up to say how grateful they are for so many things – friends, camp, family, health, yoga mats, camp staff, being able to sleep in a cabin with friends and so much more. We are grateful that we have each other and share this incredibly special magical place we call home.
Onward Northland,
Simon
I promised another short one today as we said goodbye to our one-week and Period Plus campers. I have just a few notes to share today as we move into the homestretch of what continues to be an absolutely incredible summer.
I have a few things I want to share from the last day or two just to catch up on some thoughts and activities.
The other day at the swim docks the staff and campers had so much fun playing and swimming. It was a hot one, so every single camper got in the lake and had a wonderful time. One of our new swim CITs Ezra I led two unit 3 cabins in water aerobics. The campers had the best time following the staff in the interactive dance activity. Later in the day LTP section came down to the docks for a free swim period. Instead of just swimming we decided to run a crazy fun game of water polo. For those who may not know, water polo is an activity we run at swim where nets similar to hockey nets are placed on either side of the dock and players swim with a ball similar to a volleyball and try to score on the other team’s net by throwing the ball in. This game incorporates swimming skills and land sports activity into one incredibly fun game. The campers got so into the game and had such an amazing time. It was such a close game of 15-14 the campers worked well together and were cheering each other on the whole time. Later in the day one of our very own swim staff was chosen to be one of the eight Northland Games captains for this year’s games!! Maya D had been an exemplary staff member all summer both on the specialty and in her unit.
Yesterday was LTP Prom night! It is more an entire day activity than a prom, but it was Prom night, nonetheless. It actually began with ‘promposals’ where they paired off and made fun, public, and creative prom proposals. Needless to say, everyone said yes, and we were off to the races. They took some time to make dresses out of plastic tablecloth (a sacred and time-honoured tradition here at camp), took group pictures at the docks at Northland Enclosure, got a limo ride from the beach to the Playhouse…and then the party began.
Lunch today was a big deal…or should I say dill? That’s right we surprised everyone with the return of the Kosher Pickle Food truck for lunch. I had the pulled beef on French Fries, and it was delicious. Thanks to Shlomo and the team for making it so much fun and so yummy too.
Today we sent out overnights to Second Point and Abracadabra on Moose Lake. So, if you have a child in Unit 2/Section 2 or TnT, you may have a little one sleeping under the stars tonight.
Well, when we wake up tomorrow it is day 1 with just the group that will ride out summer 2024 together. The camp is a little more intimate, a little less hectic, and seems a lot more in tune with how lucky we are to have these special summer moments together. There is a lot of gratitude in the air. In fact, I just returned from the Unit 1 Gratitude Yoga EP. We did meditations, we did visualization exercises, we did coloring, we shared inspirational readings and quotes, and we shared lots and lots of gratitude. So many campers got up to say how grateful they are for so many things – friends, camp, family, health, yoga mats, camp staff, being able to sleep in a cabin with friends and so much more. We are grateful that we have each other and share this incredibly special magical place we call home.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I have a really special voice to share with you tonight. Since we have some campers going home tomorrow at the end of either their one-week experience or finishing up Period Plus, sharing a new unique perspective to leave you with tonight is simply fun. You hear from me a lot or get tidbits of info about different spaces, but hearing about the experience of just one of our supervisory staff members in just one day of camp is a really fascinating read regardless of whether or not your child happens to be in this Unit. [and not to worry, there is still even more to be shared further below...]
Hello everyone!
My name is Andrea and this summer, along with last summer, I’ve been head of unit 2. Last night I was hanging out with one of my cabins, cabin 2-3, while they asked me 500 questions about camp, myself, and my job. In particular, one camper tilted her head and wondered aloud, “Andrea, what do you actually do all day? You appear and disappear, and you keep our unit together, but what does your day actually look like if you’re not at activities?”. Fair enough! As a unit head, every day looks different. There are certain constants, of course, but also many times where you step up and fill in gray spaces as they come up around camp. And so, I present a ‘day in my life’ as a unit head, along with some of the special moments that have made today unique.
Today, like most days, started off with a unit-wide roundup at 8:15am. Roundup is a time where we meet to go over the schedule for the day along with any other announcements. We sing the roundup song, which is a collection of inside jokes from years prior (and that the campers can add on to for years to come) and then I go through all the day-to-day jazz - cabin activities, staff duties, and program planning. After roundup, we have breakfast, followed by our head staff meeting, Breakfast Club. During Breakfast Club, the head staff have our own roundup equivalent. It’s generally used as a time to connect, share highlights from around camp and discuss any niche responsibilities for the day.
10:30am - I start off most mornings by getting ahead of any office work. My wonderful staff have created tons of unique programming for the unit, so today I sorted through some upcoming ideas and set them up for action. Our upcoming few evening programs include Egg Drop, where campers have to build a fort using a collection of materials to protect an egg from cracking when dropped, a Royal Tea Party created by camper Devin G (2-3), and a camp-wide lip sync program, titled Airbands. During this time, I also made sure to organize our Emoji Forms, which are weekly written check-ins facilitated by our Wellness Team. The last item on today’s morning agenda was to check my email and follow up on anything new from the night prior. As a unit head, I have the privilege of being in consistent communication with parents back home. When my campers know I’ll be speaking with you, they’ll often tell me that I’m their “mail express”, passing along little messages to share. I know that it takes immense trust to send your child away from home, and it’s such a pleasure to be able to update you on their highlights here.
11:30am - Now we’re onto my favourite part of the day: feeling the beat of camp. This morning I chose to join a new cabin of second monthers (2-1) at Kayak. It was most of their first time learning to paddle, which was really exciting. We spent the hour playing games in the water and paddling around the lake.
2:30pm - With lunch and rest hour complete, unit 2 was now well fed, well rested and ready for.... another sugar rush The cabins were excited to run down to the office and receive tuck - a chocolate/chip bag and a drink. Our tuck “currency” is a letter home, so during rest hour the campers were all busy writing about their day. Tuck is also the place where we hand out the Emoji Form check-ins. Thus, by the end of the hour, everyone had sent a letter home, gotten a treat and had the opportunity to share anything they’d been experiencing with our wellness team. A three-in-one collaboration indeed!
3:30pm - With one of my cabin’s general counselors on their day off, I knew that the other was caring for her cabin on her own. Thus, I gave her the next hour off while I took over her cabin. We spent the hour making our own fun - we held handstand competitions, tried tricks like one-handed push-ups and pistol squats, and shared silly camp stories from the summer. That hour really showed how a bit of time, enthusiasm and care is all it takes to create unique memories with the campers. When our time was up, I took them down to general swim, where the rest of the unit was gathering. I spent the next hour soaking in the sun, swimming with my campers and hearing all about their day. How awesome is that??
7:00pm - During dinner, campers Romy M. and Izzy B. (2-3) ran up to me, keen on learning how to portage a canoe. I always encourage my campers (and staff) to tackle everything with a go get it attitude, so naturally, my response was “you want to learn how to portage? Let’s teach you how to portage!”. Our head of Paddle, Thomas, was up for the job and took them both afterwards to learn. Check out my corresponding vlog to watch them absolutely rock it!
8:00pm - Last, but certainly not least, we have made it to evening program (EP). And there you have it! A day in my life as a Unit Head. I could fill 10 pages with special one-liners and feel good moments, but I’ll choose my favourite three from today and leave you with that:
And that’s a wrap! Thank you for spending a few moments of your day to read about mine. I hope you’re all having an incredible summer and know that your children are in the best hands at Camp NBB. [See Facebook @campnbb for a vlog about Andrea's day too]
A couple of other areas of camp to explore can come from our oldest and youngest sides of camp. Our CITs shared that they held a CIT meeting where the counselors in training (CITs) filled out their goal-setting worksheets. Since this was the final rotation, we started by brainstorming ideas together. Each CIT then chose a personal goal that resonated with them. Once the worksheets were complete, we unveiled a special surprise. The CIT mentors worked together to create a puzzle, which, as the CITs watched, was gradually assembled. As the pieces came together, they revealed the names of four CITs. When the puzzle was finished, we revealed a large sign that read, “You just got NGC!” with their names highlighted. The group erupted in cheers as everyone celebrated with chants of “NGC CITs! NGC CITs!” The excitement and joy were contagious as we recognized the hard work and dedication of these outstanding CITs throughout the summer. (Northland Games Committee - one of the biggest honours of camp! See pics for the reveals] In fact, today was a huge day as we announced the theme of this year's Northland Games to the camp - a huge event for the campers staying for the balance of camp. Welcome to the Superverse - it is going to be a land of villains and superheroes, good vs. evil, and a battle to see who will win the privilege to paint the winner's rock for the coming year!
Over at Unit 1 they had a hilarious All Day program today where they learned all about mythology. They created several plays capturing the essence of various methodological stories as they crossed into the universe of camp. I was invited as a special guest and WOW! - the planning, the scripts, the costumes, the props, the humour, and the teamwork were just incredible. Thanks to our wonderful staff Eden who created this memorable experience for the entire unit (and for me).
I will make sure to share a quick goodbye to our families leaving tomorrow. For now, I will just say thanks for being a part of our camp family to those who are leaving us, and we have an incredible home stretch coming up for those of you who are staying with us until the end!
Onward Northland,
Simon
I have a really special voice to share with you tonight. Since we have some campers going home tomorrow at the end of either their one-week experience or finishing up Period Plus, sharing a new unique perspective to leave you with tonight is simply fun. You hear from me a lot or get tidbits of info about different spaces, but hearing about the experience of just one of our supervisory staff members in just one day of camp is a really fascinating read regardless of whether or not your child happens to be in this Unit. [and not to worry, there is still even more to be shared further below...]
Hello everyone!
My name is Andrea and this summer, along with last summer, I’ve been head of unit 2. Last night I was hanging out with one of my cabins, cabin 2-3, while they asked me 500 questions about camp, myself, and my job. In particular, one camper tilted her head and wondered aloud, “Andrea, what do you actually do all day? You appear and disappear, and you keep our unit together, but what does your day actually look like if you’re not at activities?”. Fair enough! As a unit head, every day looks different. There are certain constants, of course, but also many times where you step up and fill in gray spaces as they come up around camp. And so, I present a ‘day in my life’ as a unit head, along with some of the special moments that have made today unique.
Today, like most days, started off with a unit-wide roundup at 8:15am. Roundup is a time where we meet to go over the schedule for the day along with any other announcements. We sing the roundup song, which is a collection of inside jokes from years prior (and that the campers can add on to for years to come) and then I go through all the day-to-day jazz - cabin activities, staff duties, and program planning. After roundup, we have breakfast, followed by our head staff meeting, Breakfast Club. During Breakfast Club, the head staff have our own roundup equivalent. It’s generally used as a time to connect, share highlights from around camp and discuss any niche responsibilities for the day.
10:30am - I start off most mornings by getting ahead of any office work. My wonderful staff have created tons of unique programming for the unit, so today I sorted through some upcoming ideas and set them up for action. Our upcoming few evening programs include Egg Drop, where campers have to build a fort using a collection of materials to protect an egg from cracking when dropped, a Royal Tea Party created by camper Devin G (2-3), and a camp-wide lip sync program, titled Airbands. During this time, I also made sure to organize our Emoji Forms, which are weekly written check-ins facilitated by our Wellness Team. The last item on today’s morning agenda was to check my email and follow up on anything new from the night prior. As a unit head, I have the privilege of being in consistent communication with parents back home. When my campers know I’ll be speaking with you, they’ll often tell me that I’m their “mail express”, passing along little messages to share. I know that it takes immense trust to send your child away from home, and it’s such a pleasure to be able to update you on their highlights here.
11:30am - Now we’re onto my favourite part of the day: feeling the beat of camp. This morning I chose to join a new cabin of second monthers (2-1) at Kayak. It was most of their first time learning to paddle, which was really exciting. We spent the hour playing games in the water and paddling around the lake.
2:30pm - With lunch and rest hour complete, unit 2 was now well fed, well rested and ready for.... another sugar rush The cabins were excited to run down to the office and receive tuck - a chocolate/chip bag and a drink. Our tuck “currency” is a letter home, so during rest hour the campers were all busy writing about their day. Tuck is also the place where we hand out the Emoji Form check-ins. Thus, by the end of the hour, everyone had sent a letter home, gotten a treat and had the opportunity to share anything they’d been experiencing with our wellness team. A three-in-one collaboration indeed!
3:30pm - With one of my cabin’s general counselors on their day off, I knew that the other was caring for her cabin on her own. Thus, I gave her the next hour off while I took over her cabin. We spent the hour making our own fun - we held handstand competitions, tried tricks like one-handed push-ups and pistol squats, and shared silly camp stories from the summer. That hour really showed how a bit of time, enthusiasm and care is all it takes to create unique memories with the campers. When our time was up, I took them down to general swim, where the rest of the unit was gathering. I spent the next hour soaking in the sun, swimming with my campers and hearing all about their day. How awesome is that??
7:00pm - During dinner, campers Romy M. and Izzy B. (2-3) ran up to me, keen on learning how to portage a canoe. I always encourage my campers (and staff) to tackle everything with a go get it attitude, so naturally, my response was “you want to learn how to portage? Let’s teach you how to portage!”. Our head of Paddle, Thomas, was up for the job and took them both afterwards to learn. Check out my corresponding vlog to watch them absolutely rock it!
8:00pm - Last, but certainly not least, we have made it to evening program (EP). And there you have it! A day in my life as a Unit Head. I could fill 10 pages with special one-liners and feel good moments, but I’ll choose my favourite three from today and leave you with that:
- When one of my campers jumped into the water during Kayak, another was instantly at her side to hold onto her paddle and make sure her boat didn’t float away. The camper proudly explained that, “We made a pact. She knows that I’ll always have her back, and I know that she’ll always have mine”. When I asked when they made this deal, the other jumped in with, “Andrea, I met her two days ago... so... I guess two days ago!”. It’s incredible to watch friendships grow so quickly here - the magic of camp indeed.
- At tuck, I helped execute a captain reveal for one of our incredible general counselors, Grace. Getting chosen to be team captain for our annual Northland Games is an incredible honour and a special way to appreciate exceptional work. Grace truly emulates what it means to be a wonderful leader and it was heartwarming to watch her excitementat the reveal.
- 3. During my hour with cabin 2-3, the campers came up with their “top 10 reasons why Andrea should apply for head of unit 3 next summer”. While it may have just been a silly conversation, those campers had given me the best compliment ever. If you want me to be your unit head again, surely I’m doing something right, right?
And that’s a wrap! Thank you for spending a few moments of your day to read about mine. I hope you’re all having an incredible summer and know that your children are in the best hands at Camp NBB. [See Facebook @campnbb for a vlog about Andrea's day too]
A couple of other areas of camp to explore can come from our oldest and youngest sides of camp. Our CITs shared that they held a CIT meeting where the counselors in training (CITs) filled out their goal-setting worksheets. Since this was the final rotation, we started by brainstorming ideas together. Each CIT then chose a personal goal that resonated with them. Once the worksheets were complete, we unveiled a special surprise. The CIT mentors worked together to create a puzzle, which, as the CITs watched, was gradually assembled. As the pieces came together, they revealed the names of four CITs. When the puzzle was finished, we revealed a large sign that read, “You just got NGC!” with their names highlighted. The group erupted in cheers as everyone celebrated with chants of “NGC CITs! NGC CITs!” The excitement and joy were contagious as we recognized the hard work and dedication of these outstanding CITs throughout the summer. (Northland Games Committee - one of the biggest honours of camp! See pics for the reveals] In fact, today was a huge day as we announced the theme of this year's Northland Games to the camp - a huge event for the campers staying for the balance of camp. Welcome to the Superverse - it is going to be a land of villains and superheroes, good vs. evil, and a battle to see who will win the privilege to paint the winner's rock for the coming year!
Over at Unit 1 they had a hilarious All Day program today where they learned all about mythology. They created several plays capturing the essence of various methodological stories as they crossed into the universe of camp. I was invited as a special guest and WOW! - the planning, the scripts, the costumes, the props, the humour, and the teamwork were just incredible. Thanks to our wonderful staff Eden who created this memorable experience for the entire unit (and for me).
I will make sure to share a quick goodbye to our families leaving tomorrow. For now, I will just say thanks for being a part of our camp family to those who are leaving us, and we have an incredible home stretch coming up for those of you who are staying with us until the end!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Friday, August 2, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Let’s start by talking about a memorable day in Section 3 that our fantastic Head of Section 3 Jacob W. shared with me. Cabin III-3 had ski, but it was not any normal ski class. III-3 is a cabin with some Canadian campers, and some Israeli campers from the Kids of Courage program through Beit Halochem. This is a program that our camp partners with which brings children from Israel to our camp, who have parents who have been injured in the IDF. Our camp doing this is so special. Kids who have struggles at home and do not feel safe, get to come across the world to our safe camp, full of positivity, happiness, and fun. The reason the ski class today was so special is because it was the Israeli campers first time ever trying water skiing in their lives!! The campers threw on skis, hopped in the water and they all got to try water skiing. I was there for this activity to see these campers try something new and step out of their comfort zone. Special shout-out to Yair L for getting up on skis on his first try!! Not only that, but he also made it look easy! He was able to go around the whole lake without falling which he was very proud of. Also, special shout-out to Ariel H, for getting up on his 2nd try!! Both of them loved it so much. Getting up on skis is such a cool feeling and it warms my heart to see the Israeli campers doing it, trying new exotic activities, and enjoying camp. They both had so much fun and said it was one of their favourite memories of camp so far. Can’t wait for more special experiences for the campers.
Our specialty area called “Sababa” focuses on Israel connectivity and Jewish identity building. One of our most exceptional leaders, Jessie E., helps to run this part of our experience at camp. She observed and shared the following: During Sababa, Mason H went around camp with LTPS-2 and Jonah D head of LTPS doing drive by mitzvahs! They handed out graham crackers, helped section 1 campers get onto the monkey bars at the park, helped A&C tidy up, and sang for people during inflatables! Ezra K came up to me (Jessie E) and shouted, “head staff work so hard!!” and proceeded to hand me a bag of candy!!
Also at Sababa, today, Saige A and I ran a speciality swirl called “Israeli Folk Dancing Extravaganza!” ALL of unit 3 learned a traditional Israeli dance taught by one of our exceptional staff members, Tamar. At the end of our incredible swirl, we announced that Tamar had gotten captain of Northland Games!! Luckily, I was able to catch this amazing moment on video – make sure to check Instagram over the coming days for some of our upcoming reels.
Over at Unit 3 lots of updates today too from the tremendous leadership of Eden S.: Ryan R and Erica A. both got up on the wake surf today for their first time. They were so nervous to start and try something new. But like everything at camp, with some positivity and encouragement you can do anything!! Which they proved to us today.
Simone S. tried slalom skiing today – and put in an incredible effort in such a tough skill. Way to go!
Maya E. And Charley G. Both went water skiing today during fun Friday. Charley said she feels like she forgets as she hasn’t been in 2 years, and then she got up on the first try! She did an amazing job, and we are so proud of her. Also, you may have seen some fun pictures from the TnT (Section and Unit 3) EP (evening program) last night. It was called ‘Paint Wars’! They had so much fun, with the different stations and paint being thrown at each other. There was limbo, slip n slide, dance party, water sponge toss, and life size games like tik tac toe, and connect 4!
One super fun program I came across today just has to be shared in my Simog today. A&C and Windsports combined forces to run an amazing program, known as a specialty swirl, for unit 2 cabin 3. During the “Pirate Painting Palooza”, The girls spent the morning making eye patches, and decorating the hulls of sailboats with their team colours and logos (all washable paints). They then embarked on a treasure hunt on the lake, where they raced to find the hidden treasure (airheads and mars bars taped to a buoy). Goldie G. from “Team CJ” grabbed the treasure first, earning her team some sweet treats out on the lake. Team Rizzlers, captained by Izzy B, made an amazing design on their boat. Despite their defeat, Talia S from the Rizzlers swam her sailboat back all on her own. The rest of the Rizzlers swam out to the other team to all celebrate their victory as a cabin, and it was an amazing representation of teamwork and friendship.
It is when I see and hear all about these amazing experiences these children experience every day that I am most proud of this place we call home. Shabbat Shalom.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Let’s start by talking about a memorable day in Section 3 that our fantastic Head of Section 3 Jacob W. shared with me. Cabin III-3 had ski, but it was not any normal ski class. III-3 is a cabin with some Canadian campers, and some Israeli campers from the Kids of Courage program through Beit Halochem. This is a program that our camp partners with which brings children from Israel to our camp, who have parents who have been injured in the IDF. Our camp doing this is so special. Kids who have struggles at home and do not feel safe, get to come across the world to our safe camp, full of positivity, happiness, and fun. The reason the ski class today was so special is because it was the Israeli campers first time ever trying water skiing in their lives!! The campers threw on skis, hopped in the water and they all got to try water skiing. I was there for this activity to see these campers try something new and step out of their comfort zone. Special shout-out to Yair L for getting up on skis on his first try!! Not only that, but he also made it look easy! He was able to go around the whole lake without falling which he was very proud of. Also, special shout-out to Ariel H, for getting up on his 2nd try!! Both of them loved it so much. Getting up on skis is such a cool feeling and it warms my heart to see the Israeli campers doing it, trying new exotic activities, and enjoying camp. They both had so much fun and said it was one of their favourite memories of camp so far. Can’t wait for more special experiences for the campers.
Our specialty area called “Sababa” focuses on Israel connectivity and Jewish identity building. One of our most exceptional leaders, Jessie E., helps to run this part of our experience at camp. She observed and shared the following: During Sababa, Mason H went around camp with LTPS-2 and Jonah D head of LTPS doing drive by mitzvahs! They handed out graham crackers, helped section 1 campers get onto the monkey bars at the park, helped A&C tidy up, and sang for people during inflatables! Ezra K came up to me (Jessie E) and shouted, “head staff work so hard!!” and proceeded to hand me a bag of candy!!
Also at Sababa, today, Saige A and I ran a speciality swirl called “Israeli Folk Dancing Extravaganza!” ALL of unit 3 learned a traditional Israeli dance taught by one of our exceptional staff members, Tamar. At the end of our incredible swirl, we announced that Tamar had gotten captain of Northland Games!! Luckily, I was able to catch this amazing moment on video – make sure to check Instagram over the coming days for some of our upcoming reels.
Over at Unit 3 lots of updates today too from the tremendous leadership of Eden S.: Ryan R and Erica A. both got up on the wake surf today for their first time. They were so nervous to start and try something new. But like everything at camp, with some positivity and encouragement you can do anything!! Which they proved to us today.
Simone S. tried slalom skiing today – and put in an incredible effort in such a tough skill. Way to go!
Maya E. And Charley G. Both went water skiing today during fun Friday. Charley said she feels like she forgets as she hasn’t been in 2 years, and then she got up on the first try! She did an amazing job, and we are so proud of her. Also, you may have seen some fun pictures from the TnT (Section and Unit 3) EP (evening program) last night. It was called ‘Paint Wars’! They had so much fun, with the different stations and paint being thrown at each other. There was limbo, slip n slide, dance party, water sponge toss, and life size games like tik tac toe, and connect 4!
One super fun program I came across today just has to be shared in my Simog today. A&C and Windsports combined forces to run an amazing program, known as a specialty swirl, for unit 2 cabin 3. During the “Pirate Painting Palooza”, The girls spent the morning making eye patches, and decorating the hulls of sailboats with their team colours and logos (all washable paints). They then embarked on a treasure hunt on the lake, where they raced to find the hidden treasure (airheads and mars bars taped to a buoy). Goldie G. from “Team CJ” grabbed the treasure first, earning her team some sweet treats out on the lake. Team Rizzlers, captained by Izzy B, made an amazing design on their boat. Despite their defeat, Talia S from the Rizzlers swam her sailboat back all on her own. The rest of the Rizzlers swam out to the other team to all celebrate their victory as a cabin, and it was an amazing representation of teamwork and friendship.
It is when I see and hear all about these amazing experiences these children experience every day that I am most proud of this place we call home. Shabbat Shalom.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Another amazingly hot day here with music and sunshine surrounding us up here on Moose Lake. The day today was activities everywhere with all cylinders firing on both the land and water areas of camp. There were bullseyes at archery, first timers on the swing, people who got up on skis for the first time, several people who learned to sail, a trip on the yacht, and so much more. At music, Unit 1 cabin 1 all learned how to play a C chord on ukulele – including Koby, Corey, Zoey. LTPU cabin 2 had an amazing ‘riff off’ at music and in the topic “songs about love” the riff off continued for over 20 consecutive minutes!
As I promised in yesterday’s Simog, here are a few more highlights of some big things happening at camp right now. Yesterday, was the start of our Northland Games captains reveal! Our amazing staff have been working so hard and every year we honour a handful of exceptional staff with being captain for Northland Games. Northland Games is a camp wide event that we run every summer in second month where four teams compete for the grand prize of one year bragging rights on the coveted ROCK in front of the Concert Hall and the chance to hoist the Northland Games Cup high towards the sky. We kicked off the excitement with our first captain reveal - the amazing Jonathan J.!
We created an elaborate plan to trick Jonathan in thinking that he had to move to another section once again, after just moving into section 3. We told him he had to pack up his stuff and move however little did he know, his closest friends and Becca (Head Specialist) and Gabi (Program Director) had been hiding in his cabin waiting for his arrival. Once he arrived, we screamed “YOU JUST GOT CAPTAIN”!! To say he was shocked and relieved is an understatement. His hard work does not go unnoticed, and this honour is extremely deserving. [editor’s note: a somewhat deviant approach to reward awesomeness, but all in good fun, and a longstanding tradition everyone looks forward to – when it is revealed anyways]
We then announced his captaincy at Mifkad along with the introduction to what Northland Games is. The entire camp was so happy for Jonathan and were excited for the hype of the games to begin. What a great way to kick start Northland Games! Watch for pics and updates as the days progress and the excitement builds.
Also as promised, we wanted to explain all the amazing costumes everyone was wearing last night. It was PURIM! To explain the event, let’s welcome to fabulous Head of LTPU, Danika…
Danika here, Head of LTP Unit, back again to update you about the amazing job our LTPs did for our Purim carnival. Our Purim prep started a few days ago when me, Jonah D. and the LTPs met to discuss our ideas. We brainstormed fun twists on carnival games-Purim styled. Some of our stations included Pin the Hat on the Haman, Mordechai Race, Hamentashen Making, and much more. We also cast some campers to perform at the play! The following day, all the LTPs went to A&C together to make banners for their stations and had a great time being creative, using glitter, and working together to make the best signs. Finally, the day came, and right after dinner, the LTPs went to set up all their materials. After all stations were good to go, everyone came to watch the play, aka the Purim Shpiel. Our cast included Harry M as King Ahashverosh, Sarah M as Queen Esther, Samantha H as Queen Vashti, Benny A as Haman, and Eli F as Mordechai. We also had some amazing extras: Avery M, Edan K, Brandon E, Bailey L-M, and DJ M. And finally, our fantastic narrators, Callie G, Jake R, and Jonah K. The play was awesome, and I was so proud of them getting up on stage and showing their Purim spirit. Once the play was finished, everyone was free to roam around our stations and had a blast. We listened to Israeli music, received our Mishloach Manot, decorated hamentashens, made greggors… the list goes on! All LTPs did an incredible job working their station, keeping everything clean, and giving campers an amazing Purim 2024 experience. Thanks for reading!
So, chag sameach I guess.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Another amazingly hot day here with music and sunshine surrounding us up here on Moose Lake. The day today was activities everywhere with all cylinders firing on both the land and water areas of camp. There were bullseyes at archery, first timers on the swing, people who got up on skis for the first time, several people who learned to sail, a trip on the yacht, and so much more. At music, Unit 1 cabin 1 all learned how to play a C chord on ukulele – including Koby, Corey, Zoey. LTPU cabin 2 had an amazing ‘riff off’ at music and in the topic “songs about love” the riff off continued for over 20 consecutive minutes!
As I promised in yesterday’s Simog, here are a few more highlights of some big things happening at camp right now. Yesterday, was the start of our Northland Games captains reveal! Our amazing staff have been working so hard and every year we honour a handful of exceptional staff with being captain for Northland Games. Northland Games is a camp wide event that we run every summer in second month where four teams compete for the grand prize of one year bragging rights on the coveted ROCK in front of the Concert Hall and the chance to hoist the Northland Games Cup high towards the sky. We kicked off the excitement with our first captain reveal - the amazing Jonathan J.!
We created an elaborate plan to trick Jonathan in thinking that he had to move to another section once again, after just moving into section 3. We told him he had to pack up his stuff and move however little did he know, his closest friends and Becca (Head Specialist) and Gabi (Program Director) had been hiding in his cabin waiting for his arrival. Once he arrived, we screamed “YOU JUST GOT CAPTAIN”!! To say he was shocked and relieved is an understatement. His hard work does not go unnoticed, and this honour is extremely deserving. [editor’s note: a somewhat deviant approach to reward awesomeness, but all in good fun, and a longstanding tradition everyone looks forward to – when it is revealed anyways]
We then announced his captaincy at Mifkad along with the introduction to what Northland Games is. The entire camp was so happy for Jonathan and were excited for the hype of the games to begin. What a great way to kick start Northland Games! Watch for pics and updates as the days progress and the excitement builds.
Also as promised, we wanted to explain all the amazing costumes everyone was wearing last night. It was PURIM! To explain the event, let’s welcome to fabulous Head of LTPU, Danika…
Danika here, Head of LTP Unit, back again to update you about the amazing job our LTPs did for our Purim carnival. Our Purim prep started a few days ago when me, Jonah D. and the LTPs met to discuss our ideas. We brainstormed fun twists on carnival games-Purim styled. Some of our stations included Pin the Hat on the Haman, Mordechai Race, Hamentashen Making, and much more. We also cast some campers to perform at the play! The following day, all the LTPs went to A&C together to make banners for their stations and had a great time being creative, using glitter, and working together to make the best signs. Finally, the day came, and right after dinner, the LTPs went to set up all their materials. After all stations were good to go, everyone came to watch the play, aka the Purim Shpiel. Our cast included Harry M as King Ahashverosh, Sarah M as Queen Esther, Samantha H as Queen Vashti, Benny A as Haman, and Eli F as Mordechai. We also had some amazing extras: Avery M, Edan K, Brandon E, Bailey L-M, and DJ M. And finally, our fantastic narrators, Callie G, Jake R, and Jonah K. The play was awesome, and I was so proud of them getting up on stage and showing their Purim spirit. Once the play was finished, everyone was free to roam around our stations and had a blast. We listened to Israeli music, received our Mishloach Manot, decorated hamentashens, made greggors… the list goes on! All LTPs did an incredible job working their station, keeping everything clean, and giving campers an amazing Purim 2024 experience. Thanks for reading!
So, chag sameach I guess.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Tonight’s Simog is just full of celebrations shared with me (from our outstanding Head Staff team) in support of your children! So here goes:
Hi Simog readers. Spencer, assistant head of unit and section one, back here to bring you some more shoutouts to some amazing things I've witnessed around camp. Last night for the evening program, the camp ran a classic; Cabins in Motion. Cabins in Motion is where every cabin in camp rotates to four different mini activities and battles against one another. On my fourth and final rotation of the evening, unit cabin 1-2 and unit cabin 3-4 played human tic-tac-toe against one another. During the game, cabin 3-4 showed the most incredible sportsmanship throughout, cheering on the 1-2 campers with loads of spirit and fun chants like "we love 1-2" and "who is the best? 1-2 is." They even purposefully lost rounds to let the younger girls win some and helped them out along the way. At the end of the game, I announced that it was a tie and that both cabins were the winners. However, 3-4 insisted that I should give the younger cabin the victory, which they then announced themselves, resulting in all the unit ones yelling in joy. Shoutout to Maya E, Ryann R, Jenna F, Charley G, Ash S, Cameron S, Mony S, Liberty S, Abby V, and Ellie W for their outstanding display of sportsmanship and kindness! Thanks for reading!
Spencer back with yet another amazing highlight from camp yesterday. This time, it’s about the incredible fun we had with unit 1 cabin 4 during their inflatables activity. Abby, the head of unit one, and I decided to join them for the hour, and it turned into an unforgettable adventure. What started as a regular inflatables session quickly morphed into a thrilling inflatables gymnastics extravaganza! The entire rest of the hour we spent doing high dive (normal jumps off the iceberg), beam (the balance log), trampolining (the trampoline), floor routine (in the water), and high bars (the monkey bars). Though I only scored a 15/20, everyone had the most amazing time, and all left the inflatables with the largest smiles on their faces, Abby and I included. Shoutout to Kayla A, Sadie B, Emily B, Sarena B, Sarah D, Hannah G, Iriela G, Abby S, and Audrey W! Thanks for reading!
Our unstoppable Andrea (unit 2) shared her observations over the last few days too:
We are all so proud of Kacey K, cabin 2-3, who was rightfully incredibly proud of herself too, for getting up on skis on the rope for the fist time. Way to go Kacey!
There was a really heartwarming moment of encouragement when all of cabin 2-3, specifically campers Izzie B., Romy M. and Goldie G. jumped into the water to cheer on Ori S. (2-2) - a camper they hadn't even met in the unit - during her swim test. The next time Ori went to swim, she asked where her cheer squad was
Lots of tiny sweet acts of kindness to share too... Maya D. in 2-2 giving Maddy B. an extra croc jibbit she won at the social, Ryann in unit 3 running outside of the mess hall to make sure her friend who was sitting outside got dessert, Izzie B. (2-2) offering her rain jacket to a friend who was nervous to step into the rain and Natalie S. in 2-1 excitedly explaining the things she had learned over the day to another new camper, Noa Y. in Hebrew. Camp Northland is the most uplifting community to be a part of every day.
Kira, our absolutely remarkable Head of Swim, also shared some reflections on the past few days:
Kira here! The past few days at Swim have been jam packed. Sunday all the campers came up and we ran second month swim tests. They all went really well, which I’m really glad about. It was also my birthday Sunday, so my birthday present was most people getting their blue bracelet! Then yesterday was quite chill. It was rainy so not much went on. However, today, July 31, has been filled with many fun activities. Today at 9:30, Unit 2 Cabin’s 3 and 4 had free swim. We attempted to run programming with these girls, however, all they wanted to do was play with their friends in the water (it was very cute. They played mermaids and practiced their dives and cannonballs. It was awesome. Then at 10:30 we ran another free swim periods also for Unit 2, but Cabins 1 and 2. Shout out to Noa Y, she is from Kfar Szold, a kibbutz in the North of Israel. She has been trying for days to get her blue bracelet and today she did it. Congrats Noa, I am incredibly proud of you! We all are.
Lauren B., one of our amazing special program team members shared about the prep for Purim tonight (more on that will be shared tomorrow):
Yesterday I went to A&C with all of LTP to prep for the Purim carnival that happened today. Jake R, Ella P and Marlee G made beautiful signs for the Mishloach Manot station that campers went to, to pick up some yummy candy! Other stations included a Marriage certificate station, crown toss, frisbee goals, pin the hat on Haman, a photo booth, noise making, mask making, water taste test, Hamantaschen making, a snow cone and cotton candy station, Mordechai race and life-size games such as Jenga and Connect 4. The campers took such strong initiative to create fun stations for the campers and I loved seeing all their smiling faces!
Eden S., our outrageously tremendous Head of Unit 3 shared her observations on campers of all ages:
Section 3-4: every single kibbutz kid in the cabin went wakeboarding for the first time on the boom, and they all got up!!! (Spencer S. was on the doc taking pictures of it!!) Mazal Tov!
Camp Timberlane teams came to visit today for an intercamp challenge. There were teams of all ages and sports competing. For 16U girls’ basketball most of our team was on the CIT canoe trip (which returned today FULL of smiles and positivity), so we had to improvise. Ellie W, Shelly M, Celia A, Leah S, Emma N, all stepped up and grabbed a jersey and running shoes and played! They did amazing. We lost the game sadly, but the spirits and energy were there. Coach Eden S (that’s me) even played for the last minute of the game, for the first time playing since I was an LTP camper in 2019.
Note: Alex B. Came back from trip today and said it was unreal. The food was amazing, in particular the burgers were great as well as the pancakes.
LTP boys section played soccer baseball in the rain yesterday. It was a thrilling game, they played 5 innings. After Eli F. kicked a Triple, Ben N. kicked a single into the out field and won the game for cabin 1 in the bottom of the last inning. Shoutout to the LTP section staff for making the most of a raining evening at camp!
1-1: all played uno at the core space this morning, they taught one camper how to play and let the one camper who did not know how to play win! Such a touching moment shared by their staff Clara.
Editor’s note: I have so many incredible staff looking to share stories with you that I need to bank a few thoughts to post tomorrow! So, stay tuned for updates on Northland Games introductions, LTPurim, and more when you log in for tomorrow’s Simog.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tonight’s Simog is just full of celebrations shared with me (from our outstanding Head Staff team) in support of your children! So here goes:
Hi Simog readers. Spencer, assistant head of unit and section one, back here to bring you some more shoutouts to some amazing things I've witnessed around camp. Last night for the evening program, the camp ran a classic; Cabins in Motion. Cabins in Motion is where every cabin in camp rotates to four different mini activities and battles against one another. On my fourth and final rotation of the evening, unit cabin 1-2 and unit cabin 3-4 played human tic-tac-toe against one another. During the game, cabin 3-4 showed the most incredible sportsmanship throughout, cheering on the 1-2 campers with loads of spirit and fun chants like "we love 1-2" and "who is the best? 1-2 is." They even purposefully lost rounds to let the younger girls win some and helped them out along the way. At the end of the game, I announced that it was a tie and that both cabins were the winners. However, 3-4 insisted that I should give the younger cabin the victory, which they then announced themselves, resulting in all the unit ones yelling in joy. Shoutout to Maya E, Ryann R, Jenna F, Charley G, Ash S, Cameron S, Mony S, Liberty S, Abby V, and Ellie W for their outstanding display of sportsmanship and kindness! Thanks for reading!
Spencer back with yet another amazing highlight from camp yesterday. This time, it’s about the incredible fun we had with unit 1 cabin 4 during their inflatables activity. Abby, the head of unit one, and I decided to join them for the hour, and it turned into an unforgettable adventure. What started as a regular inflatables session quickly morphed into a thrilling inflatables gymnastics extravaganza! The entire rest of the hour we spent doing high dive (normal jumps off the iceberg), beam (the balance log), trampolining (the trampoline), floor routine (in the water), and high bars (the monkey bars). Though I only scored a 15/20, everyone had the most amazing time, and all left the inflatables with the largest smiles on their faces, Abby and I included. Shoutout to Kayla A, Sadie B, Emily B, Sarena B, Sarah D, Hannah G, Iriela G, Abby S, and Audrey W! Thanks for reading!
Our unstoppable Andrea (unit 2) shared her observations over the last few days too:
We are all so proud of Kacey K, cabin 2-3, who was rightfully incredibly proud of herself too, for getting up on skis on the rope for the fist time. Way to go Kacey!
There was a really heartwarming moment of encouragement when all of cabin 2-3, specifically campers Izzie B., Romy M. and Goldie G. jumped into the water to cheer on Ori S. (2-2) - a camper they hadn't even met in the unit - during her swim test. The next time Ori went to swim, she asked where her cheer squad was
Lots of tiny sweet acts of kindness to share too... Maya D. in 2-2 giving Maddy B. an extra croc jibbit she won at the social, Ryann in unit 3 running outside of the mess hall to make sure her friend who was sitting outside got dessert, Izzie B. (2-2) offering her rain jacket to a friend who was nervous to step into the rain and Natalie S. in 2-1 excitedly explaining the things she had learned over the day to another new camper, Noa Y. in Hebrew. Camp Northland is the most uplifting community to be a part of every day.
Kira, our absolutely remarkable Head of Swim, also shared some reflections on the past few days:
Kira here! The past few days at Swim have been jam packed. Sunday all the campers came up and we ran second month swim tests. They all went really well, which I’m really glad about. It was also my birthday Sunday, so my birthday present was most people getting their blue bracelet! Then yesterday was quite chill. It was rainy so not much went on. However, today, July 31, has been filled with many fun activities. Today at 9:30, Unit 2 Cabin’s 3 and 4 had free swim. We attempted to run programming with these girls, however, all they wanted to do was play with their friends in the water (it was very cute. They played mermaids and practiced their dives and cannonballs. It was awesome. Then at 10:30 we ran another free swim periods also for Unit 2, but Cabins 1 and 2. Shout out to Noa Y, she is from Kfar Szold, a kibbutz in the North of Israel. She has been trying for days to get her blue bracelet and today she did it. Congrats Noa, I am incredibly proud of you! We all are.
Lauren B., one of our amazing special program team members shared about the prep for Purim tonight (more on that will be shared tomorrow):
Yesterday I went to A&C with all of LTP to prep for the Purim carnival that happened today. Jake R, Ella P and Marlee G made beautiful signs for the Mishloach Manot station that campers went to, to pick up some yummy candy! Other stations included a Marriage certificate station, crown toss, frisbee goals, pin the hat on Haman, a photo booth, noise making, mask making, water taste test, Hamantaschen making, a snow cone and cotton candy station, Mordechai race and life-size games such as Jenga and Connect 4. The campers took such strong initiative to create fun stations for the campers and I loved seeing all their smiling faces!
Eden S., our outrageously tremendous Head of Unit 3 shared her observations on campers of all ages:
Section 3-4: every single kibbutz kid in the cabin went wakeboarding for the first time on the boom, and they all got up!!! (Spencer S. was on the doc taking pictures of it!!) Mazal Tov!
Camp Timberlane teams came to visit today for an intercamp challenge. There were teams of all ages and sports competing. For 16U girls’ basketball most of our team was on the CIT canoe trip (which returned today FULL of smiles and positivity), so we had to improvise. Ellie W, Shelly M, Celia A, Leah S, Emma N, all stepped up and grabbed a jersey and running shoes and played! They did amazing. We lost the game sadly, but the spirits and energy were there. Coach Eden S (that’s me) even played for the last minute of the game, for the first time playing since I was an LTP camper in 2019.
Note: Alex B. Came back from trip today and said it was unreal. The food was amazing, in particular the burgers were great as well as the pancakes.
LTP boys section played soccer baseball in the rain yesterday. It was a thrilling game, they played 5 innings. After Eli F. kicked a Triple, Ben N. kicked a single into the out field and won the game for cabin 1 in the bottom of the last inning. Shoutout to the LTP section staff for making the most of a raining evening at camp!
1-1: all played uno at the core space this morning, they taught one camper how to play and let the one camper who did not know how to play win! Such a touching moment shared by their staff Clara.
Editor’s note: I have so many incredible staff looking to share stories with you that I need to bank a few thoughts to post tomorrow! So, stay tuned for updates on Northland Games introductions, LTPurim, and more when you log in for tomorrow’s Simog.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
At camp the heavy heat of the last few days finally broke with a warm summer storm. The relief from the humidity was palpable. When the initial thunder stopped and the puddles formed, the mud and rain dance party began. It was just a warmup for the social (dance party) happening tonight with DJ Bounce Entertainment hosting the event in our Concert Hall.
The weather appears to be better in Algonquin park. Today the CITs are safely settled into the last night of their full-scale trip to the wilderness of Algonquin Park. Amazingly, one picture came through by text showing dry skies, a lot of smiles, and mountains of orange/blonde hair. Now I could leave it at that but tonight I want to peel back some layers as I often do in these Simogs and refer back to some thoughts from a years ago. First of all, with respect to this trip, like all trips (or overnights for that matter), I have no doubt that some if not many of them were apprehensive. Afterall, as much fun as a trip can be, it is still change, uncertainty, instability, and the unknown. It is unfamiliar territory. It means giving up your bed and blanket. You don’t have a washroom or running water. No electricity. Canvas walls. Sleeping on the floor, on a rock, or a root, or some mud. No caterer to make the meals. No sink to brush your teeth. You have to clean your own dishes. No escape from the bugs. On the surface it actually sounds terrible by design. But there are so many layers. When you confront the challenges, and achieve something together with your peers collectively, and at the same time independently, you start to plant new seeds in yourself. When your inner voice starts to change the narrative, the seeds get nourished and new pathways are formed in the brain. “I can’t do It” becomes, “that scared me, but I did so well, and maybe other things that scare me will be ok too”. “I could never sleep on a floor with no electricity and no washroom” becomes “If I can do that, maybe I can also do so many other things that I thought I couldn’t”. Even just the most basic flip on perspective can have life changing impact. In staff training, I remind my staff repeatedly that you can do hard things. In fact, I emphasize that you must continue to get better at doing harder. When a camper leaves on a trip thinking ‘this is going to suck’, but instead loves the food on the fire, feels accomplished with the canoe paddle, loves the singalong by the campfire, secretly enjoys the snuggle of the sleeping bag next to friends, plays shadow figure games with the flashlight on the tent ceiling and laughs for 30 minutes straight as a 16 year-old (or 8 year old), and finds joy in helping the staff cook on the fire and sharing the food with the group, the brain literally changes. Just like that, when the instinct says “this is going to suck” in the future, there are suddenly 15 built in memories that will challenge that negativity. The child is literally going down a different path for their future.
Now take an experience like a trip to Algonquin, or an overnight camping trip right here on Moose Lake and start getting out your calculator because things are about to explode exponentially. So, the next day a camper decides to try wakeboarding. They jump in the water and decide they are brave enough to suck at something new. Think about that for a second. For a child to get in the water and say “ok I’ll try” takes incredible courage. No-one is good at anything when they first try. But we all know that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. So, they try, and the boat pulls, and they pop up for a second, just long enough for everyone on the dock to cheer, and then they fall. Sometimes a good faceplant into the water too. They surface again and signal they are ok, and 5 friends on the dock are shouting “you got this”. One ski instructor offers one key piece of expert advice. Tamar, keep your eyes straight and let the boat pull you up. And Tamar takes the advice. The boat pulls, and she resists the drive to bend her arms at the elbows. She pops out of the water and never looks back as she gets up successfully and conquers the skill. I know she hears all the applause and cheers from the dock. I know she feels the support and hears the cheers from the staff on the boat. She skis all the way around the lake like a pro. Same story when Jacob tries to drop a ski by the way. Same story when Emma and Zoe tried at ski too. By the way same thing when so many people today tried playing football for the first time when The Toronto Flag Football League joined us up at camp. What if I can’t throw well? What if I miss a catch? What if I trip and embarrass myself? Will they know I don’t know the rules? Oh man, where do I begin with the layers here? It is one on top of the other – And those layers are building on the earlier layers, like a trip to Algonquin. Overcoming fear. Managing social pressures. Learning to take advice. Validating your choices. Building confidence. Learning a new skill. Strengthening relationships. Feeling pride. Finding creativity. It doesn’t end. So many layers are often missed when camp is looked at from a superficial programmatic level. Yes, I set you up for this yesterday when I posted all about the fantastic programs we offer your children every day.
So here is my getting to know camp conversion calculator 101 for new brain pathways developed a few years back:
Apprehension + experience = comfort
Trying + Not achieving goal = experience
Trying + Not achieving goal + support = motivation
Experience + Correction = Skill development
Trying again after not succeeding and nailing it = Confidence
Trying + Trying + Trying = resilience
Pushing past comfort zone = road to independence
Opening an outlet for creativity + children = unlimited potential
Children – camp = a million lost opportunities.
So when I post that section 3 cabin 2 had inflatables. What does that mean to you?
To me, it means layer upon layer of achievement. It’s all fun and games but… it’s not all fun and games. Through the play they are increasing social bonds, building self-confidence, setting, and achieving goals, learning success is a series of steps - so no one fails – it is a step in a process towards success. They fall down and get back up, they learn to pick other people up, they learn it’s ok to let others pick you up, and you can keep adding layer after layer after layer of growth.
Now here is the coolest part of all. Eventually, they leave camp and get all grown up. They look polished and professional. They look mature and responsible. And they are. They become business leaders. Teachers. Skilled professionals. Experts at trades. Amazing moms and dads. Community leaders. Artists. Scientists. Doctors. Lawyers. Accountants. Finance professionals. Consultants, etc. etc. etc. And if we could peel back the layers, we would see all of these camp moments that helped to build them up one day at a time. This is my story too having been a camper here at 6 years old. Every good thing that has ever happened to me can be traced back to something I gained or learned from my lifetime as a camp person.
Climbing the rock wall. Getting that basket. Improv at drama. Rafter ball champion. Learning to sail solo. A canoe trip. Getting across the rapids. A bullseye in archery. Wellness tuck. Singing the anthem in front of the camp at Mifkad. Writing a song for the Oneg shabbat, lighting candles, saying kiddish. Learning to braid a challah. Jumping off the top of the Thor. Climbing the Thor, being too scared to jump off the Thor. Changing cabins. Adjusting to change. Learning to ride a mountain bike. Making it to the top of 4/5 rock and looking down at the camp. Seeing the milky way at night, and a shooting star pass overhead. Catching a fish. Releasing the fish. Competing in an all-day. Leading an EP. Enjoying an EP. Being in the play. Winning an award. Getting a swim badge. Writing your name and year on a graffiti wall. You probably get my point by now.
Over time our ‘rough edged’, learning, unfiltered, experimental, boundary pushing, loving, thoughtful, and beautiful children will grow into polished and well-rounded adults. We can’t forget the journey they took to get to that point many years from now. Similarly, we often look at a furnished and renovated building and stare in awe at how amazing that building looks at that moment in time. Sometimes we forget that the building had a weak foundation that needed strengthening or reinforcement, or a wall that was unstable that needed an engineer to assist, or had old and outdated windows leaking heat and costing money, etc. Over time buildings are renovated, challenges overcome, problems addressed, issues repaired, and then one day they look brand new again. But underneath the walls are the layers, the moments, the smiles, the tears, the challenges, and the memories that built that place. I guess kids get ‘renovated’ over time too. But underneath it all are the layers, the moments, and the memories that built them too. And Camp Northland is one heck of a general contractor along the way.
Onward Northland,
Simon
At camp the heavy heat of the last few days finally broke with a warm summer storm. The relief from the humidity was palpable. When the initial thunder stopped and the puddles formed, the mud and rain dance party began. It was just a warmup for the social (dance party) happening tonight with DJ Bounce Entertainment hosting the event in our Concert Hall.
The weather appears to be better in Algonquin park. Today the CITs are safely settled into the last night of their full-scale trip to the wilderness of Algonquin Park. Amazingly, one picture came through by text showing dry skies, a lot of smiles, and mountains of orange/blonde hair. Now I could leave it at that but tonight I want to peel back some layers as I often do in these Simogs and refer back to some thoughts from a years ago. First of all, with respect to this trip, like all trips (or overnights for that matter), I have no doubt that some if not many of them were apprehensive. Afterall, as much fun as a trip can be, it is still change, uncertainty, instability, and the unknown. It is unfamiliar territory. It means giving up your bed and blanket. You don’t have a washroom or running water. No electricity. Canvas walls. Sleeping on the floor, on a rock, or a root, or some mud. No caterer to make the meals. No sink to brush your teeth. You have to clean your own dishes. No escape from the bugs. On the surface it actually sounds terrible by design. But there are so many layers. When you confront the challenges, and achieve something together with your peers collectively, and at the same time independently, you start to plant new seeds in yourself. When your inner voice starts to change the narrative, the seeds get nourished and new pathways are formed in the brain. “I can’t do It” becomes, “that scared me, but I did so well, and maybe other things that scare me will be ok too”. “I could never sleep on a floor with no electricity and no washroom” becomes “If I can do that, maybe I can also do so many other things that I thought I couldn’t”. Even just the most basic flip on perspective can have life changing impact. In staff training, I remind my staff repeatedly that you can do hard things. In fact, I emphasize that you must continue to get better at doing harder. When a camper leaves on a trip thinking ‘this is going to suck’, but instead loves the food on the fire, feels accomplished with the canoe paddle, loves the singalong by the campfire, secretly enjoys the snuggle of the sleeping bag next to friends, plays shadow figure games with the flashlight on the tent ceiling and laughs for 30 minutes straight as a 16 year-old (or 8 year old), and finds joy in helping the staff cook on the fire and sharing the food with the group, the brain literally changes. Just like that, when the instinct says “this is going to suck” in the future, there are suddenly 15 built in memories that will challenge that negativity. The child is literally going down a different path for their future.
Now take an experience like a trip to Algonquin, or an overnight camping trip right here on Moose Lake and start getting out your calculator because things are about to explode exponentially. So, the next day a camper decides to try wakeboarding. They jump in the water and decide they are brave enough to suck at something new. Think about that for a second. For a child to get in the water and say “ok I’ll try” takes incredible courage. No-one is good at anything when they first try. But we all know that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. So, they try, and the boat pulls, and they pop up for a second, just long enough for everyone on the dock to cheer, and then they fall. Sometimes a good faceplant into the water too. They surface again and signal they are ok, and 5 friends on the dock are shouting “you got this”. One ski instructor offers one key piece of expert advice. Tamar, keep your eyes straight and let the boat pull you up. And Tamar takes the advice. The boat pulls, and she resists the drive to bend her arms at the elbows. She pops out of the water and never looks back as she gets up successfully and conquers the skill. I know she hears all the applause and cheers from the dock. I know she feels the support and hears the cheers from the staff on the boat. She skis all the way around the lake like a pro. Same story when Jacob tries to drop a ski by the way. Same story when Emma and Zoe tried at ski too. By the way same thing when so many people today tried playing football for the first time when The Toronto Flag Football League joined us up at camp. What if I can’t throw well? What if I miss a catch? What if I trip and embarrass myself? Will they know I don’t know the rules? Oh man, where do I begin with the layers here? It is one on top of the other – And those layers are building on the earlier layers, like a trip to Algonquin. Overcoming fear. Managing social pressures. Learning to take advice. Validating your choices. Building confidence. Learning a new skill. Strengthening relationships. Feeling pride. Finding creativity. It doesn’t end. So many layers are often missed when camp is looked at from a superficial programmatic level. Yes, I set you up for this yesterday when I posted all about the fantastic programs we offer your children every day.
So here is my getting to know camp conversion calculator 101 for new brain pathways developed a few years back:
Apprehension + experience = comfort
Trying + Not achieving goal = experience
Trying + Not achieving goal + support = motivation
Experience + Correction = Skill development
Trying again after not succeeding and nailing it = Confidence
Trying + Trying + Trying = resilience
Pushing past comfort zone = road to independence
Opening an outlet for creativity + children = unlimited potential
Children – camp = a million lost opportunities.
So when I post that section 3 cabin 2 had inflatables. What does that mean to you?
To me, it means layer upon layer of achievement. It’s all fun and games but… it’s not all fun and games. Through the play they are increasing social bonds, building self-confidence, setting, and achieving goals, learning success is a series of steps - so no one fails – it is a step in a process towards success. They fall down and get back up, they learn to pick other people up, they learn it’s ok to let others pick you up, and you can keep adding layer after layer after layer of growth.
Now here is the coolest part of all. Eventually, they leave camp and get all grown up. They look polished and professional. They look mature and responsible. And they are. They become business leaders. Teachers. Skilled professionals. Experts at trades. Amazing moms and dads. Community leaders. Artists. Scientists. Doctors. Lawyers. Accountants. Finance professionals. Consultants, etc. etc. etc. And if we could peel back the layers, we would see all of these camp moments that helped to build them up one day at a time. This is my story too having been a camper here at 6 years old. Every good thing that has ever happened to me can be traced back to something I gained or learned from my lifetime as a camp person.
Climbing the rock wall. Getting that basket. Improv at drama. Rafter ball champion. Learning to sail solo. A canoe trip. Getting across the rapids. A bullseye in archery. Wellness tuck. Singing the anthem in front of the camp at Mifkad. Writing a song for the Oneg shabbat, lighting candles, saying kiddish. Learning to braid a challah. Jumping off the top of the Thor. Climbing the Thor, being too scared to jump off the Thor. Changing cabins. Adjusting to change. Learning to ride a mountain bike. Making it to the top of 4/5 rock and looking down at the camp. Seeing the milky way at night, and a shooting star pass overhead. Catching a fish. Releasing the fish. Competing in an all-day. Leading an EP. Enjoying an EP. Being in the play. Winning an award. Getting a swim badge. Writing your name and year on a graffiti wall. You probably get my point by now.
Over time our ‘rough edged’, learning, unfiltered, experimental, boundary pushing, loving, thoughtful, and beautiful children will grow into polished and well-rounded adults. We can’t forget the journey they took to get to that point many years from now. Similarly, we often look at a furnished and renovated building and stare in awe at how amazing that building looks at that moment in time. Sometimes we forget that the building had a weak foundation that needed strengthening or reinforcement, or a wall that was unstable that needed an engineer to assist, or had old and outdated windows leaking heat and costing money, etc. Over time buildings are renovated, challenges overcome, problems addressed, issues repaired, and then one day they look brand new again. But underneath the walls are the layers, the moments, the smiles, the tears, the challenges, and the memories that built that place. I guess kids get ‘renovated’ over time too. But underneath it all are the layers, the moments, and the memories that built them too. And Camp Northland is one heck of a general contractor along the way.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Monday, July 29, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Today let’s talk programs! You would not believe how much stuff happens in a single day at camp. Here is a real time review of today’s activities – if you check out the photo gallery, it will all make a lot more sense in real time too.
Every cabin wakes up at around 7:30, gets ready for the new day and has a unit/section meeting at about 8:00 a.m. called ‘Round-up’. They sing their unit or section round up song (ask them to share this with you at some point) and they review the daily calendar. Then, now informed about what to expect for the day ahead they all go to the mess hall for breakfast. After breakfast they tidy a bit and grab what they need for the morning activities that lay ahead. Today, for example, it looked like this:
Unit 1:
If you just skimmed over this, start again! Look at the types of activities your children get to rotate through each day. And this is just a sampling in real-time of what is happening today. Every day is different, the experience of every cabin is different, and throw in some hobbies three times a week and electives on Friday afternoon, every single camper experience is distinct, unique, and customized to make it best for them each week.
Wondering about the CITs? They are on the adventure of a lifetime taking over Algonquin Park with 16 canoes of happiness and excitement. They have checked in on our safety devices indicating their trip is progressing as planned! In fact, the exact message received was “Everyone’s having the best time!! It’s so awesome. Everything is amazing.” Now that is a great check-in to receive.
Everyone’s day of activities ends with a full camp gathering at Mifkad. We tell jokes, share news and announcements, do silly things, and shmooze as a community until dinner.
After dinner and a short rest, every age group has their own evening program (EP) which are different every single night, it could be anything from a game show to a talent show, to a mystery night, to a board game night, to a bingo challenge, to a trivia contest, etc. The limit is only the creativity of the staff. That means there is really no limit. Every now and then we do a camp-wide EP. Tonight is one of those nights. We have a series of mini challenges which helps break down barriers, assist with team building and cabin bonding and add a new layer of community to the camp experience. The EP is called ‘Cabins in Motion’ because that is what it is – moving from one fun challenge to the next all evening! There is a frisbee throw, a relay race, a human knot challenge, a game of ‘soldier’ (a game of patience), human tic tac toe, freeze dance, limbo, lawn bowling, running Pictionary, spud, survivor standing, squirt, ants marching, huckle buckle, and more! Now I could easily describe these to you but that’s no fun…ask your children – they will tell you all about it.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Today let’s talk programs! You would not believe how much stuff happens in a single day at camp. Here is a real time review of today’s activities – if you check out the photo gallery, it will all make a lot more sense in real time too.
Every cabin wakes up at around 7:30, gets ready for the new day and has a unit/section meeting at about 8:00 a.m. called ‘Round-up’. They sing their unit or section round up song (ask them to share this with you at some point) and they review the daily calendar. Then, now informed about what to expect for the day ahead they all go to the mess hall for breakfast. After breakfast they tidy a bit and grab what they need for the morning activities that lay ahead. Today, for example, it looked like this:
Unit 1:
- Cabin 1 had a cabin photo, then ceramics, then instructional swim, then lunch, rest hour, then field games, tuck, and general swim!
- Cabin 2 had a cabin photo, Arts &Crafts (A&C), instructional swim, lunch, rest hour, tubing, tuck, and general swim.
- Cabin 3 had a cabin photo, inflatables, instructional swim, lunch, rest hour, A&C, tuck, and general swim
- Cabin 4 had a cabin photo, adventure (high ropes/climbing wall, etc.), instructional swim, lunch, rest hour, inflatables, tuck, general swim
- Cabin 1 had adventure, soccer, instructional swim, lunch, rest hour, cabin photo, tuck, instructional swim
- Cabin 2 had inflatables, hockey, instructional swim, lunch, rest hour, cabin photo, tuck, and instructional swim.
- Cabin 3 had Sababa (Jewish identity building and Israel connectivity), soccer, instructional swim, cabin photo, tuck, general swim
- Cabin 1 – sailing, baseball, tubing
- Cabin 2 – Music and a double session at the high swing program
- Cabin 3 – Dance, ski, and Sababa
- Cabin 4 – Cabin sized canoe, baseball, and music
- Cabin 1 – Tubing, baseball, and woodworking
- Cabin 2 – Baseball, windsurfing, and sailing
- Cabin 3 – Field games, sailing, and ski
- Cabin 1 – Hockey, dance, basketball, drama, ski
- Cabin 2 – Drama, radio, archery, surf, ceramics
- Cabin 3 – Basketball, tubing, dance, inflatables, sailing
- Cabin 4 – Bikes, ski, basketball, baseball, tubing
- Cabin 5 – Canoe, drama, surfing, hockey, A&C
- Cabin 6 – Ceramics, A&C, drama, kayaking, adventure
- Cabin 1 – surf, ski, bikes, ceramics, radio
- Cabin 2 – A&C, bikes, Corcling, volleyball, Sababa
- Cabin 3 – soccer, volleyball, basketball, mini-golfing, kayaking
- Cabin 4 – soccer, archery, tennis, bikes, and windsurfing
- LTPU– 1 – Dance, A&C, soccer, corcling
- LTPU-2 – Ski, drama, soccer, hockey
- LTPS-1 – Radio, Corcling, adventure, music
- LTPS-2 – Tubing, tennis, ceramics, canoeing
If you just skimmed over this, start again! Look at the types of activities your children get to rotate through each day. And this is just a sampling in real-time of what is happening today. Every day is different, the experience of every cabin is different, and throw in some hobbies three times a week and electives on Friday afternoon, every single camper experience is distinct, unique, and customized to make it best for them each week.
Wondering about the CITs? They are on the adventure of a lifetime taking over Algonquin Park with 16 canoes of happiness and excitement. They have checked in on our safety devices indicating their trip is progressing as planned! In fact, the exact message received was “Everyone’s having the best time!! It’s so awesome. Everything is amazing.” Now that is a great check-in to receive.
Everyone’s day of activities ends with a full camp gathering at Mifkad. We tell jokes, share news and announcements, do silly things, and shmooze as a community until dinner.
After dinner and a short rest, every age group has their own evening program (EP) which are different every single night, it could be anything from a game show to a talent show, to a mystery night, to a board game night, to a bingo challenge, to a trivia contest, etc. The limit is only the creativity of the staff. That means there is really no limit. Every now and then we do a camp-wide EP. Tonight is one of those nights. We have a series of mini challenges which helps break down barriers, assist with team building and cabin bonding and add a new layer of community to the camp experience. The EP is called ‘Cabins in Motion’ because that is what it is – moving from one fun challenge to the next all evening! There is a frisbee throw, a relay race, a human knot challenge, a game of ‘soldier’ (a game of patience), human tic tac toe, freeze dance, limbo, lawn bowling, running Pictionary, spud, survivor standing, squirt, ants marching, huckle buckle, and more! Now I could easily describe these to you but that’s no fun…ask your children – they will tell you all about it.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Familes,
Welcome to The Simog 2.0 (Simon's blog for the second month of camp) I should explain more about the Simog for our new families. My apologies to the veterans - but you were once a rookie too. This Simog will be a little repetitive further down below.
So first, let's celebrate a wonderful first day. We had three buses of campers arrive, including our newest friends from Israel who are already being welcomed into our camp family. All of our new arrivals and stayovers were following the same type of schedule today, just in different rotations. We did our standard Day 1 lice checks. Then, the cabin groups spent time together doing some team building and ice-breakers (getting to know each other in small group games). We had a delicious pizza lunch. Everyone went into the lake for their swim tests. There was a tour of the camp. There was time for unpacking. In the early evening we all gathered for 'Mifkad' - a gathering of the whole camp where we make announcements, do silly skits, creatively introduce programs, and sing a national anthem. Today all of our Israeli campers and staff were called up the front to lead the camp in the singing of Hatikvah. Bruchim Habai'im!
So what is this Simog concept anyways? I have been writing about camp life every day of every summer for the past nine years already - this is year 10. I try to post a blog every day unless we have weather or reception issues that limit my ability to upload. That does in fact happen every now and then so do not be alarmed if I miss a day here and there. I will get you all caught up at the very next opportunity! Every now and then I may ask someone to be the guest blogger. The guest blog opportunities are a chance to learn more about some of our amazing leadership staff, programs, or activities. Sometimes I just mix and match perspectives or reflections or updates from our incredible staff that want to share experiences with you. Today's blog however is all me and is intended to welcome you again officially to this forum. So welcome camp families to second session summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In my blogs I will share various tips and insights as the summer progresses, share the experiences and programs of the day, and do my very best to allow you to feel like you are a part of the camp experience.
For the rookies, the tips I offer are tried, tested and true so please do your best to soak it all in, learn, grow together and enjoy this experience from the outside looking in.
And...there are some important tips you should know at this early stage before we get too far into our summer. Here are two key points to know and understand right now on day one:
Camp Photos
We have a media team at camp made up of wonderful youth leaders who are part of our counselling team at camp. It is a part of their job to take photos and do their best to capture different 'snapshots' of events and activities taking place around camp each day. It is also part of their job here at camp to be engaged with your children, share in supervisory responsibilities, have opportunities themselves for growth and learning and to be a part of the overall camp experience and program. We do not place an expectation on our media staff that they capture every moment, nor every activity, nor every child doing every activity. To be even more specific, we do not ask or expect our media staff to get pictures of every child every day or even every few days. You should not have these expectations either. Instead, our goal is that our media staff take a cross section of pictures around camp throughout the day that creates an overall impression of the types of activities being experienced that day around camp. Do not make yourself crazy by hitting ‘refresh’ all day, or wondering if the new AI face recognition feature through our new Bunk1 photos is malfunctioning! We typically only post once per day. Sometimes we post in the morning, sometimes in the evening, but generally once per day. With that said, we know that you are eager to share in the fun in some way and peer into the window of camp that pictures allow all of you to do. We are happy to share this window into camp but in a balanced and reasonable way. If we do not post now and then, do not panic. We might just be busy and engaged giving your children an incredible experience with all hands-on deck. Pictures will follow soon as we rarely miss two days in a row without posting something for you to enjoy. To improve our picture uploads this year, we have made two changes: 1. Using Bunk1’s platform for this tool; and 2. Adding a strong alternative internet connection creating redundancy and hopefully better uploading capacities.
We typically will post between 50-100 pictures each day. The pictures are designed to share the general experience with you and are taken randomly around camp by multiple people with no pattern or specific design (on purpose). Some of your children also avoid the camera and we do not force anyone to be in our pictures.
Similarly, we find that sometimes parents try to 'read into' the pictures and somehow determine how their child is feeling or what they are trying to express through the pictures. I can assure you that the pictures cannot accurately offer you any kind of accurate assessment tool. If you are concerned about your child's well being for any reason, the only way to get an accurate assessment is to contact the camper's unit or section head.
Remember not to jump to conclusions. For example, you may see pictures this year of uniformed security guards around camp, or the Ontario Provincial Police on site every now and then. This is all part of our incident prevention plan and no cause for concern. Remember, if there is ever anything pressing or urgent to communicate with you, we will do so. We are in this experience together and there will always be transparency and timely communication where necessary.
Your children may also write home to tell you how they are doing themselves, or who they saw, or what they saw, or something they experienced. This process is an excellent way for them to reflect on their camp journey and share information directly with you...which brings me to my second point for tonight - letters home.
Letters Home
The process of writing a letter is incredibly healthy for a child's well being. It causes pause, reflection, thought, expression, independence, and personal growth. While we have facilitated incoming emails by parents (no photos for lots of good logistical management reasons) through Bunk 1, we still expect campers to write traditional letters home on pen and paper. i.e. Campers will not be e-mailing back. They will be writing back. This is in part what camp is all about. Writing a letter is reflective, therapeutic, calming, a break, allows for digestion and understanding, and the process of thinking to getting it down on paper through their fingers holding a pen and writing takes time, patience, and often allows for meaningful communication. It is also often a shared experience at camp where campers chill in their bunks during a rest hour or down time and get to write. It also breaks the patterns they have become accustomed to outside of camp of instant gratification, immediate reward, and technological reliance.
Sometimes when the letters arrive home, they can have challenging content to read as a parent.
Take this example:
Example 1: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am having so much fun. The activities are great, and I have 5 amazing friends in my cabin. The counsellors are hilarious. The food is amazing.
Typically we [the camp office] would never hear about a letter like this one above.
Example 2: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am not having any fun. The activities are boring and 5 people in my cabin pretend like I don't exist. The counsellors suck. Today I ate one piece of bread.
This letter, example 2 above, will likely trigger concern from you or a call to the camp.
So, I can offer two different insights on how to receive these letters:
Remember these tips and tricks and your experience as a camp parent will be much more enjoyable.
I also want to explain a few things you will see as you start to log in or get notifications of pictures being posted. Over the course of the summer, you will see lots of bracelets on your children. Some are friendship bracelets, some are arts & crafts projects, some are just string. Yet, others have specific operational meanings that you may be interested in understanding. Here is a quick summary of the legend:
Medical (Lime green)
These bracelets are worn by campers in the same way a medic alert bracelet would be worn outside of camp (but may have some camp specific nuances) eg. allergies, regular meds, medical conditions, something we may need to know particular to that child, etc.). In an emergency, this helps alert us to make sure we have all of the relevant information needed to best assist a camper at all times.
Special Diets (Dark green)
These bracelets are worn by campers who have special or unique dietary considerations (ex. Gluten free, lactose free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.) to identify them to our Special Diets Kitchen team so that we can ensure the correct campers have access to their meals.
White - Buddy Numbers
Each camper has a number that they use to sign in and out of the water. Our waterfront staff use these bracelets to identify the campers' numbers for signing them in and out of our various water activities. This helps us safely track who is in the water at all times and ensures that the campers remember their correct number.
Swim Bracelets - These are used to indicate a camper's swim test results to our staff. If a camper gets a red or purple bracelet and wants to try to advance their level, they can work with the swim staff to try again at a later time. Sometimes campers underperform on the first day of camp due to a variety of factors unrelated to their swimming abilities (ex. anxiety, cold water, homesickness). In these situations in particular, our staff encourage the campers to try again throughout the summer so that they can try more activities.
Whatever they are wearing and no matter what their current levels or bracelets are today, they are in a place where they can be their best selves, continue to improve, to be resilient and try again, and to achieve success and a lifetime of memories beyond their wildest imagination.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Welcome to The Simog 2.0 (Simon's blog for the second month of camp) I should explain more about the Simog for our new families. My apologies to the veterans - but you were once a rookie too. This Simog will be a little repetitive further down below.
So first, let's celebrate a wonderful first day. We had three buses of campers arrive, including our newest friends from Israel who are already being welcomed into our camp family. All of our new arrivals and stayovers were following the same type of schedule today, just in different rotations. We did our standard Day 1 lice checks. Then, the cabin groups spent time together doing some team building and ice-breakers (getting to know each other in small group games). We had a delicious pizza lunch. Everyone went into the lake for their swim tests. There was a tour of the camp. There was time for unpacking. In the early evening we all gathered for 'Mifkad' - a gathering of the whole camp where we make announcements, do silly skits, creatively introduce programs, and sing a national anthem. Today all of our Israeli campers and staff were called up the front to lead the camp in the singing of Hatikvah. Bruchim Habai'im!
So what is this Simog concept anyways? I have been writing about camp life every day of every summer for the past nine years already - this is year 10. I try to post a blog every day unless we have weather or reception issues that limit my ability to upload. That does in fact happen every now and then so do not be alarmed if I miss a day here and there. I will get you all caught up at the very next opportunity! Every now and then I may ask someone to be the guest blogger. The guest blog opportunities are a chance to learn more about some of our amazing leadership staff, programs, or activities. Sometimes I just mix and match perspectives or reflections or updates from our incredible staff that want to share experiences with you. Today's blog however is all me and is intended to welcome you again officially to this forum. So welcome camp families to second session summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In my blogs I will share various tips and insights as the summer progresses, share the experiences and programs of the day, and do my very best to allow you to feel like you are a part of the camp experience.
For the rookies, the tips I offer are tried, tested and true so please do your best to soak it all in, learn, grow together and enjoy this experience from the outside looking in.
And...there are some important tips you should know at this early stage before we get too far into our summer. Here are two key points to know and understand right now on day one:
Camp Photos
We have a media team at camp made up of wonderful youth leaders who are part of our counselling team at camp. It is a part of their job to take photos and do their best to capture different 'snapshots' of events and activities taking place around camp each day. It is also part of their job here at camp to be engaged with your children, share in supervisory responsibilities, have opportunities themselves for growth and learning and to be a part of the overall camp experience and program. We do not place an expectation on our media staff that they capture every moment, nor every activity, nor every child doing every activity. To be even more specific, we do not ask or expect our media staff to get pictures of every child every day or even every few days. You should not have these expectations either. Instead, our goal is that our media staff take a cross section of pictures around camp throughout the day that creates an overall impression of the types of activities being experienced that day around camp. Do not make yourself crazy by hitting ‘refresh’ all day, or wondering if the new AI face recognition feature through our new Bunk1 photos is malfunctioning! We typically only post once per day. Sometimes we post in the morning, sometimes in the evening, but generally once per day. With that said, we know that you are eager to share in the fun in some way and peer into the window of camp that pictures allow all of you to do. We are happy to share this window into camp but in a balanced and reasonable way. If we do not post now and then, do not panic. We might just be busy and engaged giving your children an incredible experience with all hands-on deck. Pictures will follow soon as we rarely miss two days in a row without posting something for you to enjoy. To improve our picture uploads this year, we have made two changes: 1. Using Bunk1’s platform for this tool; and 2. Adding a strong alternative internet connection creating redundancy and hopefully better uploading capacities.
We typically will post between 50-100 pictures each day. The pictures are designed to share the general experience with you and are taken randomly around camp by multiple people with no pattern or specific design (on purpose). Some of your children also avoid the camera and we do not force anyone to be in our pictures.
Similarly, we find that sometimes parents try to 'read into' the pictures and somehow determine how their child is feeling or what they are trying to express through the pictures. I can assure you that the pictures cannot accurately offer you any kind of accurate assessment tool. If you are concerned about your child's well being for any reason, the only way to get an accurate assessment is to contact the camper's unit or section head.
Remember not to jump to conclusions. For example, you may see pictures this year of uniformed security guards around camp, or the Ontario Provincial Police on site every now and then. This is all part of our incident prevention plan and no cause for concern. Remember, if there is ever anything pressing or urgent to communicate with you, we will do so. We are in this experience together and there will always be transparency and timely communication where necessary.
Your children may also write home to tell you how they are doing themselves, or who they saw, or what they saw, or something they experienced. This process is an excellent way for them to reflect on their camp journey and share information directly with you...which brings me to my second point for tonight - letters home.
Letters Home
The process of writing a letter is incredibly healthy for a child's well being. It causes pause, reflection, thought, expression, independence, and personal growth. While we have facilitated incoming emails by parents (no photos for lots of good logistical management reasons) through Bunk 1, we still expect campers to write traditional letters home on pen and paper. i.e. Campers will not be e-mailing back. They will be writing back. This is in part what camp is all about. Writing a letter is reflective, therapeutic, calming, a break, allows for digestion and understanding, and the process of thinking to getting it down on paper through their fingers holding a pen and writing takes time, patience, and often allows for meaningful communication. It is also often a shared experience at camp where campers chill in their bunks during a rest hour or down time and get to write. It also breaks the patterns they have become accustomed to outside of camp of instant gratification, immediate reward, and technological reliance.
Sometimes when the letters arrive home, they can have challenging content to read as a parent.
Take this example:
Example 1: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am having so much fun. The activities are great, and I have 5 amazing friends in my cabin. The counsellors are hilarious. The food is amazing.
Typically we [the camp office] would never hear about a letter like this one above.
Example 2: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am not having any fun. The activities are boring and 5 people in my cabin pretend like I don't exist. The counsellors suck. Today I ate one piece of bread.
This letter, example 2 above, will likely trigger concern from you or a call to the camp.
So, I can offer two different insights on how to receive these letters:
- Moments in Time: The camper chooses to write about what is on their mind at that moment in time. The challenge is that the moment in time may not be reflective of their overall experience. Letters home often reflect the most recent 'feelings' the camper is experiencing. Sometimes, the process of writing a letter can be therapeutic and the child feels better getting something on paper that is bothering them. That does not necessarily mean their experience is defined by the current feelings being expressed. In example 1 above, the camper may have just played a favourite game, or enjoyed a favourite camp meal, or had a laugh with a counsellor and that frames their experience for the moment the letter is being written. Similarly, in example 2 the camper may have had a single negative experience earlier in the day (like we all do sometimes) and is focusing on the negatives being reflected in the letter. Does that same camper have five amazing friends too? It is certainly very likely! In addition to eating one piece of bread, did he also eat 2 pieces of lasagna and have soup, maybe even with some carrots and celery? In actual fact, these two examples above could have easily been written by the same camper - depending on single experiences or moments that influence the child at the time of actually putting pen to paper.
- The time warp: The second serious consideration is that the mail can take 5 days to get to you from Haliburton. So often, a camper who 'has no friends' is thriving by the time the letter is received by you; the camper who says 'take me home now, no seriously, I'm not joking, you need to come here NOW, like TODAY, PLEEEEEASE' - has found camp to be a home; the camper who says 'nothing here is fun' has learned to push themselves out of their comfort zone and is trying new things and loving it! If we assess a situation and determine there is cause to be concerned about your child, you will hear from us. Of course, we are here to answer any questions you may have or to provide updates as needed but please come from a place of understanding when the letters begin to arrive.
Remember these tips and tricks and your experience as a camp parent will be much more enjoyable.
I also want to explain a few things you will see as you start to log in or get notifications of pictures being posted. Over the course of the summer, you will see lots of bracelets on your children. Some are friendship bracelets, some are arts & crafts projects, some are just string. Yet, others have specific operational meanings that you may be interested in understanding. Here is a quick summary of the legend:
Medical (Lime green)
These bracelets are worn by campers in the same way a medic alert bracelet would be worn outside of camp (but may have some camp specific nuances) eg. allergies, regular meds, medical conditions, something we may need to know particular to that child, etc.). In an emergency, this helps alert us to make sure we have all of the relevant information needed to best assist a camper at all times.
Special Diets (Dark green)
These bracelets are worn by campers who have special or unique dietary considerations (ex. Gluten free, lactose free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.) to identify them to our Special Diets Kitchen team so that we can ensure the correct campers have access to their meals.
White - Buddy Numbers
Each camper has a number that they use to sign in and out of the water. Our waterfront staff use these bracelets to identify the campers' numbers for signing them in and out of our various water activities. This helps us safely track who is in the water at all times and ensures that the campers remember their correct number.
Swim Bracelets - These are used to indicate a camper's swim test results to our staff. If a camper gets a red or purple bracelet and wants to try to advance their level, they can work with the swim staff to try again at a later time. Sometimes campers underperform on the first day of camp due to a variety of factors unrelated to their swimming abilities (ex. anxiety, cold water, homesickness). In these situations in particular, our staff encourage the campers to try again throughout the summer so that they can try more activities.
- Blue (WAK) - This indicates a strong swimmer who completed the test without a lifejacket. They can do all water activities. [WAK is a historical acronym from a time when it referenced 'windsurf and kayak' - now the name is still used but is basically the all-access pass]
- Purple (MR - Minimum Requirement) This indicates a swimmer who is strong with a lifejacket, but is weaker without one. They likely completed the test with a lifejacket on. They can do all of the activities with a staff member (for tubing this is an NLS staff). For waterski they can only use the boom, not the rope. For General Swim they can go into all areas with a lifejacket and can sign in with a friend.
- Red (NS) - This indicates a non swimmer/weak swimmer, or someone who did not complete the swim test. They can only participate in canoe or surf and must be with a staff member. At sail they can only go on the big sailboat. During general swim they can only go in the Junior Area (shallow end) with a lifejacket and must sign in with a staff member.
Whatever they are wearing and no matter what their current levels or bracelets are today, they are in a place where they can be their best selves, continue to improve, to be resilient and try again, and to achieve success and a lifetime of memories beyond their wildest imagination.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
We are still coming down from the exhilaration of such an amazing visitor's day. Thanks for taking the time to share so much positive feedback! But at camp we never have a lot of downtime. Today was back to even more fun all day long. We were excited to have our first day with 10 new Israeli campers joining us from the Kids of Courage program (Beit Halochem Israel). They even came with a surprise - Nadav who participated with us as Kids of Courage staff six years ago returned with the group to help them get settled. Did you know that our current staff Almog was a Kids of Courage camper with us in 2016? How powerful must our camp experience be to draw people back in this way year after year!
They are at the start of their journey and we are so excited for them to be here for this ride. I thought it would be a great contrast to share the words of an experienced staff member who started her journey long ago. The reflections on camp by Andrea G., our spectacular Head of Unit 2, when she was honored to be recognized for her achievements to date by speaking at the burning of the NBB are found just a little further below. But first a quick recap on the day.
We had 'epic' camp day this morning with lots of special opportunities to get access to the high-traffic specialties. There was some organizing and packing time to get ready for cabin moves leading into the second session. Then, all afternoon was a giant carnival for the campers. We had bouncy castles, obstacle courses, bubble soccer, climbing towers, a giant soccer target, a dunk tank, and even indoor laser tag! The sun was out and everyone enjoyed the relaxing afternoon, as they also found more time to get ready for the arrival of new campers to camp tomorrow morning. Campers also enjoyed some cupcake decorating just before we all got together for Havdallah overlooking the water near our flagpole. The size of the camp is more intimate during intersession and it was amazing to have the whole camp linked up arm in arm as we sang the Havdallah blessings and welcomed in a new week together. Hopefully they learned a little bit about overcoming adversity today from the story I shared about the potatoes, the egg, and the coffee beans. Ask them about it! For any new camper parents that have recently joined in reading the Simog, and for those that already know how deep the insights and passion of our staff go, here are some excerpts of one person's reflection on her own journey that once started as a new camper too:
Excerpts from the NBB Burning speech of Andrea G.:
I’m excited to share a bit about my journey throughout the years in this place we all call home.
My camp life began in second month of 2013, when I came home from a friend's house and announced that I was ready to conquer the big scary world of sleepaway camp. Unfortunately for my parents, I decided that the best time to announce this was one day before the luggage truck left for Haliburton. So, the scramble of gathering clothes, bedding, a so called “tool box” and everything in between began. Unsurprisingly, my brother then waddled downstairs and proudly proclaimed that he too was ready for this adventure. And so, three days later with a Toolbox in hand, we were both off to camp Northland. As a camper, I loved camp for all the same reasons you do - the activities, the silliness, the care-free nature of this place and the friendships that came with it. I started off as a quiet and reserved camper in Unit 1... As the years passed, I turned into that camper who never wanted to miss a single activity, trying to convince her entire cabin to come play tennis. I also shamelessly had an era where I was adamant about blogging every waking moment of the summer. But no matter which version of me surfaced each year, one thing remained constant: every year on the bus ride home, I’d watch as we left camp and think about how quickly this summer flew by, and how I couldn’t wait to come back next summer. And so I did… I came back again and again and then second month felt so quick so I came full summer and then I kept coming and growing and learning and experiencing and then a camp-less covid summer passed and suddenly it was 2021...Being a counsellor for my little unit twos - who are now not so little older 3’s - was one of the most incredible experiences. I lived with my semi-random co and now best friend Kira, helping make the summers of 12 beautiful campers their best yet. With my confidence as a staff growing, I really really really wanted to stay beyond my one month contract. Not an easy undertaking in a place that already had too many counsellors. So I decided that I had to become the most versatile, adaptable, hard working, collaborative and creative member of this camp. Every other day I’d leave a note in Simon or Adam's box suggesting a different weird area of camp that I hoped could use some support. I suddenly loved landsports, would be thrilled to be a one-on-one nanny,.. I remember pitching to become a media specialist, proudly bringing Josh (Head of Media at the time] into the office to persuade the team when I barely knew how to work a printer. But low and behold, it worked! I was moved to LTP as a general counsellor and spent the next 10 days giving camp all I had. Over the next year, I lived in Israel and decided that I wanted to bring back my deepened sense of Jewish Identity to camp. Through running Judaica while being a CIT mentor, I had the privilege of shaping a speciality while watching the continuous growth of my soon-to-be staff. And now we're kind of up to speed… last summer and this summer I’ve been lucky enough to run a unit. This has been my favourite role by a mile. It’s hectic, let me tell you. This job pulls you in 16 directions at once and makes me feel like a beginner again. It feels tricky and overwhelming and like a lot sometimes, but it’s also beautiful and empowering and so. Incredibly. rewarding. Running a unit is really really rewarding. I have so much to learn from my campers - their supportive nature, enthusiasm, love for camp and care for others is truly admirable. I love working with my staff, many of whom were my CITs, and before that my LTP campers, and before that my unit 3 campers when I was a CIT. The simultaneous growth we have shared over the past five summers is quite incredible and so unique to camp.
Now, not to act all old at the ripe age of 21, but as I look at all of you sitting here, I can’t help but feel a little jealous of all the camp you have ahead. If you, listening, are a junior shift camper, I hope you think about how awesome it is to come back to camp and have a massive sleepover with your friends... I hope you’re also thinking about how lucky you are to be cared for by all these amazing counsellors who will play baseball with you at rest hour and be goofy or give you a Broadway level performance in the cabin. If you’re a senior shift camper or a CIT, I’m so excited for you to experience all of the core camp traditions that are coming your way. Whether it's almost breaking the rec hall floor on 54/45, running into the lake after LTP fashion show, connecting with your LTP buddies, hosting the NRE awards or leading a team as captain, there are so many incredible opportunities coming your way. Soak them up. Push yourself, and really try to be present through all that camp has to offer. These are moments that will teach you so much and memories that will truly last for a long long time. To you, staff, how special is it to be in a position where you get to mentor and lead and learn and experience AND jump in a lake all at once. This job can stretch you thin, believe me, I know. But I hope you also remember how great of an impact you’re making on those around you, even if it doesn’t always show. In my room, I still have a shabbatogram that my unit 1 counsellor wrote me in 2013, and a “letter to my future self” still sits on my dresser from CIT summer. I still remember feeling on top of the world belting living on a prayer atop of my counsellors shoulders, or how my trip specialist forgave me in unit 3 after I accidentally kicked her in the face three times. These isolated little moments aren’t crazy important, but the message is. You hold the power as a staff. You hold the power to forgive, and empower and teach. These are my collection of memories from staff at camp. One camper. You have 10, or 12, plus that one camper you spoke to during lice checks or another who you helped up on skis. Your impact here is massive, and it doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or intense programming. It comes from smiling, from acting with kindness and from being silly. That’s where the magic lies in being an incredible staff. And to the most amazing head staff team, we're doing the thing! We are so unbelievably privileged to be in our roles, to lead in our spaces and have had this place shape us into the people we are. I feel so lucky to work with each of you this summer.
And so, thank you, NBB. Yes, for teaching me to ski and kayak and climb the wall. But more importantly, thank you for giving me the confidence to be my truest self. For teaching me to let loose and appreciate the present. Thank you for gifting me with the kindest people and for finding me everlasting friendships.
Thank you for being the space where my brother and I get to spend time together. Maybe not to talk all day, or to be actually known as siblings, but for helping us show each other how much we care. For giving us two months to keep an eye out for each other and share bizarre stories that only the other would find funny. I really am appreciative that we get to spend these summers together, Daniel. You’re a good brother. The future of camp is in the best hands... Jump in the lake, keep smiling, eat well and look up at the stars.
Well said Andrea, and...
Onward Northland,
Simon
We are still coming down from the exhilaration of such an amazing visitor's day. Thanks for taking the time to share so much positive feedback! But at camp we never have a lot of downtime. Today was back to even more fun all day long. We were excited to have our first day with 10 new Israeli campers joining us from the Kids of Courage program (Beit Halochem Israel). They even came with a surprise - Nadav who participated with us as Kids of Courage staff six years ago returned with the group to help them get settled. Did you know that our current staff Almog was a Kids of Courage camper with us in 2016? How powerful must our camp experience be to draw people back in this way year after year!
They are at the start of their journey and we are so excited for them to be here for this ride. I thought it would be a great contrast to share the words of an experienced staff member who started her journey long ago. The reflections on camp by Andrea G., our spectacular Head of Unit 2, when she was honored to be recognized for her achievements to date by speaking at the burning of the NBB are found just a little further below. But first a quick recap on the day.
We had 'epic' camp day this morning with lots of special opportunities to get access to the high-traffic specialties. There was some organizing and packing time to get ready for cabin moves leading into the second session. Then, all afternoon was a giant carnival for the campers. We had bouncy castles, obstacle courses, bubble soccer, climbing towers, a giant soccer target, a dunk tank, and even indoor laser tag! The sun was out and everyone enjoyed the relaxing afternoon, as they also found more time to get ready for the arrival of new campers to camp tomorrow morning. Campers also enjoyed some cupcake decorating just before we all got together for Havdallah overlooking the water near our flagpole. The size of the camp is more intimate during intersession and it was amazing to have the whole camp linked up arm in arm as we sang the Havdallah blessings and welcomed in a new week together. Hopefully they learned a little bit about overcoming adversity today from the story I shared about the potatoes, the egg, and the coffee beans. Ask them about it! For any new camper parents that have recently joined in reading the Simog, and for those that already know how deep the insights and passion of our staff go, here are some excerpts of one person's reflection on her own journey that once started as a new camper too:
Excerpts from the NBB Burning speech of Andrea G.:
I’m excited to share a bit about my journey throughout the years in this place we all call home.
My camp life began in second month of 2013, when I came home from a friend's house and announced that I was ready to conquer the big scary world of sleepaway camp. Unfortunately for my parents, I decided that the best time to announce this was one day before the luggage truck left for Haliburton. So, the scramble of gathering clothes, bedding, a so called “tool box” and everything in between began. Unsurprisingly, my brother then waddled downstairs and proudly proclaimed that he too was ready for this adventure. And so, three days later with a Toolbox in hand, we were both off to camp Northland. As a camper, I loved camp for all the same reasons you do - the activities, the silliness, the care-free nature of this place and the friendships that came with it. I started off as a quiet and reserved camper in Unit 1... As the years passed, I turned into that camper who never wanted to miss a single activity, trying to convince her entire cabin to come play tennis. I also shamelessly had an era where I was adamant about blogging every waking moment of the summer. But no matter which version of me surfaced each year, one thing remained constant: every year on the bus ride home, I’d watch as we left camp and think about how quickly this summer flew by, and how I couldn’t wait to come back next summer. And so I did… I came back again and again and then second month felt so quick so I came full summer and then I kept coming and growing and learning and experiencing and then a camp-less covid summer passed and suddenly it was 2021...Being a counsellor for my little unit twos - who are now not so little older 3’s - was one of the most incredible experiences. I lived with my semi-random co and now best friend Kira, helping make the summers of 12 beautiful campers their best yet. With my confidence as a staff growing, I really really really wanted to stay beyond my one month contract. Not an easy undertaking in a place that already had too many counsellors. So I decided that I had to become the most versatile, adaptable, hard working, collaborative and creative member of this camp. Every other day I’d leave a note in Simon or Adam's box suggesting a different weird area of camp that I hoped could use some support. I suddenly loved landsports, would be thrilled to be a one-on-one nanny,.. I remember pitching to become a media specialist, proudly bringing Josh (Head of Media at the time] into the office to persuade the team when I barely knew how to work a printer. But low and behold, it worked! I was moved to LTP as a general counsellor and spent the next 10 days giving camp all I had. Over the next year, I lived in Israel and decided that I wanted to bring back my deepened sense of Jewish Identity to camp. Through running Judaica while being a CIT mentor, I had the privilege of shaping a speciality while watching the continuous growth of my soon-to-be staff. And now we're kind of up to speed… last summer and this summer I’ve been lucky enough to run a unit. This has been my favourite role by a mile. It’s hectic, let me tell you. This job pulls you in 16 directions at once and makes me feel like a beginner again. It feels tricky and overwhelming and like a lot sometimes, but it’s also beautiful and empowering and so. Incredibly. rewarding. Running a unit is really really rewarding. I have so much to learn from my campers - their supportive nature, enthusiasm, love for camp and care for others is truly admirable. I love working with my staff, many of whom were my CITs, and before that my LTP campers, and before that my unit 3 campers when I was a CIT. The simultaneous growth we have shared over the past five summers is quite incredible and so unique to camp.
Now, not to act all old at the ripe age of 21, but as I look at all of you sitting here, I can’t help but feel a little jealous of all the camp you have ahead. If you, listening, are a junior shift camper, I hope you think about how awesome it is to come back to camp and have a massive sleepover with your friends... I hope you’re also thinking about how lucky you are to be cared for by all these amazing counsellors who will play baseball with you at rest hour and be goofy or give you a Broadway level performance in the cabin. If you’re a senior shift camper or a CIT, I’m so excited for you to experience all of the core camp traditions that are coming your way. Whether it's almost breaking the rec hall floor on 54/45, running into the lake after LTP fashion show, connecting with your LTP buddies, hosting the NRE awards or leading a team as captain, there are so many incredible opportunities coming your way. Soak them up. Push yourself, and really try to be present through all that camp has to offer. These are moments that will teach you so much and memories that will truly last for a long long time. To you, staff, how special is it to be in a position where you get to mentor and lead and learn and experience AND jump in a lake all at once. This job can stretch you thin, believe me, I know. But I hope you also remember how great of an impact you’re making on those around you, even if it doesn’t always show. In my room, I still have a shabbatogram that my unit 1 counsellor wrote me in 2013, and a “letter to my future self” still sits on my dresser from CIT summer. I still remember feeling on top of the world belting living on a prayer atop of my counsellors shoulders, or how my trip specialist forgave me in unit 3 after I accidentally kicked her in the face three times. These isolated little moments aren’t crazy important, but the message is. You hold the power as a staff. You hold the power to forgive, and empower and teach. These are my collection of memories from staff at camp. One camper. You have 10, or 12, plus that one camper you spoke to during lice checks or another who you helped up on skis. Your impact here is massive, and it doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or intense programming. It comes from smiling, from acting with kindness and from being silly. That’s where the magic lies in being an incredible staff. And to the most amazing head staff team, we're doing the thing! We are so unbelievably privileged to be in our roles, to lead in our spaces and have had this place shape us into the people we are. I feel so lucky to work with each of you this summer.
And so, thank you, NBB. Yes, for teaching me to ski and kayak and climb the wall. But more importantly, thank you for giving me the confidence to be my truest self. For teaching me to let loose and appreciate the present. Thank you for gifting me with the kindest people and for finding me everlasting friendships.
Thank you for being the space where my brother and I get to spend time together. Maybe not to talk all day, or to be actually known as siblings, but for helping us show each other how much we care. For giving us two months to keep an eye out for each other and share bizarre stories that only the other would find funny. I really am appreciative that we get to spend these summers together, Daniel. You’re a good brother. The future of camp is in the best hands... Jump in the lake, keep smiling, eat well and look up at the stars.
Well said Andrea, and...
Onward Northland,
Simon
Friday, July 26, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Thank you for all of your cooperation today both on the camp side and the city side. I promised today's Simog would be short. This is just a note of thanks and gratitude today for a wonderful first session. I will give our stayovers some intersession updates tomorrow. In the meantime, Shabbat Shalom!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Thank you for all of your cooperation today both on the camp side and the city side. I promised today's Simog would be short. This is just a note of thanks and gratitude today for a wonderful first session. I will give our stayovers some intersession updates tomorrow. In the meantime, Shabbat Shalom!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 26)
It is already our last full day of First session – I really cannot believe this. Every summer it flies by faster than the summer before. You can expect tomorrow’s Simog to just be a brief farewell but…we still have today for Simogging in more detail.
Our CITs are full swing into their program here at camp, these last few days we have been exploring many different topics ranging from values, communication, teamwork, and compromise. Especially after our Maccabiah games, our CITs have unpacked what it was like to be a team captain, NMC, and how to troubleshoot different situations when things don’t go as planned. We ran an exercise where our CITs had pick and agree upon 10 of their most important values, then they could only choose 5, in the end, they could only choose 3, and they all had to agree. It was clear from this activity the importance of giving each other a safe space to express their thoughts and work together to find a common ground for their team. At the same time, we recognized that each individual person has their own beliefs and values and how we could all come together as a team.
Today we unpacked what it means to "love". We looked at the Jewish way of love and the word play from the word אהבה, which ultimately means to give. To love is to give without any expectation for return, and when both sides give, that is the highest level. We examined how this can manifest itself in many different roles, from the workplace, social circles, and the home. Our CITs were riveted by this discussion.
We are working towards one of the highlights of the summer which is our CIT Mock Wedding!
Speaking of summer highlights – last night was the incredible camp play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For this, let’s turn to Saige…
Hi everyone! Saige Applebaum, Head of Creative Arts here. Last night’s production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a massive success! These campers executed their roles perfectly, showcasing not just their acting skills and talent but also their dedication and hard work. There was so much enthusiasm and energy amongst the campers, bringing every camper's character to life. They were all so captivating and shined like absolute stars.
Here are some comments from the audience:
Thank you to our backstage crew, play set design crew, as well as play set design staff, Lily R. They all worked incredibly hard behind the scenes and all of their work and ideas were exceptional. HUGE thanks to the incredible Creative Arts staff whose dedication, support, and talent made this production possible. These Creative Arts staff are Lielle L and Marley S. Special thanks to Jess H as well, who is a Ski/Tube staff but came down to play practice any chance she got. All of their hard work, creativity, and patience were essential to making this play possible. Finally, thank you to my dance staff Ryann R and Rylee BH for helping with music, choreo, and other production aspects. Thanks for tuning in, hope to see you all soon!
This afternoon senior shift also got to be entertained by an incredible LTP fashion show – it was so much fun. So many campers came out of their shells and showed us who they are. Congrats to all of the LTP campers and staff on an amazing show.
Admittedly it can’t always be a bed of roses. The last day and night of camp can be really tricky for campers and staff alike. There so many complex emotions swirling in the heads and minds of every person in camp. It becomes even more complicated because both the range of emotions and the drivers of specific emotions are different and unique to each of the hundreds of individuals that are sharing a collective experience together. Some are staying at camp for period plus or full summer who have to say goodbye to friends leaving. Others know they are leaving and have to capture and cherish final moments at this special place and process what all of this means. Then they get on a bus or get picked up tomorrow to go home. Hmmm extremely complex emotions…
So, enter our Camper and Staff Wellness expert Daniela, our seasonal Assistant Director (with some edits and input from Stacia) for the semi-annual ‘camp-sickness’ reminder:
Hi everybody,
For those of you who don't know me, I am one of our seasonal Assistant Directors, also overseeing camper and staff wellness. I am a social worker by trade, and this is my tenth summer as a part of the Directing Team at Camp Northland. Not only do I get the pleasure of working with so many amazing staff and spending time with wonderful campers, but I also get to watch my own three children play, grow, and enjoy this awesome place.
I have the benefit of both personal and professional experience to talk about an infrequently discussed, yet very real phenomenon...Campsickness. Defined (by me) as: feelings of nostalgia for the happiest place on earth; longing for spending time with friends, missing fun activities, and the deep wanting for the carefree life of being a camper. This blog is dedicated to Campsickness, it's real and it's about to be upon (some of) you, but soon enough all of you.
Homesickness is one of the most frequent challenges a camper can face. Generally, it can last a few days and with some extra special attention and lots of fun activities, each day is better than the last. Parents are often in touch with worries about how their children are adjusting to camp and whether they are homesick. What doesn't get discussed is when kids return home and are "campsick." The adjustment home can be quite the struggle, and campers need a few days for a readjustment period. I know I am *slightly* biased, but Camp Northland is such an amazing place that as a result, we have set your children's expectations for summer entertainment very high.
Coming home from camp will mean a lot of changes and it can be a shock to a child's system to return to regular life. Here are some tips and tricks to ease the transition:
Take this time to enjoy your children, just as we have for the past several weeks.
[Editor’s note: Isn’t Daniela awesome? Campsickness – makes total sense.]
Well, the reality is setting in that for several buses full of campers, these experiences are shortly coming to an end for this summer for first session campers. In just a few minutes we will be gathering in the Concert Hall to watch the summer videos, and a slide show put together by our incredible media team to recap many of the summer memories to date in a visual presentation.
When the slide show ends, the sun will be down and we will take a walk down towards the Northland Enclosure where the NBB stands ready for NBB Burning fire sign, and some opportunity for collective reflection. There will be tears and there will be hugging. There will be laughter and singing. There will be special moments privately and all together.
Some of the staff that have been exceptional contributors will be honored with a tradition of making a burning speech to capture the moments we have shared together. Others will be recognized as torch bearers and have the privilege to light the NBB for us tonight. If you see pictures of these staff, pay attention. They are the superheroes of the summer. They are the ones that have worked day and night, tirelessly, and in such a selfless way to raise all of our children up this summer. If you have the chance to read a burning speech or two (watch for postings on Facebook), please do so. Their reflections often remind me of just how important camp is to everyone here, and why camp matters so much.
For those families taking your children back home tomorrow, hold them tight and enjoy having them back. It was a privilege to have each of them as part of our summer experience. This is a special place because of the people that choose to join this camp family. You put your trust in us, and we don’t take that for granted. We appreciate you. We appreciate your children, and we look forward to seeing all of you back for summer 2025.
For our campers and parents of Period Plus and full summer campers, and those joining us on Sunday, fasten your seatbelts. We are just getting started.
For those of you coming to visit tomorrow, we can’t wait to welcome you to our summer home. Please drive carefully. Also, please don’t come early. The gates will not open early, and traffic creates a hazard of the roadway. The OPP has advised us they will be out to enforce any safety concerns or violations. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Onward Northland,
Simon
It is already our last full day of First session – I really cannot believe this. Every summer it flies by faster than the summer before. You can expect tomorrow’s Simog to just be a brief farewell but…we still have today for Simogging in more detail.
Our CITs are full swing into their program here at camp, these last few days we have been exploring many different topics ranging from values, communication, teamwork, and compromise. Especially after our Maccabiah games, our CITs have unpacked what it was like to be a team captain, NMC, and how to troubleshoot different situations when things don’t go as planned. We ran an exercise where our CITs had pick and agree upon 10 of their most important values, then they could only choose 5, in the end, they could only choose 3, and they all had to agree. It was clear from this activity the importance of giving each other a safe space to express their thoughts and work together to find a common ground for their team. At the same time, we recognized that each individual person has their own beliefs and values and how we could all come together as a team.
Today we unpacked what it means to "love". We looked at the Jewish way of love and the word play from the word אהבה, which ultimately means to give. To love is to give without any expectation for return, and when both sides give, that is the highest level. We examined how this can manifest itself in many different roles, from the workplace, social circles, and the home. Our CITs were riveted by this discussion.
We are working towards one of the highlights of the summer which is our CIT Mock Wedding!
Speaking of summer highlights – last night was the incredible camp play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For this, let’s turn to Saige…
Hi everyone! Saige Applebaum, Head of Creative Arts here. Last night’s production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a massive success! These campers executed their roles perfectly, showcasing not just their acting skills and talent but also their dedication and hard work. There was so much enthusiasm and energy amongst the campers, bringing every camper's character to life. They were all so captivating and shined like absolute stars.
Here are some comments from the audience:
- “The Oompa Loompas were adorable and so funny.”
- “Oompa Loompa encore!!”
- “All of the Salts really embodied their character!”
- “Veruca (Lauryn G) and Veronica’s (Gabby T) song was AMAZING.”
- “Charlie (Lev P) and Grandpa Joe (Talia G) were an awesome duo.”
- “Charlie (Lev P) and Wonka (Noa P) are naturals.”
- “How did Wonka (Noa P) memorize all of those lines?!”
- “It was so cool when Violet (Ayla L) turned violet.”
- “Mike TV (Devin G) and his mom (Gabby M) had contagious energy.”
- “Augustus (Dagney S) and Mrs.Gloop (Izzy were so funny.”
- “Backstage crew was so efficient.”
- “Overall acting was phenomenal.”
Thank you to our backstage crew, play set design crew, as well as play set design staff, Lily R. They all worked incredibly hard behind the scenes and all of their work and ideas were exceptional. HUGE thanks to the incredible Creative Arts staff whose dedication, support, and talent made this production possible. These Creative Arts staff are Lielle L and Marley S. Special thanks to Jess H as well, who is a Ski/Tube staff but came down to play practice any chance she got. All of their hard work, creativity, and patience were essential to making this play possible. Finally, thank you to my dance staff Ryann R and Rylee BH for helping with music, choreo, and other production aspects. Thanks for tuning in, hope to see you all soon!
This afternoon senior shift also got to be entertained by an incredible LTP fashion show – it was so much fun. So many campers came out of their shells and showed us who they are. Congrats to all of the LTP campers and staff on an amazing show.
Admittedly it can’t always be a bed of roses. The last day and night of camp can be really tricky for campers and staff alike. There so many complex emotions swirling in the heads and minds of every person in camp. It becomes even more complicated because both the range of emotions and the drivers of specific emotions are different and unique to each of the hundreds of individuals that are sharing a collective experience together. Some are staying at camp for period plus or full summer who have to say goodbye to friends leaving. Others know they are leaving and have to capture and cherish final moments at this special place and process what all of this means. Then they get on a bus or get picked up tomorrow to go home. Hmmm extremely complex emotions…
So, enter our Camper and Staff Wellness expert Daniela, our seasonal Assistant Director (with some edits and input from Stacia) for the semi-annual ‘camp-sickness’ reminder:
Hi everybody,
For those of you who don't know me, I am one of our seasonal Assistant Directors, also overseeing camper and staff wellness. I am a social worker by trade, and this is my tenth summer as a part of the Directing Team at Camp Northland. Not only do I get the pleasure of working with so many amazing staff and spending time with wonderful campers, but I also get to watch my own three children play, grow, and enjoy this awesome place.
I have the benefit of both personal and professional experience to talk about an infrequently discussed, yet very real phenomenon...Campsickness. Defined (by me) as: feelings of nostalgia for the happiest place on earth; longing for spending time with friends, missing fun activities, and the deep wanting for the carefree life of being a camper. This blog is dedicated to Campsickness, it's real and it's about to be upon (some of) you, but soon enough all of you.
Homesickness is one of the most frequent challenges a camper can face. Generally, it can last a few days and with some extra special attention and lots of fun activities, each day is better than the last. Parents are often in touch with worries about how their children are adjusting to camp and whether they are homesick. What doesn't get discussed is when kids return home and are "campsick." The adjustment home can be quite the struggle, and campers need a few days for a readjustment period. I know I am *slightly* biased, but Camp Northland is such an amazing place that as a result, we have set your children's expectations for summer entertainment very high.
Coming home from camp will mean a lot of changes and it can be a shock to a child's system to return to regular life. Here are some tips and tricks to ease the transition:
- Campers are used to being constantly engaged, whether through amazing programming during the day, a fun evening program (EP) or hanging out with friends. It's like the biggest, longest sleepover! Falling asleep in a quiet bed, all by yourself may take a few days of adjustment. You may need to spend some extra time with them at bedtime, perhaps playing music or just being nearby.
- One of the things I love about camp, and why I believe it is such a wonderful opportunity for kids is the chance to build on valuable skills like independence, increased maturity, social skills, and decision-making. The child you sent to camp, likely isn't the same one returning, and all for the better. It may take some time to evaluate the growth your child has experienced and adjust your parenting accordingly. You may be able to have increased expectations, give a little more independence and sit back and enjoy! Talk to your kids about what they did at camp, what their responsibilities were, and see how you can incorporate some of those tasks into their home life. It will maintain a sense of responsibility that they acquired at camp. While at camp, all campers set and clear their tables at meals, put their laundry away and regularly clean their cabins, it's time to capitalize on those skills!
- Keep them busy!! You may (correctly) assume your kids need a good amount of sleep and some quiet time to rest, however, in a counterintuitive move, I would suggest having some plans at the ready to keep them engaged over the first few days. It will likely be a shock to their system to go from 100 to 0 when they get off the bus. Now's a great time to check out a baseball game, go-carting, or bowling!
- Pick your battles - your child may be on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster that would be best if you didn't get on for the ride. You may see some moodiness and sadness, you will definitely see tiredness and a desire to be constantly engaged, and there could also be some clinginess and looking for cuddles. Basically, all the emotions rolled into one. Keep in mind that there is a transition when kids arrive and become campers, but there is also a significant transition back to being a kid!
- Some bad habits may have been picked up that you will need to break. Anything from random dance parties during meals to an unsettling comfort with dirty feet! I apologize on behalf of everyone, but it cannot be helped! Maybe some of the differences are not bad habits at all. Time will tell.
Take this time to enjoy your children, just as we have for the past several weeks.
[Editor’s note: Isn’t Daniela awesome? Campsickness – makes total sense.]
Well, the reality is setting in that for several buses full of campers, these experiences are shortly coming to an end for this summer for first session campers. In just a few minutes we will be gathering in the Concert Hall to watch the summer videos, and a slide show put together by our incredible media team to recap many of the summer memories to date in a visual presentation.
When the slide show ends, the sun will be down and we will take a walk down towards the Northland Enclosure where the NBB stands ready for NBB Burning fire sign, and some opportunity for collective reflection. There will be tears and there will be hugging. There will be laughter and singing. There will be special moments privately and all together.
Some of the staff that have been exceptional contributors will be honored with a tradition of making a burning speech to capture the moments we have shared together. Others will be recognized as torch bearers and have the privilege to light the NBB for us tonight. If you see pictures of these staff, pay attention. They are the superheroes of the summer. They are the ones that have worked day and night, tirelessly, and in such a selfless way to raise all of our children up this summer. If you have the chance to read a burning speech or two (watch for postings on Facebook), please do so. Their reflections often remind me of just how important camp is to everyone here, and why camp matters so much.
For those families taking your children back home tomorrow, hold them tight and enjoy having them back. It was a privilege to have each of them as part of our summer experience. This is a special place because of the people that choose to join this camp family. You put your trust in us, and we don’t take that for granted. We appreciate you. We appreciate your children, and we look forward to seeing all of you back for summer 2025.
For our campers and parents of Period Plus and full summer campers, and those joining us on Sunday, fasten your seatbelts. We are just getting started.
For those of you coming to visit tomorrow, we can’t wait to welcome you to our summer home. Please drive carefully. Also, please don’t come early. The gates will not open early, and traffic creates a hazard of the roadway. The OPP has advised us they will be out to enforce any safety concerns or violations. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 25)
[Note: There is a Day 25 Bonus Blog below]
Loyalty Awards were so inspiring!
The Head staff opened with a fun song to capture the hearts and minds of the room and then Adam and I had the opportunity to welcome everyone to this incredible event. We asked people to put up a hand if a parent went to Camp Northland, then a grandparent, then a great grandparent, and the room was almost full of hands in the air. We talked about the legacy of generations. We also asked campers who were new to proudly raise their hands. We discussed how incredible it is that one day (but not today as my Rabbi always said) they will be the parents and grandparents and great grandparents that future generations raise their hands to honour.
A small handful of campers received the highest of honours to speak on behalf of their age groups and represent the camper perspective on what camp means to them, and why camp matters. The speeches were thoughtful, inspiring, and beautiful. I wanted to share a few of the notes I took for myself on their messages about camp:
Junior Shift was represented by Lauryn G., Lev P. Norah L., Sophia R., David T. Some of the sentiments they shared included:
LTP chose to honour Brooke J. and Ben S. who contributed these sentiments:
The CITs asked Jaimee L. and Gabriel F. to represent:
We even asked some staff to say a few words and honoured two superstars Arli M. and Lewis C. to do so:
After we sang a camp favourite song it was time to wrap things up with a few final words. Prior to the EP, just for fun and exploration I asked ChatGPT the following question: What are the most important lessons that children learn from overnight camp and how can it be explained to the children themselves? I shared the response to the campers and staff:
Hey everyone! Today, I want to talk to you about some superpowers we all have inside of us: loyalty, persistence, and resilience.
Loyalty means being there for your friends and sticking with them through thick and thin. It’s about building trust and standing by each other, no matter what.
Persistence is all about never giving up, even when things get tough. It’s about trying again and again, learning from mistakes, and believing in yourself even when others might doubt you.
And resilience? Well, that’s like your inner superhero cape. It’s your ability to bounce back from setbacks, to keep going when life throws challenges your way. It’s about finding strength in tough times and coming out stronger on the other side.
Remember, these superpowers aren’t just for superheroes in movies – they’re in each and every one of you. So, let’s use our loyalty to support each other, our persistence to achieve our goals, and our resilience to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
And I admit that I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
Onward Northland,
Simon
BONUS BLOG – DAY 25
Every summer I learn new things about how incredible our staff really are for your children. The staff are so expressive and so dedicated to making the camper experience a 10/10 every day. They send me their thoughts, they discuss the successes of your children with pride as if the child is their own, with smiles from ear to ear, and warm hearts. Here are some of the latest:
First I received an actual play by play from the unstoppable Shayne W., one of our CIT Directors that coached our teams over at the intercamp yesterday…
“16U Boys / 16U girls’ softball”
It was another fun and successful day of intercamp at Camp Tamarack. Starting off with 16U boys’ softball, it was a close-knit game with tons of action. Northland got some runs to start off the game thanks to a 3-Run home run by Zac R. The game was pretty even throughout, but then came the hero in extra innings. Evan G smacked a 3-Run home run into the Tamarack lake in the last inning to give northland the edge in an exciting 13-12 victory! In 16U girls’ softball, it was also a hard-fought battle. Alex B led the way pitching a great game and also hitting an inside-the-park home run! Peri L had a great hit to clear the bases, and Audrey E had two incredible swings and hits to propel northland to a 12-10 victory!
14U hockey
After a quick first goal to put Northland up 1-0, Northlands team started to celebrate. Little did they know that the game continued, and Tamarack broke into a 5 on 0 but Ethan P made a fantastic save to prevent a colossal disaster. Lucas S and Brandon E showed incredible chemistry and great ball movement as Lucas scored two spectacular goals and Brandon had 2 of his own. Ethan P played an awesome game in net saving almost anything that went his way. That paired with stellar lights out defense from Zoran K, Ryan N, Benny A, and Cooper W propelled Northland to a strong victory.
16U boys’ basketball
After a dominant first half, things started getting too close for comfort. After having a comfortable lead for most of the game, Northland saw themselves only up by 2 points with a few minutes to play. Thankfully some clutch 3-pointers by Eytan G, a sweet mid-range basket from Simon R, smart ball movement by Caleb LM, and stellar team defense all around, Northland was able to walk away with this one 24-19.
Girls 16U basketball
The girls showed their dominance on me again on the basketball court led by Alex B, Rebecca B, and Sammy H. They played all angles of the court, scoring on offense, and getting stops on defense. An overall great game of communication, hard effort, and teamwork between this team, as Northland came away with a 25-14 win!
16U Co-Ed Soccer
It was a nail biter in 16U co-ed soccer. It started off slow, with lots of back-and-forth possession until Edan K tucked a shot short side for a 1-0 Northland lead. Phoebe C and Neeve Z were crucial in keeping possession of the ball throughout the game with beautiful dekes and also each getting some great shots on net. In the second half with only minutes to spare, Ezra I put the game away with a great volley goal, securing Northland a 2-0 win!
Overall, it was a day filled with great weather, strong team spirit, and a lot of victories with Northland achieving a clean sweep in every game! We are looking forward to the next fun day of intercamp at the end of the month!
Unit two ran “Panic!”, a camper favourite evening program where each cabin has to dress up one individual in the cabin as fast as they can according to a theme and run to the unit rec hall. There are multiple rounds, with campers winning points each round for speed, creativity, and design. Upon finishing the EP, camper Norah L. In 2-2 ran up to her unit head excitedly. She went, “Andrea! Andrea! I have an idea! We should do JIBBIT PANIC, where instead of dressing up a camper, we all have to work together and find the best croc jibbit from our cabin’s shoes”. [Editor’s Note: See *** below re: Norah]. As a unit head, Andrea explained to me, empowering her campers in different areas of camp is always something she is looking to achieve… so when Norah came to pitch the idea, Andrea’s response was an easy “lets do it!”. Over the next few days, Norah and her counsellor, Talia, worked together on a programming form. Talia taught Norah how to requisition certain supplies and she learned about the steps that go into planning an awesome program. The two of them ran the EP and it was a huge success! Norah appointed two other campers as judges and facilitated the program on her own. The campers loved it and were incredibly supportive of their friend’s initiative. Not only this, but Norah inspired Devin G. in 2-4 to want to run her own program as well. Coming soon (Thursday at 4pm) will be the unit 2 tea party extravaganza. Stay tuned for an update on how that event goes! It’s been incredible to watch campers around the unit feel inspired, both by their counsellors programming and by their peers. Watching the ripple effect of moments like these remind all of us of how far our impact at camp can reach. One program leads to another, and then another, and suddenly three campers had been empowered to lead a new space, and three new programming ideas had been brought to the table. How incredible is that!
***Norah L also got her WAK earlier this week. (Big thanks to Alexis J (Norah’s counsellor) and Sophia R (Norah’s cabin mate) for getting into the water and cheering her on. Congratulations Norah!
I should also point out that Ezra K decided he was going to try out his swim test during general swim and absolutely killed it! Ezra has been working so hard all month to build up his endurance and earn his WAK as well. Congratulations Ezra!
Also fun to share is that unit 2 cabin 3 had a blast during free swim they were even cheering on a section I cabin who was at inflatables. Some of the section I campers were fearful when they got to the top of the iceberg (the tallest inflatable), but the unit 2 campers were being so helpful and cheered them on until they had the courage to jump!
We have one amazing camper community!
Onward Northland,
Simon
[Note: There is a Day 25 Bonus Blog below]
Loyalty Awards were so inspiring!
The Head staff opened with a fun song to capture the hearts and minds of the room and then Adam and I had the opportunity to welcome everyone to this incredible event. We asked people to put up a hand if a parent went to Camp Northland, then a grandparent, then a great grandparent, and the room was almost full of hands in the air. We talked about the legacy of generations. We also asked campers who were new to proudly raise their hands. We discussed how incredible it is that one day (but not today as my Rabbi always said) they will be the parents and grandparents and great grandparents that future generations raise their hands to honour.
A small handful of campers received the highest of honours to speak on behalf of their age groups and represent the camper perspective on what camp means to them, and why camp matters. The speeches were thoughtful, inspiring, and beautiful. I wanted to share a few of the notes I took for myself on their messages about camp:
Junior Shift was represented by Lauryn G., Lev P. Norah L., Sophia R., David T. Some of the sentiments they shared included:
- Meeting new friends and ‘staying in a house with them’
- Counsellors are really nice
- We love our CITs
- The community and people around us make camp truly special
- Everyone is welcoming and kind and values everyone’s opinion
- Everyone keeps us safe
- So many memories
- You can be whoever you want to be
- Camp is our second home and the best place on Earth
- A place to be free, have fun and be your truest self
- Everyone is warm and welcoming
- Countless friends and memories
- A chance to make deeper connections with cousins (editor’s note: Nolan took the opportunity to acknowledge his brothers and cousins)
- Despite a rough first summer, and now five years later loving camp, hopes to be on this stage celebrating a camp bar-mitzvah at year 13!
LTP chose to honour Brooke J. and Ben S. who contributed these sentiments:
- Love the leadership roles and responsibilities
- Building bonds with the camp community
- Grateful for the trust given to the LTPs
The CITs asked Jaimee L. and Gabriel F. to represent:
- Community, loving and welcoming people
- The amazing support systems
- Camp provides a safe Jewish space
- Can’t imagine life without this place
- Skills learned here can be used back at home
- Chances to get out of my comfort zone (like standing in front of 600 people giving a speech at loyalty awards)
- The way we support each other is unbelievable
We even asked some staff to say a few words and honoured two superstars Arli M. and Lewis C. to do so:
- Camp is a break from city life
- Sharing experiences
- Building a connection to Jewish culture
- Appreciation
- Watching friends thrive
- Camp is simply whatever you want it to be.
After we sang a camp favourite song it was time to wrap things up with a few final words. Prior to the EP, just for fun and exploration I asked ChatGPT the following question: What are the most important lessons that children learn from overnight camp and how can it be explained to the children themselves? I shared the response to the campers and staff:
Hey everyone! Today, I want to talk to you about some superpowers we all have inside of us: loyalty, persistence, and resilience.
Loyalty means being there for your friends and sticking with them through thick and thin. It’s about building trust and standing by each other, no matter what.
Persistence is all about never giving up, even when things get tough. It’s about trying again and again, learning from mistakes, and believing in yourself even when others might doubt you.
And resilience? Well, that’s like your inner superhero cape. It’s your ability to bounce back from setbacks, to keep going when life throws challenges your way. It’s about finding strength in tough times and coming out stronger on the other side.
Remember, these superpowers aren’t just for superheroes in movies – they’re in each and every one of you. So, let’s use our loyalty to support each other, our persistence to achieve our goals, and our resilience to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
And I admit that I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
Onward Northland,
Simon
BONUS BLOG – DAY 25
Every summer I learn new things about how incredible our staff really are for your children. The staff are so expressive and so dedicated to making the camper experience a 10/10 every day. They send me their thoughts, they discuss the successes of your children with pride as if the child is their own, with smiles from ear to ear, and warm hearts. Here are some of the latest:
First I received an actual play by play from the unstoppable Shayne W., one of our CIT Directors that coached our teams over at the intercamp yesterday…
“16U Boys / 16U girls’ softball”
It was another fun and successful day of intercamp at Camp Tamarack. Starting off with 16U boys’ softball, it was a close-knit game with tons of action. Northland got some runs to start off the game thanks to a 3-Run home run by Zac R. The game was pretty even throughout, but then came the hero in extra innings. Evan G smacked a 3-Run home run into the Tamarack lake in the last inning to give northland the edge in an exciting 13-12 victory! In 16U girls’ softball, it was also a hard-fought battle. Alex B led the way pitching a great game and also hitting an inside-the-park home run! Peri L had a great hit to clear the bases, and Audrey E had two incredible swings and hits to propel northland to a 12-10 victory!
14U hockey
After a quick first goal to put Northland up 1-0, Northlands team started to celebrate. Little did they know that the game continued, and Tamarack broke into a 5 on 0 but Ethan P made a fantastic save to prevent a colossal disaster. Lucas S and Brandon E showed incredible chemistry and great ball movement as Lucas scored two spectacular goals and Brandon had 2 of his own. Ethan P played an awesome game in net saving almost anything that went his way. That paired with stellar lights out defense from Zoran K, Ryan N, Benny A, and Cooper W propelled Northland to a strong victory.
16U boys’ basketball
After a dominant first half, things started getting too close for comfort. After having a comfortable lead for most of the game, Northland saw themselves only up by 2 points with a few minutes to play. Thankfully some clutch 3-pointers by Eytan G, a sweet mid-range basket from Simon R, smart ball movement by Caleb LM, and stellar team defense all around, Northland was able to walk away with this one 24-19.
Girls 16U basketball
The girls showed their dominance on me again on the basketball court led by Alex B, Rebecca B, and Sammy H. They played all angles of the court, scoring on offense, and getting stops on defense. An overall great game of communication, hard effort, and teamwork between this team, as Northland came away with a 25-14 win!
16U Co-Ed Soccer
It was a nail biter in 16U co-ed soccer. It started off slow, with lots of back-and-forth possession until Edan K tucked a shot short side for a 1-0 Northland lead. Phoebe C and Neeve Z were crucial in keeping possession of the ball throughout the game with beautiful dekes and also each getting some great shots on net. In the second half with only minutes to spare, Ezra I put the game away with a great volley goal, securing Northland a 2-0 win!
Overall, it was a day filled with great weather, strong team spirit, and a lot of victories with Northland achieving a clean sweep in every game! We are looking forward to the next fun day of intercamp at the end of the month!
Unit two ran “Panic!”, a camper favourite evening program where each cabin has to dress up one individual in the cabin as fast as they can according to a theme and run to the unit rec hall. There are multiple rounds, with campers winning points each round for speed, creativity, and design. Upon finishing the EP, camper Norah L. In 2-2 ran up to her unit head excitedly. She went, “Andrea! Andrea! I have an idea! We should do JIBBIT PANIC, where instead of dressing up a camper, we all have to work together and find the best croc jibbit from our cabin’s shoes”. [Editor’s Note: See *** below re: Norah]. As a unit head, Andrea explained to me, empowering her campers in different areas of camp is always something she is looking to achieve… so when Norah came to pitch the idea, Andrea’s response was an easy “lets do it!”. Over the next few days, Norah and her counsellor, Talia, worked together on a programming form. Talia taught Norah how to requisition certain supplies and she learned about the steps that go into planning an awesome program. The two of them ran the EP and it was a huge success! Norah appointed two other campers as judges and facilitated the program on her own. The campers loved it and were incredibly supportive of their friend’s initiative. Not only this, but Norah inspired Devin G. in 2-4 to want to run her own program as well. Coming soon (Thursday at 4pm) will be the unit 2 tea party extravaganza. Stay tuned for an update on how that event goes! It’s been incredible to watch campers around the unit feel inspired, both by their counsellors programming and by their peers. Watching the ripple effect of moments like these remind all of us of how far our impact at camp can reach. One program leads to another, and then another, and suddenly three campers had been empowered to lead a new space, and three new programming ideas had been brought to the table. How incredible is that!
***Norah L also got her WAK earlier this week. (Big thanks to Alexis J (Norah’s counsellor) and Sophia R (Norah’s cabin mate) for getting into the water and cheering her on. Congratulations Norah!
I should also point out that Ezra K decided he was going to try out his swim test during general swim and absolutely killed it! Ezra has been working so hard all month to build up his endurance and earn his WAK as well. Congratulations Ezra!
Also fun to share is that unit 2 cabin 3 had a blast during free swim they were even cheering on a section I cabin who was at inflatables. Some of the section I campers were fearful when they got to the top of the iceberg (the tallest inflatable), but the unit 2 campers were being so helpful and cheered them on until they had the courage to jump!
We have one amazing camper community!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Day 24
Dear Camp Northland Families,
We had a beautiful sunny day back to our regular programming and people are stll talking about Maccabiah. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Let’s share together in some reflections on Maccabiah yesterday from some of our fantastic staff.
Danika, Head of LTP Unit shared that she loved the moment when she and Izzy went down to A&C after breakfast to set up for the Banner-Making competition. Once all the teams arrived, they brainstormed and sketched while listening to fun Israeli music. The teams were super creative with Tel Aviv using actual sand on their poster to represent the beach. Tzfat drew old houses with mountains behind and Jerusalem painted a big, beautiful wall to represent the western wall. We all had a blast painting and being creative for the challenge. The next stop was trivia! Eden and I gathered all the teams at the pavilion where we asked a series of questions; some about camp, Israel, and general knowledge. It was a very close game. Afterward, I made my way to Hummus making at the event tent. Here Jessie and I gave all sorts of ingredients to the teams where they mixed and mashed until they had their perfect creations. Then, each team presented their stories. My favourite was Eilat where they made up a story about a Hummus beach! After cleaning I watched the captain's challenge and was treated to watching the Captain's Dances at the end of the day.
Alyssa, Staff Development Director shared specifically on the CITs role in Maccabiah games:
Maccabiah games are a time that truly tests the leadership ability of the CIT program. Six captains and two committee members, nominated by the head staff based on their exceptional dedication throughout the month, were honoured. Hearing everyone commend their well-deserved recognition filled me with a sense of pride (like a proud mom).
These CITs distinguished themselves by building strong bonds with their campers, planning engaging programs for their units/sections, and exemplifying Northland's five core values with pride. Their selection reflects the trust placed in them to lead their team, encourage participation and demonstrate fair sportsmanship.
I was so proud watching them lead cheers in the mess hall, talk in front of the entire camp over the microphone, and ensure the safety of campers. Throughout the day, they rode around on bikes and held their walkie-talkies while checking in on their teams—a role similar to a unit/section head. Such opportunities for leadership are rare for many 15 and 16-year-olds, but they certainly made the most of theirs, making us immensely proud.
Phoebe C and Zach D were on the Maccabiah games committee, helping the programming team make Maccabiah one of the most exciting days of the summer. They ran the captain's challenges, made announcements and added fun spins to the day.
Olivia M, Peri L, Rachel D, Andrew H, Evan G, Zach W were the captains of different Israeli cities, proudly representing them in unique ways. They each competed in exhilarating captain's challenges, cheered until they lost their voices and danced Eurovision style in front of the whole camp.
Gabi, our Program Director who deserved all of the recognition along with her team of amazing programming staff, shared her view from the planning perch:
Maccabiah games - wow was it incredible! For the past week, the programming team, NMC (northland Maccabiah committee), and captains have been working tirelessly to create a wonderful and unforgettable camp wide program. After announcing our NMC and captains, we got straight to work.
Our first meeting with the NMC was insightful and they mentioned how they wanted to create an impact for Maccabiah this summer that NBB had never experienced before. Typically, the campers aren’t able to see all the hard work that the NMC put into this day and the NMC took it upon themselves to eliminate this stigma. Leading up to today, they had led mifkad, worked on captains’ challenges, and built hype around the excitement of Maccabiah. Additionally, our captains worked on their speeches, cheers, and Eurovision dances to end off the day. The program team have been absolute heroes in planning and scheduling Maccabiah and giving a helping hand to everyone involved.
Maccabiah began when the NMC introduced the captains as they biked down main path. As program director, and the connection Maccabiah has with Israel, it was important for me to put emphasis on our world’s current situation and therefore impose a moment of silence for our hostages in Israel. It was an impactful way to begin our Maccabiah games but also significant for the whole camp to take part in.
After the first captain’s challenge and activity allocations, Sunday’s tasks were done and the excitement for Maccabiah day began. It started off on a high with our classic early morning wake up and seeing all the campers rush to their teams with eagerness. From a programming standpoint, our job was to run around all day making sure every activity has their proper requisitions, medal sheets, and staff. By doing all the behind the scenes stuff, it is often easy to ignore what is actually happening right in front of our eyes. Within the first two hours of activities starting, I had at least three people come up to me (staff, head staff, campers, etc.) and say that this has been one of the best Maccabiahs that they have been a part of. After hearing this, I felt implored to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. As program director, I can sometimes find it difficult to accept something when it doesn’t go exactly how I planned it to be. Yet what I’ve learned this past month is as long as the campers are having fun and have a smile on their faces, that’s all that truly matters. Although the activities did run smoothly, taking a step back and watching the campers’ pure enjoyment and seeing the entirety of the program come to life is a special gift that both me and the programming team gets to experience.
I feel grateful and lucky to have been a small part of something greater and larger than I could have ever imagined. What a great day
You know what else has been a great day? TODAY. Aside from a wonderful day of programming for all ages, we also had 65 people out of camp competing in an intercamp sports day with our friends at Camp Tamarack. They were wonderful hosts as they always are, and we are grateful for their hospitality. With that said, today was our day on the scoreboard. U-16 Unit softball we won 12-10; U-16 unit basketball we won 25-14; U16 section softball we won 13-12; U16 section basketball we won 23-19; Co-ed hockey we won 9-2; and co-ed soccer we won 2-0 in the finals. #NBBsportsacademy Congrats to all of the players who represented us so well all day both in sports and sportsmanship.
Tonight we had a camp wide EP known as Loyalty Awards. This is a chance to celebrate legacy achievements including 5-year awards, 10-year awards, bar-mitzvah awards (13 years), and some surprise recognitions for campers and staff alike from all areas of camp.
The hosts for the evening were the unstoppable Gabi C. and Alyssa W. It all opened with a head staff song and a quick welcome from Adam, our Associate Director and I. Then we jumped right in. Lots of campers had the chance to represent their respective age groups and talk about what camp means to them. Junior Shift – Lauryn G., Lev P., Norah L., Sophia R., and David T. For TnT – Liya K. and Nolan E.; For LTP – Brooke J. and Ben S.; for CIT – Jaimee L. and Gabriel F; For Staff – Arli M. and Lewis C.
Congrats to all of our 5-year award winners as well as our ten-year award winners. A special Mazel Tov goes out to Will F., and Ethan S. for hitting the amazing 13-year Bar-Mitzvah milestone.
Tomorrow I will share a few of these inspirational messages and more from tonight’s presentations…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Dear Camp Northland Families,
We had a beautiful sunny day back to our regular programming and people are stll talking about Maccabiah. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Let’s share together in some reflections on Maccabiah yesterday from some of our fantastic staff.
Danika, Head of LTP Unit shared that she loved the moment when she and Izzy went down to A&C after breakfast to set up for the Banner-Making competition. Once all the teams arrived, they brainstormed and sketched while listening to fun Israeli music. The teams were super creative with Tel Aviv using actual sand on their poster to represent the beach. Tzfat drew old houses with mountains behind and Jerusalem painted a big, beautiful wall to represent the western wall. We all had a blast painting and being creative for the challenge. The next stop was trivia! Eden and I gathered all the teams at the pavilion where we asked a series of questions; some about camp, Israel, and general knowledge. It was a very close game. Afterward, I made my way to Hummus making at the event tent. Here Jessie and I gave all sorts of ingredients to the teams where they mixed and mashed until they had their perfect creations. Then, each team presented their stories. My favourite was Eilat where they made up a story about a Hummus beach! After cleaning I watched the captain's challenge and was treated to watching the Captain's Dances at the end of the day.
Alyssa, Staff Development Director shared specifically on the CITs role in Maccabiah games:
Maccabiah games are a time that truly tests the leadership ability of the CIT program. Six captains and two committee members, nominated by the head staff based on their exceptional dedication throughout the month, were honoured. Hearing everyone commend their well-deserved recognition filled me with a sense of pride (like a proud mom).
These CITs distinguished themselves by building strong bonds with their campers, planning engaging programs for their units/sections, and exemplifying Northland's five core values with pride. Their selection reflects the trust placed in them to lead their team, encourage participation and demonstrate fair sportsmanship.
I was so proud watching them lead cheers in the mess hall, talk in front of the entire camp over the microphone, and ensure the safety of campers. Throughout the day, they rode around on bikes and held their walkie-talkies while checking in on their teams—a role similar to a unit/section head. Such opportunities for leadership are rare for many 15 and 16-year-olds, but they certainly made the most of theirs, making us immensely proud.
Phoebe C and Zach D were on the Maccabiah games committee, helping the programming team make Maccabiah one of the most exciting days of the summer. They ran the captain's challenges, made announcements and added fun spins to the day.
Olivia M, Peri L, Rachel D, Andrew H, Evan G, Zach W were the captains of different Israeli cities, proudly representing them in unique ways. They each competed in exhilarating captain's challenges, cheered until they lost their voices and danced Eurovision style in front of the whole camp.
Gabi, our Program Director who deserved all of the recognition along with her team of amazing programming staff, shared her view from the planning perch:
Maccabiah games - wow was it incredible! For the past week, the programming team, NMC (northland Maccabiah committee), and captains have been working tirelessly to create a wonderful and unforgettable camp wide program. After announcing our NMC and captains, we got straight to work.
Our first meeting with the NMC was insightful and they mentioned how they wanted to create an impact for Maccabiah this summer that NBB had never experienced before. Typically, the campers aren’t able to see all the hard work that the NMC put into this day and the NMC took it upon themselves to eliminate this stigma. Leading up to today, they had led mifkad, worked on captains’ challenges, and built hype around the excitement of Maccabiah. Additionally, our captains worked on their speeches, cheers, and Eurovision dances to end off the day. The program team have been absolute heroes in planning and scheduling Maccabiah and giving a helping hand to everyone involved.
Maccabiah began when the NMC introduced the captains as they biked down main path. As program director, and the connection Maccabiah has with Israel, it was important for me to put emphasis on our world’s current situation and therefore impose a moment of silence for our hostages in Israel. It was an impactful way to begin our Maccabiah games but also significant for the whole camp to take part in.
After the first captain’s challenge and activity allocations, Sunday’s tasks were done and the excitement for Maccabiah day began. It started off on a high with our classic early morning wake up and seeing all the campers rush to their teams with eagerness. From a programming standpoint, our job was to run around all day making sure every activity has their proper requisitions, medal sheets, and staff. By doing all the behind the scenes stuff, it is often easy to ignore what is actually happening right in front of our eyes. Within the first two hours of activities starting, I had at least three people come up to me (staff, head staff, campers, etc.) and say that this has been one of the best Maccabiahs that they have been a part of. After hearing this, I felt implored to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. As program director, I can sometimes find it difficult to accept something when it doesn’t go exactly how I planned it to be. Yet what I’ve learned this past month is as long as the campers are having fun and have a smile on their faces, that’s all that truly matters. Although the activities did run smoothly, taking a step back and watching the campers’ pure enjoyment and seeing the entirety of the program come to life is a special gift that both me and the programming team gets to experience.
I feel grateful and lucky to have been a small part of something greater and larger than I could have ever imagined. What a great day
You know what else has been a great day? TODAY. Aside from a wonderful day of programming for all ages, we also had 65 people out of camp competing in an intercamp sports day with our friends at Camp Tamarack. They were wonderful hosts as they always are, and we are grateful for their hospitality. With that said, today was our day on the scoreboard. U-16 Unit softball we won 12-10; U-16 unit basketball we won 25-14; U16 section softball we won 13-12; U16 section basketball we won 23-19; Co-ed hockey we won 9-2; and co-ed soccer we won 2-0 in the finals. #NBBsportsacademy Congrats to all of the players who represented us so well all day both in sports and sportsmanship.
Tonight we had a camp wide EP known as Loyalty Awards. This is a chance to celebrate legacy achievements including 5-year awards, 10-year awards, bar-mitzvah awards (13 years), and some surprise recognitions for campers and staff alike from all areas of camp.
The hosts for the evening were the unstoppable Gabi C. and Alyssa W. It all opened with a head staff song and a quick welcome from Adam, our Associate Director and I. Then we jumped right in. Lots of campers had the chance to represent their respective age groups and talk about what camp means to them. Junior Shift – Lauryn G., Lev P., Norah L., Sophia R., and David T. For TnT – Liya K. and Nolan E.; For LTP – Brooke J. and Ben S.; for CIT – Jaimee L. and Gabriel F; For Staff – Arli M. and Lewis C.
Congrats to all of our 5-year award winners as well as our ten-year award winners. A special Mazel Tov goes out to Will F., and Ethan S. for hitting the amazing 13-year Bar-Mitzvah milestone.
Tomorrow I will share a few of these inspirational messages and more from tonight’s presentations…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Monday, July 22, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, Day 23
MACCABIAH!!! What an incredible day we all had here at Camp Northland! Let me recap the EP last night that set an amazing tone for today’s special day bringing positive connectivity to Israel for every single person in our camp community.
Camp is about personal growth, finding your best self, having a positive impact on others while making friends for life. Camp is also about building and fostering a strong, intentional, empowered, and proud Jewish generation of children with a positive sense of self and a strong connection to Israel. Our CITs blended all of these camp characteristics into one night to help us build a solid foundation going into the Maccabiah Games this year. The CITs planned their first ever Evening Program last night. It was a camp wide program with the theme of “Birthright”. Birthright is a 10-day program for Jewish teens or adults where there are tours of Israel’s most famous attractions and locations and gives people the chance to experience so many interesting parts of the holy land. Our CITS created programs for each city of Camp Northland’s Maccabiah Games. This includes Jaffa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tzfat, and Eilat. Each station had their own fun and unique activities which related to their city. Jaffa played Musical Life Jacket Trivia which is musical chairs with a twist! There were life jackets in a circle, and the person who did not get a life jacket when the music stopped had to answer a fun fact trivia question about the city of Jaffa. If they got it correct they could stay in the game, and if they got it incorrect they were out. Jerusalem had an amazing program where they did “Notes for the Kotel”. In this program, campers got the chance to write messages dedicated to soldiers fighting in Israel, as well as any special note they wanted to write for their loved ones. Tel Aviv, being the impressive party city that it is, played a bunch of fun and exciting games! This included volleyball, nukemball (volleyball but you can catch the ball) and freeze dance. Haifa did a crazy relay obstacle course. Haifa is well known for its beautiful mountains and in this relay, the campers had to do a lot of running and jumping and do some crazy tricks to get the win!! Tzfat did running Pictionary. Tzfat is known to be one of the oldest and holiest cities in Israel. In this game, the campers were tasked with drawing symbols and pictures relating to the city of Tzfat, and the first one to finish the list of drawings won! Last but not least, Eilat, the beautiful city at the south of Israel played pin the tail on dolphin. Eilat is known for swimming, snorkeling, scuba adventures, and being extremely hot outside. Eilat implemented the hydration station where everyone did water cup chugging because it’s important to always stay hydrated at camp! In addition, they had blue cotton candy to emphasize the blue team colour of Eilat and to acknowledge that sweets are something always found on the Eilat peer. Overall, the CITs ran an absolutely incredible program for the camp, and ushered in the Maccabiah spirit beautifully leading into this morning…
Six teams dominated the camp landscape this morning, and the colours and ruach (spirit/energy) were bright and loud as ever. Each team, with their captains, and the NMC (organizing committee) went into the day looking to lead the camp in its greatest day yet (and they did not disappoint). We were kvelling seeing the leadership emerge including the NMC (led by Ashley B., Eve L., Jack H., Phoebe C., and Zach D.); Tel Aviv (sand colour) led by James C. and Peri L.; Jaffa (orange) led by Koby P. and Rachel D.; Eilat (blue) led by Olivia M. and Gabe K.; Haifa (green) led by Emma B. and Evan G.; Tzfat (red) led by Caitlin O. and Andrew H., and Jerusalem (yellow) led by Noa R. and Zach W.
The morning saw the teams competing in several games and challenges. Here were some of the games:
The afternoon included:
This is all today at camp! The campers had the greatest time. I heard the phrase ‘best day ever’ at least 100 times today. As the day winded down and the competitions all ended, it was time to announce the winners.
In third place with the Bronze medal, we have Tel-Aviv!
In second place for Silver, we have Jaffa!
And in first place for the Gold Medal, the winners of Camp Northland Maccabiah 2024 are….
Haifa!!!
H. A. I. F. A, Haifa, Haifa all the way.
What an incredible day we shared here together. We might have learned a thing or two about Israel too.
Onward Northland,
Simon
MACCABIAH!!! What an incredible day we all had here at Camp Northland! Let me recap the EP last night that set an amazing tone for today’s special day bringing positive connectivity to Israel for every single person in our camp community.
Camp is about personal growth, finding your best self, having a positive impact on others while making friends for life. Camp is also about building and fostering a strong, intentional, empowered, and proud Jewish generation of children with a positive sense of self and a strong connection to Israel. Our CITs blended all of these camp characteristics into one night to help us build a solid foundation going into the Maccabiah Games this year. The CITs planned their first ever Evening Program last night. It was a camp wide program with the theme of “Birthright”. Birthright is a 10-day program for Jewish teens or adults where there are tours of Israel’s most famous attractions and locations and gives people the chance to experience so many interesting parts of the holy land. Our CITS created programs for each city of Camp Northland’s Maccabiah Games. This includes Jaffa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tzfat, and Eilat. Each station had their own fun and unique activities which related to their city. Jaffa played Musical Life Jacket Trivia which is musical chairs with a twist! There were life jackets in a circle, and the person who did not get a life jacket when the music stopped had to answer a fun fact trivia question about the city of Jaffa. If they got it correct they could stay in the game, and if they got it incorrect they were out. Jerusalem had an amazing program where they did “Notes for the Kotel”. In this program, campers got the chance to write messages dedicated to soldiers fighting in Israel, as well as any special note they wanted to write for their loved ones. Tel Aviv, being the impressive party city that it is, played a bunch of fun and exciting games! This included volleyball, nukemball (volleyball but you can catch the ball) and freeze dance. Haifa did a crazy relay obstacle course. Haifa is well known for its beautiful mountains and in this relay, the campers had to do a lot of running and jumping and do some crazy tricks to get the win!! Tzfat did running Pictionary. Tzfat is known to be one of the oldest and holiest cities in Israel. In this game, the campers were tasked with drawing symbols and pictures relating to the city of Tzfat, and the first one to finish the list of drawings won! Last but not least, Eilat, the beautiful city at the south of Israel played pin the tail on dolphin. Eilat is known for swimming, snorkeling, scuba adventures, and being extremely hot outside. Eilat implemented the hydration station where everyone did water cup chugging because it’s important to always stay hydrated at camp! In addition, they had blue cotton candy to emphasize the blue team colour of Eilat and to acknowledge that sweets are something always found on the Eilat peer. Overall, the CITs ran an absolutely incredible program for the camp, and ushered in the Maccabiah spirit beautifully leading into this morning…
Six teams dominated the camp landscape this morning, and the colours and ruach (spirit/energy) were bright and loud as ever. Each team, with their captains, and the NMC (organizing committee) went into the day looking to lead the camp in its greatest day yet (and they did not disappoint). We were kvelling seeing the leadership emerge including the NMC (led by Ashley B., Eve L., Jack H., Phoebe C., and Zach D.); Tel Aviv (sand colour) led by James C. and Peri L.; Jaffa (orange) led by Koby P. and Rachel D.; Eilat (blue) led by Olivia M. and Gabe K.; Haifa (green) led by Emma B. and Evan G.; Tzfat (red) led by Caitlin O. and Andrew H., and Jerusalem (yellow) led by Noa R. and Zach W.
The morning saw the teams competing in several games and challenges. Here were some of the games:
- Moses’ basket – build a cardboard boat and go for a boat ride
- Running Pictionary in Masada (our sandpits) – it was a lot of running to see the images being drawn!
- Paddleboard races
- Musical Flutter boards (yup grabbing a flutter board and jumping in the lake)
- Fun with Aharon and Shimshon (that’s me!). [Editor’s note: It’s not my fault this was everyone’s favourite activity]
- Endurance Rikudiyah (Israeli Dancing) – a combo of dancing and marathon running!
- Synchronized swimming
- Filling up a canoe with water – a times challenge
- Designing creative banners
The afternoon included:
- Cleaning up ‘Israel’ aka camp (my personal favourite activity)
- Climbing Judea Mountain (using our climbing wall)
- Maccabiah Trivia
- Egg Toss
- Red Sea swim relay race
- Caesarea sandcastle building contest
- Shalosh v. shalosh basketball
- 1 Fish (a super fun beat-based verbal challenge)
- Camel races
- Technion Tic Tac Toe Tourney (life-size human tic tac toe)
- 100M dash
- Hummus making challenge
- Canoe races at the Jordan River
- Speed crafting challenge
- Dead Sea cannonball contest
- Survivor standing
- Capture the Israeli Flag
- Super Tennis (the net is the exterior fence of the court…long story)
- Eurovision song contest
- Wilderness shelter building aka camping in the desert
This is all today at camp! The campers had the greatest time. I heard the phrase ‘best day ever’ at least 100 times today. As the day winded down and the competitions all ended, it was time to announce the winners.
In third place with the Bronze medal, we have Tel-Aviv!
In second place for Silver, we have Jaffa!
And in first place for the Gold Medal, the winners of Camp Northland Maccabiah 2024 are….
Haifa!!!
H. A. I. F. A, Haifa, Haifa all the way.
What an incredible day we shared here together. We might have learned a thing or two about Israel too.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, Day 22
As promised let’s look a snapshot of some of the “All Day” programming the campers experienced this weekend!
At the younger side of camp…the All Day for Unit 1 was High School Musical music videos. Each cabin was assigned a song (cabin 3 - we're all in this together, cabin 4 - get'cha head in the game, cabin 5 - fabulous, and cabin 6 - what time is it) from one of the 3 movies and tasked with making a music video. However, they had 3 rules:
The cabins spent the first part of the day making up their routine deciding how they wanted their video to look. Then they had the afternoon to film and edit before sitting down as a unit to watch the final videos! Each cabin put so much time and effort into their videos and should be so proud of themselves and their final projects!
At the older side of camp… The LTPs all day was a yearly tradition (briefly introduced here yesterday) called Greek Council. The day before that was the intro which was where the entire day was explained. They started off by making names for their cabins using Greek letters (zeta, sigma, alpha, etc.). In the morning, they made cheers for their teams, as well as signs and banners to fly in the mess hall at lunch. Lunch was BOOMING with chants coming from the LTPs and the section and unit threes they convinced to chant with them. After lunch was our relay race. The race started at adventure where they had to climb the rock wall, shoot 2 free throws at basketball, and then head to hockey to score on Seth W (one of our stellar competitive staff goaltenders). They then had to tell Stacia W. (on our equally stellar wellness team) (Seth’s mom) that they had just scored on her son. From there they ran to BB beach (our paddle beach) and corcl to swim to do the swim test. From there they went to A&C to draw a picture of the incredible Izzy (Head of A&C). To finish our relay the campers did the whole obstacle course at inflatables and yelled their teams name while jumping off the iceberg. The team that won this years Greek Council was LTP section cabin 2. Throughout the day they showed great enthusiasm, leadership, and willingness to fill a role where needed. They really shined. A special shout-out to Edan K from that cabin as he was the one to complete the relay race first. Greek Council is the type of day that if you are there for it, you will keep that memory with you forever.
Let’s Zoom over to another aspect of camp for our brief snapshots today…12 Section and Unit 3 campers returned from the TNT Master Chef Trip. Over 3 days and 2 nights these campers canoed and portaged across Algonquin park while cooking their food over the campfire and sleeping in tents. The trip included campers Vanessa B, Emily Z, Jaqueline M, Dani J, Gali S, Claire T, Liv S, Clara L, Martin L, Ari D, Jake R, and Judah C and was led by staff Thomas I, Maya B, Joshua S, and Laven D. It was a lot of the campers first times on trip but that didn’t stop them from making it an amazing time. Ari D. and Judah C. in particular were wizards when it came to the fire, they were always there making sure it wouldn’t go out. Gali S. was also amazing when it came to helping cook food, setting up tents, and just generally being a leader within the trip. One of the highlights of the trip was when a moose walked by our campsite which no one could believe. [Editor’s note: I spent many staff years as a tripper and have been in parks and camps my whole life and have yet to see a live Moose!] Overall, the trip was spectacular and really showed just how tough these kids are, some of the campers even said it changed their perspectives on life.
Another hot and sunny day today set the perfect stage for our introductions to The Maccabiah Games this afternoon. The camp was broken up into their respective teams, they got their team shirts and colors, and joined together at their basecamps for ‘allocations’ where the campers are assigned to activities, challenges, and events in specific timeslots for tomorrow’s Maccabiah competitions. Cheers were developed (including silent cheers); Signs were made; faces were painted, team building and bonding activities filled the spaces in every corner of camp. There were captain’s challenges for points, intro activities, and a camp wide EP tonight to bring everyone together in the spirit of the games. The pictures will help tell the story and rest assured that there will be full explanations, breakdowns, and summaries of the full event in tomorrow’s Simog!
Onward Northland,
Simon
As promised let’s look a snapshot of some of the “All Day” programming the campers experienced this weekend!
At the younger side of camp…the All Day for Unit 1 was High School Musical music videos. Each cabin was assigned a song (cabin 3 - we're all in this together, cabin 4 - get'cha head in the game, cabin 5 - fabulous, and cabin 6 - what time is it) from one of the 3 movies and tasked with making a music video. However, they had 3 rules:
- They had to have a choreographed section in their video;
- They had to have a prop; and
- There had to be a head staff feature in the video.
The cabins spent the first part of the day making up their routine deciding how they wanted their video to look. Then they had the afternoon to film and edit before sitting down as a unit to watch the final videos! Each cabin put so much time and effort into their videos and should be so proud of themselves and their final projects!
At the older side of camp… The LTPs all day was a yearly tradition (briefly introduced here yesterday) called Greek Council. The day before that was the intro which was where the entire day was explained. They started off by making names for their cabins using Greek letters (zeta, sigma, alpha, etc.). In the morning, they made cheers for their teams, as well as signs and banners to fly in the mess hall at lunch. Lunch was BOOMING with chants coming from the LTPs and the section and unit threes they convinced to chant with them. After lunch was our relay race. The race started at adventure where they had to climb the rock wall, shoot 2 free throws at basketball, and then head to hockey to score on Seth W (one of our stellar competitive staff goaltenders). They then had to tell Stacia W. (on our equally stellar wellness team) (Seth’s mom) that they had just scored on her son. From there they ran to BB beach (our paddle beach) and corcl to swim to do the swim test. From there they went to A&C to draw a picture of the incredible Izzy (Head of A&C). To finish our relay the campers did the whole obstacle course at inflatables and yelled their teams name while jumping off the iceberg. The team that won this years Greek Council was LTP section cabin 2. Throughout the day they showed great enthusiasm, leadership, and willingness to fill a role where needed. They really shined. A special shout-out to Edan K from that cabin as he was the one to complete the relay race first. Greek Council is the type of day that if you are there for it, you will keep that memory with you forever.
Let’s Zoom over to another aspect of camp for our brief snapshots today…12 Section and Unit 3 campers returned from the TNT Master Chef Trip. Over 3 days and 2 nights these campers canoed and portaged across Algonquin park while cooking their food over the campfire and sleeping in tents. The trip included campers Vanessa B, Emily Z, Jaqueline M, Dani J, Gali S, Claire T, Liv S, Clara L, Martin L, Ari D, Jake R, and Judah C and was led by staff Thomas I, Maya B, Joshua S, and Laven D. It was a lot of the campers first times on trip but that didn’t stop them from making it an amazing time. Ari D. and Judah C. in particular were wizards when it came to the fire, they were always there making sure it wouldn’t go out. Gali S. was also amazing when it came to helping cook food, setting up tents, and just generally being a leader within the trip. One of the highlights of the trip was when a moose walked by our campsite which no one could believe. [Editor’s note: I spent many staff years as a tripper and have been in parks and camps my whole life and have yet to see a live Moose!] Overall, the trip was spectacular and really showed just how tough these kids are, some of the campers even said it changed their perspectives on life.
Another hot and sunny day today set the perfect stage for our introductions to The Maccabiah Games this afternoon. The camp was broken up into their respective teams, they got their team shirts and colors, and joined together at their basecamps for ‘allocations’ where the campers are assigned to activities, challenges, and events in specific timeslots for tomorrow’s Maccabiah competitions. Cheers were developed (including silent cheers); Signs were made; faces were painted, team building and bonding activities filled the spaces in every corner of camp. There were captain’s challenges for points, intro activities, and a camp wide EP tonight to bring everyone together in the spirit of the games. The pictures will help tell the story and rest assured that there will be full explanations, breakdowns, and summaries of the full event in tomorrow’s Simog!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 21)
Right off the top is my weekly ask…any funny letters home? Any great feedback I can share with our staff? Any stories you can share to show our staff the impact of their amazing work with your children? Our weekly staff meetings are tonight and tomorrow – please send me an email with thoughts and reflections from parents/guardians to share – they love hearing about the impact of their hard work to support every child in camp. You can email me directly to [email protected]
Breaking News: (a recap of the NFL Finals):
The Oregon Ducks won the first ever Northland Football League championship!!!! For the past two weeks the senior shift campers have been playing flag football games almost everyday, all working towards the finals!! We had all of senior shift sitting along the sidelines in lawn chairs, AKA the student section. For the opening ceremonies everybody stood up and removed their caps to sing the American and Canadian national anthems. The commentators, Jack M and Lewis C announced the starting lineups for both teams, Oregon Ducks and LSU Tigers then the game began! [EDITOR’S NOTE: THE COMMENTATING WAS EQUALLY ENTERTAINING TO THE GAME ITSELF] We had two refs, suited up with referee shirts and whistles to watch every play. Then during halftime, the senior shift dance team performed in front of everyone, and they killed it. It was a tight game, 4-4 with seconds left on the clock when Oregon had the ball. Quarterback on the Ducks, Edan K sent a Hail Mary into the end zone. The whole crowd stood up as the ball was in the air, both teams bunched together in the end zone reaching for the ball, but it was Elad Z, who was able to make the catch and score the touchdown to win the game!! The crowd erupted and rushed the field, cheering. The winning head coach Nathan C got a full jug of water poured on him to celebrate then gave a quick speech about the team and the season. Then, while “We Are the Champions” by Queen was playing in the background, we snapped a photo of the team holding up number 1 with their fingers. The players on the Oregon Ducks were Jake R, Ben K, Gabe E, Josh M, Brayden C, Josh F, Edan K, Elad Z, Evan E and Simon R. Special shout-out to the all star quarter back Edan K, Elad Z who scored the winning touchdown and Simon R who had plenty of catches for his team. It was so amazing to have almost the whole camp watching the game, cheering on their respective teams, and celebrating after the game. This football league was such a hit that all the campers loved and will hopefully be even better next year and become a Northland tradition for all the campers to look forward to.
This morning, many of us were reflecting back on the magnificence of yesterday’s shabbat dinner and the ‘Oneg’ leading up to the kiddush and candle lighting. It was so beautiful. Andrea our superstar heading up Unit 2 shared her thoughts with me too:
Today I sat with cabin 2-1 during Shabbat dinner and was privileged to be a part of some really beautiful moments...
Similarly, the CITs hosted their weekly Shabbat Shuk for the entire camp. The event featured stations for cotton candy, snow cones, Shabbat-o-grams, and challah making. Each week, the CIT groups rotate responsibilities among these stations, requiring them to master a new station while sticking with their assigned group. It's been inspiring to witness significant growth in their teamwork skills and their ability to overcome challenges together each week.
Did you know… Every week at camp during Fun Friday A&C runs tie dye? Saturday is ‘drying’ day so you may see pics of shirts around camp! This has been a camp tradition for decades. Last week we used red, yellow, and blue dyes, and this week we did purple, green, and orange. This week Sydney e. and Leya B. in 1-3 made awesome spiral patterns on their pillowcases!
Did you know…that we do A LOT more at ‘swim’ that swim? When Kira, one of the greatest youth leaders I have ever had the pleasure to work alongside, was asked about the last couple of days, she shared the following: The past few days at Swim has been filled with many smiling faces. The other day was incredibly cold, and campers were not keen to jump in the water for instructional swim. After some discussion, we decided that we were going to do some on land training, such as water smart messages which help campers make smart decisions in the water. However, one group needed to complete an endurance task and ran around the BB Beach field to complete it. The girls of 2-5 had the best time and ran around giggling the whole time, along with the staff. Then later that afternoon Section 1 Cabin 3 came down to inflatables and had the best time! Shout out to Max who jumped off the iceberg approximately 20 consecutive times. I’m not sure how he did it, but the smile never left his face. It was really sweet. Just yesterday, July 19, 3 Unit 2 cabins came down to swim and played Flutter board Dance Freeze. They had the greatest time.
I can say with confidence, all in all, the whole camp is having the greatest time!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Right off the top is my weekly ask…any funny letters home? Any great feedback I can share with our staff? Any stories you can share to show our staff the impact of their amazing work with your children? Our weekly staff meetings are tonight and tomorrow – please send me an email with thoughts and reflections from parents/guardians to share – they love hearing about the impact of their hard work to support every child in camp. You can email me directly to [email protected]
Breaking News: (a recap of the NFL Finals):
The Oregon Ducks won the first ever Northland Football League championship!!!! For the past two weeks the senior shift campers have been playing flag football games almost everyday, all working towards the finals!! We had all of senior shift sitting along the sidelines in lawn chairs, AKA the student section. For the opening ceremonies everybody stood up and removed their caps to sing the American and Canadian national anthems. The commentators, Jack M and Lewis C announced the starting lineups for both teams, Oregon Ducks and LSU Tigers then the game began! [EDITOR’S NOTE: THE COMMENTATING WAS EQUALLY ENTERTAINING TO THE GAME ITSELF] We had two refs, suited up with referee shirts and whistles to watch every play. Then during halftime, the senior shift dance team performed in front of everyone, and they killed it. It was a tight game, 4-4 with seconds left on the clock when Oregon had the ball. Quarterback on the Ducks, Edan K sent a Hail Mary into the end zone. The whole crowd stood up as the ball was in the air, both teams bunched together in the end zone reaching for the ball, but it was Elad Z, who was able to make the catch and score the touchdown to win the game!! The crowd erupted and rushed the field, cheering. The winning head coach Nathan C got a full jug of water poured on him to celebrate then gave a quick speech about the team and the season. Then, while “We Are the Champions” by Queen was playing in the background, we snapped a photo of the team holding up number 1 with their fingers. The players on the Oregon Ducks were Jake R, Ben K, Gabe E, Josh M, Brayden C, Josh F, Edan K, Elad Z, Evan E and Simon R. Special shout-out to the all star quarter back Edan K, Elad Z who scored the winning touchdown and Simon R who had plenty of catches for his team. It was so amazing to have almost the whole camp watching the game, cheering on their respective teams, and celebrating after the game. This football league was such a hit that all the campers loved and will hopefully be even better next year and become a Northland tradition for all the campers to look forward to.
This morning, many of us were reflecting back on the magnificence of yesterday’s shabbat dinner and the ‘Oneg’ leading up to the kiddush and candle lighting. It was so beautiful. Andrea our superstar heading up Unit 2 shared her thoughts with me too:
Today I sat with cabin 2-1 during Shabbat dinner and was privileged to be a part of some really beautiful moments...
- While the two Dr. Mark(s) were on the guitar, counsellors Talia C., and Lexie J., initiated a dancing circle to celebrate the start of shabbat in the middle of the mess hall. I watched as camper after camper joined the center, creating their own mini community to welcome in shabbat. By the third song, almost all of unit 2 was gathered together in song.
- I asked campers Maddy B. from 2-1 and Maya D. from 2-2 for a moment today where they either helped someone else or were helped by someone else in camp. Maddy answered that during rest hour, her counsellor Jazz taught her how to design a specific bracelet style. Maya thought for a moment before explaining how at lunch, she saw a friend race for a specific ice cream flavour and didn't get it, so she gave them hers before taking a different flavour. Though these two moments may seem insignificant, these are the simple moments that help form a community built on kindness, sharing and compassion towards others.
Similarly, the CITs hosted their weekly Shabbat Shuk for the entire camp. The event featured stations for cotton candy, snow cones, Shabbat-o-grams, and challah making. Each week, the CIT groups rotate responsibilities among these stations, requiring them to master a new station while sticking with their assigned group. It's been inspiring to witness significant growth in their teamwork skills and their ability to overcome challenges together each week.
Did you know… Every week at camp during Fun Friday A&C runs tie dye? Saturday is ‘drying’ day so you may see pics of shirts around camp! This has been a camp tradition for decades. Last week we used red, yellow, and blue dyes, and this week we did purple, green, and orange. This week Sydney e. and Leya B. in 1-3 made awesome spiral patterns on their pillowcases!
Did you know…that we do A LOT more at ‘swim’ that swim? When Kira, one of the greatest youth leaders I have ever had the pleasure to work alongside, was asked about the last couple of days, she shared the following: The past few days at Swim has been filled with many smiling faces. The other day was incredibly cold, and campers were not keen to jump in the water for instructional swim. After some discussion, we decided that we were going to do some on land training, such as water smart messages which help campers make smart decisions in the water. However, one group needed to complete an endurance task and ran around the BB Beach field to complete it. The girls of 2-5 had the best time and ran around giggling the whole time, along with the staff. Then later that afternoon Section 1 Cabin 3 came down to inflatables and had the best time! Shout out to Max who jumped off the iceberg approximately 20 consecutive times. I’m not sure how he did it, but the smile never left his face. It was really sweet. Just yesterday, July 19, 3 Unit 2 cabins came down to swim and played Flutter board Dance Freeze. They had the greatest time.
I can say with confidence, all in all, the whole camp is having the greatest time!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Friday, July 19, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 20)
Well, if you caught the Facebook live stream earlier this evening then that was more powerful than anything I could write in a Simog. There is nothing quite like hundreds of Jewish kids celebrating Shabbat singing ‘Am Israel Chai’, Salaam (For us and for the whole world, there should be peace), It’s Geshmuk to be a yid, and other shabbat classics!
I just watched the NFL (Northland Football league finals) – impressive sportsmanship and a great battle between LSU and Oregon. The halftime show was the senior dance team (yes - the first-place senior dance team). I think I also saw a few shirtless Section 1 streakers rush the field, but I could be wrong.
I promised a few more details would be shared about The Nate – here we go (thanks to Ethan for the wonderful overview and Shayne for the fantastic summaries):
Yesterday at Camp Northland we held the annual Nate Huffman Memorial Basketball Tournament. We hosted twenty teams coming in from ten different camps: Ramah, Timberlane, Tamakwa, Winnebagoe, White Pine, George, Walden, Tamarack, Manitou, and of course Northland. The day started off great with the sixteen and under boys’ teams from Ramah, Timberlane, and Walden winning the first set of games. Just a little later on in the morning the girls’ teams played and Timberlane, Tamakwa, and Ramah pulled out a win over the other teams. The round robin eventually came to an end with Tamakwa, Timberlane, Northland, and Walden from the boys’ teams and Timberlane, Tamakwa, Ramah, and White Pine from the girls’ teams moving on into the playoffs. The day ended with Timberlane vs Tamakwa in the boys’ finals and Timberlane vs Ramah in the girls’ finals. After 2 very close games the winner for the boys was Tamakwa winning 28-24 and Ramah for the girls in a close game of 17-16. Overall, the day was action packed and filled with team spirit! All the teams had a blast. Thanks to all the teams that came to Northland to play!
Some fun details and observations:
Overall and amazing day for the NATE at Camp Northland and a fun and successful tournament!!
I received a special submission from a special Section Head of Section and want to share it with you here today:
Hi everyone! I am Jacob W, the head of section 3 this summer. Last night we had our section 3 overnight at 2nd point, one of the campsites across the lake and we had a blast!! It was a smaller group, since for senior shift overnights are optional, so the campers that attended were ones that really wanted to have an overnight experience. The campers that came were Isaac L, Elie K, Sol b, Jordan G, Sammy T, Mason I, Noah C, Noah B, Jonah O, Noam L, Yuli S, and Nolan E. All the campers were so helpful when it came to finding wood, making food, cleaning up and more. For dinner we had a delicious stir fry with noodles, beef, veggies, and the perfect spices. After cleaning up dinner, we took a dip in the lake which was so refreshing for us all. Then once the sun set, we got a big fire going and start making s’mores! But not only did we eat s’mores, but we also talked about our personal s’mores. What I mean by that, is we went around in a circle and each camper and staff shared their personal s’more. You had to share your graham cracker, which is a strength of yours. Then your chocolate which was something sweet that has recently happened in your life. And lastly your marshmallow, which was a sticky situation that you overcame. The staff started off by sharing their s’mores to lead by example for the campers, and to show them that we were in a safe and comfortable place where we could be vulnerable with each other. It warmed my heart hearing the campers reflect in a meaningful way. A lot of them expressed their love for the friends they have made at camp and the connections they have with their staff. Hearing them talk about a sticky situation showed me a side of the campers I do not usually get to see, which was an eye-opening experience for the rest of the staff and me. It was especially special since often with boys, they are scared to express their emotions and be vulnerable with one another, but on an overnight with a small group is the perfect place to reflect, share and be emotional with each other. Overall, this overnight was a 10/10. We had amazing food, lots of joking around, and memorable reflective moments. I was so happy to see the campers thriving in this environment and hope everyone gets to experience an overnight like we did.
Tonight was a later night than usual as the legacy tradition of the secretive and elusive LTP Greek Council was revealed. I have already said too much.
Shabbat Shalom and Onward Northland,
Simon
Well, if you caught the Facebook live stream earlier this evening then that was more powerful than anything I could write in a Simog. There is nothing quite like hundreds of Jewish kids celebrating Shabbat singing ‘Am Israel Chai’, Salaam (For us and for the whole world, there should be peace), It’s Geshmuk to be a yid, and other shabbat classics!
I just watched the NFL (Northland Football league finals) – impressive sportsmanship and a great battle between LSU and Oregon. The halftime show was the senior dance team (yes - the first-place senior dance team). I think I also saw a few shirtless Section 1 streakers rush the field, but I could be wrong.
I promised a few more details would be shared about The Nate – here we go (thanks to Ethan for the wonderful overview and Shayne for the fantastic summaries):
Yesterday at Camp Northland we held the annual Nate Huffman Memorial Basketball Tournament. We hosted twenty teams coming in from ten different camps: Ramah, Timberlane, Tamakwa, Winnebagoe, White Pine, George, Walden, Tamarack, Manitou, and of course Northland. The day started off great with the sixteen and under boys’ teams from Ramah, Timberlane, and Walden winning the first set of games. Just a little later on in the morning the girls’ teams played and Timberlane, Tamakwa, and Ramah pulled out a win over the other teams. The round robin eventually came to an end with Tamakwa, Timberlane, Northland, and Walden from the boys’ teams and Timberlane, Tamakwa, Ramah, and White Pine from the girls’ teams moving on into the playoffs. The day ended with Timberlane vs Tamakwa in the boys’ finals and Timberlane vs Ramah in the girls’ finals. After 2 very close games the winner for the boys was Tamakwa winning 28-24 and Ramah for the girls in a close game of 17-16. Overall, the day was action packed and filled with team spirit! All the teams had a blast. Thanks to all the teams that came to Northland to play!
Some fun details and observations:
- Starting off with 16U girls against Manitou - Rebecca B had some incredible dekes to score against her opponents. Alex B was blocking shots left and right and played stellar defence. Sammy H was hitting threes and reverse layups, and Romy M put heart and soul into good defense and hit a great shot en route to a 15-10 Northland victory!
- 16 U girls against Tamakwa - In a hard-fought game against camp Tamakwa, Peri L racked up the steals and had hard drives to the net for scores. Rebecca B and Romy M showed out again scoring a bunch for the team, but Northland fell short after a tough battle.
- 16U boys against Tamarack - In an all-around dominating game for Northland, many players came up clutch. Simon R knocked down a key three pointer and had a few great blocks. Zoran K played incredible defense and constantly locked down the opposing offence. Caleb L-M and Eytan G displayed their skills, and each had highlight plays and lots of points. Eitan W had some great ball control and movement up the court. Overall, a successful game on route to a 28-15 victory for Northland.
- Boys 16U semi final against Tamakwa - In the semi final for the boys, a few players stood out. Eytan and Caleb once again showed their talent and strength in this challenging matchup. Avery M hit a couple tough three pointers and Tommy B had some strong drives to the basket for some points. It was a valiant effort however Northland fell short in this one 27-18.
Overall and amazing day for the NATE at Camp Northland and a fun and successful tournament!!
I received a special submission from a special Section Head of Section and want to share it with you here today:
Hi everyone! I am Jacob W, the head of section 3 this summer. Last night we had our section 3 overnight at 2nd point, one of the campsites across the lake and we had a blast!! It was a smaller group, since for senior shift overnights are optional, so the campers that attended were ones that really wanted to have an overnight experience. The campers that came were Isaac L, Elie K, Sol b, Jordan G, Sammy T, Mason I, Noah C, Noah B, Jonah O, Noam L, Yuli S, and Nolan E. All the campers were so helpful when it came to finding wood, making food, cleaning up and more. For dinner we had a delicious stir fry with noodles, beef, veggies, and the perfect spices. After cleaning up dinner, we took a dip in the lake which was so refreshing for us all. Then once the sun set, we got a big fire going and start making s’mores! But not only did we eat s’mores, but we also talked about our personal s’mores. What I mean by that, is we went around in a circle and each camper and staff shared their personal s’more. You had to share your graham cracker, which is a strength of yours. Then your chocolate which was something sweet that has recently happened in your life. And lastly your marshmallow, which was a sticky situation that you overcame. The staff started off by sharing their s’mores to lead by example for the campers, and to show them that we were in a safe and comfortable place where we could be vulnerable with each other. It warmed my heart hearing the campers reflect in a meaningful way. A lot of them expressed their love for the friends they have made at camp and the connections they have with their staff. Hearing them talk about a sticky situation showed me a side of the campers I do not usually get to see, which was an eye-opening experience for the rest of the staff and me. It was especially special since often with boys, they are scared to express their emotions and be vulnerable with one another, but on an overnight with a small group is the perfect place to reflect, share and be emotional with each other. Overall, this overnight was a 10/10. We had amazing food, lots of joking around, and memorable reflective moments. I was so happy to see the campers thriving in this environment and hope everyone gets to experience an overnight like we did.
Tonight was a later night than usual as the legacy tradition of the secretive and elusive LTP Greek Council was revealed. I have already said too much.
Shabbat Shalom and Onward Northland,
Simon
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 19)
“THE NATE” – what is it and why does every camper and staff at any camp in Ontario LOVE IT?
Nathaniel Thomas Huffman (April 2, 1975 – October 15, 2015) was an American professional basketball player, who played most of his career with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was the 2001 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP, as well as the 2001 FIBA SuproLeague Player of the Year.
After his successes in Israel, he was signed in July 2002, by the Toronto Raptors of the NBA to a 3-year, $5.2 million contract (the third year being a team option), and appeared in 7 games, averaging 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 10.9 minutes. Shortly after, Huffman was released by Toronto which terminated his contract in January 2003, because team management charged that he hid a knee injury from them when he signed the contract. [editor’s note: The Raptors lost this case]
In and around this time, Camp Northland sports lovers started a basketball tournament in honour of the short professional basketball career of a Jewish hopeful star in the making that just never panned out. They jokingly called it the Nate Huffman Memorial Tournament (In memory of his career). Tragically, Nathaniel “Nate” Huffman passed away in 2015 of bladder cancer. We continue to honour his memory, now z”l, as a Jewish athlete who represented and played in Israel and brought joy, excitement, hope, inspiration, and a passion for basketball to Jewish children around the world, including right here at Camp Northland. Our tournament in his honour, affectionately known as “The Nate” took place all day today!
One of our core values at camp is building a strong community. The Nate is values in action. If our community ever needed a time to come together and find joy in just being amongst each other it is now. We had ten camps, almost 300 children strong show up to our humble home where we hosted the province’s largest intercamp basketball tournament. It is not only a game. It is a reunion. It is hope. It is laughter. It is friendly competition. It is challenging. It is rewarding. It is entertaining. It is a chance for our children to be reminded that our community is strong, and that we are surrounded by others like us and standing by our side. We are not alone. The Nate is a community builder like no other. Our children are stronger today, better today, prouder today, and more confident today. Despite the backwards and tragic road that named our tournament, today the memory of Nate Huffman represents a strong and powerful future for our community’s children.
Tomorrow I will post about the teams and some of the highlights to bring colour to some of the pictures you will see.
Spoiler alert – The winner in the boys’ tournament was Camp Tamakwa and the winner of the girls’ tournament was Camp Ramah. It was a wonderful day seeing ten camps come together. Congratulations to every single person and every camp that joined this fantastic event. In the end, we all won today.
I imagine that some of you would think that's more than enough for today, but there is just so much to share I can't help myself.
Every week, the campers get to sign up for a hobby where they spend three extra activity hours doing something additional that they love - usually activities that are not part of the daily routines at camp. Here are a few examples from this week:
Jaime S, Phoebe C and Eden A (3 CITs on unit 2) took it upon themselves to plan an entire EP for unit 2 showing incredible leadership and creativity. The CITs had told the campers to come dressed as their favourite singers (lots of Taylor Swifts showed up) and created a list of words that the campers had to find in a song. When a cabin was called on, they would have to stand up and sing the songs they wrote down. If another cabin also wrote down the same song, they would have to stand up and start singing the song. A cabin would get a point for each song that nobody else had written. When the word was “baby”, a cabin stood up and started singing “baby shark” (with all dance moves that goes along with it!).
Editor's note: During CIT pre camp, our Staff Development Director Alyssa led a session on creating intentional programs. This is when you start with a value (eg. leadership, respect, kindness, acceptance) then plan a program that focuses on what you want the campers to gain from it. Next you choose a theme (can be anything!! ex. cheese, basketball, penguins) and from there, create a program that embodies both the theme and the value. This approach ensures that every program has a purpose and contributes to the campers growth at camp. The CITs who ran this EP started with the value of teamwork and theme of music. This is a strong representation of a successful intentional program. We are all so proud of the outcome!
p.s. The Section and Unit 3 canoe trip has checked in safely at Algonquin Park tonight. There is also an optional overnight for this group and it was all thumbs up when I briefly checked on them earlier this evening.
p.p.s. Yesterday MP (Member of Parliament) Jamie Schmale and his executive assistant Andrew spent the whole morning with us at camp. We toured, we laughed, and we talked a lot about the complexities of the world and the challenges facing the Jewish world since October 7th. We chatted with staff and campers alike, broke bread together, and took some photos. He specifically wanted some pictures to share with the Israeli flag in the background indicating he wants the world to know he supports us and our connection to Israel. Leaving politics and parties aside, it is nice to know we have friends in politics who understand and support our community.
p.p.p.s. Our friends from Hillel were here with us yesterday too. They ran optional sessions for staff throughout the day on topics that included mental health support to manage antisemitism and anxiety in a hostile campus environment, as well as Israel advocacy and leadership opportunities on campus.
Yes we call ourselves a summer camp, but we are also something that words can’t describe.
Onward Northland,
Simon
“THE NATE” – what is it and why does every camper and staff at any camp in Ontario LOVE IT?
Nathaniel Thomas Huffman (April 2, 1975 – October 15, 2015) was an American professional basketball player, who played most of his career with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was the 2001 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP, as well as the 2001 FIBA SuproLeague Player of the Year.
After his successes in Israel, he was signed in July 2002, by the Toronto Raptors of the NBA to a 3-year, $5.2 million contract (the third year being a team option), and appeared in 7 games, averaging 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 10.9 minutes. Shortly after, Huffman was released by Toronto which terminated his contract in January 2003, because team management charged that he hid a knee injury from them when he signed the contract. [editor’s note: The Raptors lost this case]
In and around this time, Camp Northland sports lovers started a basketball tournament in honour of the short professional basketball career of a Jewish hopeful star in the making that just never panned out. They jokingly called it the Nate Huffman Memorial Tournament (In memory of his career). Tragically, Nathaniel “Nate” Huffman passed away in 2015 of bladder cancer. We continue to honour his memory, now z”l, as a Jewish athlete who represented and played in Israel and brought joy, excitement, hope, inspiration, and a passion for basketball to Jewish children around the world, including right here at Camp Northland. Our tournament in his honour, affectionately known as “The Nate” took place all day today!
One of our core values at camp is building a strong community. The Nate is values in action. If our community ever needed a time to come together and find joy in just being amongst each other it is now. We had ten camps, almost 300 children strong show up to our humble home where we hosted the province’s largest intercamp basketball tournament. It is not only a game. It is a reunion. It is hope. It is laughter. It is friendly competition. It is challenging. It is rewarding. It is entertaining. It is a chance for our children to be reminded that our community is strong, and that we are surrounded by others like us and standing by our side. We are not alone. The Nate is a community builder like no other. Our children are stronger today, better today, prouder today, and more confident today. Despite the backwards and tragic road that named our tournament, today the memory of Nate Huffman represents a strong and powerful future for our community’s children.
Tomorrow I will post about the teams and some of the highlights to bring colour to some of the pictures you will see.
Spoiler alert – The winner in the boys’ tournament was Camp Tamakwa and the winner of the girls’ tournament was Camp Ramah. It was a wonderful day seeing ten camps come together. Congratulations to every single person and every camp that joined this fantastic event. In the end, we all won today.
I imagine that some of you would think that's more than enough for today, but there is just so much to share I can't help myself.
Every week, the campers get to sign up for a hobby where they spend three extra activity hours doing something additional that they love - usually activities that are not part of the daily routines at camp. Here are a few examples from this week:
- At adventure, Devin G. from section 2 cabin 2 went all the way up high ropes. He completed two different elements and did it like a champ. Congrats to Maddie S. who once again set a record on the rock wall. She completed the yellow wall in only 20 seconds shaving off another 2 seconds from her previous record. During hobbies today almost everyone completed their knot badges!!! And a few others are on their way to finish their teamwork badge!
- The outstanding Jonah T. ran a hobby called “Television with Tessler”. In his own words, he explained: in this hobby as a collective we discussed what type of show we would make, a few options were Comedy, Soap Opera, Game show, thriller and horror. After voting we decided that a skit show would be the most fun as we could film multiple different scenes. We spent the rest of the first day writing out skit ideas and borrowed them down to 5 things we could film for. We used both the second and third days for filming while the staff worked on editing over the night. The kids all had a blast making their show and many said they were hoping to do it again next week. It wasn’t just the kids that had fun as one of the skits features our director Simon starring in his own “inside out” parody. [editor’s note: seriously hilarious – the kids were ‘in my brain’ and playing the part of my emotions when I observed certain things around camp]. After Mifkad we invited everyone in who wanted to come and were able to play the video for everyone letting them see what these kids were able to come up with. It was an absolute pleasure running this Activity for the kids and I hope it can run again.
- This week we also had a Sababa hobby called “Gishmak to be a Yid!”. In this hobby, the campers could decorate their choice of kippahs, candle holders, and kiddish cups. This engaging activity was a fantastic way to celebrate Jewish identity and beloved traditions and customs. By combining creativity with cultural pride, they were able to connect to their heritage in a fun and meaningful way! (Note: The last few days of Sababa have been dedicated to the campers showing their appreciation to donors through creating adorable thank you cards. These are donors who donated money to help bring kids from Israel to camp and make their summers so special. Thank you to our wonderful donors. If you still want to help you can donate at www.campnbb.com/israel
Jaime S, Phoebe C and Eden A (3 CITs on unit 2) took it upon themselves to plan an entire EP for unit 2 showing incredible leadership and creativity. The CITs had told the campers to come dressed as their favourite singers (lots of Taylor Swifts showed up) and created a list of words that the campers had to find in a song. When a cabin was called on, they would have to stand up and sing the songs they wrote down. If another cabin also wrote down the same song, they would have to stand up and start singing the song. A cabin would get a point for each song that nobody else had written. When the word was “baby”, a cabin stood up and started singing “baby shark” (with all dance moves that goes along with it!).
Editor's note: During CIT pre camp, our Staff Development Director Alyssa led a session on creating intentional programs. This is when you start with a value (eg. leadership, respect, kindness, acceptance) then plan a program that focuses on what you want the campers to gain from it. Next you choose a theme (can be anything!! ex. cheese, basketball, penguins) and from there, create a program that embodies both the theme and the value. This approach ensures that every program has a purpose and contributes to the campers growth at camp. The CITs who ran this EP started with the value of teamwork and theme of music. This is a strong representation of a successful intentional program. We are all so proud of the outcome!
p.s. The Section and Unit 3 canoe trip has checked in safely at Algonquin Park tonight. There is also an optional overnight for this group and it was all thumbs up when I briefly checked on them earlier this evening.
p.p.s. Yesterday MP (Member of Parliament) Jamie Schmale and his executive assistant Andrew spent the whole morning with us at camp. We toured, we laughed, and we talked a lot about the complexities of the world and the challenges facing the Jewish world since October 7th. We chatted with staff and campers alike, broke bread together, and took some photos. He specifically wanted some pictures to share with the Israeli flag in the background indicating he wants the world to know he supports us and our connection to Israel. Leaving politics and parties aside, it is nice to know we have friends in politics who understand and support our community.
p.p.p.s. Our friends from Hillel were here with us yesterday too. They ran optional sessions for staff throughout the day on topics that included mental health support to manage antisemitism and anxiety in a hostile campus environment, as well as Israel advocacy and leadership opportunities on campus.
Yes we call ourselves a summer camp, but we are also something that words can’t describe.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Day 18
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 18)
First as promised - some breaking news from yesterday:
Hello everyone! Saige A., Head of Creative Arts, here to share some exciting news: We won first place at Dance Intercamp hosted by Camp Wahanowin! The process was challenging, requiring immense dedication and effort from every camper involved. From hobbies, to rest hours, and finally after dinner practices, these campers put in extensive effort to perfect this performance. As the competition was approaching, every moment we had was utilized to refine and practice every last detail of this routine. When the time came to perform, our campers delivered a thrilling and memorable show, fueled by adrenaline and passion. The competition was fierce, with amazing performances from other camps adding to the overall excitement of dance intercamp. Awards were right around the corner and we were eager to hear the results. Northland was then announced as gold medalists and we were instantly filled with cheers, screams and laughter that continued throughout the entire day. I couldn't be prouder of our dedicated dancers, whose talent and hard work were evident in every step they took. These dancers include: Liya K, Liora C, Jacqueline M, Addison D, Harleigh D, Simone S, Chloe S, Abby S, Noa S, Callie G, Ella P, Rachel D, Neeve Z, Peri L, and Olivia M. I also want to extend my thanks to my Creative Arts staff, Ryann R and Rylee B, whose support and creativity were very helpful in bringing our winning dance to life.
The second update as promised is that Maccabiah has been announced. There will be lots more on this 'Colour War' style camp classic when it happens. For now, I just want to share that the excitement is already starting to build. One of the biggest honours we bestow upon anyone at camp is the recognition of excellence to CITs and Staff by being assigned as a team captain or member of the Northland Maccabiah Committee (NMC). So huge congratulations to (as they are known around camp) Livi, Kibel, James, Peri, Koby, Rachel, Caitlin, Andrew, Emma, Evan, Noa, Winter, Asley, Jack, Phoebe, and Zach.
Camp Kindness Day!
Sarah from our Camper and Staff Wellness team shared her thoughts for today's Simog all about today's special program all about kindness:
There are hundreds of reasons why I feel so strongly that Camp Northland is one of the best places to spend the summer. As a parent of a Unit 1 camper, alumni, and now for the second year, a member of the NBB Wellness Team, I feel “qualified” to say that.
Just to expand on one of those many, many reasons why this place is so special, I wanted to shed some light on our camp Wellness team and the incredible things we have been up to!
If you didn’t know, our camp has participated in a wellness grant program by the Foundation of Jewish Camp called Yadid Nefesh. This three year opportunity allows camps to build a wellness program that support the positive mental health and well-being of its camp community. Through this, we have been able to share our insights as a leader in the field and even expand our wellness team and initiatives around camp. Last year, we built our CORE space (Chill Out, Relax, and Energize), and this year we worked on furnishing it to be a little more inviting, and we also added a rejuvenated camp library and canoe garden! Throughout pre-camp and during staff meetings, our team creates workshops and discussions around optimizing staff and camper experience and problem-solving when kids are having a hard time. We spend our days with campers, staff, full cabins and even bring the camp dogs (Splash and Beau) to spread messages of kindness, resilience and trust! Our group of professionals, includes 3 social workers, 1 guidance counsellor, 1 special educator and university students in the field. With all that talent and expertise, our team has proven strong and successful in achieving our goal of bringing positive mental health and well being to camp!
One initiative our Wellness Team headed today was the celebration of the Foundation of Jewish Camp’s Camp Kindness Day. We are always committed to creating a culture of kindness so this day was an easy one! We celebrated kindness throughout camp and spread the message whole heartedly that it cost NOTHING to be KIND!
Our media team was out bright and early celebrating campers and staff sporting their best “kindness” swag and our radio specialty spent the day featuring songs of love and kindness, as well as interviewing our campers about what that means to them and what kindness looks like at camp. cabins that had A+C worked on our kindness rock garden that we will be “planting“ around camp this week! We had some wonderful commitments to kindness by many staff and campers: our head staff, Shayne and Cohen, surprised some Section Two cabin counsellors and relieved them from the mornings activities, so they could rest!
I could go on for a long time about my immense gratitude toward being part of such an incredible movement as a member of the Camp Northland Wellness Team. As a parent, I am appreciative of the resources that Camp Northland has to offer when kids are struggling. As an alumni, I am in absolute awe of the tools available to support kids who would otherwise never return to camp or struggle immensely at camp in the past. As a professional in the Jewish community, I feel honoured to be part of this movement and team at a place like NBB.
Happy Camp Kindness Day!
With Gratitude, Sarah
Tomorrow get ready for some serious excitement. By 10 a.m. on Thursday approximately 300 campers from all over camp country will be descending upon our home at Camp Northland. It is the Nate Huffman Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament - the largest intercamp basketball tournament in the Province. Updates will be shared in tomorrow's Simog along with some notes on a special guest who toured the camp today - our local Conservative MP Jamie Schmale!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 18)
First as promised - some breaking news from yesterday:
Hello everyone! Saige A., Head of Creative Arts, here to share some exciting news: We won first place at Dance Intercamp hosted by Camp Wahanowin! The process was challenging, requiring immense dedication and effort from every camper involved. From hobbies, to rest hours, and finally after dinner practices, these campers put in extensive effort to perfect this performance. As the competition was approaching, every moment we had was utilized to refine and practice every last detail of this routine. When the time came to perform, our campers delivered a thrilling and memorable show, fueled by adrenaline and passion. The competition was fierce, with amazing performances from other camps adding to the overall excitement of dance intercamp. Awards were right around the corner and we were eager to hear the results. Northland was then announced as gold medalists and we were instantly filled with cheers, screams and laughter that continued throughout the entire day. I couldn't be prouder of our dedicated dancers, whose talent and hard work were evident in every step they took. These dancers include: Liya K, Liora C, Jacqueline M, Addison D, Harleigh D, Simone S, Chloe S, Abby S, Noa S, Callie G, Ella P, Rachel D, Neeve Z, Peri L, and Olivia M. I also want to extend my thanks to my Creative Arts staff, Ryann R and Rylee B, whose support and creativity were very helpful in bringing our winning dance to life.
The second update as promised is that Maccabiah has been announced. There will be lots more on this 'Colour War' style camp classic when it happens. For now, I just want to share that the excitement is already starting to build. One of the biggest honours we bestow upon anyone at camp is the recognition of excellence to CITs and Staff by being assigned as a team captain or member of the Northland Maccabiah Committee (NMC). So huge congratulations to (as they are known around camp) Livi, Kibel, James, Peri, Koby, Rachel, Caitlin, Andrew, Emma, Evan, Noa, Winter, Asley, Jack, Phoebe, and Zach.
Camp Kindness Day!
Sarah from our Camper and Staff Wellness team shared her thoughts for today's Simog all about today's special program all about kindness:
There are hundreds of reasons why I feel so strongly that Camp Northland is one of the best places to spend the summer. As a parent of a Unit 1 camper, alumni, and now for the second year, a member of the NBB Wellness Team, I feel “qualified” to say that.
Just to expand on one of those many, many reasons why this place is so special, I wanted to shed some light on our camp Wellness team and the incredible things we have been up to!
If you didn’t know, our camp has participated in a wellness grant program by the Foundation of Jewish Camp called Yadid Nefesh. This three year opportunity allows camps to build a wellness program that support the positive mental health and well-being of its camp community. Through this, we have been able to share our insights as a leader in the field and even expand our wellness team and initiatives around camp. Last year, we built our CORE space (Chill Out, Relax, and Energize), and this year we worked on furnishing it to be a little more inviting, and we also added a rejuvenated camp library and canoe garden! Throughout pre-camp and during staff meetings, our team creates workshops and discussions around optimizing staff and camper experience and problem-solving when kids are having a hard time. We spend our days with campers, staff, full cabins and even bring the camp dogs (Splash and Beau) to spread messages of kindness, resilience and trust! Our group of professionals, includes 3 social workers, 1 guidance counsellor, 1 special educator and university students in the field. With all that talent and expertise, our team has proven strong and successful in achieving our goal of bringing positive mental health and well being to camp!
One initiative our Wellness Team headed today was the celebration of the Foundation of Jewish Camp’s Camp Kindness Day. We are always committed to creating a culture of kindness so this day was an easy one! We celebrated kindness throughout camp and spread the message whole heartedly that it cost NOTHING to be KIND!
Our media team was out bright and early celebrating campers and staff sporting their best “kindness” swag and our radio specialty spent the day featuring songs of love and kindness, as well as interviewing our campers about what that means to them and what kindness looks like at camp. cabins that had A+C worked on our kindness rock garden that we will be “planting“ around camp this week! We had some wonderful commitments to kindness by many staff and campers: our head staff, Shayne and Cohen, surprised some Section Two cabin counsellors and relieved them from the mornings activities, so they could rest!
I could go on for a long time about my immense gratitude toward being part of such an incredible movement as a member of the Camp Northland Wellness Team. As a parent, I am appreciative of the resources that Camp Northland has to offer when kids are struggling. As an alumni, I am in absolute awe of the tools available to support kids who would otherwise never return to camp or struggle immensely at camp in the past. As a professional in the Jewish community, I feel honoured to be part of this movement and team at a place like NBB.
Happy Camp Kindness Day!
With Gratitude, Sarah
Tomorrow get ready for some serious excitement. By 10 a.m. on Thursday approximately 300 campers from all over camp country will be descending upon our home at Camp Northland. It is the Nate Huffman Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament - the largest intercamp basketball tournament in the Province. Updates will be shared in tomorrow's Simog along with some notes on a special guest who toured the camp today - our local Conservative MP Jamie Schmale!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 17)
Well the Unit 2 overnight was a MASSIVE success. I personally visited both campsites (Abracadabra on the west side of our lake and Second Point on the east side of our lake). The entire unit was so positive and in such great spirits. Both sites were full of laughter, and positivity, and really made the most of their time to create a super fun bonding experience. They also taught me a bunch of social media trends which I am not yet sure if they are considered ‘cool’ or if I am being set up . Either way I can dab you up when I see you.
Andrea, our magical Head of Unit 2, shared her own observations of the experience too:
The unit two overnight displayed some really special moments of kindness, teamwork, and compassion.
Is someone cutting onions near my computer? My eyes keep watering.
There are always great moments everywhere in camp. Look at this note for the remarkable Assistant Head of BOTH Unit 1 and Section 1: Hello Simog readers! My name is Spencer W., Assistant Head of Section AND Unit one and today I'd like to highlight a few amazing campers from Unit one cabin six. While cabins 1-1 and 1-2 were packing up to leave from the two-week Northland Experience, campers by the names of Sadie B., Micah S., Sarah D., Aubrey L., Mia S., Mia F., Rachel S., Audrey W., and Lauryn G., went out of their way during their free time to help pack up and clean the other two cabins. Their generosity and team spirit exemplify the true essence of our Camp Northland community. We are incredibly proud of their willingness to lend a hand and support their fellow campers!
It's all happening at the specialties too. Take Windsports for example. Last week at Windsports, we launched our new and improved sailing school. Taking place during hobbies, our sailing school program gives campers who are keen to learn, the opportunity to become proficient sailors in a short time. Lead by our most experienced staff, the group of nine campers spent time both on land and in the water, learning the essentials of sailing. After one week of hobbies, this wonderful group has a strong grasp of the parts of the boat and their use, how to appropriately operate the boat, and some basic knots. These criteria constitute our bronze badge, which the group members were awarded at the end of the week. Two members of the hobby were so enthusiastic to learn that they asked our fantastic Head of Windsports Kyle N. to sign out our sailing textbook, which came as a very pleasant surprise. We all look forward to further developing the skills of the campers in the weeks to come, as we build our amazing fleet of sailors at Northland. Do you know a pirate’s favourite letter. RRRRRRR, it’s not ‘R’, but they do like the C.
Our amazing team at swim wanted you to know that we offer a program referred to as the “I swam Moose Lake” challenge. In order to complete this challenge, campers have the opportunity during free swim and general swim to work towards completing a total of 200 lengths of our swimming docks. General swim is a designated hour offered every day where campers have the opportunity to swim with their entire age group. The idea of this challenge is that the 200 lengths represent the distance of swimming across Moose Lake. [editor’s note: when I was a camper here a hundred years ago (give or take) we actually swam across the open water in one straight shot to earn this badge but rules and regs have changed over the years]. The campers participating have their numbers of lengths tracked by swim staff each time they make progress towards the goal. Our first successful participant in summer 2024 is Eli N in Section 2. We are so proud of Eli and love how much enthusiasm he has demonstrated coming down to swim each day.
I got some more details from our magnificent CIT Director, Shayne about the intercamp competition at Timberlane. As mentioned yesterday, Northland travelled to Camp Timberlane for a fun day of Intercamp! It started off with 16U girls' basketball and 14U boys' hockey, and then even more basketball. In 14U hockey, the boys played their hearts out. Campers Zoran K., Edan K., and Brayden C. showed dedication, determination, hard work ethic, and great sportsmanship as they battled on the hockey arena. Later on in 16U boys basketball, it was an amazing game filled with action. Eytan G. showed off his full skillset hitting 3-pointers, midrange, layups, and an insane one-handed tip shot! Simon R. demonstrated some amazing passion and skill on the court too. Tommy B., Caleb L-M, and Avery M. were all crucial players in the lineup putting their basketball knowledge and experience out on the court with some great buckets and defence. Lastly, in 14U boys softball, Coby E. and Ryan E. showed outstanding skill. Coby, playing as the starting left fielder, made out-of-this-world diving catches in 3 consecutive innings to keep Northland in the game. Ryan E., making his pitching debut, did an amazing job keeping Timberlane to a low score, and his smile and energy constantly lifted the teams' spirit.
But wait, there’s more…There is huge news to share around two big camp programs – Maccabiah and the senior dance team – check social media, pics, or back here tomorrow for the exciting breaking news to be shared…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Well the Unit 2 overnight was a MASSIVE success. I personally visited both campsites (Abracadabra on the west side of our lake and Second Point on the east side of our lake). The entire unit was so positive and in such great spirits. Both sites were full of laughter, and positivity, and really made the most of their time to create a super fun bonding experience. They also taught me a bunch of social media trends which I am not yet sure if they are considered ‘cool’ or if I am being set up . Either way I can dab you up when I see you.
Andrea, our magical Head of Unit 2, shared her own observations of the experience too:
The unit two overnight displayed some really special moments of kindness, teamwork, and compassion.
- Isabel B (2-2). made sure to roast an extra marshmallow for one of her cabinmates while they were organizing their sleeping bag in the tent. She knew her friend was excited for smores and wanted to make sure they could experience that part of the night.
- While older unit 2 was around the campfire eating smores, their counsellors used the smore ingredients as a way to introduce a gratitude activity - the graham cracker represented something solid that keeps you grounded, the marshmallow represented a sticky situation, and the chocolate represented something sweet that helped you through it. One by one, the campers had the opportunity to share some unique moments that have positively shaped their summer thus far
- 3. I watched some really awesome moments of leadership at the camper level while arriving back at camp. There were 7 canoes docked at the shore, all of which needed to be racked. Izzy B (2-3), Olivia B (2-4) and Norah L (2-2) all stepped up to teach other campers the best way to carry a canoe. The three of them empowered their friends to feel strong, capable, and work together in order to get all the canoes back to where they needed to be.
- 4. Many small moments of campers extending a helping hand to each other, whether that be offering a borrowed flashlight or bug spray, walking with a buddy when they needed to go to the bathroom or fill up their water, or helping each other feel comfortable in the big tent by rearranging sleeping bags. It was clear that each camper was looking out for one another.
Is someone cutting onions near my computer? My eyes keep watering.
There are always great moments everywhere in camp. Look at this note for the remarkable Assistant Head of BOTH Unit 1 and Section 1: Hello Simog readers! My name is Spencer W., Assistant Head of Section AND Unit one and today I'd like to highlight a few amazing campers from Unit one cabin six. While cabins 1-1 and 1-2 were packing up to leave from the two-week Northland Experience, campers by the names of Sadie B., Micah S., Sarah D., Aubrey L., Mia S., Mia F., Rachel S., Audrey W., and Lauryn G., went out of their way during their free time to help pack up and clean the other two cabins. Their generosity and team spirit exemplify the true essence of our Camp Northland community. We are incredibly proud of their willingness to lend a hand and support their fellow campers!
It's all happening at the specialties too. Take Windsports for example. Last week at Windsports, we launched our new and improved sailing school. Taking place during hobbies, our sailing school program gives campers who are keen to learn, the opportunity to become proficient sailors in a short time. Lead by our most experienced staff, the group of nine campers spent time both on land and in the water, learning the essentials of sailing. After one week of hobbies, this wonderful group has a strong grasp of the parts of the boat and their use, how to appropriately operate the boat, and some basic knots. These criteria constitute our bronze badge, which the group members were awarded at the end of the week. Two members of the hobby were so enthusiastic to learn that they asked our fantastic Head of Windsports Kyle N. to sign out our sailing textbook, which came as a very pleasant surprise. We all look forward to further developing the skills of the campers in the weeks to come, as we build our amazing fleet of sailors at Northland. Do you know a pirate’s favourite letter. RRRRRRR, it’s not ‘R’, but they do like the C.
Our amazing team at swim wanted you to know that we offer a program referred to as the “I swam Moose Lake” challenge. In order to complete this challenge, campers have the opportunity during free swim and general swim to work towards completing a total of 200 lengths of our swimming docks. General swim is a designated hour offered every day where campers have the opportunity to swim with their entire age group. The idea of this challenge is that the 200 lengths represent the distance of swimming across Moose Lake. [editor’s note: when I was a camper here a hundred years ago (give or take) we actually swam across the open water in one straight shot to earn this badge but rules and regs have changed over the years]. The campers participating have their numbers of lengths tracked by swim staff each time they make progress towards the goal. Our first successful participant in summer 2024 is Eli N in Section 2. We are so proud of Eli and love how much enthusiasm he has demonstrated coming down to swim each day.
I got some more details from our magnificent CIT Director, Shayne about the intercamp competition at Timberlane. As mentioned yesterday, Northland travelled to Camp Timberlane for a fun day of Intercamp! It started off with 16U girls' basketball and 14U boys' hockey, and then even more basketball. In 14U hockey, the boys played their hearts out. Campers Zoran K., Edan K., and Brayden C. showed dedication, determination, hard work ethic, and great sportsmanship as they battled on the hockey arena. Later on in 16U boys basketball, it was an amazing game filled with action. Eytan G. showed off his full skillset hitting 3-pointers, midrange, layups, and an insane one-handed tip shot! Simon R. demonstrated some amazing passion and skill on the court too. Tommy B., Caleb L-M, and Avery M. were all crucial players in the lineup putting their basketball knowledge and experience out on the court with some great buckets and defence. Lastly, in 14U boys softball, Coby E. and Ryan E. showed outstanding skill. Coby, playing as the starting left fielder, made out-of-this-world diving catches in 3 consecutive innings to keep Northland in the game. Ryan E., making his pitching debut, did an amazing job keeping Timberlane to a low score, and his smile and energy constantly lifted the teams' spirit.
But wait, there’s more…There is huge news to share around two big camp programs – Maccabiah and the senior dance team – check social media, pics, or back here tomorrow for the exciting breaking news to be shared…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Monday, July 15, 2024
Day 16
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I know this won’t come as a surprise to you anymore, but there is serious excitement and entertainment both inside and outside of camp. We have a Northland alumni celebrity in camp today! The one and only David Bluestein is here running workshops on cartooning in Arts& Crafts. I heard a rumour that he did over 500 caricatures today alone! David is a brilliant talent that, amongst many other skills, can turn any thought, person or idea into a cartoon that tells a story. Did you know that David was the talent behind the 20 or so years of animated yearbooks we used to produce in the 80’s and 90’s. It was like our own version of Mad magazine and Alfred E. Newman (if you know, you know). Many of the yearbooks have been collected and are on display in our history of NBB Museum right here at camp. Make sure to check it out if you come to pick up your children or visit on July 26th.
Speaking of David Bluestein, who is also an epic storyteller, he met the LTP campers last night after their wacky EP (a screening of movies they made during their All-Day and a beach party) to tell them scary stories on the porch of A&C (the place of origin for these stories). Don’t mention ‘Candle Jack’ to your children. The LTPs had a great night and will have exciting memories to spare for years.
Campers are also really excited about all of the new tuck options and extended choices for snacks and drinks this year. The incredible Michelle and Eden are the two voices you hear if you ever call us up at camp. Michelle offered to explain a bit more about our tuck shop today:
Hi everyone, my name is Michelle, and I am head of the office. I was head of office last summer for August and was so excited to be back after a 22-year hiatus. Some of my responsibilities include printing, sorting, and handing out mail and handing out tuck (a drink and snack) when the campers hand in a letter. This year I have heard from many campers how impressive the tuck choices are. We even mix up chips and chocolate all on the same day. Some of the drinks are coke, Nestea, ginger ale, sprite, cream soda, orange crush, root beer, apple juice, orange juice and the most popular Powerade. For snacks we have a variety of chips (plain, salt and vinegar, ketchup, BBQ, and all dressed) and lots of chocolate choices (mars, Hershey’s cookies and cream, Hershey Eggies and Maltesers). We even added a few special items like cotton candy, apple chips and soup.
There are still lots of layers to unpack to learn all about camp’s operations!
This week at swim our CITs on the swim specialty rotation were tasked with creating their own new and creative programs to run during activity periods. Junior shift CIT’s Andrew H and Addison D ran an amazing program called Flutter Board Freeze Dance. During which campers played freeze dance on the dock and when the music stopped they had to jump into the water to try to get a flutter board before everyone else. The person that couldn’t get a flutter board was out. The game went absolutely amazing, and the campers had a blast. Shawn C in Section 2 Cabin 2 won the game, excellent job Shawn! The CITs truly showed their developing leadership and were able to run an amazing program. After the program 3 campers Devin, Shawn and Emerson treaded in the water for 15 minutes, and as it was described to me - “it was absolutely insane”. Their stamina and determination are incredible.
Swim’s Senior shift CIT’s Olivia M and Neeve Z ran another amazing program, this time on the inflatables. The cabin was split up into 2 teams to compete in a relay race activity. They had to swim from the inflatables dock to the swim docks grab a tennis ball and run through the inflatables course as fast as they could. The goal was to keep the tennis ball in their hands the entire time. Once the first person from each team finished the course they had to tag the next person on their team to go. Whichever team finished first was the winner. The LTP campers had a wonderful time participating in this activity for the first time. Although these CIT’s, effective today will be moving on to their next rotations, the absolutely fantastic Heads of Swim (Samara L, Kira H, and Emma M) expressed how grateful they all are their hard work and enthusiasm on swim this rotation!!
Things are always hopping outside of camp too. Yesterday the CITs went into Haliburton for a camp field trip – a “day off” from their normal camp routines. This evening Unit 2 is on an overnight across Moose Lake. Earlier today we had a full busload of sports teams out of camp competing in epic sports competitions at Camp Timberlane. We are grateful to our friends at Camp Timberlane for hosting our teams today. Unfortunately, there was a huge thunder and lightning storm at Timberlane after lunch, so half the games were canceled. Interestingly it was hot, beautiful, and sunny all day here at camp. Well, as the saying goes, it’s always sunny at Camp Northland.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I know this won’t come as a surprise to you anymore, but there is serious excitement and entertainment both inside and outside of camp. We have a Northland alumni celebrity in camp today! The one and only David Bluestein is here running workshops on cartooning in Arts& Crafts. I heard a rumour that he did over 500 caricatures today alone! David is a brilliant talent that, amongst many other skills, can turn any thought, person or idea into a cartoon that tells a story. Did you know that David was the talent behind the 20 or so years of animated yearbooks we used to produce in the 80’s and 90’s. It was like our own version of Mad magazine and Alfred E. Newman (if you know, you know). Many of the yearbooks have been collected and are on display in our history of NBB Museum right here at camp. Make sure to check it out if you come to pick up your children or visit on July 26th.
Speaking of David Bluestein, who is also an epic storyteller, he met the LTP campers last night after their wacky EP (a screening of movies they made during their All-Day and a beach party) to tell them scary stories on the porch of A&C (the place of origin for these stories). Don’t mention ‘Candle Jack’ to your children. The LTPs had a great night and will have exciting memories to spare for years.
Campers are also really excited about all of the new tuck options and extended choices for snacks and drinks this year. The incredible Michelle and Eden are the two voices you hear if you ever call us up at camp. Michelle offered to explain a bit more about our tuck shop today:
Hi everyone, my name is Michelle, and I am head of the office. I was head of office last summer for August and was so excited to be back after a 22-year hiatus. Some of my responsibilities include printing, sorting, and handing out mail and handing out tuck (a drink and snack) when the campers hand in a letter. This year I have heard from many campers how impressive the tuck choices are. We even mix up chips and chocolate all on the same day. Some of the drinks are coke, Nestea, ginger ale, sprite, cream soda, orange crush, root beer, apple juice, orange juice and the most popular Powerade. For snacks we have a variety of chips (plain, salt and vinegar, ketchup, BBQ, and all dressed) and lots of chocolate choices (mars, Hershey’s cookies and cream, Hershey Eggies and Maltesers). We even added a few special items like cotton candy, apple chips and soup.
- Did you know that snacks are available at all times for campers from when they wake up to when they go to bed each day?
- Did you know that we provide a full salad bar at every lunch and dinner?
- Did you know that campers always have alternative options if they don’t want to eat the main course, including extensive pre-made salads, pasta, breads, wow butter, etc.
- Did you know that campers can even pick up a snack in multiple dedicated spaces around camp this year?
- Did you know we serve cholent on Saturdays for those who want to try it?
There are still lots of layers to unpack to learn all about camp’s operations!
This week at swim our CITs on the swim specialty rotation were tasked with creating their own new and creative programs to run during activity periods. Junior shift CIT’s Andrew H and Addison D ran an amazing program called Flutter Board Freeze Dance. During which campers played freeze dance on the dock and when the music stopped they had to jump into the water to try to get a flutter board before everyone else. The person that couldn’t get a flutter board was out. The game went absolutely amazing, and the campers had a blast. Shawn C in Section 2 Cabin 2 won the game, excellent job Shawn! The CITs truly showed their developing leadership and were able to run an amazing program. After the program 3 campers Devin, Shawn and Emerson treaded in the water for 15 minutes, and as it was described to me - “it was absolutely insane”. Their stamina and determination are incredible.
Swim’s Senior shift CIT’s Olivia M and Neeve Z ran another amazing program, this time on the inflatables. The cabin was split up into 2 teams to compete in a relay race activity. They had to swim from the inflatables dock to the swim docks grab a tennis ball and run through the inflatables course as fast as they could. The goal was to keep the tennis ball in their hands the entire time. Once the first person from each team finished the course they had to tag the next person on their team to go. Whichever team finished first was the winner. The LTP campers had a wonderful time participating in this activity for the first time. Although these CIT’s, effective today will be moving on to their next rotations, the absolutely fantastic Heads of Swim (Samara L, Kira H, and Emma M) expressed how grateful they all are their hard work and enthusiasm on swim this rotation!!
Things are always hopping outside of camp too. Yesterday the CITs went into Haliburton for a camp field trip – a “day off” from their normal camp routines. This evening Unit 2 is on an overnight across Moose Lake. Earlier today we had a full busload of sports teams out of camp competing in epic sports competitions at Camp Timberlane. We are grateful to our friends at Camp Timberlane for hosting our teams today. Unfortunately, there was a huge thunder and lightning storm at Timberlane after lunch, so half the games were canceled. Interestingly it was hot, beautiful, and sunny all day here at camp. Well, as the saying goes, it’s always sunny at Camp Northland.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Day 15
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I can’t believe we are already turning the corner towards the latter half of the first session of camp. It has been a truly remarkable first 2 weeks. I figured I would share some details on some of the amazing programs that have already been touched upon and some new ones to celebrate and share with you too.
Two nights ago, was Northlands Got Talent, which is a camp-wide evening program. The acts for Northlands Got Talent are the winners of the units/sections respective mini “Northlands Got Talent” EPs. The camp-wide talent show is an opportunity for campers to display their passion for the arts. Camp has always been a place that fosters creativity, passion, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Joey, our incredibly talented Head of Music (and author of the song loved by all called “Home Again (at Northland)” shared that she is so proud of all the performers this year for doing just that and embodying the three ideas mentioned above/qualities. She added “What I love about Northlands Got Talent is that it represents everything that camp, this camp in particular, represents. A culture of inclusion; a place where children can explore and share their interests and passions; an environment that rewards stepping outside of your comfort zone; a community of support …and the list goes on. She added that camp isn’t about one moment, or a talent show, it’s about the combined impact of all the small moments, the evening programs, the all days, a golf cart ride with a head staff, getting double tuck for being a mensch, seeing the stars, sleeping in a cabin with all of your friends, and all of it adding up to make you feel like you’re home again.
In this home away from home every day is unique, dynamic, and special. The Section/Unit 3 All Day program yesterday is an excellent example of this reality.
They started the morning doing a beach party for the bachelor in paradise ‘all day’ (program). They had a mocktail station with juices and pop options, a limbo station, slip-n-slide, swimming, and a snack station. They played some hilarious tongue in cheek speed dating games, where 6 campers were hiding behind curtains and then questions were asked to one camper, and we eliminated the campers behind the curtains after each response…until two campers were paired to be perfect matches! This allowed new friendships to form amongst the group as they had similar responses and common interests. But that’s not all…The units then went to the rec hall to participate in a spa day, with all the bells and whistles. They had cucumbers for the eyes, nail polish and were feeling the vibes. The section campers made roses at A&C for the unit campers, it was so cute!
Birthdays at camp are lots of fun too. Aside from spinning the giant prize wheel, they get to enjoy the time-honored camp tradition of a whipped cream pie in the face (gently and with love). Earlier this week it was Emma S’s birthday. Eden, her tremendously thoughtful Unit Head planned a birthday scavenger hunt for her cabin, they went around to different specialties at camp finding different clues.
In the end, all the campers ended up in the office and got to pick from prizes. A simple program built from kindness that creates lifetime memories, role models kindness, brings people together, facilitates team building, encourages problem solving, and makes someone feel incredibly special. Now that’s a place to be proud of for sure.
In the far corner of camp over at BB Beach, our paddle staff continue to amaze me with their programming, positive messaging, and never-ending quest to make every hour fun. Thomas is the Head of Paddle, and also should be called Head of Role Modeling because he is exceptional for your children. Thomas shared with me that today we had a very rainy morning as the paddle specialty started its scheduled activities. Luckily for us the rain started to subside and was just a soft drizzle. Cabin 3-1 wasn’t in the most of energetic of moods when they came down, but counsellor Zoe B jumped into the water with two of her campers. They had a blast swimming and paddling in the rain during the session, and by the end of the period, her whole cabin decided they didn’t want to miss out on the fun. So, clothes and all, they jumped into the water and made the most of the session despite the rain. Zoe displayed how a counsellor can lead through action – an important life lesson for the beneficiary children to soak in too. Moments like this display how our counsellors have the ability to change otherwise mundane moments into special memories for their campers.
The best part is that this is all just another day at camp.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Dear Camp Northland Families,
I can’t believe we are already turning the corner towards the latter half of the first session of camp. It has been a truly remarkable first 2 weeks. I figured I would share some details on some of the amazing programs that have already been touched upon and some new ones to celebrate and share with you too.
Two nights ago, was Northlands Got Talent, which is a camp-wide evening program. The acts for Northlands Got Talent are the winners of the units/sections respective mini “Northlands Got Talent” EPs. The camp-wide talent show is an opportunity for campers to display their passion for the arts. Camp has always been a place that fosters creativity, passion, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Joey, our incredibly talented Head of Music (and author of the song loved by all called “Home Again (at Northland)” shared that she is so proud of all the performers this year for doing just that and embodying the three ideas mentioned above/qualities. She added “What I love about Northlands Got Talent is that it represents everything that camp, this camp in particular, represents. A culture of inclusion; a place where children can explore and share their interests and passions; an environment that rewards stepping outside of your comfort zone; a community of support …and the list goes on. She added that camp isn’t about one moment, or a talent show, it’s about the combined impact of all the small moments, the evening programs, the all days, a golf cart ride with a head staff, getting double tuck for being a mensch, seeing the stars, sleeping in a cabin with all of your friends, and all of it adding up to make you feel like you’re home again.
In this home away from home every day is unique, dynamic, and special. The Section/Unit 3 All Day program yesterday is an excellent example of this reality.
They started the morning doing a beach party for the bachelor in paradise ‘all day’ (program). They had a mocktail station with juices and pop options, a limbo station, slip-n-slide, swimming, and a snack station. They played some hilarious tongue in cheek speed dating games, where 6 campers were hiding behind curtains and then questions were asked to one camper, and we eliminated the campers behind the curtains after each response…until two campers were paired to be perfect matches! This allowed new friendships to form amongst the group as they had similar responses and common interests. But that’s not all…The units then went to the rec hall to participate in a spa day, with all the bells and whistles. They had cucumbers for the eyes, nail polish and were feeling the vibes. The section campers made roses at A&C for the unit campers, it was so cute!
Birthdays at camp are lots of fun too. Aside from spinning the giant prize wheel, they get to enjoy the time-honored camp tradition of a whipped cream pie in the face (gently and with love). Earlier this week it was Emma S’s birthday. Eden, her tremendously thoughtful Unit Head planned a birthday scavenger hunt for her cabin, they went around to different specialties at camp finding different clues.
- First clue- “row row row your boat gently down the stream, I’m the home of the long boat that’s big and green, but you will only find me if u work as a team”
- Second clue- “twist and turn, rise, and fall, where I am we truly have it all. loud engines roar, and friendly staff teach, all we're missing is a beach. Where can you find me?”
- Third clue- “Hate me or love me, I always come around. Pack a sleeping bag and toothbrush, and maybe you will sleep soundly. We can build shelters and fires and eat s’mores too; we teach you good life skills you know that’s true. Where can you find me?”
- Fourth clue- “Some could say this is the best specialty at camp, jumping and diving, and don’t eat before me or you will get a cramp. Our staff are so smiley, and sure love the water, you gonna wanna come here as it keeps getting hotter”
- Fifth clue- “I’m fresh and new, you can play with your friends, my course is exciting with lots of turns and bends. Find me near the playhouse, and just a reminder this is the fifth clue.
- Sixth- “The place we call home and sleep every night, make sure you shut the door, so you don’t get a bite. We make circles with our chairs, right beside the stairs, the second last clue is in the blue chair.
- Last- “the friendliest staff, who give us our snacks, the home of the tuck shop is a blast. Find me near the back, if you like our chocolate packs, happy birthday Emma I hope you guys had a blast.
In the end, all the campers ended up in the office and got to pick from prizes. A simple program built from kindness that creates lifetime memories, role models kindness, brings people together, facilitates team building, encourages problem solving, and makes someone feel incredibly special. Now that’s a place to be proud of for sure.
In the far corner of camp over at BB Beach, our paddle staff continue to amaze me with their programming, positive messaging, and never-ending quest to make every hour fun. Thomas is the Head of Paddle, and also should be called Head of Role Modeling because he is exceptional for your children. Thomas shared with me that today we had a very rainy morning as the paddle specialty started its scheduled activities. Luckily for us the rain started to subside and was just a soft drizzle. Cabin 3-1 wasn’t in the most of energetic of moods when they came down, but counsellor Zoe B jumped into the water with two of her campers. They had a blast swimming and paddling in the rain during the session, and by the end of the period, her whole cabin decided they didn’t want to miss out on the fun. So, clothes and all, they jumped into the water and made the most of the session despite the rain. Zoe displayed how a counsellor can lead through action – an important life lesson for the beneficiary children to soak in too. Moments like this display how our counsellors have the ability to change otherwise mundane moments into special memories for their campers.
The best part is that this is all just another day at camp.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Sometimes I get the chance to share the outstanding thoughts of others with different perspectives and lenses on camp that are both unique and insightful. Very few people have the 20 years of experience that K-Fed has at Camp Northland. She needs no further introduction from me...
Hi NBB community,
My name is Karli— or as I’m known around camp, “K-Fed”— and I’m one of the Seasonal Assistant Directors at camp. This year I am celebrating my 20th summer on Moose Lake and am so beyond happy to be here soaking up the sun, and working with all of our amazing campers and staff. It’s hard to imagine who I was in my first summer in 2001 (there was a brief hiatus from 2018-2021 for those doing the math), and how much I’ve changed since then, but the magic and love I felt here as a nine year old Unit One camper completely transformed who I am, and continues to shape my life to this day.
Twenty years at camp is a long time. I’ve grown up here. I continue to grow here every day. From being a quiet and awkward camper, to a counsellor, to a unit head, to a Staff Development Director, to Program Director, to an Assistant Director, I’ve seen and learned a lot. I’ve worked for four different directors, I’ve been head staff with my best friends, I’ve been head staff with my very first campers, I’ve been head staff with former campers for whom I was their first unit head, and I’ve watched hundreds of kids grow into incredible people. In all of this time, I feel like I’ve learned some things worth sharing. And so I present to you: “20 things I’ve learned in 20 years at Northland”(in no particular order).
I often try to stay connected to our youngest campers as they often give me the boost and inspiration I need to remember what we are doing here. This summer in particular I have spent a lot of time with Unit One, and continue to be moved by their excitement for and appreciation of camp. I have talked with them about the fact that it is my twentieth summer here, and while that many years seems far fetched to them, they have expressed to me their hopes of being at camp for a long time. It is such a joy and privilege to be part of the beginning of their journey.
For example, tonight I joined our two week campers in their version of our last night of camp tradition— the NBB burning. It is so special to see this tradition through their eyes, hear their reflections about their time here and their hopes for future summers. I can see how they’ve grown, how camp has changed them, and how excited they are to be a part of our family.
Thank you for sharing them with us. And to all of my campers, staff, counsellors, unit heads, directors, and friends— thank you for helping make me the person I am today. Our home is alive and well. It’s never too late to come back to camp.
Onward Northland,
Karli “K-Fed” Feldman
(and Simon)
Sometimes I get the chance to share the outstanding thoughts of others with different perspectives and lenses on camp that are both unique and insightful. Very few people have the 20 years of experience that K-Fed has at Camp Northland. She needs no further introduction from me...
Hi NBB community,
My name is Karli— or as I’m known around camp, “K-Fed”— and I’m one of the Seasonal Assistant Directors at camp. This year I am celebrating my 20th summer on Moose Lake and am so beyond happy to be here soaking up the sun, and working with all of our amazing campers and staff. It’s hard to imagine who I was in my first summer in 2001 (there was a brief hiatus from 2018-2021 for those doing the math), and how much I’ve changed since then, but the magic and love I felt here as a nine year old Unit One camper completely transformed who I am, and continues to shape my life to this day.
Twenty years at camp is a long time. I’ve grown up here. I continue to grow here every day. From being a quiet and awkward camper, to a counsellor, to a unit head, to a Staff Development Director, to Program Director, to an Assistant Director, I’ve seen and learned a lot. I’ve worked for four different directors, I’ve been head staff with my best friends, I’ve been head staff with my very first campers, I’ve been head staff with former campers for whom I was their first unit head, and I’ve watched hundreds of kids grow into incredible people. In all of this time, I feel like I’ve learned some things worth sharing. And so I present to you: “20 things I’ve learned in 20 years at Northland”(in no particular order).
- Jewish Identity - as a USDS (now RHA) and CHAT grad, I didn’t fully appreciate this as a camper or younger staff, but once I reached university and even now, I am so immensely grateful for the Jewish community that camp provides. The opportunity to be immersed in a primarily Jewish space is something that I no longer take for granted, especially now.
- Kindness grows - there is no better example of “pay it forward” than the kindness exchanged at camp. Be kind to your friends, be kind to your staff, be kind to your campers, be kind to yourself, be kind to each other. It will make everything around you grow.
- “You can do hard things” - no matter your age, being away from home forces you to learn things for yourself. Not all of those things are easy. You can do the hard things too.
- Music - my musical taste has almost entirely been shaped by the soundtrack of camp. John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, The Tragically Hip, random specific pop songs, “Living on a Prayer”, and “Headlines”. These songs tie me to my favourite memories and people and bring me right back to Moose Lake every time.
- Lifelong learning - whether it’s a hard skill like sterning a canoe, playing guitar, or riding a bike, or a soft skill like independence, resiliency, or being a good friend, camp is constantly teaching us new things. Twenty years in, I still learn new things every day at camp from campers, staff, nature, and myself. Camp has given me a passion for “informal education” practices and I am always excited to see what new things I will learn each summer and what lessons camp will teach me.
- Be silly - camp is a place that fosters silliness. You can wear whatever you want, play by new rules, or talk in a funny voice, and not only will people put up with you but they will celebrate you and join in. It’s the best.
- Get dirty - sometimes at camp, your feet turn black, you hair is a mess, and your clothes get stained. Sometimes that is an issue of hygiene. More often, it’s the sign of a good day. They’re marks of a fast boat ride, a jump in the lake, painting at a&c, taking off your shoes and running in the sand. The dirt is a badge of fun (and makes the shower later feel even better).
- Love of nature - I am forever in awe of the 750 acres that we have the privilege to play on. It could be learning about bugs and animals, feeling the shade from a very old tree, having the wind keep your sailboat alive, a first trip to Algonquin, and even hearing the rain beat down on your cabin roof. Whether it involves looking closer, or stepping back and looking up, each of these are things camp showed me and taught me to appreciate.
- Beauty of “The Moose” - there is no body of water I’ve spent more time in than Moose Lake. It will carry your boat, catch your fall, challenge your strength, and cool you off on a hot day. I love Moose Lake.
- Drink more water - in the words of my Camp Grandma: “If you’re thirsty and you know it drink more water. If your pee is yellow and you know it drink more water. If you’re dizzy, seeing double, head hurts, and stomach aches, you are thirsty and you know it, drink more water.”
- Low tech is sometimes the best - core memories: hanging out with everyone in line at the pay phones after staff snack to make a 2 minute phone call on your calling card, when my counsellors only had one CD in 2002 so we fell asleep every night to John Mayer, shoving into the Playhouse to watch a DVD and not being able to hear it over the rain on the roof, begging my mom to get my disposable cameras developed the day I got home from camp, not having cell service except for that one tiny spot on the beach that everyone was fighting for. Tech at camp has evolved over the years but because I spent most of my summers without it, I can remember to put my phone away and commit the memories to my brain.
- How to paddle a canoe - this is one of the first things I remember learning as a camper and a skill I cherish. Over the years I spent a lot of time at Paddle, eventually learning to stern, and spending a CIT placement on the specialty. My memories in canoes are countless, and the oblong continues to be my favourite place in camp.
- Caring for others - as a camper you learn compassion for your peers, and as staff that evolves into camper care. Camp builds compassionate people who make the world a better place.
- This community is forever - as a third generation Northlander, I’ve known this my whole life. As a Northlander myself, I’ve seen and experienced major highs and major losses within our community over the years. The camp community is truly a family, and the way we continue to come together will forever amaze me.
- Camp friends are the best friends - my camp friends have changed over the years, but my camp friends have always been my best friends. Living together forges a bond like no other as you help each other through and celebrate so much together. To my camp friends who are now my forever friends— I would not be who I am or where I am without you. You know who you are. I love you.
- “Eat well and look up at the stars” - A wise friend of mine used to wish this to every canoe trip as they left camp. To some it is an instruction, to me it is a reminder. Take care of yourself, enjoy yourself, and remember to find time to just pause and take in the beauty around you.
- “Two things can be true at once” - you can love camp and miss home. You can be excited to try something new and be nervous at the same time. Living at camp for any period of time you feel a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes they contradict and that’s okay.
- Teamwork - at every stage of life, camp is a group effort. Getting along and doing activities with your cabin, taking care of campers, planning programs, playing games, going on canoe trips, intercamp teams, camp plays, running the camp. We could not do it without each other and the variety of players on the team. Whether you are quiet or loud, old or young, new or a veteran, we need each person on the team to make camp happen. Yes, even you.
- Confidence - as a child I was quieter at school and struggled to find my group. At camp, I found my people and I found myself. Even now, I am my best self at camp, and the response I received to this version of me provided the confidence I needed to be me all year round.
- Camp skills are transferable skills - whether it’s the organizational skills needed for program planning, the leadership and staff management from being a unit head, the public speaking skills from being on the mic, the communication skills from explaining instructions, the collaboration from working with your cos, or the child care that comes from helping a sad camper, the things I learned from working at camp are things I use in my career every single day. We all feel the pressure of needing to get a “real job” one day, but never underestimate the skills you build from being a staff member at camp.
I often try to stay connected to our youngest campers as they often give me the boost and inspiration I need to remember what we are doing here. This summer in particular I have spent a lot of time with Unit One, and continue to be moved by their excitement for and appreciation of camp. I have talked with them about the fact that it is my twentieth summer here, and while that many years seems far fetched to them, they have expressed to me their hopes of being at camp for a long time. It is such a joy and privilege to be part of the beginning of their journey.
For example, tonight I joined our two week campers in their version of our last night of camp tradition— the NBB burning. It is so special to see this tradition through their eyes, hear their reflections about their time here and their hopes for future summers. I can see how they’ve grown, how camp has changed them, and how excited they are to be a part of our family.
Thank you for sharing them with us. And to all of my campers, staff, counsellors, unit heads, directors, and friends— thank you for helping make me the person I am today. Our home is alive and well. It’s never too late to come back to camp.
Onward Northland,
Karli “K-Fed” Feldman
(and Simon)
Friday, July 12, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Please read all the way to the end if you sometimes choose to skip or peruse these Simogs – I have an important ‘ask’ at the end for you. But first, let’s take a little tour around camp today and see some of the super fun things that are happening. There is no better way to get us started on this than by hearing directly from our Program Director, the one and only fantabulous Gabi C., about the amazing people and programs in this space:
It’s been a crazy week in the programming sector of camp, but a good kind of crazy. With scheduling 40 cabins, unpredictable weather, and a bunch of camp wide evening programs, the programming team has been busy doing our part to help make camp amazing. Let’s meet the team. Firstly, we have Lauren. Lauren is both my friend and colleague and has become the liaison at the forefront of all things kitchen related. She’s not only stepped up as a leader for kitchen requisitions but also fills in camp where needed and has been working on a camp wide program - Survivor. Secondly, we have Jonah, also known as “Tessler”. Tessler has stepped up in the specialty area of camp and is the point person for the link between specialties and programming. Tessler has also been working tirelessly on an incredible camp wide bucket list. The bucket list includes various tasks (easy, medium, hard) that provides campers the opportunity to both set goals and achieve them. Next we have Liam, also known as “Lerm”. Lerm focuses on unit and section programming and stating that he’s been a help is an understatement. He not only stresses the importance of programming throughout the units and sections but physically shows them how to do so through amazing programming of his own. [editors note: he brought the football league to camp that we discussed]. And last but not least we have Will. Will is the veteran on our team and the glue to the puzzle. With experience in programming at camp before, he’s been an incredible guide and our jack of all trades. With 100 things on his plate (being on wellness and programming), he still manages to get everything done and completed to perfection.
Camp could truly not run the way it does without the immense teamwork and care of each program head. Sometimes the behind the scenes of the logistics behind camp goes unnoticed, I’m here to show you the positive impact these people are making on campers and camp as a whole. Let’s look at some small current examples…
Section I cabin 5 has been running tons of rainy-day versions of sports, with their biggest hit with the kids being mud football. [inspired by someone we know? You betcha’] But their most recent program is a cabin wide game of “gotcha”. A game with two simple rules: tell someone “gotcha” while outside without anyone hearing it. The campers have started getting really into and the amazing staff have been facilitating and supporting the program beautifully. Shout out to Jake K, Jake S, and Markus S. Section 1 also enjoyed some awesome time getting soapy and wet slip and sliding on main field today. #trickshower
Everyone in camp is enjoying a special program under the event tent today. It is a guest known as Creative Club and the product is MASSIVE blocks similar to Lego (called Everblocks). They made a huge Camp Northland sign out of the blocks, thrones, and couches, and tons of creative stuff throughout the day for all campers (and staff) to enjoy. This is Engineering 101. These kids are building life-size walk-in type structures and figuring out stability, planning, visioning, and more. We should be giving out pinky rings here! We even had a former Board of Director President Greg E. drop in and see the block building party today! The lifelong connections between our camp and alumni align well metaphorically with the connections needed to build these awesome block structures. It takes many bricks to build a wall and our camp community has built an entire City where campers become staff, staff become alumni, our alumni give back, stay connected and become lifelong camp people building out the experience for new young campers, and so on.
Today at Sababa they made songs to be performed at shabbat dinner. Cabin 1-1 and 1-3 joined forces to make the most amazing shabbat remix to the song “Good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo. Here is a preview of what both cabins will be singing at our shabbat dinner tonight:
Good for you you’re in shabbat with your family, eating Challah bread and saying the prayers.
Good for you you’re lighting up the candles with your family and having some fun!
We drink grape juice in our nice clothes blue and white for shabbat tonight.
The food is so delicious so let’s thank all of our kitchen staff!!!
The two cabins are so excited to share their masterpiece at shabbat dinner! I can’t wait!!
All over camp people are getting ready for shabbat. Camp is super clean. Campers will be super clean too. But not yet. Right now, they are out enjoying Fun Friday where they get to move around camp in elective type format dropping in on their favourite activities with age-appropriate levels of independence. Want more sailing? Go for it. Want more skiing? Go for it? Want more basketball? Go for it. Etc. Some campers are gathering to make their own custom challah. Some are enjoying the Shabbos shuk – different Friday afternoon activities each week. Some are already planning their blue and white outfits for after their pre-shabbat showers and clean-up. Soon we will be heading down to the beach for some Shabbat Photos – always a beautiful scene for pictures with Moose Lake in the background.
Heading into shabbat is always relaxing at camp, even fulfilling. It is particularly comforting to feel so safe and secure in our little home away from home up at camp. This year we have three full-time live-in uniformed security guards on site. They are absolutely incredible and continue to create a tremendously strong presence at our access control points from the main entry gate to our expansive waterfront. We are also appreciative of the unparalleled support we continue to receive from the Ontario Provincial Police. They patrol, they visit, they create presence, and they spend time chatting with our campers and staff to build community. Did you know that police carry and extra 40 pounds of gear on their body at all times? I was today years old when I learned that fact.
We are almost two weeks into camp. We have staff meetings every Sunday morning. At this time in the season, I hope you have received some letters home talking about incredible experiences, fun programs, a special moment or connection, or even specific feedback about our staff. I LOVE to share positive feedback with staff every weekend at our staff meetings. I would really appreciate if you can fill my inbox today or tomorrow with all kinds of thoughts to share with our wonderful staff. They work tirelessly to give your children the best summer experience possible. Let’s let them hear how much their efforts matter. You can email me with subject “Simog feedback” at [email protected].
Shabbat Shalom and Onward Northland,
Simon
Please read all the way to the end if you sometimes choose to skip or peruse these Simogs – I have an important ‘ask’ at the end for you. But first, let’s take a little tour around camp today and see some of the super fun things that are happening. There is no better way to get us started on this than by hearing directly from our Program Director, the one and only fantabulous Gabi C., about the amazing people and programs in this space:
It’s been a crazy week in the programming sector of camp, but a good kind of crazy. With scheduling 40 cabins, unpredictable weather, and a bunch of camp wide evening programs, the programming team has been busy doing our part to help make camp amazing. Let’s meet the team. Firstly, we have Lauren. Lauren is both my friend and colleague and has become the liaison at the forefront of all things kitchen related. She’s not only stepped up as a leader for kitchen requisitions but also fills in camp where needed and has been working on a camp wide program - Survivor. Secondly, we have Jonah, also known as “Tessler”. Tessler has stepped up in the specialty area of camp and is the point person for the link between specialties and programming. Tessler has also been working tirelessly on an incredible camp wide bucket list. The bucket list includes various tasks (easy, medium, hard) that provides campers the opportunity to both set goals and achieve them. Next we have Liam, also known as “Lerm”. Lerm focuses on unit and section programming and stating that he’s been a help is an understatement. He not only stresses the importance of programming throughout the units and sections but physically shows them how to do so through amazing programming of his own. [editors note: he brought the football league to camp that we discussed]. And last but not least we have Will. Will is the veteran on our team and the glue to the puzzle. With experience in programming at camp before, he’s been an incredible guide and our jack of all trades. With 100 things on his plate (being on wellness and programming), he still manages to get everything done and completed to perfection.
Camp could truly not run the way it does without the immense teamwork and care of each program head. Sometimes the behind the scenes of the logistics behind camp goes unnoticed, I’m here to show you the positive impact these people are making on campers and camp as a whole. Let’s look at some small current examples…
Section I cabin 5 has been running tons of rainy-day versions of sports, with their biggest hit with the kids being mud football. [inspired by someone we know? You betcha’] But their most recent program is a cabin wide game of “gotcha”. A game with two simple rules: tell someone “gotcha” while outside without anyone hearing it. The campers have started getting really into and the amazing staff have been facilitating and supporting the program beautifully. Shout out to Jake K, Jake S, and Markus S. Section 1 also enjoyed some awesome time getting soapy and wet slip and sliding on main field today. #trickshower
Everyone in camp is enjoying a special program under the event tent today. It is a guest known as Creative Club and the product is MASSIVE blocks similar to Lego (called Everblocks). They made a huge Camp Northland sign out of the blocks, thrones, and couches, and tons of creative stuff throughout the day for all campers (and staff) to enjoy. This is Engineering 101. These kids are building life-size walk-in type structures and figuring out stability, planning, visioning, and more. We should be giving out pinky rings here! We even had a former Board of Director President Greg E. drop in and see the block building party today! The lifelong connections between our camp and alumni align well metaphorically with the connections needed to build these awesome block structures. It takes many bricks to build a wall and our camp community has built an entire City where campers become staff, staff become alumni, our alumni give back, stay connected and become lifelong camp people building out the experience for new young campers, and so on.
Today at Sababa they made songs to be performed at shabbat dinner. Cabin 1-1 and 1-3 joined forces to make the most amazing shabbat remix to the song “Good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo. Here is a preview of what both cabins will be singing at our shabbat dinner tonight:
Good for you you’re in shabbat with your family, eating Challah bread and saying the prayers.
Good for you you’re lighting up the candles with your family and having some fun!
We drink grape juice in our nice clothes blue and white for shabbat tonight.
The food is so delicious so let’s thank all of our kitchen staff!!!
The two cabins are so excited to share their masterpiece at shabbat dinner! I can’t wait!!
All over camp people are getting ready for shabbat. Camp is super clean. Campers will be super clean too. But not yet. Right now, they are out enjoying Fun Friday where they get to move around camp in elective type format dropping in on their favourite activities with age-appropriate levels of independence. Want more sailing? Go for it. Want more skiing? Go for it? Want more basketball? Go for it. Etc. Some campers are gathering to make their own custom challah. Some are enjoying the Shabbos shuk – different Friday afternoon activities each week. Some are already planning their blue and white outfits for after their pre-shabbat showers and clean-up. Soon we will be heading down to the beach for some Shabbat Photos – always a beautiful scene for pictures with Moose Lake in the background.
Heading into shabbat is always relaxing at camp, even fulfilling. It is particularly comforting to feel so safe and secure in our little home away from home up at camp. This year we have three full-time live-in uniformed security guards on site. They are absolutely incredible and continue to create a tremendously strong presence at our access control points from the main entry gate to our expansive waterfront. We are also appreciative of the unparalleled support we continue to receive from the Ontario Provincial Police. They patrol, they visit, they create presence, and they spend time chatting with our campers and staff to build community. Did you know that police carry and extra 40 pounds of gear on their body at all times? I was today years old when I learned that fact.
We are almost two weeks into camp. We have staff meetings every Sunday morning. At this time in the season, I hope you have received some letters home talking about incredible experiences, fun programs, a special moment or connection, or even specific feedback about our staff. I LOVE to share positive feedback with staff every weekend at our staff meetings. I would really appreciate if you can fill my inbox today or tomorrow with all kinds of thoughts to share with our wonderful staff. They work tirelessly to give your children the best summer experience possible. Let’s let them hear how much their efforts matter. You can email me with subject “Simog feedback” at [email protected].
Shabbat Shalom and Onward Northland,
Simon
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Let’s do another intro today because there is so much to share about Unit 3.
Head of Unit 3 – Eden Sharon
I started camp in 2013, with my 2 close friends from the city. My mom went to camp growing up and my brother did too, but I never knew what I was getting myself into. As a camper I fell in love with camp. The calm lake, beautiful stars, tanning on main field with my cabin, and outdoor lunches sitting in a big circle with my unit made it unforgettable. It all changed though when I became a staff, I was now loving camp from another perspective. I love giving kids the opportunity to experience the best place on earth. The feeling of giving campers a place to make these memories that I have cherished for years is an unbelievable feeling. I will never forget in unit 1 when my staff took us for milk and cookies in what I thought was the middle of the night (it was probably 8pm). We stargazed and reflected on our summer. These are lifelong memories. After being a unit 3 staff for 3 years, I now have the honour to be the head of unit 3. I have 77 campers to take care of, and many people have told me I’m crazy for wanting to do this. Though to me I look at it as an honour, a chance to give all these campers an unbelievable summer that they would never forget. When a camper looks at you at the end of the summer and says they would never have been able to do it without you, you know all the hard work and long busy days were worth it. Now I have 6 unit 3 cabins to go to activity’s with, and ensure each camper is having the best time and their staff are well taken care of. Truly a full circle moment and I can’t wait for an amazing summer for us all!
Xoxo, the head of Unit 3, Eden Sharon
Speaking of Unit 3 - At hobbies today- Erica A. (3-1): went wake boarding a few days ago and got up on her first try and then today went wake skating for the first time and got up. Also, Hila H. (3-4) dropped a ski at the hobbies today too.
Cabin 3-4 had ski in the afternoon and Liv went knee boarding for the first time and Simone silver dropped a ski!
Unit 3 campers did some cute groups costumes together. Erica, Simone, Leah, Emma, Elayna, Harlowe and Ava dressed up as a rainbow M&Ms. Elizabeth S. dressed up as a 90s backstreet boy!
In the flag football game on main field between Tennessee and Michigan, it was a hard-fought battle with outstanding performances from Zohan K and Cooper W. Ultimately Michigan came out on top with a score of 3-1.
Since we have now mentioned football a few times, I should add some more context. Do you remember Liam M.D. from our programming team? This year he organized the “Northland Football League” a co-ed intramural football league the entire senior shift of camp. Over 200+ campers put into 8 teams to battle it out in a round robin and playoff. This league allows staff to be leaders in a new space in camp coaching campers that they may have not spent as much time with until now. Similarly, this league allows campers to be apart of a team with campers that may not be in their cabin or section/unit allowing new bonds and connections to be made on the camper level. Last Free Friday after finding out their teams all campers were given the chance to create a “jersey” at A&C - tie-dying a white shirt to their corresponding team, color, and writing a name and number on that shirt. The games commenced on the 8th of July and will end on the 20th when we will have our final game of the playoffs. Using our new message board in front of the mess hall, campers and staff can see when and where their games will be played. The ultimate goal is to have this program in place year after year. Having campers grow up playing and looking forward to being leaders and coaches one day soon.
Just a few steps away from all of the fun already described above, we can find Unit 2 having a great day too. A rainy morning didn't stop cabin 2-4 from having an amazing time down at tube. Though the weather prevented the campers from tubing, they all jumped into the water and played different swimming games with their counsellors and ski staff. The cabin even found a creative way to turn the floating tube into their own mini-inflatables course!
Abby O., Eliora G., Sophia R., Bree E., Norah L., and their fantastic unit head Andrea had an awesome time at sail this afternoon. The six of them hopped into one sailboat and the other half of the cabin (unit 2-1) hopped into another. They played different rhyming games, laughed a ton, and hopped in the water for a swim. It was so heart warming to see the entire cabin participating in the water!
I heard about an amazing exchange between two campers in Unit 2 as well. Izzy B. from cabin 2-2 went circling/kayaking. Along the Oblong River she met Hannah H. from cabin 1-2 and started chatting with her. After learning that it was Hannah's first summer at camp, Izzy immediately started asking Hannah questions about herself and her interests. She was so excited to explain the different, fun programs that Hannah could be a part of this summer. When Hannah said that she wanted to audition for the play but she's only staying for two weeks, Izzy told her “Don’t worry! You can audition next summer, but for this summer you should totally try out for the Talent show in a skit/dance/song like the play". It was a really special exchange where our staff witnessed seeing the early foundation of a friendship being formed and also to observe how welcoming, kind, and considerate campers can be to each other. Way to go Izzy! This makes us all so proud.
Over at Adventure, every single person in section two cabin four went on the climbing wall and had lots of fun. Zach S. from section 2 cabin 6 went all the way to the top of the swing for his first swing experience ever. And II-2 showed great teamwork Lucas, Brandon, Matthew, Devin, Levi, Alex, Josh, Shaun, Elijah, Ben, and Emerson helped each other across all the low ropes elements.
I heard that at A&C (arts and crafts) they did nature crafting! They walked to sandy cove, one of the more secluded beaches to scavenge for flowers, grass, and other bits of nature to create pieces of art. One unit 1 camper Abigail, and two unit 2 campers, Mia, and Maggie, made name plaques using grass on planks of wood. A unit 3 camper, Gali, practiced basket weaving using tall grass. One section one made a bow and arrow using wood and wire! They loved the immersive experience of combining art and nature.
I am going to take this opportunity to also add some more detail to that LTP trip to Algonquin I wrote about a couple of days ago. I got some additional details I need to share with you! A notable part of the LTP trip to Algonquin was that the campers pushed through a 1680m portage through muddy conditions and then without even being asked to, after some of them had finished the portage they dropped their packs and turned around to walk back to help the rest of the group. Despite it being a tough portage, they saw the importance of working together and supporting each other through a difficult challenge. They also learned about fire building especially in wet conditions, putting up tents and how to cook and use creative problem solving in the wilderness. The trip had a specific theme. It was an outdoor photography adventure where campers were given waterproof disposable cameras so that they could capture pictures of the beautiful outdoor landscapes that they would observe. Once the pictures are developed, the campers are going to be able to scrapbook their memories. Hopefully, someone will share some of the pics for all of us to enjoy in a future Simog.
Tonight the E.P. was Halloween. There were some amazing costumes and lots and lots of candy and ooey gooey candy floss too. So, watch for scary photos in the upcoming galleries and expect sticky letters coming home too.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Today is a very rainy day at camp, but so far no thunder or lightning. In camp language that means another day of super fun and different programs. Ranging from playing cards under the canopy shelter to soapy slip and slide, to dock dance parties (unit 1 at ski loved their Taylor Swift themed version), to muddy football, and more. My grandmother always taught me that if my kids were not getting dirty I am not playing with them properly. So I am proud to say your kids are very dirty today. Unfortunately, the rain is expected to continue into tomorrow so our massive invitational basketball tournament that we host annually will be postponed to Thursday next week (known as 'The Nate' - The Nate Huffman Memorial Basketball tournament).
A rainy day however is a perfect day to offer a detailed explanation of our G-cubed boxes and the values they represent.
So once again, a few parents have emailed me asking about the little ‘boxes’ around camp. They sort of look like community libraries that blended into a large birdhouse. We call these our ‘G-cubed’ boxes. I explained these a few years back so I will borrow and repeat a little here for those that are new or don't remember.
G-cubed as a concept comes from our idea that when people are Good, Generous, and Giving, the impact on ourselves and others grows exponentially with each good deed. Each year, different Sections and Units or cabins or specialties find creative ways to bring this value to life. It can take time to gain traction each year but it is always heartwarming to see how the boxes evolve - time will tell. Sometimes the cubes (boxes) are used as a mailbox for kind messages or reminders to friends in the Unit or Section of things to do or places to go. Sometimes, extra bug spray or sunscreen will find its way into the boxes so others can use it as they pass by. You may find paper, pens, soap, shampoo, random thoughts for the day, or other surprises. It has evolved into “give, get, go” but its roots remain in the concept of exponential reward for kindness. Learning by osmosis is one of the most powerful tools that camp offers. When children walk by and see that kindness is being offered, they simply learn to be kind. This was a truly interesting social experiment (by accident). Several years ago, we started this program with a small grant from Ve’ahavta to do something special that could create a sense of community at camp. We came up with the G-cubed idea and then seeded the boxes with all kinds of supplies. The next day, all of the supplies were gone. I mean, literally, everything had vanished. We didn’t get upset. Instead, we restocked the boxes completely. The same thing happened. We restocked again. Every supply provided disappeared. This repeated many times until we reached a turning point. One day, we noticed that in one of the boxes, not only were the supplies not taken, but some extra things appeared. Then slowly but surely, the same phenomenon started occurring throughout all of the boxes around camp. The initial reaction appeared to be, if it is here, I should take it. Over time, with confidence that there is enough to go around, the need to take seemed to diminish. This was soon replaced with a willingness to give. Random supplies started to appear in the boxes. People started to pause in random places around camp when they passed a g-cubed box to put on sunscreen or bug spray from the shared resources. Parents caught on. We started getting all kinds of extra supplies sent up to camp with campers to support the g-cubed initiative (thank you). This has allowed us to keep new and creative items flowing into the g-cubed experience. This entire sequence of events has helped to shape our culture of kindness at camp which I am so proud to celebrate.
On this point, it is donations from parents and guardians just like you that seed our G-cubed program ‘special tuck’. When a camper comes to a staff member and says he lost his water bottle, or can’t find a stamp, is missing a toothbrush, ran out of deodorant, etc, etc, etc. we always do what we can to give every child what they need to thrive here at camp. The supplies diminish and the collective costs can be significant. Therefore, we call on each of you to do your part to give back what you can to support this values-based program. We would ask that at the very least if we supply an item from special tuck, that you send us a replacement when you can. If you can make more sizable donations of items, they can be shipped to camp to the attention of ‘G-Cubed Program’. We are always looking for bug spray, water bottles, sunscreen, all toiletries, stamps, envelopes, antiperspirant, etc, and all quantities are appreciated. So, if you get an email from our office saying your child received an item through our G-cubed program – please do what you can to give back!
When you show a child kindness, they learn to be kind. It is a really simple concept that we witness every day here at camp. But there needs to be direction and intention when guiding children in this way. It doesn’t happen by accident. Our values-based programming is intentional. Have you seen our guiding principles that govern all of our systemic choices? You should become familiar with them as they shape the experiences we are providing for your children.
Vision: To give every child an amazing Jewish camp experience
Mission: To achieve and sustain the highest standards of excellence in camper care, innovative programming and Jewish identity building in order to ensure that all campers and staff grow, thrive and have fun at Camp Northland by making lifelong friends, buildings life-skills, appreciating nature and respecting one another.
Values: The following values bring our vision to life:
And all of the above is why I have chosen Northland for my own three children (now staff) with pride and gratitude for the opportunity to do so. I am guessing, so do you.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Today is a very rainy day at camp, but so far no thunder or lightning. In camp language that means another day of super fun and different programs. Ranging from playing cards under the canopy shelter to soapy slip and slide, to dock dance parties (unit 1 at ski loved their Taylor Swift themed version), to muddy football, and more. My grandmother always taught me that if my kids were not getting dirty I am not playing with them properly. So I am proud to say your kids are very dirty today. Unfortunately, the rain is expected to continue into tomorrow so our massive invitational basketball tournament that we host annually will be postponed to Thursday next week (known as 'The Nate' - The Nate Huffman Memorial Basketball tournament).
A rainy day however is a perfect day to offer a detailed explanation of our G-cubed boxes and the values they represent.
So once again, a few parents have emailed me asking about the little ‘boxes’ around camp. They sort of look like community libraries that blended into a large birdhouse. We call these our ‘G-cubed’ boxes. I explained these a few years back so I will borrow and repeat a little here for those that are new or don't remember.
G-cubed as a concept comes from our idea that when people are Good, Generous, and Giving, the impact on ourselves and others grows exponentially with each good deed. Each year, different Sections and Units or cabins or specialties find creative ways to bring this value to life. It can take time to gain traction each year but it is always heartwarming to see how the boxes evolve - time will tell. Sometimes the cubes (boxes) are used as a mailbox for kind messages or reminders to friends in the Unit or Section of things to do or places to go. Sometimes, extra bug spray or sunscreen will find its way into the boxes so others can use it as they pass by. You may find paper, pens, soap, shampoo, random thoughts for the day, or other surprises. It has evolved into “give, get, go” but its roots remain in the concept of exponential reward for kindness. Learning by osmosis is one of the most powerful tools that camp offers. When children walk by and see that kindness is being offered, they simply learn to be kind. This was a truly interesting social experiment (by accident). Several years ago, we started this program with a small grant from Ve’ahavta to do something special that could create a sense of community at camp. We came up with the G-cubed idea and then seeded the boxes with all kinds of supplies. The next day, all of the supplies were gone. I mean, literally, everything had vanished. We didn’t get upset. Instead, we restocked the boxes completely. The same thing happened. We restocked again. Every supply provided disappeared. This repeated many times until we reached a turning point. One day, we noticed that in one of the boxes, not only were the supplies not taken, but some extra things appeared. Then slowly but surely, the same phenomenon started occurring throughout all of the boxes around camp. The initial reaction appeared to be, if it is here, I should take it. Over time, with confidence that there is enough to go around, the need to take seemed to diminish. This was soon replaced with a willingness to give. Random supplies started to appear in the boxes. People started to pause in random places around camp when they passed a g-cubed box to put on sunscreen or bug spray from the shared resources. Parents caught on. We started getting all kinds of extra supplies sent up to camp with campers to support the g-cubed initiative (thank you). This has allowed us to keep new and creative items flowing into the g-cubed experience. This entire sequence of events has helped to shape our culture of kindness at camp which I am so proud to celebrate.
On this point, it is donations from parents and guardians just like you that seed our G-cubed program ‘special tuck’. When a camper comes to a staff member and says he lost his water bottle, or can’t find a stamp, is missing a toothbrush, ran out of deodorant, etc, etc, etc. we always do what we can to give every child what they need to thrive here at camp. The supplies diminish and the collective costs can be significant. Therefore, we call on each of you to do your part to give back what you can to support this values-based program. We would ask that at the very least if we supply an item from special tuck, that you send us a replacement when you can. If you can make more sizable donations of items, they can be shipped to camp to the attention of ‘G-Cubed Program’. We are always looking for bug spray, water bottles, sunscreen, all toiletries, stamps, envelopes, antiperspirant, etc, and all quantities are appreciated. So, if you get an email from our office saying your child received an item through our G-cubed program – please do what you can to give back!
When you show a child kindness, they learn to be kind. It is a really simple concept that we witness every day here at camp. But there needs to be direction and intention when guiding children in this way. It doesn’t happen by accident. Our values-based programming is intentional. Have you seen our guiding principles that govern all of our systemic choices? You should become familiar with them as they shape the experiences we are providing for your children.
Vision: To give every child an amazing Jewish camp experience
Mission: To achieve and sustain the highest standards of excellence in camper care, innovative programming and Jewish identity building in order to ensure that all campers and staff grow, thrive and have fun at Camp Northland by making lifelong friends, buildings life-skills, appreciating nature and respecting one another.
Values: The following values bring our vision to life:
- Safety
- Responsible leadership and supervision
- Physical, mental and emotional well being
- Highest levels of staff training and expectations
- Pluralism
- Inclusive
- Accessible
- Accepting
- Respect for individuality and choice
- Healthy Group Dynamics
- Valuable Life Skills
- Love and respect for nature and the environment
- Leadership development
- Attaining self confidence
- Independence
- Positive relationship building
- Remaining down to earth and grounded
- Gratitude and kindness
- Accountability
- Jewish Identity Building
- Connection to Israel
- Tikun Olam (Repairing the World) [good deeds, being kind to others]
- Tzedakah (Charity)
- Experiencing Jewish Traditions
- Intentionality in all aspects of our programs with respect to the above
- Family and Community
- Remembering our roots
- Kosher Kitchen
- Honouring our history
- Respecting one another
- Shalom Bayit (Peace in the House) [collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution]
- Welcoming newcomers and community building
And all of the above is why I have chosen Northland for my own three children (now staff) with pride and gratitude for the opportunity to do so. I am guessing, so do you.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Our LTP trip to Algonquin has returned. As it always turns out to be, it was absolutely incredible for them as an experience both individually and collectively. I have no doubt that they will share all of their stories with each family through letters and stories over the coming days, weeks (and months). This is a good chance to also catch you up on the unit 3 overnight earlier in the week (also led under the exceptional leadership of Diana B.). Diana runs canoe trips to Algonquin Park for the older campers, along with overnights and cookouts at campsite spots along our very own Moose Lake. Her goal this summer is to help campers learn useful outdoor skills such as navigation and fire building, while also fostering a meaningful connection with nature. She shared the following overnight observations:
The Unit three campers paddled to Second Point, a campsite spot on our own Moose Lake. Campers and staff took out canoes and paddled across the lake, where we set up camp for the night. We sat around the campfire, served dinner (make your own poutine station and salad) and then we hosted our very own talent show called “Second Point’s got talent”. Campers practised their acts and performed dances, songs, and other random talents in front of the group. Joey C., head of music, played her infamous song called Home Again to the group. We ended the night off by serving deep fried Oreos and sharing stories around the fire. The next morning, campers helped cook breakfast by the fire and we took off on our canoes to make it back to camp for the day!
Tripping and overnights are one part of our program, and as you know we have a whole team that helps with the programs all over camp on a day-to-day basis. So, let’s meet one of the leaders that helps make all of this happen each day:
Hello readers of the Simog. My Name is Liam M.- D. and I am part of the programs team. This is now my 8th summer at camp and my first time being in a head staff position. In my previous years as a general counsellor, running programs outside of the daily scheduled activities have always been a part of camp that I enjoyed. Evening programs and all days (an all day is a program run for the section/unit on Saturdays instead of daily activities) are a time for general staff to get creative and create something special. In my role I get hands on with the staff creating these programs and tie everything together to make these times as special as possible for the campers. On a team level I collaborate with our head staff group to create the daily activity schedule as well as any camp wide events. This role allows me to have my hands in all sorts of places at camp and is something I love about it. The smile on campers faces and the lessons learned is what makes it for me. Collaborating with others is a part of every facet at camp, whether it be at a cabin level, counsellor level and in my case the head staff level. Being apart of a team is something I have come to love. There are so many valuable qualities that come from being part of a team.
And the work of these leaders serves as a catalyst to all of the hour-by-hour fun all over camp. For example, yesterday when LTPS1 had media they were so engaged with the music and the activity. Their awesome section head Jonah D. shared the following: “I think the mindset they have about camp is what role modelling truly is. They go to their activities with intention to have the best time every time. Ethan P. and Lucas S. for the entire hour were hosting a music talk show where they would discuss how they felt about different songs, artists and the importance of the music. I could not be prouder of the people they are.”.
Our CITs are hard at work learning about the fundamentals of leadership, ethics and morality through a Jewish lens. Our CITS have been focusing on understanding their moral hierarchy, what sets their moral red line and how do we understand a universal standard of morality. This is all blended together with their experience in being a role model in the camp community, as well as setting the standard for what leadership looks like at Camp Northland. Our CITs also completed their first Shabbat Shuk and were able to understand the amount of detail and preparation involved in programming for the entire camp. Our CITs are definitely eager to learn and have already shown tremendous zeal to explore their identities further.
Look at these examples of our oldest campers role modeling to all of our children and having a positive impact around camp (as shared by our outstanding Staff Development:
With the Section 1 campers back from a successful overnight last night, we have all of unit 1 sleeping in tents down at BB Beach tonight. These are the times to remember (they will not last forever). After dinner on the fire, they enjoyed a fun story time (Alyssunzel - the story of the CIT Director with really long hair as acted out by staff and CITs). They sat around the fire and shared compliments and things they are grateful for. These included the most beautiful things like "being grateful for their parents for working so hard to send them to camp (and acknowledged not everyone gets this privilege); grateful for new friends there had made; grateful for tubing at camp; grateful to their staff, head staff, kitchen staff,m etc. for working dso hard and for keeping them safe; we are all like sisters, grateful for this gathering and being able to share and sit around the fire together (and lots of compliments to their unit head Abby for creating such a wonderful summer for them. They then saw the first stars emerge from the night sky and settled in for a sleep under the stars (well under the tent which is under the stars). It is always fun to sit with them in the morning and hear all of their perspectives – I can’t wait!
Over the past week, a few parents have emailed me asking about the little ‘boxes’ around camp seen in the background of Northland pictures from time to time. They sort of look like community libraries that blended into a large birdhouse. We call these our ‘G-cubed’ boxes. I promise to explain more about those in the next day or two.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Our LTP trip to Algonquin has returned. As it always turns out to be, it was absolutely incredible for them as an experience both individually and collectively. I have no doubt that they will share all of their stories with each family through letters and stories over the coming days, weeks (and months). This is a good chance to also catch you up on the unit 3 overnight earlier in the week (also led under the exceptional leadership of Diana B.). Diana runs canoe trips to Algonquin Park for the older campers, along with overnights and cookouts at campsite spots along our very own Moose Lake. Her goal this summer is to help campers learn useful outdoor skills such as navigation and fire building, while also fostering a meaningful connection with nature. She shared the following overnight observations:
The Unit three campers paddled to Second Point, a campsite spot on our own Moose Lake. Campers and staff took out canoes and paddled across the lake, where we set up camp for the night. We sat around the campfire, served dinner (make your own poutine station and salad) and then we hosted our very own talent show called “Second Point’s got talent”. Campers practised their acts and performed dances, songs, and other random talents in front of the group. Joey C., head of music, played her infamous song called Home Again to the group. We ended the night off by serving deep fried Oreos and sharing stories around the fire. The next morning, campers helped cook breakfast by the fire and we took off on our canoes to make it back to camp for the day!
Tripping and overnights are one part of our program, and as you know we have a whole team that helps with the programs all over camp on a day-to-day basis. So, let’s meet one of the leaders that helps make all of this happen each day:
Hello readers of the Simog. My Name is Liam M.- D. and I am part of the programs team. This is now my 8th summer at camp and my first time being in a head staff position. In my previous years as a general counsellor, running programs outside of the daily scheduled activities have always been a part of camp that I enjoyed. Evening programs and all days (an all day is a program run for the section/unit on Saturdays instead of daily activities) are a time for general staff to get creative and create something special. In my role I get hands on with the staff creating these programs and tie everything together to make these times as special as possible for the campers. On a team level I collaborate with our head staff group to create the daily activity schedule as well as any camp wide events. This role allows me to have my hands in all sorts of places at camp and is something I love about it. The smile on campers faces and the lessons learned is what makes it for me. Collaborating with others is a part of every facet at camp, whether it be at a cabin level, counsellor level and in my case the head staff level. Being apart of a team is something I have come to love. There are so many valuable qualities that come from being part of a team.
And the work of these leaders serves as a catalyst to all of the hour-by-hour fun all over camp. For example, yesterday when LTPS1 had media they were so engaged with the music and the activity. Their awesome section head Jonah D. shared the following: “I think the mindset they have about camp is what role modelling truly is. They go to their activities with intention to have the best time every time. Ethan P. and Lucas S. for the entire hour were hosting a music talk show where they would discuss how they felt about different songs, artists and the importance of the music. I could not be prouder of the people they are.”.
Our CITs are hard at work learning about the fundamentals of leadership, ethics and morality through a Jewish lens. Our CITS have been focusing on understanding their moral hierarchy, what sets their moral red line and how do we understand a universal standard of morality. This is all blended together with their experience in being a role model in the camp community, as well as setting the standard for what leadership looks like at Camp Northland. Our CITs also completed their first Shabbat Shuk and were able to understand the amount of detail and preparation involved in programming for the entire camp. Our CITs are definitely eager to learn and have already shown tremendous zeal to explore their identities further.
Look at these examples of our oldest campers role modeling to all of our children and having a positive impact around camp (as shared by our outstanding Staff Development:
- Zach W was doing an awesome job at breakfast helping his section 2 campers clean the table.
- Rachel D, on her Creative Arts placement spent her rest hour helping with play tryouts. She even got the opportunity to read the dialogue back for the campers who were auditioning.
- I checked in on Hannah S and Shira L at paddle. They were both in canoes doing such an awesome job building relationships with campers all around camp.
- At swim, Neeve Z was building sandcastles with unit 1 campers on the beach.
- Shayne, Cohen and I went swimming with all the CITs on swim including Neeve Z, Olivia M and Addison D as they shared their newfound passion for the specialty.
- This afternoon was the CITs first time running Shabbat shuk. They are split into groups to run the cotton candy, snow cones, shabbat-o-grams, and challah making stations. I was so proud of their adaptability to this new leadership experience. It’s definitely not easy working in the heat while all the campers line up for food, but their perseverance impressed me beyond.
- I saw Jake P giving choices (giving options to campers is an important skill they learned during CIT pre camp!) of chocolate or rainbow sprinkles to section 1 campers.
- Sage B, Zoe R and Jordyn D were busy inside the mess hall sorting all the campers shabbat-o-grams.
- Zac R, Tommy B, Zach W and Rachel D were able to adapt to the challenge of making snow cones for all the campers in camp with VERY minimal ice availability.
- Peri L, Alex B, Addison D and Hannah S were working hard on the cotton candy machine. They quickly came up with a system that one CIT would mark off which campers have gotten, one would have the cotton candy sticks ready, and two would making the cotton candy.
With the Section 1 campers back from a successful overnight last night, we have all of unit 1 sleeping in tents down at BB Beach tonight. These are the times to remember (they will not last forever). After dinner on the fire, they enjoyed a fun story time (Alyssunzel - the story of the CIT Director with really long hair as acted out by staff and CITs). They sat around the fire and shared compliments and things they are grateful for. These included the most beautiful things like "being grateful for their parents for working so hard to send them to camp (and acknowledged not everyone gets this privilege); grateful for new friends there had made; grateful for tubing at camp; grateful to their staff, head staff, kitchen staff,m etc. for working dso hard and for keeping them safe; we are all like sisters, grateful for this gathering and being able to share and sit around the fire together (and lots of compliments to their unit head Abby for creating such a wonderful summer for them. They then saw the first stars emerge from the night sky and settled in for a sleep under the stars (well under the tent which is under the stars). It is always fun to sit with them in the morning and hear all of their perspectives – I can’t wait!
Over the past week, a few parents have emailed me asking about the little ‘boxes’ around camp seen in the background of Northland pictures from time to time. They sort of look like community libraries that blended into a large birdhouse. We call these our ‘G-cubed’ boxes. I promise to explain more about those in the next day or two.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Monday, July 8, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Tonight our Section 1 campers are having an overnight in tents down at BB Beach. They ate hotdogs, roasted marshmallows, and heard a fun story about "Salsa and the Beanstock'. You will have to ask them for all of the details! This program is part of the introduction to overnights and canoe tripping. Having a group activity like this that introduces sleeping in tents, roasting marshmallows on a fire, and having the group experience that comes with a night under the stars plants lots of seeds for the future.
A few awesome things have happened both in and out of camp that I want to share. At Mifkad, all Israelis were called up to the front to lead the camp in the singing of hatikvah. It was really beautiful to see the large numbers of campers and staff that stepped forward to represent the full 'mishlachat' (group from Israel). It was a living and breathing reminder of Am Israel Chai. They are truly an incredible group. We will have some spotlights on this group later in the summer.
For a 'taste' of our values we did something outstanding today. We built community both inside and outside of camp. Unit 3 hopped on a bus this afternoon and went to a neighboring camp called Camp Gan Israel about 40 minutes away. Together with other girls their age that they had never met before they did a Challah Bake for Peace in Israel. They camp singing a new song and burst into our mess hall singing "Geshmak to be a yid". I am sure this will be turned into a camp dance in days if it hasn't happened already! By the way, it is Geshmak to be yid if I may say so myself.
This afternoon our new football intramural was in full swing. Texas played Oregon on the field I happened to watch for a bit. The game was awesome and the kids are super athletic. Much more importantly I saw new friendships and bonds being formed that didn't exist a day ago. I saw high fives, celebrations, touchdown rituals, special handshakes, and even a random piggy back! The field was covered in smiles. The campers told me this is their favourite addition to camp so far. They don't realize all we did was give them a ball and some space. The experience they are loving so much, they created all by themselves.
My evening tonight was so much fun. I had the privilege of hosting unit 1 cabins 1 and 2 in my cabin for a late night snack and bedtime story. We all gathered and had a drink and snack. We discussed Splashie our Wellness dog, and answered lots of questions about camp. I also heard all about how the water activities are the BEST part of camp. These girls are having an amazing time and were all so eager to share so many things they love about camp so far. They were (for the most part) saying camp is too short when we talked about their two week experience. We narrowed the book choice down to two as a group and then had a cheer off to determine which one I would read to them. It turned out that 20+ unit 1 campers can scream really loudly when they want to be heard! The book the group chose was a Walt Disney book called "The Penguin That Hated the Cold". It is from my personal library from when I was just about the same age as all of my little visitors tonight. We read the book and then discussed the morals that they took away from it. The two we discussed (which came from them and not at all prompted by me) were that it's ok to fail , and when you do, you need to try again because success could come on the next try, or the next one after that, or after that... - you never know; and that sometimes there are things we hate, and sometimes there are things we love, and we need to be positive and move towards the things we love when we can do so.
I read a book tonight but I also was reminded of some very important life lessons from the wisdom of my little guests.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tonight our Section 1 campers are having an overnight in tents down at BB Beach. They ate hotdogs, roasted marshmallows, and heard a fun story about "Salsa and the Beanstock'. You will have to ask them for all of the details! This program is part of the introduction to overnights and canoe tripping. Having a group activity like this that introduces sleeping in tents, roasting marshmallows on a fire, and having the group experience that comes with a night under the stars plants lots of seeds for the future.
A few awesome things have happened both in and out of camp that I want to share. At Mifkad, all Israelis were called up to the front to lead the camp in the singing of hatikvah. It was really beautiful to see the large numbers of campers and staff that stepped forward to represent the full 'mishlachat' (group from Israel). It was a living and breathing reminder of Am Israel Chai. They are truly an incredible group. We will have some spotlights on this group later in the summer.
For a 'taste' of our values we did something outstanding today. We built community both inside and outside of camp. Unit 3 hopped on a bus this afternoon and went to a neighboring camp called Camp Gan Israel about 40 minutes away. Together with other girls their age that they had never met before they did a Challah Bake for Peace in Israel. They camp singing a new song and burst into our mess hall singing "Geshmak to be a yid". I am sure this will be turned into a camp dance in days if it hasn't happened already! By the way, it is Geshmak to be yid if I may say so myself.
This afternoon our new football intramural was in full swing. Texas played Oregon on the field I happened to watch for a bit. The game was awesome and the kids are super athletic. Much more importantly I saw new friendships and bonds being formed that didn't exist a day ago. I saw high fives, celebrations, touchdown rituals, special handshakes, and even a random piggy back! The field was covered in smiles. The campers told me this is their favourite addition to camp so far. They don't realize all we did was give them a ball and some space. The experience they are loving so much, they created all by themselves.
My evening tonight was so much fun. I had the privilege of hosting unit 1 cabins 1 and 2 in my cabin for a late night snack and bedtime story. We all gathered and had a drink and snack. We discussed Splashie our Wellness dog, and answered lots of questions about camp. I also heard all about how the water activities are the BEST part of camp. These girls are having an amazing time and were all so eager to share so many things they love about camp so far. They were (for the most part) saying camp is too short when we talked about their two week experience. We narrowed the book choice down to two as a group and then had a cheer off to determine which one I would read to them. It turned out that 20+ unit 1 campers can scream really loudly when they want to be heard! The book the group chose was a Walt Disney book called "The Penguin That Hated the Cold". It is from my personal library from when I was just about the same age as all of my little visitors tonight. We read the book and then discussed the morals that they took away from it. The two we discussed (which came from them and not at all prompted by me) were that it's ok to fail , and when you do, you need to try again because success could come on the next try, or the next one after that, or after that... - you never know; and that sometimes there are things we hate, and sometimes there are things we love, and we need to be positive and move towards the things we love when we can do so.
I read a book tonight but I also was reminded of some very important life lessons from the wisdom of my little guests.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 8)
With our first overnight trip having returned after having ‘the best time in camp so far’ (optional trip for unit 3), and our first trip to Algonquin having departed earlier today, it’s time to talk about our trip program! So first, a quick intro is below, and then we are off to the races learning about these incredible adventures that await.
Head of Trip – Diana B.
I’m Diana B. and I’m excited to announce that my role at camp this summer is head of trip! This means that I run canoe trips to Algonquin Park for the older campers, along with overnights and cookouts at campsite spots along our very own Moose Lake. My goal this summer is to help campers learn useful outdoor skills such as navigation and fire building, while also fostering a meaningful connection with nature.
So, what is ‘trip’ exactly? Well, I can tell you it means many things – like how the word Shalom means hello, good-bye, and peace. The tripping program runs four main programs: canoe tripping, overnights, cookouts and OLS. It even integrates with our paddle program running skill-based sessions as part of our daily programs too.
A canoe trip is a multi-day, multi-night stay in Algonquin Park that consists of different routes of canoeing and portaging. A portage is when you carry all the packs and canoes from one lake to another lake through a trail that connects them.
An overnight is when an entire age group, or a portion of a section or unit, paddles to the other side of Moose Lake, sleep together in two massive tents, cook dinner and breakfast over a fire, swim, laugh, tell stories and enjoy a program or two, and then paddle back to main camp.
Cookouts are an afternoon program where each section and unit walk to a spot on the side of Moose Lake, or a large beachfront area of camp and cook a dinner (often) hotdogs, chips, and roasted marshmallows over a fire.
OLS (Outdoor Living Skills) are cabin activities that range from shelter building, raft building, fire building competitions, team building canoe experiences, and similar nature exploration activities.
I once asked trip staff why they chose this role at camp, and these were the responses shared with me:
At this very moment our first canoe trip is paddling their way through the majestic beauty of Algonquin Park sitting at the edge of what is about to be a life changing experience (it always is). This trip is for the LTP age group. After a series of checks and balances on readiness, attitude, resilience, interest, and capacity to meet the physical demands of this particular route, 6 canoes and 18 trip enthusiasts loaded up their packs and hit the road. We can’t wait to hear about all the adventures upon their return.
Speaking of hitting the road – I took Clara and her plus 1 (Shayla) on a golf cart tour of camp in the Simobile (my wheels here at camp). It was Clara’s birthday yesterday and she spun the prize wheel winning the ride. We had the chance to chat, learn more about each other, and admittedly raid the tuck shop too! It was fun for them, but these moments with campers are definitely just as much fun for me!
We also had our first Splash Bash program of the year today. Splash bash is when our ‘working’ camp dog full of 14 years (yes dog years) of wisdom meets with campers to discuss what humans can learn from dogs. This dog’s name is Splash and he is an institution here at camp. There were years when he ran 7 activity hours a day as part of our full-time Wellness team program. Now in his old age, we only call on his guidance once a day or so. He is magical and so is watching the way children connect and learn from animals. Dogs teach us about unconditional love. Dogs teach us how to live without judging others. Dogs teach us to be playful. Dogs teach us to find the joy in everyday things around us. Dogs teach us to splash in puddles, to shake like no-one is watching, and that being kind and friendly yields rewards both internal and external. I think that after watching Splashie interact with thousands and thousands of children over the years, I could probably write a whole book full of anecdotal interactions resulting in positive behavioural changes after children learned from a discussion with a dog. Until 17.143 Splashie (aka until 120!).
Camp is a place where a hundred things we overlook in the city each day are not only noticed but celebrated. A hopping frog creates a social connection between the kids who share the experience. The way a heavy northern storm erodes the beach and creates tunnels and channels in the sand becomes a playland full of adventure when the shines the very next day. The stars, oh the stars. Looking up at the night sky here tells its own story to whoever wants to listen night after night. A simple encounter at main field over a game of Spikeball could be the first meeting of two lifelong friends, or maybe years later Northland grandparents! Every child adds layers of depth to who they are here, and how they define themselves in their own heads. I am a skier. I am an athlete. I am an artist. I am a friend. I am a musician. I am a tripper. I am a leader. I am funny. I am confident. I am a camper at Camp Northland.
P.S.. literally while typing this Simog, I got a notification from our satellite safety tracker that our trip in Algonquin has safely reached their planned destination for night 1 of their trip. Let the tent set up and bonfire begin.
Onward Northland,
Simon
With our first overnight trip having returned after having ‘the best time in camp so far’ (optional trip for unit 3), and our first trip to Algonquin having departed earlier today, it’s time to talk about our trip program! So first, a quick intro is below, and then we are off to the races learning about these incredible adventures that await.
Head of Trip – Diana B.
I’m Diana B. and I’m excited to announce that my role at camp this summer is head of trip! This means that I run canoe trips to Algonquin Park for the older campers, along with overnights and cookouts at campsite spots along our very own Moose Lake. My goal this summer is to help campers learn useful outdoor skills such as navigation and fire building, while also fostering a meaningful connection with nature.
So, what is ‘trip’ exactly? Well, I can tell you it means many things – like how the word Shalom means hello, good-bye, and peace. The tripping program runs four main programs: canoe tripping, overnights, cookouts and OLS. It even integrates with our paddle program running skill-based sessions as part of our daily programs too.
A canoe trip is a multi-day, multi-night stay in Algonquin Park that consists of different routes of canoeing and portaging. A portage is when you carry all the packs and canoes from one lake to another lake through a trail that connects them.
An overnight is when an entire age group, or a portion of a section or unit, paddles to the other side of Moose Lake, sleep together in two massive tents, cook dinner and breakfast over a fire, swim, laugh, tell stories and enjoy a program or two, and then paddle back to main camp.
Cookouts are an afternoon program where each section and unit walk to a spot on the side of Moose Lake, or a large beachfront area of camp and cook a dinner (often) hotdogs, chips, and roasted marshmallows over a fire.
OLS (Outdoor Living Skills) are cabin activities that range from shelter building, raft building, fire building competitions, team building canoe experiences, and similar nature exploration activities.
I once asked trip staff why they chose this role at camp, and these were the responses shared with me:
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because I love the outdoors and wanted to share this love with others-- both campers and staff.
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because I love how I can challenge kids to push themselves mentally and physically all while being in a safe and supportive environment.
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because I love how much a camper’s confidence can grow after being on a canoe trip.
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because I love how the experiential environment of a canoe trip helps campers build life-long skills.
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because I love the treasured memories of canoe trips.
- I chose to be trip staff because my first trip made me fall in love with camp overall.
- I chose to be trip staff because it proves to kids that they can do more than they ever imagined they could do.
- I chose to be a Trip Staff because it is amazing to see all these campers fall in love with the sheer beauty of Algonquin Park and gain respect and gratitude for nature.
- I chose trip because I get to ensure everyone is eating well while looking up at the stars.
At this very moment our first canoe trip is paddling their way through the majestic beauty of Algonquin Park sitting at the edge of what is about to be a life changing experience (it always is). This trip is for the LTP age group. After a series of checks and balances on readiness, attitude, resilience, interest, and capacity to meet the physical demands of this particular route, 6 canoes and 18 trip enthusiasts loaded up their packs and hit the road. We can’t wait to hear about all the adventures upon their return.
Speaking of hitting the road – I took Clara and her plus 1 (Shayla) on a golf cart tour of camp in the Simobile (my wheels here at camp). It was Clara’s birthday yesterday and she spun the prize wheel winning the ride. We had the chance to chat, learn more about each other, and admittedly raid the tuck shop too! It was fun for them, but these moments with campers are definitely just as much fun for me!
We also had our first Splash Bash program of the year today. Splash bash is when our ‘working’ camp dog full of 14 years (yes dog years) of wisdom meets with campers to discuss what humans can learn from dogs. This dog’s name is Splash and he is an institution here at camp. There were years when he ran 7 activity hours a day as part of our full-time Wellness team program. Now in his old age, we only call on his guidance once a day or so. He is magical and so is watching the way children connect and learn from animals. Dogs teach us about unconditional love. Dogs teach us how to live without judging others. Dogs teach us to be playful. Dogs teach us to find the joy in everyday things around us. Dogs teach us to splash in puddles, to shake like no-one is watching, and that being kind and friendly yields rewards both internal and external. I think that after watching Splashie interact with thousands and thousands of children over the years, I could probably write a whole book full of anecdotal interactions resulting in positive behavioural changes after children learned from a discussion with a dog. Until 17.143 Splashie (aka until 120!).
Camp is a place where a hundred things we overlook in the city each day are not only noticed but celebrated. A hopping frog creates a social connection between the kids who share the experience. The way a heavy northern storm erodes the beach and creates tunnels and channels in the sand becomes a playland full of adventure when the shines the very next day. The stars, oh the stars. Looking up at the night sky here tells its own story to whoever wants to listen night after night. A simple encounter at main field over a game of Spikeball could be the first meeting of two lifelong friends, or maybe years later Northland grandparents! Every child adds layers of depth to who they are here, and how they define themselves in their own heads. I am a skier. I am an athlete. I am an artist. I am a friend. I am a musician. I am a tripper. I am a leader. I am funny. I am confident. I am a camper at Camp Northland.
P.S.. literally while typing this Simog, I got a notification from our satellite safety tracker that our trip in Algonquin has safely reached their planned destination for night 1 of their trip. Let the tent set up and bonfire begin.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Saturday, July 6, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families, (Day 7)
Wow, we are sailing into the end of the first week of camp. It really does fly by too quickly. So much has been happening around camp and I really want to share as much as I can with you. So I am going to start with a quick and important introduction and then catch you up on so many of the outstanding experiences your children are enjoying and experiencing here at camp.
Special Programs - Lauren B.
My name is Lauren B., and I am thrilled to be one of the heads of special programs this summer! My journey at Camp Northland began 12 summers ago at this special place by Moose Lake, which I now call my second home. I feel incredibly fortunate to return year after year to create new memories with campers and ensure they have the best possible summer, just as my counselors did for me when I was a camper.
Throughout my time at Camp Northland, I have transitioned through various roles. My first summer as a staff member, I was a Windsports specialist. The following summer, I became a general counselor and discovered my passion for arts and crafts, which led me to become an arts and crafts specialist the next summer. Last summer, I was one of the heads of Arts & Crafts, Woodworking, and Ceramics. While I loved that role, this year I wanted to explore a new area and decided to try out this new role.
As one of the heads of Special Programs, I collaborate with our team to plan camp-wide events that are not part of our daily schedule, such as Maccabiah and Northland Games. [editor's note: much more info on these landmark programs will be shared later in the summer] I also assist in organizing Visitors' Day and Parent Open House. Every day, I distribute snacks to the campers, enjoy seeing their smiling faces, and ensure they are having an amazing time here. Each child at this camp is immersed in new friendships, exciting activities, and a sense of adventure under the stars and I am grateful to be part of making their time here so memorable.
Let's take a look at some of what Lauren has described above being actioned in everyday experiences here at camp with your children:
Unit 3:
Section 3
The other day section III ran “panic” as their evening program - an oldie but a goodie. Basically this program involves one staff from each cabin, along with the section head, to be posted up inside of our Rec hall with a walkie talkie. Meanwhile, the rest of the staff and campers are all in their respective cabins with one walkie talkie that the staff used as a way to communicate with the rest of the staff in the Rec hall. The staff in the Rec hall and their incredible Section head, Jacob W., had preplanned themes/scenarios that were communicated to each cabin. They started off simple - sending one camper dressed and acting like your section head which got the kids warmed up. Then they spiced it up bit and had 2 campers come from each cabin, where they had to dress up and act like the director and associate director, (me) and Adam. There were various rounds of creative themes and improv prompts so that as many campers could be involved as possible. For the last round, they wanted to get every staff and camp to participate. They decided to tell each cabin, all campers and staff, to come to the Rec hall, one cabin at a time as an animal kingdom with one person being the zoo keeper. Every cabin got so into it! They dressed up, acted as so many different animals, got so creative and everyone was crying of laughter. The campers and staff were so engaged and it was so much fun for everyone. [editor's note: this is just an example of one EP - every single unit and section has one of these every single night with each night being more surprising and creative than the next.]
Check out this amazing report from Thomas - our absolutely tremendous Head of Paddle
The other day at paddle we had some turbulent conditions to start the day. Grey skies and strong wind pushed some unusually large waves into the shore. So when our little section one campers trekked down to our specialty, we were ready to offer some alternate programming rather than going in the water. But each one of them went and strapped on their life jacket, dragged their kayak down to the water and were adamant that they would all get themselves in.
Staff member Jacob Mann stood in the water launching the campers one by one, some of the campers would get pushed right back to shore, not to be deterred, they would start the process all over again. After 15 minutes they had all launched into the water and started coursing down the oblong (a small river that cuts through our property), showing off their paddle skills and laughing with each other. On the way back they were met head on by the wind, with all their might they pushed themselves through back to shore. Some of the little soldiers couldn’t make it all the way back, but our incredible CITS Hannah S., Alfie T., and Shira L. tied them to their own kayaks and paddled them back. Staff member Aiden S. was the hero of the day, pulling back two campers at a time attached to his own kayak! All in all it was a challenging morning for the campers, but it was incredible to see their skills put to the test and witnessing their resilience! This also wouldn’t have been possible without the huge amount of support from the counsellors, who provided support, safety and confidence throughout the session.
Camp continues to do what camp does innately - build stronger kids. Just looking at this paddle example, we see a metaphor for every moment at camp. First, children often remind us that they can do much more than we may initially think they may be capable of achieving. Second, obstacles should not equate to stopping or quitting. Then it goes on and on...overcoming obstacles builds strength, confidence and resilience. We can change the little voice in a child's head that says 'I can't do this", "this is too scary", "someone will laugh at me", etc. That voice can start to say "I can do anything", "I can do this", "I am strong", etc. They learn that it's ok to ask for help. They see problem solving skills leading to solutions. They see teamwork in action. They see that they are a part of something bigger than themselves - everyone has their back. They feel the joy of laughter, achievement, and working together. They feel pride in reaching a goal. They learn that tackling a challenge feels better than taking the easy way out. I always equate camp to being the most effective construction zone on planet earth. Our product is incredibly inspiring children.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wow, we are sailing into the end of the first week of camp. It really does fly by too quickly. So much has been happening around camp and I really want to share as much as I can with you. So I am going to start with a quick and important introduction and then catch you up on so many of the outstanding experiences your children are enjoying and experiencing here at camp.
Special Programs - Lauren B.
My name is Lauren B., and I am thrilled to be one of the heads of special programs this summer! My journey at Camp Northland began 12 summers ago at this special place by Moose Lake, which I now call my second home. I feel incredibly fortunate to return year after year to create new memories with campers and ensure they have the best possible summer, just as my counselors did for me when I was a camper.
Throughout my time at Camp Northland, I have transitioned through various roles. My first summer as a staff member, I was a Windsports specialist. The following summer, I became a general counselor and discovered my passion for arts and crafts, which led me to become an arts and crafts specialist the next summer. Last summer, I was one of the heads of Arts & Crafts, Woodworking, and Ceramics. While I loved that role, this year I wanted to explore a new area and decided to try out this new role.
As one of the heads of Special Programs, I collaborate with our team to plan camp-wide events that are not part of our daily schedule, such as Maccabiah and Northland Games. [editor's note: much more info on these landmark programs will be shared later in the summer] I also assist in organizing Visitors' Day and Parent Open House. Every day, I distribute snacks to the campers, enjoy seeing their smiling faces, and ensure they are having an amazing time here. Each child at this camp is immersed in new friendships, exciting activities, and a sense of adventure under the stars and I am grateful to be part of making their time here so memorable.
Let's take a look at some of what Lauren has described above being actioned in everyday experiences here at camp with your children:
- David W. (Head of Section 1) came across two CITs (Jake P and Andrew H) on a break. They decided to go together around camp so they could learn how to be a positive presence under David's role modeling. They walked around and said hi to everyone they saw. This became the highlight of their day!
- Earlier this week we had the CITs first Torah High class and our staff development director, Alyssa, was so impressed with how they were engaged in the conversation and listening while Rabbi Josh spoke about the program. [editor's note: Ask your kids to tell you about Nicky from tonight's Havdalah story told by Rabbi Josh!]
- Rachel D on her Creative Arts placement spent her rest hour helping to choreograph the Sr. dance team. Throughout the day he helped to lead classes with her shadow including warm-ups, teaching the camp dance and supporting campers when they were tasked to make up their own dances.
- Thomas, the head of paddle was so excited to share how great the two CITs on his specialty were doing. He told me that Hannah S and Shira L have been going above and beyond! Thomas will have a great deal more to share with us today below.
Unit 3:
- Emily Z. And Vanessa B. Had so much fun at tennis. They played for an entire hour, even in the rain
- Jaiden R. And Shira L. Said “if you go I’ll go” and supported eachother in going skiing even in the cold rainy weather. Jaiden got up on two skiis and Shira got up on the wakeboard!
- 3-3 and 3-4 went to sababa and did kosher or not kosher game activities. They were so good and cabin 3-4 took the victory, as team kosher pickles. 3-3 was magical matzah
- 3-3 and 3-4 had OLS and learned how to build a fire!
- Cabin 3-6 went sailing with Marcus F. (Even though there was no wind - they still had so much fun.)
Section 3
The other day section III ran “panic” as their evening program - an oldie but a goodie. Basically this program involves one staff from each cabin, along with the section head, to be posted up inside of our Rec hall with a walkie talkie. Meanwhile, the rest of the staff and campers are all in their respective cabins with one walkie talkie that the staff used as a way to communicate with the rest of the staff in the Rec hall. The staff in the Rec hall and their incredible Section head, Jacob W., had preplanned themes/scenarios that were communicated to each cabin. They started off simple - sending one camper dressed and acting like your section head which got the kids warmed up. Then they spiced it up bit and had 2 campers come from each cabin, where they had to dress up and act like the director and associate director, (me) and Adam. There were various rounds of creative themes and improv prompts so that as many campers could be involved as possible. For the last round, they wanted to get every staff and camp to participate. They decided to tell each cabin, all campers and staff, to come to the Rec hall, one cabin at a time as an animal kingdom with one person being the zoo keeper. Every cabin got so into it! They dressed up, acted as so many different animals, got so creative and everyone was crying of laughter. The campers and staff were so engaged and it was so much fun for everyone. [editor's note: this is just an example of one EP - every single unit and section has one of these every single night with each night being more surprising and creative than the next.]
Check out this amazing report from Thomas - our absolutely tremendous Head of Paddle
The other day at paddle we had some turbulent conditions to start the day. Grey skies and strong wind pushed some unusually large waves into the shore. So when our little section one campers trekked down to our specialty, we were ready to offer some alternate programming rather than going in the water. But each one of them went and strapped on their life jacket, dragged their kayak down to the water and were adamant that they would all get themselves in.
Staff member Jacob Mann stood in the water launching the campers one by one, some of the campers would get pushed right back to shore, not to be deterred, they would start the process all over again. After 15 minutes they had all launched into the water and started coursing down the oblong (a small river that cuts through our property), showing off their paddle skills and laughing with each other. On the way back they were met head on by the wind, with all their might they pushed themselves through back to shore. Some of the little soldiers couldn’t make it all the way back, but our incredible CITS Hannah S., Alfie T., and Shira L. tied them to their own kayaks and paddled them back. Staff member Aiden S. was the hero of the day, pulling back two campers at a time attached to his own kayak! All in all it was a challenging morning for the campers, but it was incredible to see their skills put to the test and witnessing their resilience! This also wouldn’t have been possible without the huge amount of support from the counsellors, who provided support, safety and confidence throughout the session.
Camp continues to do what camp does innately - build stronger kids. Just looking at this paddle example, we see a metaphor for every moment at camp. First, children often remind us that they can do much more than we may initially think they may be capable of achieving. Second, obstacles should not equate to stopping or quitting. Then it goes on and on...overcoming obstacles builds strength, confidence and resilience. We can change the little voice in a child's head that says 'I can't do this", "this is too scary", "someone will laugh at me", etc. That voice can start to say "I can do anything", "I can do this", "I am strong", etc. They learn that it's ok to ask for help. They see problem solving skills leading to solutions. They see teamwork in action. They see that they are a part of something bigger than themselves - everyone has their back. They feel the joy of laughter, achievement, and working together. They feel pride in reaching a goal. They learn that tackling a challenge feels better than taking the easy way out. I always equate camp to being the most effective construction zone on planet earth. Our product is incredibly inspiring children.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Friday, July 5, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families (Day 6),
You are in for a treat today! I am Adam Kertesz, the Associate Director, I am so excited and honoured to be today’s guest blogger. One of the most common questions I get asked is ‘what is the hardest part of your job?’. I know when people ask this they are expecting to hear about about everything from the planning, the day to day challenges that may come up, the weight of the important responsibility of caring for so many people’s children (which I love and take so seriously), or even the sometimes difficult conversations I have to have with families, staff and campers. Those can all be difficult at times but I truly I love it all, and it’s why I do what I do. But the real toughest part is that these responsibilities take me away from what I love most, and where my passion for camp began- having fun with the campers. So today I made it my mission to do just that and spent the whole morning with campers from various cabins at multiple specialties. I had the blog in mind when setting out to do this, but truthfully, if I am being honest, I wanted to have some fun too!
So here we go- Adam’s 'Morning of Fun’ around camp!
BASKETBALL with Section III, Cabins 3 and 5. Basketball is my favourite sport to play and to this day I still play in a weekly league throughout the year. I *thought* I can still play pretty well. After some time with Section III campers and staff, I am fairly certain I have become the old guy on the court. These kids are awesome. Whizzing past me for layups, playing strong defence, draining threes, it was so great to see. And best of all, in true Northland spirit, they were instantly welcoming, kind and showed great sportsmanship on the court. I may have been out of breath quicker than most, but loved being a part of that group while I was there! Special thanks to the staff who were there, including Lewis C, Daniel P and Jack M for giving me some playing time.
ARCHERY with Section I, Cabin 1. Looking for my next activity, I popped into Archery, which for those who know, is right next to the basketball courts, tucked away behind some trees. I walk on in and lo and behold, Seth W is there teaching these young Section I campers how to use a bow and arrow. I asked if I could give it a shot and we came up with a fun wager- if I can get bullseye, the whole cabin will win Double Tuck! Everyone was chanting my name, excited for what might be. I lift up the bow, aim, pull back the arrow, and…… missed the entire target by 3 feet. But in better news, I witnessed Sammy G get a bullseye! It was so nice seeing all his cabinmates and new camp friends for life cheering him on after he got it.
WATERSKI with Unit 3, Cabin 5. I next made my way all the way down the ski docks. My timing was perfect as the period was just getting underway. I loved seeing each camper figure out what they were most excited and comfortable doing (skiing, wake surfing, knee boarding) and just go out there and do it. My highlight was watching Maya Z-K get a short orientation from ski staff Noah A on how to wake surf which she had never done before. She gave a quick thumbs up, and then she went out there, and just, did it. It was so awesome to see and her friends were cheering her on from the docks. Was also great seeing Leah L ski on the boom!
CERAMICS with Section III, Cabin 4. I paid a short visit to one of the most popular locations in camp- Arts and Crafts (A+C). I found Veronica M, A+C staff, leading a ceramics class with Cabin III-4 and just a heads up to all the parents from this cabin- you may have some beautiful new bowls headed your way, so make some room on that kitchen shelf! These are talented campers who were so amazingly focused on their project, while also helping each other out when needed.
PADDLE with Section III Cabin 2 and LTP-S Cabin 1. By the time I got here, they were in the final 20 minutes of the period but they were still having a blast. A bunch of campers were in the water playing with our brand new water basketball nets. It was an intense game and so I was so appreciative when I heard ‘Adam, come play with us!’ (another shining example of the kindness displayed at camp each day). I am proud to say after some struggles in real basketball, I finally scored a basket in water basketball. As I was leaving, I saw Jonah K teaching some campers and his counsellor Almog Z how to play the classic game- LAND. I told them how I used to play this at a camp I grew up at 30+ years ago, and I was amazed that the rules were the exact same.
LUNCH with LTP-U, Cabin 3. This was definitely one of my highlights of the day. I made it a point to sit with a cabin for lunch and wow did I luck out when I chose this cabin. Every camper and staff was so kind, welcoming and excited for me to be there. I got to ask them all sorts of questions about how they’re enjoying camp so far (they are loving it!) and I let them ask me all the burning camp questions they’ve been wondering, like “how is the food so good this year?!” (real quote!). Thank you for welcoming me in to your table at lunch! Like I told you all, it was my favourite meal experience of the summer!
I hope you enjoyed the fun tour around camp today. I cherished each moment and if even for one day, I was able to step out of the office and re-connect to the reason why I choose to do what I do. Camp Northland is a special place and I feel fortunate and blessed that so many of our campers and staff showed me what that magic was all about today. On a personal note (hey, Simon gave me the keys to the blog, so I can set the rules.., ) I want to wish a very happy birthday to my wife Lauren.
Shabbat Shalom, Camp Northland!
You are in for a treat today! I am Adam Kertesz, the Associate Director, I am so excited and honoured to be today’s guest blogger. One of the most common questions I get asked is ‘what is the hardest part of your job?’. I know when people ask this they are expecting to hear about about everything from the planning, the day to day challenges that may come up, the weight of the important responsibility of caring for so many people’s children (which I love and take so seriously), or even the sometimes difficult conversations I have to have with families, staff and campers. Those can all be difficult at times but I truly I love it all, and it’s why I do what I do. But the real toughest part is that these responsibilities take me away from what I love most, and where my passion for camp began- having fun with the campers. So today I made it my mission to do just that and spent the whole morning with campers from various cabins at multiple specialties. I had the blog in mind when setting out to do this, but truthfully, if I am being honest, I wanted to have some fun too!
So here we go- Adam’s 'Morning of Fun’ around camp!
BASKETBALL with Section III, Cabins 3 and 5. Basketball is my favourite sport to play and to this day I still play in a weekly league throughout the year. I *thought* I can still play pretty well. After some time with Section III campers and staff, I am fairly certain I have become the old guy on the court. These kids are awesome. Whizzing past me for layups, playing strong defence, draining threes, it was so great to see. And best of all, in true Northland spirit, they were instantly welcoming, kind and showed great sportsmanship on the court. I may have been out of breath quicker than most, but loved being a part of that group while I was there! Special thanks to the staff who were there, including Lewis C, Daniel P and Jack M for giving me some playing time.
ARCHERY with Section I, Cabin 1. Looking for my next activity, I popped into Archery, which for those who know, is right next to the basketball courts, tucked away behind some trees. I walk on in and lo and behold, Seth W is there teaching these young Section I campers how to use a bow and arrow. I asked if I could give it a shot and we came up with a fun wager- if I can get bullseye, the whole cabin will win Double Tuck! Everyone was chanting my name, excited for what might be. I lift up the bow, aim, pull back the arrow, and…… missed the entire target by 3 feet. But in better news, I witnessed Sammy G get a bullseye! It was so nice seeing all his cabinmates and new camp friends for life cheering him on after he got it.
WATERSKI with Unit 3, Cabin 5. I next made my way all the way down the ski docks. My timing was perfect as the period was just getting underway. I loved seeing each camper figure out what they were most excited and comfortable doing (skiing, wake surfing, knee boarding) and just go out there and do it. My highlight was watching Maya Z-K get a short orientation from ski staff Noah A on how to wake surf which she had never done before. She gave a quick thumbs up, and then she went out there, and just, did it. It was so awesome to see and her friends were cheering her on from the docks. Was also great seeing Leah L ski on the boom!
CERAMICS with Section III, Cabin 4. I paid a short visit to one of the most popular locations in camp- Arts and Crafts (A+C). I found Veronica M, A+C staff, leading a ceramics class with Cabin III-4 and just a heads up to all the parents from this cabin- you may have some beautiful new bowls headed your way, so make some room on that kitchen shelf! These are talented campers who were so amazingly focused on their project, while also helping each other out when needed.
PADDLE with Section III Cabin 2 and LTP-S Cabin 1. By the time I got here, they were in the final 20 minutes of the period but they were still having a blast. A bunch of campers were in the water playing with our brand new water basketball nets. It was an intense game and so I was so appreciative when I heard ‘Adam, come play with us!’ (another shining example of the kindness displayed at camp each day). I am proud to say after some struggles in real basketball, I finally scored a basket in water basketball. As I was leaving, I saw Jonah K teaching some campers and his counsellor Almog Z how to play the classic game- LAND. I told them how I used to play this at a camp I grew up at 30+ years ago, and I was amazed that the rules were the exact same.
LUNCH with LTP-U, Cabin 3. This was definitely one of my highlights of the day. I made it a point to sit with a cabin for lunch and wow did I luck out when I chose this cabin. Every camper and staff was so kind, welcoming and excited for me to be there. I got to ask them all sorts of questions about how they’re enjoying camp so far (they are loving it!) and I let them ask me all the burning camp questions they’ve been wondering, like “how is the food so good this year?!” (real quote!). Thank you for welcoming me in to your table at lunch! Like I told you all, it was my favourite meal experience of the summer!
I hope you enjoyed the fun tour around camp today. I cherished each moment and if even for one day, I was able to step out of the office and re-connect to the reason why I choose to do what I do. Camp Northland is a special place and I feel fortunate and blessed that so many of our campers and staff showed me what that magic was all about today. On a personal note (hey, Simon gave me the keys to the blog, so I can set the rules.., ) I want to wish a very happy birthday to my wife Lauren.
Shabbat Shalom, Camp Northland!
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Thankfully we have so many amazing leaders in camp, that we will likely continue to be 'introducing' you to them throughout the whole summer. So I will start with celebrating a few of these incredible youth professionals before I get into some amazing things observed all over camp! If you read the Simog a couple of days ago and saw all of the amazing things the CITs are doing, we can thank the incredible role modeling of our Staff Development Director Alyssa W. (more from this exceptional superstar with the catchiest positivity you will ever feel below). She also has a tremendous team of CIT Directors and mentors that we will introduce in the coming days too.
Staff Development Director
Hi Simog readers! My name is Alyssa W. and I have proudly spent the past 15 summers at Camp Northland. This summer my role is the staff development director. This role is perfect for me as I am extremely passionate about molding campers into staff that can give every child an amazing camp experience. My role is similar to what I did last year as a CIT director, but this year I will help guide the two new CIT directors as well as oversee the bridge between LTP (Leadership Training Program - post grade 9) to CIT. I am so excited to work with all the campers who will soon grow and develop into the best staff that this camp deserves!
Creative Arts - Saige A.
Hello! My name is Saige A., and I am thrilled to be the Head of Creative Arts for the summer of 2024. I've been with Camp Northland since 2015, and on staff since 2022 starting as a general staff member and later joining the Creative Arts team. This year, I am excited to lead as the Head of Creative Arts, bringing fun and engaging dance and drama activities to our campers. I have a strong background in both dance and drama, having participated in a few plays and danced both recreationally and competitively throughout my life. Creative Arts at Camp Northland encompasses a wide range of activities that encourage campers and staff to think outside the box, unleash their creativity, and have fun. While our focus includes dance and drama, it certainly isn't limited to these areas.
On a typical dance day, campers will head to the playhouse, where they will participate in various activities led by me or another Creative Arts staff member. These activities include learning the camp dance, creating airbands, practicing Jewish/Israeli dances, and honing gymnastic tricks and dance moves. We also offer two dance teams, one for junior campers and one for senior campers, giving them the chance to perform at Northland’s Got Talent, our camp talent show, and compete at dance intercamp hosted by Camp Wahanowin.
Drama days are just as exciting. Campers will meet on the junior field and engage in musical theatre games, acting exercises, and traditional camp games like wax museum and huckle buckle. One of the highlights of our drama program is the annual play, where campers are encouraged to audition and eventually perform in front of the entire camp. [editor's note: p.s. HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT today where the 2024 camp play was revealed - get your golden tickets ready because we are doing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Auditions start tomorrow].
The Creative Arts team at Camp Northland is dedicated to fostering creativity, teamwork, and pushing the boundaries of what our campers can achieve. We can't wait to see you all there and embark on a summer full of creativity and fun!
Head of Swim - Kira H.
Hi Camp Northland! My name is Kira H. and I am the Head of Swim this summer. At Swim, we offer many activities such as free swim, where campers get the opportunity to play freely in the water, instructional swim to teach, as well as help campers progress in their swimming levels, and lastly my personal favourite the inflatables. When I was a unit 2 camper I dreamed of one day becoming the Head of Swim, and I could not be more grateful and happy that my dream came true. I cannot wait to get to know every single camper this summer, and help them love the water as much as I do!
Speaking of the beach, the waterfront was hopping today. So while everyone was cooling off around camp, let's zoom in, and zoom in some more to celebrate some amazing moments. Clementine Z. and Shay B. from Unit 1 earned their blue bracelets! This is an incredible achievement and we are so proud of them for their hard work and dedication. Mazel Tov Clementine and Shay!
This is probably a great time to explain some of the bracelets you may start seeing your children wearing in pictures around camp. Here is a quick summary of the legend:
You couldn't walk anywhere around camp without seeing something fun happening. I asked Leore what she saw walking around camp. Leore is our unbelievably talented Full-time Assistant Director. Her focus is often on our programs (and year-round engagement). She shared with me that she took a stroll down main path today and noticed that camp was so lively! She passed 1-5 learning to play spikeball in main field. Then she listened to 1-1 giving some amazing interviews at Radio. 1-2 was playing drip drip drop dance with Saige - a perfect activity for a hot day like today! Section II were writing some Jewish rap songs at Sababa! She then made it all the way to Arts & Crafts where cabins were painting dinosaurs, making some awesome shrinky dinks and beading some bracelets!
Unit 1 cabin 1 enjoyed learning some life skills at Outdoor Living Skills (OLS). LTP-S cabin 2 went out as a cabin in our biggest canoe and paddled it from Windsports to paddle across our hold waterfront. It is possible you might hear they were towing two of our outstanding Thomas and James who were behind them in the water as collectively yelled 'row, row, row'. [Think Dragon Boat race vibes]
Tamar C. and Maddy B. from unit 2 cabin 2-1 had a blast at their media activity where they got to interview campers around camp. The great debate was crocs vs slides... the score was so tight they decided to try and settle the competition by continuing to interview campers around camp during dinner. Last I checked, crocs were the winners!
Our absolutely marvelous Head of Unit 2, Andrea shared that Isla S. from unit 2 cabin 2-2 was incredibly brave and pushed out of her comfort zone to try our swim test... and passed! We are all so proud of you Isla. [She looked proud too strutting around camp with her new bracelet]. Similarly, David W., our fantastic Head of Section 1 shared a little story about section I camper Benny P. Benny started off the summer nervous about the swim test as all section I campers are. It took him a while to even dip his toes into the water. But today, Benny emerged triumphant over the swim test and will be able to join his cabin in all of our amazing waterfront activities for the rest of his summer here at camp!
Our American camp family all got up at Mifkad today to sing the USA National Anthem. Happy July 4th!
Every corner of camp (every minute of every hour of every day) is simply full of triumphs big and small. Stella K. (LTP) learned how to ride a bike for the first time!!! She was in shock and so excited. Her staff Amber helped her and walked her through it. Life skills - literally a skill for life picked up right here with the help of youth leadership and an environment that celebrates trying new things, allowing for failure in a safe space, and encouraging trying and trying again.
Don't just pass over these achievements. Think about what you just read about above. Children are overcoming fears. Children are being supported by their peers. Children are being pushed to be their best selves. Children are experiencing success. Children are proving to themselves that they can do it. Children are given opportunities to lead, to question, to probe. Children are standing up in front of a crowd hundreds strong, and singing! Children are seeing vulnerability and learning that is not only ok, but part of their own growth, and a path to success. It doesn't stop. It never will.
If you see pictures of lots of hamburgers and hotdogs today - that is because on Thursdays we have outdoor lunch. It is a chance for everyone to be outside, shmooze together in the sun or shade, play some volleyball or frisbee and just enjoy a different energy than a typical meal. Speaking of meals - did you know that we added all you can eat pasta at every lunch and dinner as an alternative to the main course? Even the meals are worth celebrating at camp! Budda Boom Budda Bing!
Speaking of celebrating, yesterday was Elijah's birthday and he got the chance to spin our prize wheel. He won the NBB Best Seats in the house (comfy chairs instead of the grass at Mifkad) and some prizes. One of the prizes was Camp Northland sunglasses - see our reel on Instagram @campnbb for our cool summer shades. [Special thanks to "Kfed" for putting this together - you will hear much more about this unstoppable seasonal Assistant Director in a future blog]. Make sure you are connected on all of our social media or you will miss out on lots of fun additional content!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Thankfully we have so many amazing leaders in camp, that we will likely continue to be 'introducing' you to them throughout the whole summer. So I will start with celebrating a few of these incredible youth professionals before I get into some amazing things observed all over camp! If you read the Simog a couple of days ago and saw all of the amazing things the CITs are doing, we can thank the incredible role modeling of our Staff Development Director Alyssa W. (more from this exceptional superstar with the catchiest positivity you will ever feel below). She also has a tremendous team of CIT Directors and mentors that we will introduce in the coming days too.
Staff Development Director
Hi Simog readers! My name is Alyssa W. and I have proudly spent the past 15 summers at Camp Northland. This summer my role is the staff development director. This role is perfect for me as I am extremely passionate about molding campers into staff that can give every child an amazing camp experience. My role is similar to what I did last year as a CIT director, but this year I will help guide the two new CIT directors as well as oversee the bridge between LTP (Leadership Training Program - post grade 9) to CIT. I am so excited to work with all the campers who will soon grow and develop into the best staff that this camp deserves!
Creative Arts - Saige A.
Hello! My name is Saige A., and I am thrilled to be the Head of Creative Arts for the summer of 2024. I've been with Camp Northland since 2015, and on staff since 2022 starting as a general staff member and later joining the Creative Arts team. This year, I am excited to lead as the Head of Creative Arts, bringing fun and engaging dance and drama activities to our campers. I have a strong background in both dance and drama, having participated in a few plays and danced both recreationally and competitively throughout my life. Creative Arts at Camp Northland encompasses a wide range of activities that encourage campers and staff to think outside the box, unleash their creativity, and have fun. While our focus includes dance and drama, it certainly isn't limited to these areas.
On a typical dance day, campers will head to the playhouse, where they will participate in various activities led by me or another Creative Arts staff member. These activities include learning the camp dance, creating airbands, practicing Jewish/Israeli dances, and honing gymnastic tricks and dance moves. We also offer two dance teams, one for junior campers and one for senior campers, giving them the chance to perform at Northland’s Got Talent, our camp talent show, and compete at dance intercamp hosted by Camp Wahanowin.
Drama days are just as exciting. Campers will meet on the junior field and engage in musical theatre games, acting exercises, and traditional camp games like wax museum and huckle buckle. One of the highlights of our drama program is the annual play, where campers are encouraged to audition and eventually perform in front of the entire camp. [editor's note: p.s. HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT today where the 2024 camp play was revealed - get your golden tickets ready because we are doing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Auditions start tomorrow].
The Creative Arts team at Camp Northland is dedicated to fostering creativity, teamwork, and pushing the boundaries of what our campers can achieve. We can't wait to see you all there and embark on a summer full of creativity and fun!
Head of Swim - Kira H.
Hi Camp Northland! My name is Kira H. and I am the Head of Swim this summer. At Swim, we offer many activities such as free swim, where campers get the opportunity to play freely in the water, instructional swim to teach, as well as help campers progress in their swimming levels, and lastly my personal favourite the inflatables. When I was a unit 2 camper I dreamed of one day becoming the Head of Swim, and I could not be more grateful and happy that my dream came true. I cannot wait to get to know every single camper this summer, and help them love the water as much as I do!
Speaking of the beach, the waterfront was hopping today. So while everyone was cooling off around camp, let's zoom in, and zoom in some more to celebrate some amazing moments. Clementine Z. and Shay B. from Unit 1 earned their blue bracelets! This is an incredible achievement and we are so proud of them for their hard work and dedication. Mazel Tov Clementine and Shay!
This is probably a great time to explain some of the bracelets you may start seeing your children wearing in pictures around camp. Here is a quick summary of the legend:
- Medical (Lime green) - These bracelets are worn by campers in the same way a medic alert bracelet would be worn outside of camp (but may have some camp specific nuances) eg. allergies, regular meds, medical conditions, something we may need to know particular to that child, etc.). In an emergency, this helps alert us to make sure we have all of the relevant information needed to best assist a camper at all times.
- Special Diets (Dark green) - These bracelets are worn by campers who have special or unique dietary considerations (ex. Gluten free, lactose free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.) to identify them to our Special Diets Kitchen team so that we can ensure the correct campers have access to their meals.
- Buddy Numbers (White) - Each camper has a number that they use to sign in and out of the water. Our waterfront staff use these bracelets to identify the campers' numbers for signing them in and out of our various water activities. This helps us safely track who is in the water at all times and ensures that the campers remember their correct number.
- Swim Bracelets - These are used to indicate a camper's swim test results to our staff. If a camper gets a red or purple bracelet and wants to try to advance their level, they can work with the swim staff to try again at a later time. Sometimes campers underperform on the first day of camp due to a variety of factors unrelated to their swimming abilities (ex. anxiety, cold water, homesickness). In these situations in particular, our staff encourage the campers to try again throughout the summer so that they can try more activities.
- Blue - WAK - This indicates a strong swimmer who completed the test without a lifejacket. They can do all water activities. [WAK is a historical acronym from a time when it referenced 'windsurf and kayak' - now the name is still used but is basically the all-access pass]
- Purple - MR - (Minimum Requirement) This indicates a swimmer who is strong with a lifejacket, but is weaker without one. They likely completed the test with a lifejacket on. They can do all of the activities with a staff member (for tubing this is an NLS staff). For waterski they can only use the boom, not the rope. For General Swim they can go into all areas with a lifejacket and can sign in with a friend.
- Red - NS - This indicates a non swimmer/weak swimmer, or someone who did not complete the swim test. They can only participate in canoe or surf and must be with a staff member. At sail they can only go on the big sailboat. During general swim they can only go in the Junior Area (shallow end) with a lifejacket and must sign in with a staff member.
You couldn't walk anywhere around camp without seeing something fun happening. I asked Leore what she saw walking around camp. Leore is our unbelievably talented Full-time Assistant Director. Her focus is often on our programs (and year-round engagement). She shared with me that she took a stroll down main path today and noticed that camp was so lively! She passed 1-5 learning to play spikeball in main field. Then she listened to 1-1 giving some amazing interviews at Radio. 1-2 was playing drip drip drop dance with Saige - a perfect activity for a hot day like today! Section II were writing some Jewish rap songs at Sababa! She then made it all the way to Arts & Crafts where cabins were painting dinosaurs, making some awesome shrinky dinks and beading some bracelets!
Unit 1 cabin 1 enjoyed learning some life skills at Outdoor Living Skills (OLS). LTP-S cabin 2 went out as a cabin in our biggest canoe and paddled it from Windsports to paddle across our hold waterfront. It is possible you might hear they were towing two of our outstanding Thomas and James who were behind them in the water as collectively yelled 'row, row, row'. [Think Dragon Boat race vibes]
Tamar C. and Maddy B. from unit 2 cabin 2-1 had a blast at their media activity where they got to interview campers around camp. The great debate was crocs vs slides... the score was so tight they decided to try and settle the competition by continuing to interview campers around camp during dinner. Last I checked, crocs were the winners!
Our absolutely marvelous Head of Unit 2, Andrea shared that Isla S. from unit 2 cabin 2-2 was incredibly brave and pushed out of her comfort zone to try our swim test... and passed! We are all so proud of you Isla. [She looked proud too strutting around camp with her new bracelet]. Similarly, David W., our fantastic Head of Section 1 shared a little story about section I camper Benny P. Benny started off the summer nervous about the swim test as all section I campers are. It took him a while to even dip his toes into the water. But today, Benny emerged triumphant over the swim test and will be able to join his cabin in all of our amazing waterfront activities for the rest of his summer here at camp!
Our American camp family all got up at Mifkad today to sing the USA National Anthem. Happy July 4th!
Every corner of camp (every minute of every hour of every day) is simply full of triumphs big and small. Stella K. (LTP) learned how to ride a bike for the first time!!! She was in shock and so excited. Her staff Amber helped her and walked her through it. Life skills - literally a skill for life picked up right here with the help of youth leadership and an environment that celebrates trying new things, allowing for failure in a safe space, and encouraging trying and trying again.
Don't just pass over these achievements. Think about what you just read about above. Children are overcoming fears. Children are being supported by their peers. Children are being pushed to be their best selves. Children are experiencing success. Children are proving to themselves that they can do it. Children are given opportunities to lead, to question, to probe. Children are standing up in front of a crowd hundreds strong, and singing! Children are seeing vulnerability and learning that is not only ok, but part of their own growth, and a path to success. It doesn't stop. It never will.
If you see pictures of lots of hamburgers and hotdogs today - that is because on Thursdays we have outdoor lunch. It is a chance for everyone to be outside, shmooze together in the sun or shade, play some volleyball or frisbee and just enjoy a different energy than a typical meal. Speaking of meals - did you know that we added all you can eat pasta at every lunch and dinner as an alternative to the main course? Even the meals are worth celebrating at camp! Budda Boom Budda Bing!
Speaking of celebrating, yesterday was Elijah's birthday and he got the chance to spin our prize wheel. He won the NBB Best Seats in the house (comfy chairs instead of the grass at Mifkad) and some prizes. One of the prizes was Camp Northland sunglasses - see our reel on Instagram @campnbb for our cool summer shades. [Special thanks to "Kfed" for putting this together - you will hear much more about this unstoppable seasonal Assistant Director in a future blog]. Make sure you are connected on all of our social media or you will miss out on lots of fun additional content!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Good evening. I will open with a few more introductions from our outstanding staff this summer, then we will dig into some of the great stuff that happened around camp today.
Head of Section 2 - Max
Hello, my name is Max, and I am the head of Section II this summer! My role at camp is to oversee all of the staff and campers in Section II, which are boys going into grades 6 and 7. My journey at Camp Northland started in Section II when I came for my first summer as a camper in 2016, then 5 years later I was a General Counsellor in Section II during my first year as a staff at camp. Over my many years at camp I have spent lots of time in Section II, both as a staff and camper, and it has become a very meaningful and important part of camp for me. This summer I am very proud and beyond excited to have the opportunity to make the staff and campers in Section II have the best summer possible, and I am looking forward to having a fun summer as well!
Some of my responsibilities as a Section Head include being a point of contact for parents and making sure that the campers’ families are updated throughout the summer, leading and mentoring staff to ensure they are able to provide the best care possible for their campers, checking in on campers and making sure that they’re having a great time and that their needs are met, and doing fun activities and programs with campers!
Head of Unit 2 – Andrea
Hello everyone! My name is Andrea and this summer I am head of Unit 2. This is the first summer where I have returned to camp in a role that I have already done once before, and let me tell you, I am so excited to see where it leads. As a Unit Head, my role is to help manage and support the 10–12-year-old campers and their counsellors. In my day to day, I spend time connecting with my campers and counsellors, communicating with families, coordinating evening programs, and stepping into spaces within the unit as they come up. This job is simply AWESOME. My days are filled with special moments of campers jumping to tell me that they climbed to the top of the rock wall, or that their cabin won a canoe race, or that this morning has not been their favourite day of camp, but their counsellors helped them work through it. To be in a position where I can empower my counsellors to grow as leaders and watch my campers learn new skills is truly incredible. I learned an unbelievable amount from the care, support, enthusiasm, and love for camp that my campers and staff showed last year, and I look forward to continuing to learn from their incredible personalities this summer. Thank you for trusting me with your stars, it is such a privilege. An unforgettable summer lies ahead!
Head of Arts & Crafts - Izzy
Hi Simog! My name is Izzy, it is my 11th summer at camp, my fourth summer as staff, and this summer I am the head of A&C (arts and crafts).
At arts and crafts, we love to explore a diverse range of creative activities, including ceramics and woodworking. I am also studying fine arts in university, so I am hoping to share some knowledge and tips with the campers! I am very proud to have made it this far in my camp journey, and I hope to embark in many creative endeavours this summer.
Now let us talk about some of the program highlights from earlier today. Am Israel Chai! Today was an incredible day all across camp. First thing this morning, we welcomed a contingency representing Team Israel baseball, and one of the athletes that has played representing Israel. His name is Zach Penprase, and he is a superstar (as an athlete and as a person). Zach is an Olympian, was drafted by the Phillies and played single A professional baseball with the Red Sox. Zach also represented Israel playing third base in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He can now add that he ran incredible clinics for hundreds of children on the shores of Moose Lake at Camp Northland. Zach has an incredible gift to connect with children of all ages and light a spark in them. He did sessions on eye-hand coordination, technique workshops on grounders and flyballs, and also just played ball for fun. It felt like field of dreams here today. Baseballs and the feeling of dreams can come true filled the air. Zach spoke to the entire camp about his journey and gave messages of inspiration through his unexpected climb to the top later in his life – actually after retiring as a pro-athlete. Anything is possible he said, even the unexpected.
Zach signed autographs and shared stories and laughter with everyone he could today. He also raised the Israeli flag on our flagpole as we sang Hatikvah together as a community. In the afternoon, the rain came down pretty hard, but baseball went indoors, and the connections continued to be made. One of our camp’s core values is seeking ways to find positive connectivity to Israel. That could come through conversation, experiential education, culture, the people, the food, or any other number of ways. Today that connectivity was found through sport, inspiration, and kindness.
Later in the day, our junior shift campers (grades 1-6) had a scheduled cookout. The weather had a different plan. So, the cookout locations were moved indoors, fireplaces were lit, and food was served! Camp is a place where changes, flexibility, and calling audibles is part of the fabric. Obstacles just give us something to climb over. And climbing is fun.
There was also a strong beautification theme emerging around camp today. Two of our incredible staff, Stacia on our Wellness Team [also my amazing spouse], and Izzy our phenomenal Head of Arts & Crafts (introduced above) changed the feeling around the entrance to camp. They took an abandoned old aluminum canoe a couple of days ago and turned it into a garden oasis – full of beautiful flowers, plants, and some herbs for our salads! It is a garden canoe now (a gardanoe)! But today they elevated the beautification game even further by planting four independent raised garden planters around the office area and entrance to camp. It looks and feels amazing. It sends a message to everyone entering our camp home that this place is cared for, valued, and full of life. I have a feeling this will be contagious. I look forward to seeing how others are inspired by this role-modeling by our leadership.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Good evening. I will open with a few more introductions from our outstanding staff this summer, then we will dig into some of the great stuff that happened around camp today.
Head of Section 2 - Max
Hello, my name is Max, and I am the head of Section II this summer! My role at camp is to oversee all of the staff and campers in Section II, which are boys going into grades 6 and 7. My journey at Camp Northland started in Section II when I came for my first summer as a camper in 2016, then 5 years later I was a General Counsellor in Section II during my first year as a staff at camp. Over my many years at camp I have spent lots of time in Section II, both as a staff and camper, and it has become a very meaningful and important part of camp for me. This summer I am very proud and beyond excited to have the opportunity to make the staff and campers in Section II have the best summer possible, and I am looking forward to having a fun summer as well!
Some of my responsibilities as a Section Head include being a point of contact for parents and making sure that the campers’ families are updated throughout the summer, leading and mentoring staff to ensure they are able to provide the best care possible for their campers, checking in on campers and making sure that they’re having a great time and that their needs are met, and doing fun activities and programs with campers!
Head of Unit 2 – Andrea
Hello everyone! My name is Andrea and this summer I am head of Unit 2. This is the first summer where I have returned to camp in a role that I have already done once before, and let me tell you, I am so excited to see where it leads. As a Unit Head, my role is to help manage and support the 10–12-year-old campers and their counsellors. In my day to day, I spend time connecting with my campers and counsellors, communicating with families, coordinating evening programs, and stepping into spaces within the unit as they come up. This job is simply AWESOME. My days are filled with special moments of campers jumping to tell me that they climbed to the top of the rock wall, or that their cabin won a canoe race, or that this morning has not been their favourite day of camp, but their counsellors helped them work through it. To be in a position where I can empower my counsellors to grow as leaders and watch my campers learn new skills is truly incredible. I learned an unbelievable amount from the care, support, enthusiasm, and love for camp that my campers and staff showed last year, and I look forward to continuing to learn from their incredible personalities this summer. Thank you for trusting me with your stars, it is such a privilege. An unforgettable summer lies ahead!
Head of Arts & Crafts - Izzy
Hi Simog! My name is Izzy, it is my 11th summer at camp, my fourth summer as staff, and this summer I am the head of A&C (arts and crafts).
At arts and crafts, we love to explore a diverse range of creative activities, including ceramics and woodworking. I am also studying fine arts in university, so I am hoping to share some knowledge and tips with the campers! I am very proud to have made it this far in my camp journey, and I hope to embark in many creative endeavours this summer.
Now let us talk about some of the program highlights from earlier today. Am Israel Chai! Today was an incredible day all across camp. First thing this morning, we welcomed a contingency representing Team Israel baseball, and one of the athletes that has played representing Israel. His name is Zach Penprase, and he is a superstar (as an athlete and as a person). Zach is an Olympian, was drafted by the Phillies and played single A professional baseball with the Red Sox. Zach also represented Israel playing third base in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He can now add that he ran incredible clinics for hundreds of children on the shores of Moose Lake at Camp Northland. Zach has an incredible gift to connect with children of all ages and light a spark in them. He did sessions on eye-hand coordination, technique workshops on grounders and flyballs, and also just played ball for fun. It felt like field of dreams here today. Baseballs and the feeling of dreams can come true filled the air. Zach spoke to the entire camp about his journey and gave messages of inspiration through his unexpected climb to the top later in his life – actually after retiring as a pro-athlete. Anything is possible he said, even the unexpected.
Zach signed autographs and shared stories and laughter with everyone he could today. He also raised the Israeli flag on our flagpole as we sang Hatikvah together as a community. In the afternoon, the rain came down pretty hard, but baseball went indoors, and the connections continued to be made. One of our camp’s core values is seeking ways to find positive connectivity to Israel. That could come through conversation, experiential education, culture, the people, the food, or any other number of ways. Today that connectivity was found through sport, inspiration, and kindness.
Later in the day, our junior shift campers (grades 1-6) had a scheduled cookout. The weather had a different plan. So, the cookout locations were moved indoors, fireplaces were lit, and food was served! Camp is a place where changes, flexibility, and calling audibles is part of the fabric. Obstacles just give us something to climb over. And climbing is fun.
There was also a strong beautification theme emerging around camp today. Two of our incredible staff, Stacia on our Wellness Team [also my amazing spouse], and Izzy our phenomenal Head of Arts & Crafts (introduced above) changed the feeling around the entrance to camp. They took an abandoned old aluminum canoe a couple of days ago and turned it into a garden oasis – full of beautiful flowers, plants, and some herbs for our salads! It is a garden canoe now (a gardanoe)! But today they elevated the beautification game even further by planting four independent raised garden planters around the office area and entrance to camp. It looks and feels amazing. It sends a message to everyone entering our camp home that this place is cared for, valued, and full of life. I have a feeling this will be contagious. I look forward to seeing how others are inspired by this role-modeling by our leadership.
Onward Northland,
Simon
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
We say, ‘It’s always sunny at Camp Northland’, but that has nothing to do with the weather. Yet, it is nice to share that it is another beautiful, hot, and sunny day at Camp Northland today. Last night after I posted my Simog, we celebrated Canada Day with some fun fireworks – the whole camp gathered at our waterfront to enjoy the light show together. I always love the camp-wide moments we share together here at camp.
Today I want to do some introductions (there will be more to come) and celebrate some of the amazing things already happening around camp.
From Section 1:
Hello all! My name is David W., and I am the head of section I this summer!!! My job is overseeing our group of 7–10-year-old boys in camp and their counsellors. I have been at camp since 2012 as a 7-year-old, having spent 3 years in section I, and have been the section I head here at Camp Northland for 2 years now. Some of my favourite things to do at camp are getting reeeeaaal silly and suuuuper whimsical with everyone in camp! (I also love the water inflatables)
Hello! My name is Spencer W. and I am ecstatic to be your assistant head of Section and Unit one this summer! Being lucky enough to come back to this beautiful camp each summer for nine years and starting in Section 1 back in 2015, I am so excited to help give my campers their own memorable summers. I cannot wait to share the joy of camp with them and help create an unforgettable summer experience!
From our Paddle Specialty area Head, Thomas:
Whether you want to spin in circles on a corcl (a round one person kayak), speed around the lake on a traditional kayak, or deftly manoeuvre the shallows of the lake on a canoe, paddle at Northland is the No. 1 place to do it! My approach to paddle at camp is that by developing a camper’s skills, you open the door to so many freedoms and opportunities on the lake. The team and I make a focus on giving each camper the tools needed to feel safe and in control when they are on the water. We cannot wait to see the campers’ development this year and hope to see a love for paddle blossom within them.
From our Head of Windsports – Kyle
Hello everyone, my name is Kyle, and I am the head of Windsports this summer. It is a pleasure to meet you all virtually! It is my ninth summer at camp, and my fourth as a staff on Windsports. My time as both a camper and a staff member on Windsports has shaped many aspects of my life, and I am so grateful to be at the helm this summer!
At windsports, the campers spend their time learning how to sail, taking paddle boards out on the lake, and participating in a number of programs centred around the skills they gain at the specialty. Windsports provides a unique opportunity to connect with the nature at camp, as awareness of the wind, the water, and the geography of the land around you are all essential skills for a sailor. Through our badge program, campers will be able to track their progress, as they hone their abilities and gain privileges at the specialty. The campers who earn their gold sailing badge will have the opportunity to sail the “Laser”, which is our quickest boat! Get ready to have some pro sailors coming home from camp!
There is always a lot to celebrate all around camp, but I will start with our oldest campers, known as our ‘CITS’, the Counsellors in Training. Did you notice the staff shirts this year? They have an expression on the back developed by our Head Staff team in spring training. The shirts read “Setting the Tone. Doing the Thing.” In other words, lead by example from a place of positivity, and then make it all happen. So, while our staff are doing just that, our CITs are learning and growing and in their own way influencing the flavor of camp. We have called this ‘CIT-ing the tone. Doing the thing.” And here are some early examples of CIT’s CIT-ing the tone in ways that impact every child around camp in positive ways. There is a lot to celebrate already:
Campers of all ages were rotated into a ‘learn to DJ workshop hosted by our friends at BOUNCE Entertainment. Campers learned about music technology, song lists, mixing tunes, working the soundboard, and more. Perhaps they will put their skills to the test later (see below).
At the end of the day, this is all what camp is really about. Youth being empowered, children being encouraged to get out of their comfort zones, finding the wins in everyday moments, experiencing new things, learning new skills, creativity, community, friendship, and so much more we will touch on each day.
p.s. If you hear any loud music tonight across Ontario, it may be the base pumping at the huge social we are hosting tonight (dance party – think Bar-Bat Mitzvah but no suits, dresses, or presents and instead down-to-earth fun with lots of people in crazy costumes). BOUNCE Entertainment is dj-ing, and we can expect an amazing night of music, fun, and new memories about to unfold. You never know, your own child might be throwing down a mix or two tonight too!
Onward Northland,
Simon
We say, ‘It’s always sunny at Camp Northland’, but that has nothing to do with the weather. Yet, it is nice to share that it is another beautiful, hot, and sunny day at Camp Northland today. Last night after I posted my Simog, we celebrated Canada Day with some fun fireworks – the whole camp gathered at our waterfront to enjoy the light show together. I always love the camp-wide moments we share together here at camp.
Today I want to do some introductions (there will be more to come) and celebrate some of the amazing things already happening around camp.
From Section 1:
Hello all! My name is David W., and I am the head of section I this summer!!! My job is overseeing our group of 7–10-year-old boys in camp and their counsellors. I have been at camp since 2012 as a 7-year-old, having spent 3 years in section I, and have been the section I head here at Camp Northland for 2 years now. Some of my favourite things to do at camp are getting reeeeaaal silly and suuuuper whimsical with everyone in camp! (I also love the water inflatables)
Hello! My name is Spencer W. and I am ecstatic to be your assistant head of Section and Unit one this summer! Being lucky enough to come back to this beautiful camp each summer for nine years and starting in Section 1 back in 2015, I am so excited to help give my campers their own memorable summers. I cannot wait to share the joy of camp with them and help create an unforgettable summer experience!
From our Paddle Specialty area Head, Thomas:
Whether you want to spin in circles on a corcl (a round one person kayak), speed around the lake on a traditional kayak, or deftly manoeuvre the shallows of the lake on a canoe, paddle at Northland is the No. 1 place to do it! My approach to paddle at camp is that by developing a camper’s skills, you open the door to so many freedoms and opportunities on the lake. The team and I make a focus on giving each camper the tools needed to feel safe and in control when they are on the water. We cannot wait to see the campers’ development this year and hope to see a love for paddle blossom within them.
From our Head of Windsports – Kyle
Hello everyone, my name is Kyle, and I am the head of Windsports this summer. It is a pleasure to meet you all virtually! It is my ninth summer at camp, and my fourth as a staff on Windsports. My time as both a camper and a staff member on Windsports has shaped many aspects of my life, and I am so grateful to be at the helm this summer!
At windsports, the campers spend their time learning how to sail, taking paddle boards out on the lake, and participating in a number of programs centred around the skills they gain at the specialty. Windsports provides a unique opportunity to connect with the nature at camp, as awareness of the wind, the water, and the geography of the land around you are all essential skills for a sailor. Through our badge program, campers will be able to track their progress, as they hone their abilities and gain privileges at the specialty. The campers who earn their gold sailing badge will have the opportunity to sail the “Laser”, which is our quickest boat! Get ready to have some pro sailors coming home from camp!
There is always a lot to celebrate all around camp, but I will start with our oldest campers, known as our ‘CITS’, the Counsellors in Training. Did you notice the staff shirts this year? They have an expression on the back developed by our Head Staff team in spring training. The shirts read “Setting the Tone. Doing the Thing.” In other words, lead by example from a place of positivity, and then make it all happen. So, while our staff are doing just that, our CITs are learning and growing and in their own way influencing the flavor of camp. We have called this ‘CIT-ing the tone. Doing the thing.” And here are some early examples of CIT’s CIT-ing the tone in ways that impact every child around camp in positive ways. There is a lot to celebrate already:
- Pheobe C is doing her first placement on 1-6. She was spotted singing with her campers and swimming with them during her camper's swim tests!
- Sage B on 2-6 was helping the staff in her cabin to read out the camper lists - already part of the team!
- Noah Z on II-6 celebrated his birthday! The CIT Directors took him on a special birthday golf cart ride with one of his campers and covered his face in cake at dinner! (a time-honored expression of love at camp)
- Jamie S on 1-2 was running around with her whole camper cabin completing their bana-rama EP (scavenger hunt where you must take a picture in places with a banana).
- Addison D who is placed on 1-1 was sitting with her camper cabin at breakfast and helping get their food then helped to keep them quiet during announcements.
- Alphie T who is placed on I-1 was getting campers excited about the Sababa program. He participated with them (push ups included!) and encouraged them throughout.
- Ben B a staff member in II-4 got his entire camper cabin to sit outside with their CIT who could not be in the mess hall for the meal. It is clear that Tommy B has already built strong relationships with his campers! [and it is clear that Ben B is already Doing the Thing]
- During our CIT debrief, Maddy was excited to share that she learned to tie a slip knot and to independently fuel up the boat on her ski placement.
- Neeve Z told her peers that she learned the background of how general swim works, something she never saw as a camper.
- During cabins in motions, Jacob S on cabin II-3 was dancing with his campers during dance freeze.
Campers of all ages were rotated into a ‘learn to DJ workshop hosted by our friends at BOUNCE Entertainment. Campers learned about music technology, song lists, mixing tunes, working the soundboard, and more. Perhaps they will put their skills to the test later (see below).
At the end of the day, this is all what camp is really about. Youth being empowered, children being encouraged to get out of their comfort zones, finding the wins in everyday moments, experiencing new things, learning new skills, creativity, community, friendship, and so much more we will touch on each day.
p.s. If you hear any loud music tonight across Ontario, it may be the base pumping at the huge social we are hosting tonight (dance party – think Bar-Bat Mitzvah but no suits, dresses, or presents and instead down-to-earth fun with lots of people in crazy costumes). BOUNCE Entertainment is dj-ing, and we can expect an amazing night of music, fun, and new memories about to unfold. You never know, your own child might be throwing down a mix or two tonight too!
Onward Northland,
Simon
Monday, July 1, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
Happy Canada Day!!! Camp is pretty awesome! The sun is out, and all activities have been underway all day. I will take you through the activities in one way or another in several blogs as the summer progresses, but not today. Today I want to say that your children are amazing – I know you know this already, but as a dad of three (plus my dog Splash) I know it still feels good to hear it. They had cabin pictures today and I watched as they walked down to our wind sports beach, passed the time playing different fun little pocket games, played some catch, played some cards, sang some songs, belted out some unit or section cheers. Were making special handshakes with friends, etc. I was asked at least a hundred times how my day was by campers passing by. In many cases, there were follow-up questions too. It was such a nice and early demonstration of sincere kindness. I asked them too and I can validate that things are off to a truly special start here this summer.
O.K., enough gushing. I should explain more about the Simog. This is it – you are reading Day 2. I have been writing about camp life every day of every summer for the past nine years already. I try to post a blog everyday unless we have weather or reception issues that limit my ability to upload. That does in fact happen every now and then so do not be alarmed if I miss a day here and there. I will get you all caught up at the very next opportunity! Every now and then I may ask someone to be the guest blogger. The guest blog opportunities are a chance to learn more about some of our amazing leadership staff, programs, or activities. Today's blog however is all me and is intended to welcome you again officially to this forum. So welcome camp families to summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In my blogs I will share various tips and insights as the summer progresses, share the experiences and programs of the day, and do my very best to allow you to feel like you are a part of the camp experience.
Many of you have been reading my blogs for years. I know you are a targeted audience so I cannot take any credit for the loyal readership – but thanks for reading, nonetheless. For the veterans, some of my tips may repeat year over year but they are always revised, refreshed and current so definitely stay with me for the latest and greatest each day. For the rookies, the tips I offer are tried, tested and true so please do your best to soak it all in, learn, grow together and enjoy this experience from the outside looking in.
With all of this said, there are some important tips you should know at this early stage before we get too far into our summer. Here are two key points to know and understand right now on day one:
Camp Photos
We have a media team at camp made up of wonderful youth leaders who are part of our counselling team at camp. It is a part of their job to take photos and do their best to capture different 'snapshots' of events and activities taking place around camp each day. It is also part of their job here at camp to be engaged with your children, share in supervisory responsibilities, have opportunities themselves for growth and learning and to be a part of the overall camp experience and program. We do not place an expectation on our media staff that they capture every moment, nor every activity, nor every child doing every activity. To be even more specific, we do not ask or expect our media staff to get pictures of every child every day or even every few days. You should not have these expectations either. Instead, our goal is that our media staff take a cross section of pictures around camp throughout the day that creates an overall impression of the types of activities being experienced that day around camp. Do not make yourself crazy by hitting ‘refresh’ all day, or wondering if the new AI face recognition feature through our new Bunk1 photos is malfunctioning! We typically only post once per day. Sometimes we post in the morning, sometimes in the evening, but generally once per day. With that said, we know that you are eager to share in the fun in some way and peer into the window of camp that pictures allow all of you to do. We are happy to share this window into camp but in a balanced and reasonable way. If we do not post now and then, do not panic. We might just be busy and engaged giving your children an incredible experience with all hands-on deck. Pictures will follow soon as we rarely miss two days in a row without posting something for you to enjoy. To improve our picture uploads this year, we have made two changes: 1. Using Bunk1’s platform for this tool; and 2. Adding a strong alternative internet connection creating redundancy and hopefully better uploading capacities.
We typically will post between 50-100 pictures each day. The pictures are designed to share the general experience with you and are taken randomly around camp by multiple people with no pattern or specific design (on purpose). Some of your children also avoid the camera and we do not force anyone to be in our pictures.
Similarly, we find that sometimes parents try to 'read into' the pictures and somehow determine how their child is feeling or what they are trying to express through the pictures. I can assure you that the pictures cannot accurately offer you any kind of accurate assessment tool. If you are concerned about your child's well being for any reason, the only way to get an accurate assessment is to contact the camper's unit or section head.
Remember not to jump to conclusions. For example, you may see pictures this year of uniformed security guards around camp, or the Ontario Provincial Police on site every now and then. This is all part of our incident prevention plan and no cause for concern. Remember, if there is ever anything pressing or urgent to communicate with you, we will do so. We are in this experience together and there will always be transparency and timely communication where necessary.
Your children may also write home to tell you how they are doing themselves, or who they saw, or what they saw, or something they experienced. This process is an excellent way for them to reflect on their camp journey and share information directly with you...which brings me to my second point for tonight - letters home.
Letters Home
The process of writing a letter is incredibly healthy for a child's well being. It causes pause, reflection, thought, expression, independence, and personal growth. While we have facilitated incoming emails by parents (no photos for lots of good logistical management reasons) through Bunk 1, we still expect campers to write traditional letters home on pen and paper. i.e. Campers will not be e-mailing back. They will be writing back. This is in part what camp is all about. Writing a letter is reflective, therapeutic, calming, a break, allows for digestion and understanding, and the process of thinking to getting it down on paper through their fingers holding a pen and writing takes time, patience, and often allows for meaningful communication. It is also often a shared experience at camp where campers chill in their bunks during a rest hour or down time and get to write. It also breaks the patterns they have become accustomed to outside of camp of instant gratification, immediate reward, and technological reliance.
Sometimes when the letters arrive home, they can have challenging content to read as a parent.
Take this example:
Example 1: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am having so much fun. The activities are great, and I have 5 amazing friends in my cabin. The counsellors are hilarious. The food is amazing.
Typically we [the camp office] would never hear about a letter like this one above.
Example 2: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am not having any fun. The activities are boring and 5 people in my cabin pretend like I don't exist. The counsellors suck. Today I ate one piece of bread.
This letter, example 2 above, will likely trigger concern from you or a call to the camp.
So, I can offer two different insights on how to receive these letters.
Tonight we have a really fun camp-wide activity called ‘Cabins in Motion’ as our EP (Evening Program). The kids will face all kinds of playful challenges ranging from frisbee throws, to lawn bowling, to human tic tac toe, to relay races, egg toss, limbo, running Pictionary, Simon Says and so much more. The program will wrap up with a bang – literally as we head down towards Northland Enclosure (our main beach), and we set off a series of spectacular fireworks to celebrate Canada Day together.
Happy Birthday Canada and…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Happy Canada Day!!! Camp is pretty awesome! The sun is out, and all activities have been underway all day. I will take you through the activities in one way or another in several blogs as the summer progresses, but not today. Today I want to say that your children are amazing – I know you know this already, but as a dad of three (plus my dog Splash) I know it still feels good to hear it. They had cabin pictures today and I watched as they walked down to our wind sports beach, passed the time playing different fun little pocket games, played some catch, played some cards, sang some songs, belted out some unit or section cheers. Were making special handshakes with friends, etc. I was asked at least a hundred times how my day was by campers passing by. In many cases, there were follow-up questions too. It was such a nice and early demonstration of sincere kindness. I asked them too and I can validate that things are off to a truly special start here this summer.
O.K., enough gushing. I should explain more about the Simog. This is it – you are reading Day 2. I have been writing about camp life every day of every summer for the past nine years already. I try to post a blog everyday unless we have weather or reception issues that limit my ability to upload. That does in fact happen every now and then so do not be alarmed if I miss a day here and there. I will get you all caught up at the very next opportunity! Every now and then I may ask someone to be the guest blogger. The guest blog opportunities are a chance to learn more about some of our amazing leadership staff, programs, or activities. Today's blog however is all me and is intended to welcome you again officially to this forum. So welcome camp families to summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In my blogs I will share various tips and insights as the summer progresses, share the experiences and programs of the day, and do my very best to allow you to feel like you are a part of the camp experience.
Many of you have been reading my blogs for years. I know you are a targeted audience so I cannot take any credit for the loyal readership – but thanks for reading, nonetheless. For the veterans, some of my tips may repeat year over year but they are always revised, refreshed and current so definitely stay with me for the latest and greatest each day. For the rookies, the tips I offer are tried, tested and true so please do your best to soak it all in, learn, grow together and enjoy this experience from the outside looking in.
With all of this said, there are some important tips you should know at this early stage before we get too far into our summer. Here are two key points to know and understand right now on day one:
Camp Photos
We have a media team at camp made up of wonderful youth leaders who are part of our counselling team at camp. It is a part of their job to take photos and do their best to capture different 'snapshots' of events and activities taking place around camp each day. It is also part of their job here at camp to be engaged with your children, share in supervisory responsibilities, have opportunities themselves for growth and learning and to be a part of the overall camp experience and program. We do not place an expectation on our media staff that they capture every moment, nor every activity, nor every child doing every activity. To be even more specific, we do not ask or expect our media staff to get pictures of every child every day or even every few days. You should not have these expectations either. Instead, our goal is that our media staff take a cross section of pictures around camp throughout the day that creates an overall impression of the types of activities being experienced that day around camp. Do not make yourself crazy by hitting ‘refresh’ all day, or wondering if the new AI face recognition feature through our new Bunk1 photos is malfunctioning! We typically only post once per day. Sometimes we post in the morning, sometimes in the evening, but generally once per day. With that said, we know that you are eager to share in the fun in some way and peer into the window of camp that pictures allow all of you to do. We are happy to share this window into camp but in a balanced and reasonable way. If we do not post now and then, do not panic. We might just be busy and engaged giving your children an incredible experience with all hands-on deck. Pictures will follow soon as we rarely miss two days in a row without posting something for you to enjoy. To improve our picture uploads this year, we have made two changes: 1. Using Bunk1’s platform for this tool; and 2. Adding a strong alternative internet connection creating redundancy and hopefully better uploading capacities.
We typically will post between 50-100 pictures each day. The pictures are designed to share the general experience with you and are taken randomly around camp by multiple people with no pattern or specific design (on purpose). Some of your children also avoid the camera and we do not force anyone to be in our pictures.
Similarly, we find that sometimes parents try to 'read into' the pictures and somehow determine how their child is feeling or what they are trying to express through the pictures. I can assure you that the pictures cannot accurately offer you any kind of accurate assessment tool. If you are concerned about your child's well being for any reason, the only way to get an accurate assessment is to contact the camper's unit or section head.
Remember not to jump to conclusions. For example, you may see pictures this year of uniformed security guards around camp, or the Ontario Provincial Police on site every now and then. This is all part of our incident prevention plan and no cause for concern. Remember, if there is ever anything pressing or urgent to communicate with you, we will do so. We are in this experience together and there will always be transparency and timely communication where necessary.
Your children may also write home to tell you how they are doing themselves, or who they saw, or what they saw, or something they experienced. This process is an excellent way for them to reflect on their camp journey and share information directly with you...which brings me to my second point for tonight - letters home.
Letters Home
The process of writing a letter is incredibly healthy for a child's well being. It causes pause, reflection, thought, expression, independence, and personal growth. While we have facilitated incoming emails by parents (no photos for lots of good logistical management reasons) through Bunk 1, we still expect campers to write traditional letters home on pen and paper. i.e. Campers will not be e-mailing back. They will be writing back. This is in part what camp is all about. Writing a letter is reflective, therapeutic, calming, a break, allows for digestion and understanding, and the process of thinking to getting it down on paper through their fingers holding a pen and writing takes time, patience, and often allows for meaningful communication. It is also often a shared experience at camp where campers chill in their bunks during a rest hour or down time and get to write. It also breaks the patterns they have become accustomed to outside of camp of instant gratification, immediate reward, and technological reliance.
Sometimes when the letters arrive home, they can have challenging content to read as a parent.
Take this example:
Example 1: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am having so much fun. The activities are great, and I have 5 amazing friends in my cabin. The counsellors are hilarious. The food is amazing.
Typically we [the camp office] would never hear about a letter like this one above.
Example 2: I am writing this letter sitting alone in my cabin finally getting a chance to rest. I am not having any fun. The activities are boring and 5 people in my cabin pretend like I don't exist. The counsellors suck. Today I ate one piece of bread.
This letter, example 2 above, will likely trigger concern from you or a call to the camp.
So, I can offer two different insights on how to receive these letters.
- Moments in Time: The camper chooses to write about what is on their mind at that moment in time. The challenge is that the moment in time may not be reflective of their overall experience. Letters home often reflect the most recent 'feelings' the camper is experiencing. Sometimes, the process of writing a letter can be therapeutic and the child feels better getting something on paper that is bothering them. That does not necessarily mean their experience is defined by the current feelings being expressed. In example 1 above, the camper may have just played a favourite game, or enjoyed a favourite camp meal, or had a laugh with a counsellor and that frames their experience for the moment the letter is being written. Similarly, in example 2 the camper may have had a single negative experience earlier in the day (like we all do sometimes) and is focusing on the negatives being reflected in the letter. Does that same camper have five amazing friends too? It is certainly very likely! In addition to eating one piece of bread, did he also eat 2 pieces of lasagna and have soup, maybe even with some carrots and celery?
In actual fact, these two examples above could have easily been written by the same camper - depending on single experiences or moments that influence the child at the time of actually putting pen to paper. - The time warp: The second serious consideration is that the mail can take 5 days to get to you from Haliburton. So often, a camper who 'has no friends' is thriving by the time the letter is received by you; the camper who says 'take me home now, no seriously, I'm not joking, you need to come here NOW, like TODAY, PLEEEEEASE' - has found camp to be a home; the camper who says 'nothing here is fun' has learned to push themselves out of their comfort zone and is trying new things and loving it! If we assess a situation and determine there is cause to be concerned about your child, you will hear from us. Of course, we are here to answer any questions you may have or to provide updates as needed but please come from a place of understanding when the letters begin to arrive.Remember these tips and tricks and your experience as a camp parent will be much more enjoyable.
Tonight we have a really fun camp-wide activity called ‘Cabins in Motion’ as our EP (Evening Program). The kids will face all kinds of playful challenges ranging from frisbee throws, to lawn bowling, to human tic tac toe, to relay races, egg toss, limbo, running Pictionary, Simon Says and so much more. The program will wrap up with a bang – literally as we head down towards Northland Enclosure (our main beach), and we set off a series of spectacular fireworks to celebrate Canada Day together.
Happy Birthday Canada and…
Onward Northland,
Simon
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Dear Camp Northland Families,
“10-for-2”. This is a famous expression in the professional camping world. We work for 10 months to be able to give all of ourselves for 2 months to our camp family (that is each and every one of you and the amazing children that have arrived to camp). 10-for-2. And we are finally at the 2. Welcome to summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In our Bunk1 system, this blog may appear titled as a ‘newsletter’, but these writings are affectionately known as The Simog (Simon’s Blog). And guess what, that’s me. My name is Simon, and I have the privilege to be the Executive Director at Camp Northland B’nai Brith (NBB). If you include my camper time here, this is my sixteenth year at NBB, with this being my tenth year as the Camp’s Director. I am the camp version of a hockey ‘rink rat’. I have been at a camp in one way or another since I was six years old. This is my happy place and I love being able to facilitate lifelong camp journeys for so many other children and youth year after year.
All your children are in for a treat this summer. Our staff team is amazing. We have a fantastic dynamic and the leadership is as strong as ever. Our staff training begins long before camp shopping is even on the minds of most families. We do on-line training in key areas of understanding. We do in person ‘in-city’ workshops where we train together in critical skills to empower our staff to their best selves. Our senior staff have been up here for two weeks building on their already tremendous skills as youth camp professionals. Our specialty counsellors (those that run daily activity areas) have been up for 10 days, and all our staff including our cabin counsellors have been training collectively for over a week together on site. Our Counsellors in Training (CITs) have also had a small pre-camp training to ensure they could have quick and meaningful impact in the camp landscape right from the start! The training is not light. We expect the most from our staff. This is what every child deserves. This is what you, as our camp parents, guardians, families, and friends deserve too. Here is just a quick snapshot of the topics we have spent hours on together, often facilitated by outside experts to support our internal training) preparing for camper arrivals:
Today’s Camp Northland counsellor is a special and unique breed of youth leadership. They are trained, motivated, and exceptional young people. They are the best of the best. I look forward to allowing this experience to unfold for your children under the wings of our staff. In addition, our CITs have already demonstrated their commitment to learning and growth this summer. They have come in with positivity and energy helping to shape a wonderful welcome for all the campers this morning.
After the campers arrived at camp, it was an orientation to the camp for all of them. They found out their cabin placements. They played team building and group dynamics games. They ate a delicious pizza with Ceasar salad lunch. They completed their swim tests (a little chilly but everyone stuck to it – we will talk more about child resilience in future Simogs…). They will all enjoy a delicious dinner soon (the main course being sweet and sour yummy meatballs). After dinner, they will have their first evening programs and then have an early night. It has been a long day.
Before I sign off for today, I want to share that last night we gathered all the staff and the CITs together for a final pre-day one fireside chat at our beautiful fire pit at BB Beach. (B’nai Brith beach - our secondary designated waterfront). Amongst the many messages we shared was a reading of a letter from a parent to a counsellor (courtesy of Michael Brandwein). In one excerpt from the letter, the ‘parent’ writes “I know you’ve got a lot of children to take care of. They are all important. I hope very much you find you find something special about mine. I don’t mean better. I just mean something unique that sets my child apart as a valuable individual…”.
Rest assured that we will discover the magic in every child.
The camp air is filled with laughter already. Fields are full of somersaults and cartwheels. Football and soccer games are breaking out all over. Dancing and music can be seen and heard everywhere. Cannonballs and dives are cutting through the beautiful and clear water of Moose Lake. Hugs, hugs, and hugs are filling the spaces. It is not always roses and roses alone. Sure, there were some tears, some anxious feelings, and some tough moments. We are welcoming hundreds of children in an instant. That can be overwhelming. They have settled in well. Your children left their homes today, but they arrived home as well. I will explain so much more about all of this, including how the Simog works, what to expect about all things camp, and to communicate key important messages in the next few days. For now, enjoy your evening and sleep well. Your children are safe, secure, and loved.
Onward Northland,
Simon
“10-for-2”. This is a famous expression in the professional camping world. We work for 10 months to be able to give all of ourselves for 2 months to our camp family (that is each and every one of you and the amazing children that have arrived to camp). 10-for-2. And we are finally at the 2. Welcome to summer 2024 at Camp Northland. In our Bunk1 system, this blog may appear titled as a ‘newsletter’, but these writings are affectionately known as The Simog (Simon’s Blog). And guess what, that’s me. My name is Simon, and I have the privilege to be the Executive Director at Camp Northland B’nai Brith (NBB). If you include my camper time here, this is my sixteenth year at NBB, with this being my tenth year as the Camp’s Director. I am the camp version of a hockey ‘rink rat’. I have been at a camp in one way or another since I was six years old. This is my happy place and I love being able to facilitate lifelong camp journeys for so many other children and youth year after year.
All your children are in for a treat this summer. Our staff team is amazing. We have a fantastic dynamic and the leadership is as strong as ever. Our staff training begins long before camp shopping is even on the minds of most families. We do on-line training in key areas of understanding. We do in person ‘in-city’ workshops where we train together in critical skills to empower our staff to their best selves. Our senior staff have been up here for two weeks building on their already tremendous skills as youth camp professionals. Our specialty counsellors (those that run daily activity areas) have been up for 10 days, and all our staff including our cabin counsellors have been training collectively for over a week together on site. Our Counsellors in Training (CITs) have also had a small pre-camp training to ensure they could have quick and meaningful impact in the camp landscape right from the start! The training is not light. We expect the most from our staff. This is what every child deserves. This is what you, as our camp parents, guardians, families, and friends deserve too. Here is just a quick snapshot of the topics we have spent hours on together, often facilitated by outside experts to support our internal training) preparing for camper arrivals:
- Our mission and vision
- Understanding the historical significance of the Holocaust in today’s world (Simon Wiesenthal Centre)
- How to have difficult Conversations, including the war in Israel (I-Centre)
- How to be effective and creative programmers
- The role of wellness in camp, understanding mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health of children
- Safety considerations in all areas of camp
- Keeping kids healthy, and how to respond if situations arise.
- Supervision expectations
- Ages and stages of child development
- Behaviour management
- Conflict resolution and initiative-taking engagement
- Our internal Code of Conduct; our Child Safety Code of Conduct; Duty to Report
- Harassment, abuse, and workplace violence
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Accessibility
- Privacy and communications
- Inclusivity
- Diet, allergy, and the role of food in the camper experience!
- Emergency Procedures
- Crisis Response and Security Considerations
- …and so much more
Today’s Camp Northland counsellor is a special and unique breed of youth leadership. They are trained, motivated, and exceptional young people. They are the best of the best. I look forward to allowing this experience to unfold for your children under the wings of our staff. In addition, our CITs have already demonstrated their commitment to learning and growth this summer. They have come in with positivity and energy helping to shape a wonderful welcome for all the campers this morning.
After the campers arrived at camp, it was an orientation to the camp for all of them. They found out their cabin placements. They played team building and group dynamics games. They ate a delicious pizza with Ceasar salad lunch. They completed their swim tests (a little chilly but everyone stuck to it – we will talk more about child resilience in future Simogs…). They will all enjoy a delicious dinner soon (the main course being sweet and sour yummy meatballs). After dinner, they will have their first evening programs and then have an early night. It has been a long day.
Before I sign off for today, I want to share that last night we gathered all the staff and the CITs together for a final pre-day one fireside chat at our beautiful fire pit at BB Beach. (B’nai Brith beach - our secondary designated waterfront). Amongst the many messages we shared was a reading of a letter from a parent to a counsellor (courtesy of Michael Brandwein). In one excerpt from the letter, the ‘parent’ writes “I know you’ve got a lot of children to take care of. They are all important. I hope very much you find you find something special about mine. I don’t mean better. I just mean something unique that sets my child apart as a valuable individual…”.
Rest assured that we will discover the magic in every child.
The camp air is filled with laughter already. Fields are full of somersaults and cartwheels. Football and soccer games are breaking out all over. Dancing and music can be seen and heard everywhere. Cannonballs and dives are cutting through the beautiful and clear water of Moose Lake. Hugs, hugs, and hugs are filling the spaces. It is not always roses and roses alone. Sure, there were some tears, some anxious feelings, and some tough moments. We are welcoming hundreds of children in an instant. That can be overwhelming. They have settled in well. Your children left their homes today, but they arrived home as well. I will explain so much more about all of this, including how the Simog works, what to expect about all things camp, and to communicate key important messages in the next few days. For now, enjoy your evening and sleep well. Your children are safe, secure, and loved.
Onward Northland,
Simon