Our Weekender program has started – with great success. Designed to provide a guided experience for our participants, it is also a great deal of fun. Please find here our newsletter from our October North Weekender that is sent to every participant:

"I'm psyched to be back at the weekender. I love it here!"  We couldn’t have put it better ourselves Nicole C. Welcome Back to the Camp Summit Weekender Program!  We arrived to Camp Vacamas by car, van or bus Friday evening and to say that all were excited for the first weekender of this school year would be putting it mildly!  The common room in our Hayden Lodge was filled with screams of excitement, hugs and those that were new to our weekender program were greeted by our veterans.  The campers caught up with each other, met new campers and began to get settled into their rooms.  Boys were in one big room to the left of the lodge and girls were to the right.  We then enjoyed our evening snack of mozzarella sticks and egg rolls and had our weekender meeting to introduce staff, go over the rules and schedule for the weekend.  After some board games, reading and catching up with friends it was lights out!

We awoke Saturday morning to the sun shining, a beautiful view of the lake from our lodge and the smell of pancakes and sausage coming from the kitchen.  After breakfast we headed out for our first activity.  James, Sara C., Nicole C., Alyssa, Sophia, Kate, Matt, Michael, Jacob, Nicholas, Troy, Zack E., Liam, Harrison and Bryan went to archery.  Sara got one of the first arrows into the target and Harrison who had never done archery before ended up being a natural at it. 

Nicole L, Allison, Samantha, Maralyn, Stephanie, Amy, Victoria, Annie, Kailyn, Brittany, Sarah G., Henry, Sam, Zack G., Philip, Brandon and John went to the gym for wall climbing and basketball.  Philip is Summit’s own Spiderman and Victoria is our own Spiderwoman!  Henry, Sam, Nicole, Sara and Stephanie also made it up the wall in record time!  After they left the gym the group took a “Friendship Walk,” where the campers were split into pairs and had to walk with their partner and learn about each other.  The campers were heard asking great questions and holding great conversations.

The whole group than went on a nature walk.  We enjoyed the beautiful fall trees surrounding the lake and walked to a stream where we got to enjoy a taste of the spring water.  The group then walked back to the lodge for a BBQ lunch.  Sarah G. was nice enough to take the initiative to set the table for her group.  Lunch was followed by rest hour so that we would all be ready for our busy afternoon!

Our campers had the choice of Halloween Themed Arts and Crafts or the Challenge course for their first afternoon activity.  Kate, John, Matt, Maralyn, Brittany, Nicole, Sara C., Kailyn, Victoria, Sophia, Brandon, Michael, James, Annie, Jacob, Amy, Alyssa, Samantha and Philip got ready for Halloween by painting small wooden coffins and making spooky characters out of model magic.  Jacob showed his artistic ability by cutting out pieces of foam to make a mummy for the outside and than making the inside of his coffin into a jewelry box!

Henry, Sam, Liam, Troy, Sarah G., Zack E., Zack G., Stephanie B., Nicole, Brian, Allison, Nicholas and Harrison took part in the Challenge Course.  Harrison and Stephanie stepped up to be the group’s Captains for the challenges.  The group had to balance on a suspended bridge as a group as well as make it across a tire obstacle.  The group worked well together and was able to complete the tasks they were challenged with.

Our second afternoon activities were cooking and sports.  Kate, Amy, Michael, Brandon,Victoria, Kailyn, Maralyn, Stephanie, Annie, Liam, Zack E, Sara C., Harrison, Jimmy, Nicole, Sarah G, Jacob, Alyssa, Troy, Nicole, Samantha, Allison and Philip made Carmel Apple Monsters during cooking.  They decorated caramel apples with marshmallows, chocolate chips and candy corn.  Troy enjoyed his apple so much that his tooth fell out!!  The group was even nice enough to make apples for the group of campers that went to play football outside.  Henry, Sophia, Samantha, Brittany, Zack G., Nicholas and Brian went outside to play football and than came in to enjoy their apples.

After our last activity of the day it was time for shower hour, some down time and than our Pizza Party dinner, followed by Birthday Cake for Kate, who celebrated her 17th  birthday on Sunday!  It was than time for one of the favorite parts of the weekender…..THE SUMMIT CAMP TALENT SHOW!!!  Nicole C. hosted her first ever talent show and did a wonderful job with the help of Sophia.  Brittany helped take photos of all our performers!  Our acts were as follows:  Sara C. started the performance singing “Somewhere,” Matthew than sang "I’ll Take You There," Stephanie was next up singing “Born This Way,” John played an original song on the piano, Allison sang "Something," and Henry performed a comedy act, Zack E. with the help of counselors Paul and Joe gave a Summit Camp Chant, Troy sang "Give Me A Reason," and Zack G. and Bryan sang “Party Rock,” which got everyone up dancing and singing.  Next up was Brandon singing "Best Love Song,” Victoria sand “Last in Love,” Kate got the crowd singing with “Love Story,” and Jacob wowed us with his dance moves.  Nick told funny jokes and Maralyn sang “I Don’t Wanna” and the shows finale was Nicole performing on the piano.  We have so much talent that we are ready to bring our show on the road!!  After the talent show it was movie and s’more time!  And after our action packed day it was lights out, so we could all get a good nights sleep for our last fun filled day at camp!

We awoke to another beautiful fall day on Sunday and enjoyed French toast sticks and sausage for breakfast.  After breakfast it was time to clean up our rooms and pack up before we enjoyed our first activity.  Philip, Harrison, Liam, Zack E, Troy, Brittany, Sophia, Zack G, Sam, Brandon, Nick, Nicole L, Bryan, Henry and Jimmy went up to the field and enjoyed a game of football.  Our captain was Harrison and our Co-captains were  Zack G. and Bryan.  Everyone played as a team and enjoyed themselves.

Nicole C, Stephanie, Annie, Alyssa, Michael, Amy, Sara C, Victoria, Kailyn, John, Our Birthday Girl Kate, Maralyn, Sarah, Jacob, Matt and Samantha enjoyed finishing up their spooky Halloween arts and crafts.  Sarah made some beautiful model magic animals and Halloween characters!

After our first activity we had our camp meeting to discuss our weekend.  Kate loved her birthday cake.  Other favorites were arts and crafts, our cooking project, enjoying s’mores, the talent show and movie, sports, seeing the animals, Zack G. liked seeing old friends from camp and playing outside and Nicole L. liked the rock climbing and playing outside also.

Some suggestions for future weekenders included: fishing, a Thanksgiving feast, a dance social/contest, individual rooms and ice skating.  The campers were happy to hear that we will be staying in the “Hilton” lodge (Labadorf) for all of our future weekenders.  This lodge has a larger common room as well as a lounge/loft  upstairs, and 10 rooms for the boys and 10 rooms for the girls.  Our next weekender is November 18-21, 2011 and we will be celebrating with a Thanksgiving theme!

"I had more than a blast," I think sums up our thoughts of the weekender!!  Thanks to all of our campers for a fun and exciting weekend and to a wonderful, dedicated staff: Sally, Abbey, Lois, Stephanie, her assistant Addie, Paul, Danny and Joe!

See you next month. 

Christine for Weekender North October.

For more information on our Weekender Program, please click here.