Dear Circle F Family,
What an amazing day. Today was a special day of camp called "Day at the Beach." We started the day with a picture of the entire camp that will be the last page of the yearbook. It was pretty cool, we formed a human circle F. After the picture we went to the beach and played volleyball, blob, slip and slide and canoe races. It was a great morning.
This afternoon was water battle. This is a long time tradition at Circle F where we make a huge mud/clay pit. Then we play in the mud. It is a ton of fun and you can't help but have fun in the mud pit. Even campers who never want to get dirty have fun in the mud pit. Every time I go into the pit, I feel like I am a kid again.
This evening we are having the Luau Dance. Instead of holding the dance in the Round-Up the dance is on the beach. We have tiki torches, leis and other Hawaiian decorations. Campers can dance, play sand volleyball, sand soccer or just hang out with their friends. The costumes have been great. Good job to all the parents who sent Hawaiian garb.
With only two full days of camp left I thought it would be a good idea to re-post a part of a blog from the first session. I call this Camp Pick-Up Frequently Asked Questions:
Q:What day is Pick-UP?
A:Pick up is on SATURDAY August 2.
Q:What time is Pick-Up?
A:Campers will be ready for pick-up at 9:00AM. All campers should be on the road by Noon unless prior arrangements have been made.
Q:When is the Rodeo?
A:The Rodeo is at 10:00AM.
Q:Will my camper be in the Rodeo?
A:The rodeo is open to all campers, however, some campers choose not to participate.
Q:Where do I go when I arrive?
A:You can go directly to your campers cabin to find and pack-up you camper. However, please be sure to stop by the Lasso Lodge (Dining Hall) to purchase the DVD, pick up medications, purchase individual camper pictures, purchase Circle F merchandise and to say hi to Diana and the counselors.
Q:What if my camper wants to stay another session?
A:We do have availability for our 4th session (August 3 - August 12) (In other words, you do not need to pick up you camper on Saturday if you are enjoying the peace and quiet). There is a 5% discount on you additional session and you also receive a 5% discount on the current session.
Q:How do I sign up for next year? When will you have the dates available? Will the prices go up?
A: I am glad you asked. We have set the camp schedule for 2009 and we will have registration forms available at check-out. If you sign up for Summer 2009 before November 1st with your $500 deposit you will lock in the 2008 rates. You will also receive the early bird discount of 5% off tuition. I highly encourage you to sign up your campers for next summer before November 1st to take advantage of this huge discount.
Q:What is the deal with tipping counselors?
A:We neither discourage or encourage tipping. Our counselors are primarily college students working for tuition, books and extra spending money. If you feel the desire to tip your counselors you are allowed to, but it is not expected. Counselors appriciate any type of recognition, and are happy to know that you you, as parents and guardians, appriciate the hard work they have done.
Q:Should I tip the Assistant Director?
A:YES!!! (just kidding)
If you have any questions about pick-up, please feel free to contact us.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger (Assistant Director) and the whole gang
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
"I'm Having Too Much Fun To Write"
Howdy Circle F Family,
"I have been having too much fun to write." I hear this line from campers all the time when we ask them how many letters they have sent home. I know what they are talking about. Sometimes I get caught up in the fun and forget to come and share my thoughts here with the Family.
Things at camp have been going great. With only 3 more days of camp left, we are all trying to get in as much action as possible. Today we played Circle F Feud. It is a lot like the family feud on television. We survey the camp and ask them questions like: who is the camp klutz, who is the cutest girl counselor, what is your favorite camp food, who is most likely to be camp director one day and more. We have three rounds of campers vs. campers, campers vs. counselors and counselors vs. counselors. They try to guess what the answers are to the questions. It is a lot of fun and a long time tradition at Circle F.
Tonight the oldest boy cabins are on PATH. That means they are not in their cabins. The oldest girl cabins have formulated the coolest prank I have ever seen. They are going to move everything from boys cabin 10 to boys cabin 9 and vice versa. When the boys get back tomorrow their stuff will be in a completely different cabin. The girls are going to take pictures of the bunks and make sure that everything gets put into the exact same spot, only in the other cabin. I can't wait to see the boys reaction.
Tomorrow is Day at the Beach, which means we have a special day of activities. We are going to have a luau dance, and special beach activities all day long. It should be a fantastic day of camp.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
"I have been having too much fun to write." I hear this line from campers all the time when we ask them how many letters they have sent home. I know what they are talking about. Sometimes I get caught up in the fun and forget to come and share my thoughts here with the Family.
Things at camp have been going great. With only 3 more days of camp left, we are all trying to get in as much action as possible. Today we played Circle F Feud. It is a lot like the family feud on television. We survey the camp and ask them questions like: who is the camp klutz, who is the cutest girl counselor, what is your favorite camp food, who is most likely to be camp director one day and more. We have three rounds of campers vs. campers, campers vs. counselors and counselors vs. counselors. They try to guess what the answers are to the questions. It is a lot of fun and a long time tradition at Circle F.
Tonight the oldest boy cabins are on PATH. That means they are not in their cabins. The oldest girl cabins have formulated the coolest prank I have ever seen. They are going to move everything from boys cabin 10 to boys cabin 9 and vice versa. When the boys get back tomorrow their stuff will be in a completely different cabin. The girls are going to take pictures of the bunks and make sure that everything gets put into the exact same spot, only in the other cabin. I can't wait to see the boys reaction.
Tomorrow is Day at the Beach, which means we have a special day of activities. We are going to have a luau dance, and special beach activities all day long. It should be a fantastic day of camp.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
The talent at camp is unbelievable!!!!!
WOW!!!!!
We had our talent show last night and it was exceptional. We had many singers and I think I may recognize some American Idol contestants in a few years! Paola even wrote her own song and sang it for us. It was amazing. Samantha told me afterwards that she was "scared and almost panicked" but sang anyway. Pioneer 1 girls did a montage of short skits...it think it contained a lot of inside jokes...we were baffled but they had fun! Jagger played his guitar and sang as did Emi. Logan, our oldest camper, played and sang for his last talent show....we've had many wonderful years watching his talent grow. The good news is he will be a counselor next year! Our other singers included Carli, Rebecca, Isabella and Ziva...all were so fantastic and entertaining. Salvador, Jose, Rodrigo and Jorge all did a mime. But the show stopper of the evening was Eduardo...oh my gosh!!! Eduardo is a 2nd year camper from Venezuela with a ton of personality. He wanted to sing "Mambo #5" but we didn't have it. So, he looked at Murray and said give me "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". Well, let me tell you, he had the crowd on their feet cheering. He can work a crowd. By the end he had half the camp on stage, singing and dancing. Again, one of those moments when we realize why we love our jobs so much!!! The night ended with counselors Clare, Alli, Maggie, Sarah and Mary along with Afton and Whitney playing "When the Saints Come Marching In" with kazoos, pots and pans and marching. It was very amusing. Like I said the talent here at camp is "unbelievable"!
We are going to miss your children so much when they leave on Saturday. Once again, thank you for the priviledge of having your children stay with us. We love them all...
Diana and the entire gang
We had our talent show last night and it was exceptional. We had many singers and I think I may recognize some American Idol contestants in a few years! Paola even wrote her own song and sang it for us. It was amazing. Samantha told me afterwards that she was "scared and almost panicked" but sang anyway. Pioneer 1 girls did a montage of short skits...it think it contained a lot of inside jokes...we were baffled but they had fun! Jagger played his guitar and sang as did Emi. Logan, our oldest camper, played and sang for his last talent show....we've had many wonderful years watching his talent grow. The good news is he will be a counselor next year! Our other singers included Carli, Rebecca, Isabella and Ziva...all were so fantastic and entertaining. Salvador, Jose, Rodrigo and Jorge all did a mime. But the show stopper of the evening was Eduardo...oh my gosh!!! Eduardo is a 2nd year camper from Venezuela with a ton of personality. He wanted to sing "Mambo #5" but we didn't have it. So, he looked at Murray and said give me "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". Well, let me tell you, he had the crowd on their feet cheering. He can work a crowd. By the end he had half the camp on stage, singing and dancing. Again, one of those moments when we realize why we love our jobs so much!!! The night ended with counselors Clare, Alli, Maggie, Sarah and Mary along with Afton and Whitney playing "When the Saints Come Marching In" with kazoos, pots and pans and marching. It was very amusing. Like I said the talent here at camp is "unbelievable"!
We are going to miss your children so much when they leave on Saturday. Once again, thank you for the priviledge of having your children stay with us. We love them all...
Diana and the entire gang
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tremendous Thursday
Howdy Circle F Family,
Things continue to chug along here at the Circle F Dude Ranch. The campers are really enjoying the program and are starting to gain some real skills in the activity areas.
Last night we held our MTV Night. Each cabin prepares a skit, song, dance, or commercial that might be seen on MTV. It is a great way for the cabin to come together and be creative. We had some memorable performances like “shoes” (where the cabin was singing a song about shoes and throwing shoes into the audience), there was a Unicef commercial, a version of the show Next, American Idol and a whole bunch more.
The Pioneer girls went on the PATH program last night. PATH stands for Pioneer Adventure Team-Building Hike. Pioneers are our oldest campers and they have special programs throughout their stay at Circle F. This program is an overnight camping trip here on the Circle F grounds. They go through 4 phases, each with a different activity designed to build group unity and to challenge the group as a whole. I am happy to say that they had a wonderful experience and that they are back in camp safe, if not a little worn out.
Today is the Hippy Dance. Arts and Crafts always does special projects to help get ready for the dances. Today they will be Tie Dying t-shirts and making Peace Sign necklaces. It is always fun to see what creative things campers have made for the dances.
We have changed the schedule for our evening programs. Here is the new schedule:
Today: Hippy Dance
Friday: Deal or no Deal
Saturday: Earth Day/Rodeo
Sunday: Islands of Adventure/Build A Boat/What’s the Movie?
Monday: Talent Show
Tuesday: Circle F Feud
Wednesday: Day at the Beach/Luau
Thursday: Closing Campfire
Friday: Banquet/Closing Dance
Saturday: Rodeo/ Bye-Bye
Wow, so little time left!!!
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Things continue to chug along here at the Circle F Dude Ranch. The campers are really enjoying the program and are starting to gain some real skills in the activity areas.
Last night we held our MTV Night. Each cabin prepares a skit, song, dance, or commercial that might be seen on MTV. It is a great way for the cabin to come together and be creative. We had some memorable performances like “shoes” (where the cabin was singing a song about shoes and throwing shoes into the audience), there was a Unicef commercial, a version of the show Next, American Idol and a whole bunch more.
The Pioneer girls went on the PATH program last night. PATH stands for Pioneer Adventure Team-Building Hike. Pioneers are our oldest campers and they have special programs throughout their stay at Circle F. This program is an overnight camping trip here on the Circle F grounds. They go through 4 phases, each with a different activity designed to build group unity and to challenge the group as a whole. I am happy to say that they had a wonderful experience and that they are back in camp safe, if not a little worn out.
Today is the Hippy Dance. Arts and Crafts always does special projects to help get ready for the dances. Today they will be Tie Dying t-shirts and making Peace Sign necklaces. It is always fun to see what creative things campers have made for the dances.
We have changed the schedule for our evening programs. Here is the new schedule:
Today: Hippy Dance
Friday: Deal or no Deal
Saturday: Earth Day/Rodeo
Sunday: Islands of Adventure/Build A Boat/What’s the Movie?
Monday: Talent Show
Tuesday: Circle F Feud
Wednesday: Day at the Beach/Luau
Thursday: Closing Campfire
Friday: Banquet/Closing Dance
Saturday: Rodeo/ Bye-Bye
Wow, so little time left!!!
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Monday, July 21, 2008
Good morning!
Good morning families!
Roger went on his day off yesterday and I wanted to give you an update! The parade and carnival were a huge success! The campers had sooo much fun and so did we. The floats in the parade were all unique and fun. As soon as the parade was finished, the Carnival began. The most popular activities were the big waterslide and the slip and slide. They were great fun! I even did both of those and yes, I'm feeling it this morning!!! The staff had as much fun as the campers. We also had face painting, a weight guesser, a fortune teller(I think he told them to eat more broccoli), wet sponge throw, fish pond, 2 bounce houses and more. Everyone was running around wet and happy. When the Carnival was over it was time for general swim. The water was great and we all enjoyed it. At dinner it was everyone's favorite, pizza! We had a movie(Alvin and the Chipmunks) and store before the evening was over. Once again, the sunset was amazing. I hope you have seen the pictures that have been posted of them. Speaking of pictures, they will be posted late tonight or tomorrow. Our photographer, Getta, is a teacher and had to attend a class in Tampa to prepare for school in August. She teaches middle school math and science. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful administrative staff this summer. Murray, Blake, Bri and Getta have helped make summer a huge success. Roger and I could not do our job without them. Most of all our summer would not be any fun at all without your wonderful children. It is just so amazing to watch them make new friends, try new things and just be kids!! When I get to see a child from Brazil trying to learn something new with the help of a new friend from Maryland, and vice-versa, it reminds me of why camp is such an all around life experience for all the campers and the staff. Once again, I thank you for sharing your children with us!
Circle F's biggest campers,
Diana and the gang
Roger went on his day off yesterday and I wanted to give you an update! The parade and carnival were a huge success! The campers had sooo much fun and so did we. The floats in the parade were all unique and fun. As soon as the parade was finished, the Carnival began. The most popular activities were the big waterslide and the slip and slide. They were great fun! I even did both of those and yes, I'm feeling it this morning!!! The staff had as much fun as the campers. We also had face painting, a weight guesser, a fortune teller(I think he told them to eat more broccoli), wet sponge throw, fish pond, 2 bounce houses and more. Everyone was running around wet and happy. When the Carnival was over it was time for general swim. The water was great and we all enjoyed it. At dinner it was everyone's favorite, pizza! We had a movie(Alvin and the Chipmunks) and store before the evening was over. Once again, the sunset was amazing. I hope you have seen the pictures that have been posted of them. Speaking of pictures, they will be posted late tonight or tomorrow. Our photographer, Getta, is a teacher and had to attend a class in Tampa to prepare for school in August. She teaches middle school math and science. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful administrative staff this summer. Murray, Blake, Bri and Getta have helped make summer a huge success. Roger and I could not do our job without them. Most of all our summer would not be any fun at all without your wonderful children. It is just so amazing to watch them make new friends, try new things and just be kids!! When I get to see a child from Brazil trying to learn something new with the help of a new friend from Maryland, and vice-versa, it reminds me of why camp is such an all around life experience for all the campers and the staff. Once again, I thank you for sharing your children with us!
Circle F's biggest campers,
Diana and the gang
Sunday, July 20, 2008
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!!
Howdy Circle F Family,
I can't believe that one week of 3rd session is gone. It has been a wonderful week, but, how did it go so fast. Last night we had our swim meet. The camp was broken up into four groups and they competed in four relay events including: inner-tube race, ping-pong ball relay (where campers had to blow a ping-pong ball across the surface of the lake), noodle relay (where campers have to swim with a noodle between their legs) and the funniest, the flipper relay (where campers run as fast as possible while wearing swimming fins). The winner of each group got to go to bed with the next older group (this is a big reward at camp).
Sunday is a special day at camp. We start the day with wake-up at 8:00 instead on 7:30. This makes everyone (especially the teenagers) very happy. After wake-up each cabin has a picnic breakfast at the cabin (that is why you cannot call on Sunday morning to talk to your campers). After breakfast, campers spend the first part of the morning doing an extended clean-up. The campers will take everything out of the cabin, clean super well, change sheets, and prepare the cabin for another week of camp.
After camp clean-up we have an extended morning thought. This morning Matt Berg, the head of rock wall, will deliver the morning thought. Next, we will build floats for our carnival. Each cabin gets materials and then builds a float for our carnival (which is after lunch). Cabins have until lunch to complete their floats.
After Lunch is extended siesta and the parade (be sure to check out the pictures from the parade). Next we will host a carnival. We have: 2 bounce houses, a blow up slip and slide, a blow up water slide, face painting, and multiple carnival games. This is probably one of the favorite days at camp.
Thank you for your comments on the pictures and the blog. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and we will try to answer them here. I am sorry to say, that I am unable to translate the Spanish blog. It is basically a compilation of some the earlier blogs.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. What's Today? What? What's Today? It's Super Sunday. How Long? All Day Long. We hope so.
I can't believe that one week of 3rd session is gone. It has been a wonderful week, but, how did it go so fast. Last night we had our swim meet. The camp was broken up into four groups and they competed in four relay events including: inner-tube race, ping-pong ball relay (where campers had to blow a ping-pong ball across the surface of the lake), noodle relay (where campers have to swim with a noodle between their legs) and the funniest, the flipper relay (where campers run as fast as possible while wearing swimming fins). The winner of each group got to go to bed with the next older group (this is a big reward at camp).
Sunday is a special day at camp. We start the day with wake-up at 8:00 instead on 7:30. This makes everyone (especially the teenagers) very happy. After wake-up each cabin has a picnic breakfast at the cabin (that is why you cannot call on Sunday morning to talk to your campers). After breakfast, campers spend the first part of the morning doing an extended clean-up. The campers will take everything out of the cabin, clean super well, change sheets, and prepare the cabin for another week of camp.
After camp clean-up we have an extended morning thought. This morning Matt Berg, the head of rock wall, will deliver the morning thought. Next, we will build floats for our carnival. Each cabin gets materials and then builds a float for our carnival (which is after lunch). Cabins have until lunch to complete their floats.
After Lunch is extended siesta and the parade (be sure to check out the pictures from the parade). Next we will host a carnival. We have: 2 bounce houses, a blow up slip and slide, a blow up water slide, face painting, and multiple carnival games. This is probably one of the favorite days at camp.
Thank you for your comments on the pictures and the blog. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and we will try to answer them here. I am sorry to say, that I am unable to translate the Spanish blog. It is basically a compilation of some the earlier blogs.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. What's Today? What? What's Today? It's Super Sunday. How Long? All Day Long. We hope so.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Hola Circle F Familia
Howdy Circle F Family,
As we have mentioned before, this session we have quite a few campers from around the world. We decided it would be fun to write a blog in spanish for the families from Central America, South America and from Spain. This blog was written by our head female counselor Biana Cavion. I hope you enjoy it:
Primero, quiero decirles gracias por haber escogido a Circle F a ser el encampamento de sus hijos por este verano. Les quiero pasar alguna información sobre lo que es Circle F, y lo que ustedes pueden hacer para facilitar la transición para sus “campers” y para si mismos.
Soy Briana, la aconsejadora encargada de la línea de las chicas, pero hago todo lo que es el trabajo de la oficina, programas en la noche, y aconsejar a los “campers” hispanohablantes.
Circle F tiene tanto de proveer a los niños y niñas que vienen aquí, que de vez en cuando durante la primera semana, se quedan asombrados de sus opciones para jugar y divertirse. Tenemos un grupo de trabajadores que se quedan con los niños y niñas en sus actividades y les enseñan las habilidades necesarias para participar completamente. Sin embargo, hay algunos niños y niñas que echan de menos mucho a sus familias, casas y sus vidas normales. Llamadas usualmente solo enfatizan su extraño de la casa. Escuchando a la voz de su padre, el niño se pone nostálgico, y no se enfoca tanto en el encampamento. Ojala que sepan que querremos que se contacten, pero que lo hagan por fax, carta, y llamadas solo cuando son necesarias. No se preocupen sobre cuanto los niños extrañan a su hogar… ¡es normal! Están muy lejos de lo que es su rutina, y el lugar de su comodidad, entonces es normal que se sientan afuera de su elemento. Hay que darles tiempo de acomodarse.
He visto ya a muchos niños que se han ajustado bien a la rutina acá, incluso una chica de Venezuela de cinco años. Por las primeras dos noches lloró a dormir y anduvo hablando de su mama. Ahora ella me atraviesa a hacer carrereas cuando voy en bicicleta y ella de pie. Ella también ha encontrado su amor del encampamento- los caballos. Entonces, tomando ella como ejemplo, dando los niños tiempo y escuchando a ellos con paciencia muchas veces pueden curar los sentimientos de “casitis” (la enfermedad del extraño de casa).
También es normal que los padres extrañen mucho a sus hijos. No se preocupen, ¡no son solos! Tomen en cuenta que esta experiencia es buena no solo para sus hijos sino para ustedes también. Les da la oportunidad de soltar sus hijos hacia un ambiente simpático, abierto y más importante seguro. Sepan que estamos aquí para asegurarles como funciona nuestro encampamento y que hacemos lo más posible para reesforzar los medidos de seguridad para sus hijos. Están en manos buenas.
Ojala que este mensaje les de mas seguridad de las condiciones de estudiantes (especialmente extranjeros). A favor que nos llame a lo oficina si tiene una pregunta, pero acuérdense también que tiene la oportunidad de dejarles crecer a sus hijos y a si mismos mientras están aquí.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
As we have mentioned before, this session we have quite a few campers from around the world. We decided it would be fun to write a blog in spanish for the families from Central America, South America and from Spain. This blog was written by our head female counselor Biana Cavion. I hope you enjoy it:
Primero, quiero decirles gracias por haber escogido a Circle F a ser el encampamento de sus hijos por este verano. Les quiero pasar alguna información sobre lo que es Circle F, y lo que ustedes pueden hacer para facilitar la transición para sus “campers” y para si mismos.
Soy Briana, la aconsejadora encargada de la línea de las chicas, pero hago todo lo que es el trabajo de la oficina, programas en la noche, y aconsejar a los “campers” hispanohablantes.
Circle F tiene tanto de proveer a los niños y niñas que vienen aquí, que de vez en cuando durante la primera semana, se quedan asombrados de sus opciones para jugar y divertirse. Tenemos un grupo de trabajadores que se quedan con los niños y niñas en sus actividades y les enseñan las habilidades necesarias para participar completamente. Sin embargo, hay algunos niños y niñas que echan de menos mucho a sus familias, casas y sus vidas normales. Llamadas usualmente solo enfatizan su extraño de la casa. Escuchando a la voz de su padre, el niño se pone nostálgico, y no se enfoca tanto en el encampamento. Ojala que sepan que querremos que se contacten, pero que lo hagan por fax, carta, y llamadas solo cuando son necesarias. No se preocupen sobre cuanto los niños extrañan a su hogar… ¡es normal! Están muy lejos de lo que es su rutina, y el lugar de su comodidad, entonces es normal que se sientan afuera de su elemento. Hay que darles tiempo de acomodarse.
He visto ya a muchos niños que se han ajustado bien a la rutina acá, incluso una chica de Venezuela de cinco años. Por las primeras dos noches lloró a dormir y anduvo hablando de su mama. Ahora ella me atraviesa a hacer carrereas cuando voy en bicicleta y ella de pie. Ella también ha encontrado su amor del encampamento- los caballos. Entonces, tomando ella como ejemplo, dando los niños tiempo y escuchando a ellos con paciencia muchas veces pueden curar los sentimientos de “casitis” (la enfermedad del extraño de casa).
También es normal que los padres extrañen mucho a sus hijos. No se preocupen, ¡no son solos! Tomen en cuenta que esta experiencia es buena no solo para sus hijos sino para ustedes también. Les da la oportunidad de soltar sus hijos hacia un ambiente simpático, abierto y más importante seguro. Sepan que estamos aquí para asegurarles como funciona nuestro encampamento y que hacemos lo más posible para reesforzar los medidos de seguridad para sus hijos. Están en manos buenas.
Ojala que este mensaje les de mas seguridad de las condiciones de estudiantes (especialmente extranjeros). A favor que nos llame a lo oficina si tiene una pregunta, pero acuérdense también que tiene la oportunidad de dejarles crecer a sus hijos y a si mismos mientras están aquí.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Friday, July 18, 2008
Updates
Howdy Circle F Family,
Wow, so much has happened since I was last able to write. Camp is in full swing and we are having too much fun. The weather has been super nice and we have been outside playing and simply having a great time.
Yesterday we played capture the flag on the beach. Instead of just one flag we had three. The first team to capture all 3 flag was the winner. We played 5 rounds and then we had a general swim.
Each cabin gets to participate in two special evening programs. The first on is the Horse Back Cookout. This is where a cabin gets to go on a special evening horseback ride. After the ride, the camper cook the Circle F stew over a campfire. This is a very special time. It is a great way for groups to come together and build special bonds. The second special evening activity is the Hay Ride. Campers and counselors pile into the hay wagon and go on a ride. During the ride they sing songs. The hay ride stops at Marshmallow End where they eat s'mores and tell stories. This is one of the favorite evenings for campers.
Tonight we had the Cowboy, Cowgirl dance. We had some good looking dudes and some loud country music playin'. It was a hootin', holerin' good ol' time.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. We have a new projector and screen that is totally awesome!!! Now we will be able to have daily slide shows, multimedia productions and a whole lot more. (sorry, I am just really excited)
Wow, so much has happened since I was last able to write. Camp is in full swing and we are having too much fun. The weather has been super nice and we have been outside playing and simply having a great time.
Yesterday we played capture the flag on the beach. Instead of just one flag we had three. The first team to capture all 3 flag was the winner. We played 5 rounds and then we had a general swim.
Each cabin gets to participate in two special evening programs. The first on is the Horse Back Cookout. This is where a cabin gets to go on a special evening horseback ride. After the ride, the camper cook the Circle F stew over a campfire. This is a very special time. It is a great way for groups to come together and build special bonds. The second special evening activity is the Hay Ride. Campers and counselors pile into the hay wagon and go on a ride. During the ride they sing songs. The hay ride stops at Marshmallow End where they eat s'mores and tell stories. This is one of the favorite evenings for campers.
Tonight we had the Cowboy, Cowgirl dance. We had some good looking dudes and some loud country music playin'. It was a hootin', holerin' good ol' time.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. We have a new projector and screen that is totally awesome!!! Now we will be able to have daily slide shows, multimedia productions and a whole lot more. (sorry, I am just really excited)
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Fear Factor and a Rainy Day
Howdy Circle F Family,
One of the great things about camping in Florida is that when it rains it normally only rains for about 30 minuets or so. Today was different. We had a rainy day reminiscent of North East Camps. It was great. We called it Wet and Wild Wednesday and had some special games in the rain. It was one of the funnest days of camp I have ever seen.
Waterfront is probably the most popular place to be at camp and it is easy to see why. With the blob, banana boat, water games, swimming, sailing, canoeing and kayaking, waterfront is filled with fun. Our waterfront staff are all trained lifeguards through the American Red Cross. They provide a safe environment for our campers to get wet and wild and have a blast.
This evening's program was Fear Factor. Based off the of the hit TV show, we had 5 counselors competing for their cabin groups. There were three events: hang tough, eating challenge and the ping-pong challenge. We also had Joe Rogan, the host of Fear Factor come to host the game. In the end the youngest cabins (CBB, CBG, B1B, B1G and B2B) won a pizza party and a movie.
We are really having a blast here at camp. I wish all of the parents could somehow look down from a cloud and see the fun we are having. I think you would be impressed with your campers, how they are making decisions on their own, how they are stepping up to new challenges, how they are overcoming obstacles and how they are learning from mistakes.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
One of the great things about camping in Florida is that when it rains it normally only rains for about 30 minuets or so. Today was different. We had a rainy day reminiscent of North East Camps. It was great. We called it Wet and Wild Wednesday and had some special games in the rain. It was one of the funnest days of camp I have ever seen.
Waterfront is probably the most popular place to be at camp and it is easy to see why. With the blob, banana boat, water games, swimming, sailing, canoeing and kayaking, waterfront is filled with fun. Our waterfront staff are all trained lifeguards through the American Red Cross. They provide a safe environment for our campers to get wet and wild and have a blast.
This evening's program was Fear Factor. Based off the of the hit TV show, we had 5 counselors competing for their cabin groups. There were three events: hang tough, eating challenge and the ping-pong challenge. We also had Joe Rogan, the host of Fear Factor come to host the game. In the end the youngest cabins (CBB, CBG, B1B, B1G and B2B) won a pizza party and a movie.
We are really having a blast here at camp. I wish all of the parents could somehow look down from a cloud and see the fun we are having. I think you would be impressed with your campers, how they are making decisions on their own, how they are stepping up to new challenges, how they are overcoming obstacles and how they are learning from mistakes.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Water Mania!!!
Howdy Circle F Family,
Well, the campers are definitely into the camp groove now. Today was another awesome day and it seems that all of the first day jitters are gone. We started the morning by passing out the camp t-shirt and by taking camp photos. Each camper had an individual picture taken with a horse. The pictures will be for sale at check-out. We also took cabin photos. These pictures will be sent to your homes next week with check-out information. The bunk photos will also be posted to the picture gallery.
Today was a normal day of activities. Today I will tell you about our Rock Wall/Zip Line program. The Rock Wall is many of the campers favorite activity. The Rock Wall is over 32 feet high. The campers use a safety harness, helmet and closed toed shoes when climbing. Our staff has been trained by Triple Eagle Experiences, a Florida based rock wall builder. The head counselor for Rock Wall is Matt Berg. This is Matt's third summer at Circle F and his first as Department Head. Matt runs a tight ship and has made many improvements to the activity area this summer. The most popular part of the Rock Wall program is climbing the wall and doing the zip line. Campers climb 32 feet into the air being supported by our ropes and our trained staff. Once to the top campers are attached tethers while they wait to be attached to our zip line. The step off of the zip line and go about 100 yards at about 25 mph. The rock wall takes physical and mental strength. While it may look easy to step off of the tower and to trust that the rope and cable will hold you, once you are up there you quickly find that it can be terrifying. Our counselors are trained in ways to help campers overcome their fears and to help the campers make a positive "step" forward. The Rock Wall and Zip Line can give campers experience in overcoming fears, trying new things, encouraging others, trusting others and many other life long skills. And, of course, it is a lot of fun. Many people think that the rock wall program is just climbing the rock wall and doing the zip line. However, at the Rock Wall they also do initiative games that teach campers life skills. Some activities include: the spider web (where campers pass other campers through a man made huge spider web without touching the sides), the human knot (where campers form a knot then untangle themselves) and the trust fall (where a camper falls backwards into the arms of fellow campers and staff). These activities teach team work, trust, communication and other life long skills.
In staff training we talk about camp being like a Milk Dud. On the outside of a Milk Dud is a thin layer of chocolate. That chocolate represents the activities that are fun and safe. The chocolate is good, but, the best part of the the Mike Dude is the chewy caramel center. The caramel represents the deeper, life long skills that can be learned at camp. Our goal at Circle F is to offer a Milk Dud Program. Our Rock Wall program is a great example of an activity that is safe and fun, but also it going to teach skills that can be used for the rest of their lives.
The next part of this blog is an edited version from an earlier blog:
Tomorrow we start allowing parents to call in at meal times. As I have said before, Diana and I are not big fans of having parents call campers. Often times it does a lot more harm than good. It happens almost every day: A camper, who seconds ago was laughing and singing with their new friends, is now crying and missing home even more because of a phone call. For a homesick camper a phone call from home is one of the worst things that can happen. Homesick campers need to realize that they are in charge of whether they have fun at camp or not. Sometimes, when parents call it opens the flood gates and it stunts their growth. Also, I think many children want to please their parents. One way they do this is by acting upset for a phone call home to show how much they miss you. If you really feel like it is important to call here are some things to remember:
1) The only time that you can call in are during meal times are at 8:10AM, 12:30PM and 5:45PM
2) Please keep calls short (2 mins. or less)
3) We only have one phone line so it can be very, very difficult to get through (160 campers x 2 parents = busy phone line) (use redial button)
4) Please try to limit how many times you call so other parents can get through
5) The meals are very loud
6) The phone number to call is 863-676-4113
7) Meals last about 25 to 30 minuets
8) If you are unable to get through to your camper please do not get mad at Diana or me. We try to get through as many phone calls as possible each meal, but, we can only field so many. We are nice people, and I promise you camp is fun and your children are safe. We are more than happy to check-in on your campers for you if you prefer not to call. We highly encourage letter writing, packages and faxes.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Well, the campers are definitely into the camp groove now. Today was another awesome day and it seems that all of the first day jitters are gone. We started the morning by passing out the camp t-shirt and by taking camp photos. Each camper had an individual picture taken with a horse. The pictures will be for sale at check-out. We also took cabin photos. These pictures will be sent to your homes next week with check-out information. The bunk photos will also be posted to the picture gallery.
Today was a normal day of activities. Today I will tell you about our Rock Wall/Zip Line program. The Rock Wall is many of the campers favorite activity. The Rock Wall is over 32 feet high. The campers use a safety harness, helmet and closed toed shoes when climbing. Our staff has been trained by Triple Eagle Experiences, a Florida based rock wall builder. The head counselor for Rock Wall is Matt Berg. This is Matt's third summer at Circle F and his first as Department Head. Matt runs a tight ship and has made many improvements to the activity area this summer. The most popular part of the Rock Wall program is climbing the wall and doing the zip line. Campers climb 32 feet into the air being supported by our ropes and our trained staff. Once to the top campers are attached tethers while they wait to be attached to our zip line. The step off of the zip line and go about 100 yards at about 25 mph. The rock wall takes physical and mental strength. While it may look easy to step off of the tower and to trust that the rope and cable will hold you, once you are up there you quickly find that it can be terrifying. Our counselors are trained in ways to help campers overcome their fears and to help the campers make a positive "step" forward. The Rock Wall and Zip Line can give campers experience in overcoming fears, trying new things, encouraging others, trusting others and many other life long skills. And, of course, it is a lot of fun. Many people think that the rock wall program is just climbing the rock wall and doing the zip line. However, at the Rock Wall they also do initiative games that teach campers life skills. Some activities include: the spider web (where campers pass other campers through a man made huge spider web without touching the sides), the human knot (where campers form a knot then untangle themselves) and the trust fall (where a camper falls backwards into the arms of fellow campers and staff). These activities teach team work, trust, communication and other life long skills.
In staff training we talk about camp being like a Milk Dud. On the outside of a Milk Dud is a thin layer of chocolate. That chocolate represents the activities that are fun and safe. The chocolate is good, but, the best part of the the Mike Dude is the chewy caramel center. The caramel represents the deeper, life long skills that can be learned at camp. Our goal at Circle F is to offer a Milk Dud Program. Our Rock Wall program is a great example of an activity that is safe and fun, but also it going to teach skills that can be used for the rest of their lives.
The next part of this blog is an edited version from an earlier blog:
Tomorrow we start allowing parents to call in at meal times. As I have said before, Diana and I are not big fans of having parents call campers. Often times it does a lot more harm than good. It happens almost every day: A camper, who seconds ago was laughing and singing with their new friends, is now crying and missing home even more because of a phone call. For a homesick camper a phone call from home is one of the worst things that can happen. Homesick campers need to realize that they are in charge of whether they have fun at camp or not. Sometimes, when parents call it opens the flood gates and it stunts their growth. Also, I think many children want to please their parents. One way they do this is by acting upset for a phone call home to show how much they miss you. If you really feel like it is important to call here are some things to remember:
1) The only time that you can call in are during meal times are at 8:10AM, 12:30PM and 5:45PM
2) Please keep calls short (2 mins. or less)
3) We only have one phone line so it can be very, very difficult to get through (160 campers x 2 parents = busy phone line) (use redial button)
4) Please try to limit how many times you call so other parents can get through
5) The meals are very loud
6) The phone number to call is 863-676-4113
7) Meals last about 25 to 30 minuets
8) If you are unable to get through to your camper please do not get mad at Diana or me. We try to get through as many phone calls as possible each meal, but, we can only field so many. We are nice people, and I promise you camp is fun and your children are safe. We are more than happy to check-in on your campers for you if you prefer not to call. We highly encourage letter writing, packages and faxes.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Monday, July 14, 2008
The end of a fantastic first day!
Hello families,
It's Roger's day off, so I thought I would bring you up to date on our first full day of session 3. We were off and running by 8:00am. Flag raising, morning thought and breakfast...all by 8:40. Then it was back to the cabin for cabin clean up. Everyone makes their bed, organizes their belongings and helps with cabin chores,yes your kids, before heading off to their first activities. It is so much fun for us to watch all the enthusiasm associated with new campers. It certainly reminds us why we do our job! Before we know it is lunchtime. Hamburgers, french fries, corn, pears and salad bar...yummy! Siesta follows lunch. It is a time for reading, writing a letter, playing a board game or just getting a little much needed rest. At 2:15 the bell rings for cantina time. Campers can get gatorade and a snack of trail mix or peanut butter crackers before heading off for an afternoon of activities. Dinner!! Spaghetti and meatballs or plain spaghetti or spaghetti with sauce, no meatballs. The choice is up to you, personally, I think the meatballs are fantastic! Everybody had our favorite desert, ice cream!Tonight is our "Welcome Dance". While some enjoy dancing, others play kickball, soccer or just spend time getting to know their new friends better. The sunset is beautiful,the crickets are out,it is cooling down and the night is coming. Good night and thank you for allowing us to get to know your wonderful children.
We love our job....
Diana and the gang
It's Roger's day off, so I thought I would bring you up to date on our first full day of session 3. We were off and running by 8:00am. Flag raising, morning thought and breakfast...all by 8:40. Then it was back to the cabin for cabin clean up. Everyone makes their bed, organizes their belongings and helps with cabin chores,yes your kids, before heading off to their first activities. It is so much fun for us to watch all the enthusiasm associated with new campers. It certainly reminds us why we do our job! Before we know it is lunchtime. Hamburgers, french fries, corn, pears and salad bar...yummy! Siesta follows lunch. It is a time for reading, writing a letter, playing a board game or just getting a little much needed rest. At 2:15 the bell rings for cantina time. Campers can get gatorade and a snack of trail mix or peanut butter crackers before heading off for an afternoon of activities. Dinner!! Spaghetti and meatballs or plain spaghetti or spaghetti with sauce, no meatballs. The choice is up to you, personally, I think the meatballs are fantastic! Everybody had our favorite desert, ice cream!Tonight is our "Welcome Dance". While some enjoy dancing, others play kickball, soccer or just spend time getting to know their new friends better. The sunset is beautiful,the crickets are out,it is cooling down and the night is coming. Good night and thank you for allowing us to get to know your wonderful children.
We love our job....
Diana and the gang
First Day of Activities
Howdy Circle F Family,
We made it through the first night!!! Right after the campers went to their cabin we had a light rain storm. It was perfect sleeping weather.
Today is the first day of activities. At Circle F Dude Ranch each camper gets to choose their own activities. Here are a list of some of the activities: Western Riding, Tennis, Rock Wall, Camp Craft, General Sports, Volleyball, Swimming, Blob, Kayaking, Football, Soccer, Creative Improv, Barn Help, Arts and Crafts, Nature Lore, Sailing, Banana Boat, softball, Paint Ball, Dance, Cheer, Tumbling and Archery. There are four activity periods a day and we have a Monday, Wednesday, Friday Schedule and a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule so each camper gets to choose 8 different activities. A lot of the activities are separated in to age groups so that 7 year olds are not playing against 14 year olds.
Here is our daily schedule so you can always know what your campers are up to:
7:30 AM Reveille
7:50 AM Waiter’s Call
8:00 AM Flagraising
8:10 AM Morning Thought
8:20 AM Breakfast
8:50 AM Clean-up
9:20 AM Bell---Begin First Activity
Bunkhouse Inspection
10:30 AM Bell---End First Activity
10:45 AM Bell---Begin Second Activity
11:55 AM Bell---End Second Activity
12:10 PM Waiter’s Call
12:25 PM Lunch
1:05 PM Siesta/ Infirmary Call
2:15 PM Cantina Time
2:35 PM Bell---Begin Third Activity
3:45 PM Bell---End Third Activity
4:00 PM Bell---Begin Fourth Activity
5:10 PM Bell---End Fourth Activity
5:30 PM Waiter’s Call
5:45 PM Supper
6:30 PM Infirmary Call
7:15 PM Evening Program
8:30 PM Evening Medications
8:45 PM Co-Buck Evening Thought
9:05 PM Buckaroo Evening Thought
9:25 PM Wrangler Evening Thought
9:45 PM Pioneer Evening Thought
10:00 PM Taps
As you can see we have a full day, everyday. When you come to pick your campers you can expect them to be worn out.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
We made it through the first night!!! Right after the campers went to their cabin we had a light rain storm. It was perfect sleeping weather.
Today is the first day of activities. At Circle F Dude Ranch each camper gets to choose their own activities. Here are a list of some of the activities: Western Riding, Tennis, Rock Wall, Camp Craft, General Sports, Volleyball, Swimming, Blob, Kayaking, Football, Soccer, Creative Improv, Barn Help, Arts and Crafts, Nature Lore, Sailing, Banana Boat, softball, Paint Ball, Dance, Cheer, Tumbling and Archery. There are four activity periods a day and we have a Monday, Wednesday, Friday Schedule and a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule so each camper gets to choose 8 different activities. A lot of the activities are separated in to age groups so that 7 year olds are not playing against 14 year olds.
Here is our daily schedule so you can always know what your campers are up to:
7:30 AM Reveille
7:50 AM Waiter’s Call
8:00 AM Flagraising
8:10 AM Morning Thought
8:20 AM Breakfast
8:50 AM Clean-up
9:20 AM Bell---Begin First Activity
Bunkhouse Inspection
10:30 AM Bell---End First Activity
10:45 AM Bell---Begin Second Activity
11:55 AM Bell---End Second Activity
12:10 PM Waiter’s Call
12:25 PM Lunch
1:05 PM Siesta/ Infirmary Call
2:15 PM Cantina Time
2:35 PM Bell---Begin Third Activity
3:45 PM Bell---End Third Activity
4:00 PM Bell---Begin Fourth Activity
5:10 PM Bell---End Fourth Activity
5:30 PM Waiter’s Call
5:45 PM Supper
6:30 PM Infirmary Call
7:15 PM Evening Program
8:30 PM Evening Medications
8:45 PM Co-Buck Evening Thought
9:05 PM Buckaroo Evening Thought
9:25 PM Wrangler Evening Thought
9:45 PM Pioneer Evening Thought
10:00 PM Taps
As you can see we have a full day, everyday. When you come to pick your campers you can expect them to be worn out.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
Sunday, July 13, 2008
First Day of 3rd Session!!!
Howdy Circle F Family,
Today was check-in day for 3rd session. It was so great to finally meet the new camper families who we have been talking to all year. And, of course, we love to see all of our old friends. We have 159 campers for third session. This is a multi-cultural camp session. We have campers from Spain, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Columbia, Jordan, Poland, Guadalupe, Brazil, France, Chicago, Maryland, and the strangest place Las Vegas. It is such a great opportunity for our campers to form real relationships that cross boarders and cultures.
After check-in we had our swim test and then an all camp swim in our beautiful Sunset Lake. It looked like it was going to storm this afternoon, but we just had a few light rain drops that really cooled down the weather.
Meal times at Circle F are a blast. We start each meal with a song. At Circle F we eat family style, which means that all of the food is on the table. Different from buffet style, family style promotes talking, community and greater understanding. For dinner we had Fried Chicken, Broccoli, Salad, Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, and Pudding for dessert. We always have peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches and a fruit bowl at each meal for campers who prefer not to eat the main dishes. At the end of each meal we sing camp songs.
Some of the camp song names are: Tarzan, Ricky-Bam-Boo, Canoe Song, OM-OT, Bananas, Hole in the bucket, Old Austrian, Old Lady Leary, Little Red Wagon, Beaver Song, Skunk Song and a whole lot more. Songs are a big part of summer camp. It is very rare nowadays that people sing together. Camp is one of the few places where you can let loose and sing in a group without having to worry about whether people will laugh at you or think that you are not a good singer. Singing builds confidence and builds community.
This evening we have two evening programs. The first is our Photo Scavenger Hunt. This is a great activity because the cabins get to work together as a group (which builds unity) and at the same time they get a fun orientation to camp as they run to all of the different areas of camp. We will have some of the pictures from the event up on under photos this evening.
The second part of the evening program is the Counselor Skits. All of the counselors have prepared skits that introduce themselves and their activity areas. The skits are often hilarious and really help set the tone for camp.
The campers are now going to bed. The first night can be tough for some campers. Home sickness is often the name of separation anxiety. It is a natural feeling for campers to be sad when separated from their home life. At Circle F we do everything possible to help campers make an easy transition to camp life. As you can see, we have a lot of activities on our opening day. When campers are having fun and making friends, they do not have time to feel upset. The counselors use games and other fun ways to make sure that everyone in the cabin knows each others names on the first day. The counselors also look for campers who seem to be having a tougher time adjusting, and they will spend some extra time and attention to make sure that the camper is involved in the activities and friend making. In the end, the counselor is there to help the camper make the transition from home life to camp life. The camper will come out of "home sickness" a stronger, more independent person.
When I moved from being a counselor to administration, I thought that I would be dealing with a lot of home sick campers. The reality is that I work a lot more with home sick parents. For many of the parents who are reading this blog, this may be the first time that you have been separated from your camper for a significant amount of time. I have found that many parents prepare their campers for summer camp, but they spend very little time preparing themselves for summer camp. It is natural to feel anxious, empty or even scared when dropping your children off at summer camp. You want the best for your child and when your child is at camp you give up all control of your campers. You cannot protect them from bad decisions, or bad behavior. This is scary, but, it is a part of growing up as a parent. Allowing your children the space to be independent and to make their own decisions is probably one of the most humbling and frightening events you will go through. Have faith that your children are in an emotionally and physically safe place where we have counselors who will guide them and help them learn to make wise decisions. Camp is fun, but it is also one of the best ways for children (and parents) to learn independence.
I want to welcome all of the new readers to the blog. My name is Roger and I am the Assistant Director. I will try to blog everyday so that you have an idea about what is happening at camp. I will also try to get some campers and guest bloggers. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us and I will post the answers her.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. Thank you for sharing your children with us.
Today was check-in day for 3rd session. It was so great to finally meet the new camper families who we have been talking to all year. And, of course, we love to see all of our old friends. We have 159 campers for third session. This is a multi-cultural camp session. We have campers from Spain, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Columbia, Jordan, Poland, Guadalupe, Brazil, France, Chicago, Maryland, and the strangest place Las Vegas. It is such a great opportunity for our campers to form real relationships that cross boarders and cultures.
After check-in we had our swim test and then an all camp swim in our beautiful Sunset Lake. It looked like it was going to storm this afternoon, but we just had a few light rain drops that really cooled down the weather.
Meal times at Circle F are a blast. We start each meal with a song. At Circle F we eat family style, which means that all of the food is on the table. Different from buffet style, family style promotes talking, community and greater understanding. For dinner we had Fried Chicken, Broccoli, Salad, Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, and Pudding for dessert. We always have peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches and a fruit bowl at each meal for campers who prefer not to eat the main dishes. At the end of each meal we sing camp songs.
Some of the camp song names are: Tarzan, Ricky-Bam-Boo, Canoe Song, OM-OT, Bananas, Hole in the bucket, Old Austrian, Old Lady Leary, Little Red Wagon, Beaver Song, Skunk Song and a whole lot more. Songs are a big part of summer camp. It is very rare nowadays that people sing together. Camp is one of the few places where you can let loose and sing in a group without having to worry about whether people will laugh at you or think that you are not a good singer. Singing builds confidence and builds community.
This evening we have two evening programs. The first is our Photo Scavenger Hunt. This is a great activity because the cabins get to work together as a group (which builds unity) and at the same time they get a fun orientation to camp as they run to all of the different areas of camp. We will have some of the pictures from the event up on under photos this evening.
The second part of the evening program is the Counselor Skits. All of the counselors have prepared skits that introduce themselves and their activity areas. The skits are often hilarious and really help set the tone for camp.
The campers are now going to bed. The first night can be tough for some campers. Home sickness is often the name of separation anxiety. It is a natural feeling for campers to be sad when separated from their home life. At Circle F we do everything possible to help campers make an easy transition to camp life. As you can see, we have a lot of activities on our opening day. When campers are having fun and making friends, they do not have time to feel upset. The counselors use games and other fun ways to make sure that everyone in the cabin knows each others names on the first day. The counselors also look for campers who seem to be having a tougher time adjusting, and they will spend some extra time and attention to make sure that the camper is involved in the activities and friend making. In the end, the counselor is there to help the camper make the transition from home life to camp life. The camper will come out of "home sickness" a stronger, more independent person.
When I moved from being a counselor to administration, I thought that I would be dealing with a lot of home sick campers. The reality is that I work a lot more with home sick parents. For many of the parents who are reading this blog, this may be the first time that you have been separated from your camper for a significant amount of time. I have found that many parents prepare their campers for summer camp, but they spend very little time preparing themselves for summer camp. It is natural to feel anxious, empty or even scared when dropping your children off at summer camp. You want the best for your child and when your child is at camp you give up all control of your campers. You cannot protect them from bad decisions, or bad behavior. This is scary, but, it is a part of growing up as a parent. Allowing your children the space to be independent and to make their own decisions is probably one of the most humbling and frightening events you will go through. Have faith that your children are in an emotionally and physically safe place where we have counselors who will guide them and help them learn to make wise decisions. Camp is fun, but it is also one of the best ways for children (and parents) to learn independence.
I want to welcome all of the new readers to the blog. My name is Roger and I am the Assistant Director. I will try to blog everyday so that you have an idea about what is happening at camp. I will also try to get some campers and guest bloggers. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us and I will post the answers her.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the gang
P.S. Thank you for sharing your children with us.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Circle F Feud
Howdy Circle F Family,
Today the camp played a funny joke on Diana. When Diana takes her day off I (Roger) do the announcements at the meals. During the announcement before Diana came back, I asked the camp to help me with a prank. Anytime Diana say a number during her announcements we were are to scream as loud as possible. When Diana came back at lunch and we started screaming like animals, she had no idea what was happening. She thought we had gone crazy or something. Everyone had a big laugh.
The evening program this evening was the Circle F Feud. This is a game show much like the Family Feud. We pass out surveys to the campers asking them questions like: what is your favorite place at camp, what is your least favorite meal, favorite activity area, who is the dancing queen and other fun questions. We tally up the surveys and then play a game. The contestants have to guess what the top answers to the surveys are. The team that loses has to do a consequence. In the first round we had the girls vs. boys campers. The girls won and the boys had to sing "aroostasha" with crackers in their mouth. The second round pitted counselors against campers. The campers lost and had to take a pie to the face. The third round was between the girls and boys counselors. It was a close match and there had to be a tie breaker. In the end the girls won and got to smash a raw eggs on the boys counselors heads. I Love Camp...
Tomorrow (Friday), is a special day at camp. We have a rodeo practice and all camp swim in the morning. Then we start pack-out after lunch. Next, everyone gets ready for the Banquet. The Banquet is a long time tradition at Circle F. We serve a special turkey dinner and have music. After the meal awards are given by the activity directors for campers who excelled. It is an honor to receive these ribbon awards. Then we hand out the year awards. First year campers get a bandanna, second years receive a horse shoe, third years get a hat, a lasso is presented to the fourth year campers, fifth year campers get spurs, sixth year campers get a speech and can take a horse (yes a real one), fourth session for free or a cash. For campers who have been coming for more than six years they can take fourth session for free or the cash. The campers love the awards and many counselors who were campers still have their ribbons and awards. After the Banquet we have the final dance. It is the best dance of the session. We show the DVD and the slide show (both are available at check-out). There is hardly a dry eye by the end of the night.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
Today the camp played a funny joke on Diana. When Diana takes her day off I (Roger) do the announcements at the meals. During the announcement before Diana came back, I asked the camp to help me with a prank. Anytime Diana say a number during her announcements we were are to scream as loud as possible. When Diana came back at lunch and we started screaming like animals, she had no idea what was happening. She thought we had gone crazy or something. Everyone had a big laugh.
The evening program this evening was the Circle F Feud. This is a game show much like the Family Feud. We pass out surveys to the campers asking them questions like: what is your favorite place at camp, what is your least favorite meal, favorite activity area, who is the dancing queen and other fun questions. We tally up the surveys and then play a game. The contestants have to guess what the top answers to the surveys are. The team that loses has to do a consequence. In the first round we had the girls vs. boys campers. The girls won and the boys had to sing "aroostasha" with crackers in their mouth. The second round pitted counselors against campers. The campers lost and had to take a pie to the face. The third round was between the girls and boys counselors. It was a close match and there had to be a tie breaker. In the end the girls won and got to smash a raw eggs on the boys counselors heads. I Love Camp...
Tomorrow (Friday), is a special day at camp. We have a rodeo practice and all camp swim in the morning. Then we start pack-out after lunch. Next, everyone gets ready for the Banquet. The Banquet is a long time tradition at Circle F. We serve a special turkey dinner and have music. After the meal awards are given by the activity directors for campers who excelled. It is an honor to receive these ribbon awards. Then we hand out the year awards. First year campers get a bandanna, second years receive a horse shoe, third years get a hat, a lasso is presented to the fourth year campers, fifth year campers get spurs, sixth year campers get a speech and can take a horse (yes a real one), fourth session for free or a cash. For campers who have been coming for more than six years they can take fourth session for free or the cash. The campers love the awards and many counselors who were campers still have their ribbons and awards. After the Banquet we have the final dance. It is the best dance of the session. We show the DVD and the slide show (both are available at check-out). There is hardly a dry eye by the end of the night.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Two Days Left!!!!
Howdy Circle F Family,
How does it go by so fast. A day can feel like a week, yet, when you come to the end of a session, it seems like everyone just got here.
We have been having a great time over the last few days. Some of the highlights include our Nerd Dance, Islands of Adventure, Build-A-Boat and our normal fantastic activities. Today was our first ever Earth Day. Camper had a chance to build a city from scratch, and to leave a permanent mark on Circle F through native plant landscaping projects. This evening we had a visit from the Reptile Man. The Reptile Man is a local who puts on a wonderful show with Snakes, Turtles, Lizards and even a Crocodile. He talks about the animals and their habitats.
As we come near the end of the second session (sigh), there are some FAQ's that parents normally have:
Q:What day is Pick-UP?
A:Pick up is on SATURDAY July 12.
Q:What time is Pick-Up?
A:Campers will be ready for pick-up by 9:00AM. All campers should be on the road by Noon unless prior arrangements have been made.
Q:When is the Rodeo?
A:The Rodeo is at 10:00AM.
Q:Will my camper be in the Rodeo?
A:The rodeo is open to all campers, however, some campers choose not to participate.
Q:What if my camper wants to stay another session?
A:We do have availability for our 2 remaining sessions. We can arrange for your camper to stay for our next session or to come back for our 3rd or 4th session. There is a 5% discount on you additional session and you also receive a 5% discount on the current session.
Q:How do I sign up for next year? When will you have the dates available? Will the prices go up?
A: I am glad you asked. We have set the camp schedule for 2009 and we will have registration forms available at check-out. If you sign up for Summer 2009 before November 1st with your $500 deposit you will lock in the 2008 rates. You will also receive the early bird discount of 5% off tuition. I highly encourage you to sign up your campers for next summer before November 1st to take advantage of this huge discount.
Q:What is the deal with tipping counselors?
A:We neither discourage or encourage tipping. Our counselors are primarily college students working for money for tuition, books and extra spending money. If you feel the desire to tip your counselors you are allowed to, but it is not expected. Counselors appriciate any type of recognition, and are happy to know that you you, as parents and guardians, appriciate the hard work they have done.
Q:Should I tip the Assistant Director?
A:YES!!! (just kidding)
If you have any questions about pick-up, please feel free to contact us.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
How does it go by so fast. A day can feel like a week, yet, when you come to the end of a session, it seems like everyone just got here.
We have been having a great time over the last few days. Some of the highlights include our Nerd Dance, Islands of Adventure, Build-A-Boat and our normal fantastic activities. Today was our first ever Earth Day. Camper had a chance to build a city from scratch, and to leave a permanent mark on Circle F through native plant landscaping projects. This evening we had a visit from the Reptile Man. The Reptile Man is a local who puts on a wonderful show with Snakes, Turtles, Lizards and even a Crocodile. He talks about the animals and their habitats.
As we come near the end of the second session (sigh), there are some FAQ's that parents normally have:
Q:What day is Pick-UP?
A:Pick up is on SATURDAY July 12.
Q:What time is Pick-Up?
A:Campers will be ready for pick-up by 9:00AM. All campers should be on the road by Noon unless prior arrangements have been made.
Q:When is the Rodeo?
A:The Rodeo is at 10:00AM.
Q:Will my camper be in the Rodeo?
A:The rodeo is open to all campers, however, some campers choose not to participate.
Q:What if my camper wants to stay another session?
A:We do have availability for our 2 remaining sessions. We can arrange for your camper to stay for our next session or to come back for our 3rd or 4th session. There is a 5% discount on you additional session and you also receive a 5% discount on the current session.
Q:How do I sign up for next year? When will you have the dates available? Will the prices go up?
A: I am glad you asked. We have set the camp schedule for 2009 and we will have registration forms available at check-out. If you sign up for Summer 2009 before November 1st with your $500 deposit you will lock in the 2008 rates. You will also receive the early bird discount of 5% off tuition. I highly encourage you to sign up your campers for next summer before November 1st to take advantage of this huge discount.
Q:What is the deal with tipping counselors?
A:We neither discourage or encourage tipping. Our counselors are primarily college students working for money for tuition, books and extra spending money. If you feel the desire to tip your counselors you are allowed to, but it is not expected. Counselors appriciate any type of recognition, and are happy to know that you you, as parents and guardians, appriciate the hard work they have done.
Q:Should I tip the Assistant Director?
A:YES!!! (just kidding)
If you have any questions about pick-up, please feel free to contact us.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Mid-Summer Campfire
Howdy Circle F Family,
One of the longest traditions at Circle F are our Camp Fires. When you think of a camp fire you probably think of smore's and silly songs and the like. Our traditional camp fires are a bit different. We gather the entire camp around a huge bonfire. Then we give campers and counselors opportunities to speak about camp and what it means to them. The Mid-Summer Campfire features campers and counselors who have been coming to camp for more than 4 years. It is a great honor to be chosen to speak. The speakers seem to spend more time thinking and writing their speech than I devoted to my college entrance essay. I wish parents could see their campers deliver their speeches. It is truly amazing to see and hear campers speak about how camp has changed them. Over the next few days we will be posting some of the speeches.
Here is a speech from Getta Lombard our photographer and videographer:
I first came to Circle F 17 years ago. I have spent more than half of my life at this camp and have been greatly influenced by, not only this place, but the friendships I have formed here. My first year as a camper, I had a counselor named Steph. Each year I came back to camp, she was always here and usually my counselor. Through the years we have kept in touch, grown closer together, and now I cannot imagine my life without her. I introduced her to her husband, was maid of honor in her wedding and present at the birth of her baby. She has been such an influence on my life and I would not have her if it was not for this place. In 1994, my 3rd year as a camper, I met a great group of friends that I still have in my life today. Mike Langieri and Blake Yost were among 2 of these friends. Even though we usually only saw each other during the summer, there is a bond between us that cannot be broken. We have been there for each other through the greatest and roughest moments in each others lives, and I know they will continue to be in my life regardless of where our lives may take us. Besides the friendships that I have made at Circle F, I continued to come back here for the consistency this place provided for me in my life. No matter what was happening at home during the year, I knew when I came back to Circle F that my friends would be here, everything would be the same, it was a comfortable and stable environment that I craved as a child. My first year as a counselor was 1999, it was one of the greatest moments for me because finally I was a counselor, I had waited so long to be one, and I was able to start giving back to the place I loved most. In 2000, I met Murray and he was been a great friend ever since. Sometimes in the real world, you meet new people who become your friends, but the friends I have from Circle F are the ones I know I can count on and the ones I know will be there. A year ago today, I had brain surgery. My little sister, Rachel, was a counselor here, and I wanted more than anything to be here with her and the rest of my Circle F family instead of in a hospital room. Even though I have not been to camp since 2003, Rachel, Diana, Murray, and even some of my previous campers called to make sure I was okay. That was one of the hardest moments in my life but I found comfort in knowing that I had the support of Circle F to help get me through. This year, I wanted to come back to camp, not only because I love this place and what it has done for me, but for the friends I knew would be here this summer, Mike, Blake, Murray, Luis, Diana, Rachel, and all my campers that are now counselors, Sarah, Clare, Chelsea. This place can consume you and help you to grow as an individual. By embracing who you are and being true to yourself, you can meet lifelong friends, who don’t judge you, who love you for the person you are and will be there always. My life would not be the same without Circle F, I am grateful for the friends and memories I have here and I am blessed that God led my steps one day out to Circle F.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
One of the longest traditions at Circle F are our Camp Fires. When you think of a camp fire you probably think of smore's and silly songs and the like. Our traditional camp fires are a bit different. We gather the entire camp around a huge bonfire. Then we give campers and counselors opportunities to speak about camp and what it means to them. The Mid-Summer Campfire features campers and counselors who have been coming to camp for more than 4 years. It is a great honor to be chosen to speak. The speakers seem to spend more time thinking and writing their speech than I devoted to my college entrance essay. I wish parents could see their campers deliver their speeches. It is truly amazing to see and hear campers speak about how camp has changed them. Over the next few days we will be posting some of the speeches.
Here is a speech from Getta Lombard our photographer and videographer:
I first came to Circle F 17 years ago. I have spent more than half of my life at this camp and have been greatly influenced by, not only this place, but the friendships I have formed here. My first year as a camper, I had a counselor named Steph. Each year I came back to camp, she was always here and usually my counselor. Through the years we have kept in touch, grown closer together, and now I cannot imagine my life without her. I introduced her to her husband, was maid of honor in her wedding and present at the birth of her baby. She has been such an influence on my life and I would not have her if it was not for this place. In 1994, my 3rd year as a camper, I met a great group of friends that I still have in my life today. Mike Langieri and Blake Yost were among 2 of these friends. Even though we usually only saw each other during the summer, there is a bond between us that cannot be broken. We have been there for each other through the greatest and roughest moments in each others lives, and I know they will continue to be in my life regardless of where our lives may take us. Besides the friendships that I have made at Circle F, I continued to come back here for the consistency this place provided for me in my life. No matter what was happening at home during the year, I knew when I came back to Circle F that my friends would be here, everything would be the same, it was a comfortable and stable environment that I craved as a child. My first year as a counselor was 1999, it was one of the greatest moments for me because finally I was a counselor, I had waited so long to be one, and I was able to start giving back to the place I loved most. In 2000, I met Murray and he was been a great friend ever since. Sometimes in the real world, you meet new people who become your friends, but the friends I have from Circle F are the ones I know I can count on and the ones I know will be there. A year ago today, I had brain surgery. My little sister, Rachel, was a counselor here, and I wanted more than anything to be here with her and the rest of my Circle F family instead of in a hospital room. Even though I have not been to camp since 2003, Rachel, Diana, Murray, and even some of my previous campers called to make sure I was okay. That was one of the hardest moments in my life but I found comfort in knowing that I had the support of Circle F to help get me through. This year, I wanted to come back to camp, not only because I love this place and what it has done for me, but for the friends I knew would be here this summer, Mike, Blake, Murray, Luis, Diana, Rachel, and all my campers that are now counselors, Sarah, Clare, Chelsea. This place can consume you and help you to grow as an individual. By embracing who you are and being true to yourself, you can meet lifelong friends, who don’t judge you, who love you for the person you are and will be there always. My life would not be the same without Circle F, I am grateful for the friends and memories I have here and I am blessed that God led my steps one day out to Circle F.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the whole gang
Friday, July 04, 2008
Happy 4th of July
Howdy Circle F Family,
Happy 4th of July. Today is an extra special day of camp. To celebrate our Independence Day we cancel our normal classes and fill the day with tons of all camp celebrations.
We started the morning off with the pledge of allegiance followed by the National Anthem (very patriotic). We had a very american breakfast of eggs, toast, and grits.
After camp clean up we prepared for the 4th of July parade. Each cabin group designed and built a float. Then we had a big Independence Day parade. You need to go see the pictures to see how awesome the floats were. There was a tank, an Ipod playing patriotic music, a school bus, a united we stand float among others. The parade went down the main road in camp and Stars and Stripes played as they marched through camp.
After our parade was the traditional girl vs. boy tug of war competition. I am sad to say the the girls wupped the boys. Next was Circle F Olympics with events like: three legged race, potato sack races, relay races and more. As you might guess, it was a blast.
This afternoon was Water Battle. It starts out as a water fight and ends up as a mud fight. It is probably my favorite time, I really feel like a kid again in all that mud.
This evening we had our Red, White and Blue dance. The dance was held down on the beach and it was the perfect weather. We ended the evening with some fire works and singing "I am proud to be an american." This will be a 4th of July that none of us will ever forget.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the Gang
Thursday, July 03, 2008
July 2nd Blog
Howdy Circle F Family,
Sorry we had some technical difficulties with our internet. Here is the blog from July 2nd:
We are over half way done with Session Two . We have done so much already and now we will start the run to our exciting climax.
Rrrr waterfront staff arranged a special afternoon activity called Pirate Day today. There was buried treasure, eye patches, walking the plank, sailing wars (with water balloons) and other piratical activities. Be sure to check the website for pictures (www.circle-f-duderanch.com).
Today we had a big storm. In just over an hour we had one and a half inches of rain drop. The softball field was flooded and the lake rose nearly 3 inches due to runoff. There were also strong winds that dislodged the blob and dock on the lake and knocked down some branches. Luckily, we were able to track the storm early and we had everyone safe inside buildings during the short but fierce storm. One of the great things about camping in Florida is that it does not rain for a long time. As soon as the storm let up (about an hour), the campers were back out and onto the next activity. We quickly fixed the dock and will have the blob up and running before its next scheduled use.
Tonight’s evening program was the Co-Counselor Showdown. This game is a lot like the Newlywed Game. We take two counselors who have been living together for the whole summer and ask them questions about the other. Some examples included: “what is your co-counselor’s biggest pet peeve in the cabin,” “who is the bad cop in the cabin,” “what is your co-counselor’s favorite meal at camp” and more. The first counselor writes down the answer and then the second counselor tries to guess what they wrote. This leads to some very funny answers.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the Gang
Sorry we had some technical difficulties with our internet. Here is the blog from July 2nd:
We are over half way done with Session Two . We have done so much already and now we will start the run to our exciting climax.
Rrrr waterfront staff arranged a special afternoon activity called Pirate Day today. There was buried treasure, eye patches, walking the plank, sailing wars (with water balloons) and other piratical activities. Be sure to check the website for pictures (www.circle-f-duderanch.com).
Today we had a big storm. In just over an hour we had one and a half inches of rain drop. The softball field was flooded and the lake rose nearly 3 inches due to runoff. There were also strong winds that dislodged the blob and dock on the lake and knocked down some branches. Luckily, we were able to track the storm early and we had everyone safe inside buildings during the short but fierce storm. One of the great things about camping in Florida is that it does not rain for a long time. As soon as the storm let up (about an hour), the campers were back out and onto the next activity. We quickly fixed the dock and will have the blob up and running before its next scheduled use.
Tonight’s evening program was the Co-Counselor Showdown. This game is a lot like the Newlywed Game. We take two counselors who have been living together for the whole summer and ask them questions about the other. Some examples included: “what is your co-counselor’s biggest pet peeve in the cabin,” “who is the bad cop in the cabin,” “what is your co-counselor’s favorite meal at camp” and more. The first counselor writes down the answer and then the second counselor tries to guess what they wrote. This leads to some very funny answers.
Fantastic Wishes,
Roger and the Gang