On the Lake with Ryan

Summer 2022 Already!?!?

When I share what I do for a living, people often say, “That’s so cool! What do you do the rest of the year?” It’s a fair question.

Very few people have the opportunity to lead an overnight summer camp. We serve over 3,000 campers a summer with a staff of hundreds and less than ten people get to experience what it’s like to lead Camp year-round.

So, what do we do?

Fall is a time of reflection here at Camp Kanata. We look at all that happened the past summer and take time to celebrate our successes while dealing honestly with our challenges and setbacks. We take feedback from parents, campers and staff and start to frame our work preparing for the next summer.

And, if you're anything like us, you are already counting down the days until we can all return to our favorite place on earth! Each summer, we have the unique privilege of empowering thousands of children to be the best version of themselves. Thanks to outstanding mentors who encourage, lead and support each camper, children gain independence and develop character through intentional and fun programming. 

The current reality of our health climate created a whole host of challenges these past 18 months, and we are proud that our health and safety protocols worked exactly as we hoped they would, minimizing the chances that COVID-19 could get a foothold and spread within our Camp community. We succeeded because we worked together- Camp staff, volunteer medical advisors, parents, and campers!

And this fall we have so much to celebrate because this past summer was one of our best ones yet! We have a LOT to look forward to in 2022. As I write, we are on track for our new Dining Hall to open in May 2022. Our Annual Campaign is underway and we are well on our way to ensuring that EVERYONE gets the best Camp experience possible.

So, as fall turns to winter turns to spring, we will keep planning for an amazing summer. We hope we’ll see you at a weekend camp, family camp or at a Y Guides outing. But, most importantly, mark your calendar for Thursday, October 21 when registration for 2022 opens! We can’t wait to welcome you to Camp Kanata!

Until next time,

Ryan

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Supporting Your Camper’s First (or Fourth) Time at Camp 

The other day we were gifted with an afternoon in the mid-60s here at Camp. The sun was shining and the birds were singing and all I could think about was how excited I am for Summer! 

Chances are you’re excited about Summer too and counting down the days until you arrive at Kanata. There’s also a possibility that you might not be looking forward to Camp as much as you thought you would or, maybe, you’re worried Camp will feel different this year. I want you to know that all of your feelings are OK and even I, the Camp Director, have felt a little worried about Camp over the years.  

Parents and caregivers, we know how important the Camp experience is for our kids. Camp is an opportunity to grow independence, resilience, new skills and, most importantly, a chance to make friendships that will last a lifetime. Many of our kids know the benefits of Camp from their perspective too - it’s a crazy amount of fun with friends and the counselors are the best! ideo

We also know that for some of our first-time campers (and some who’ve been here before), the thought of coming to Camp can bring on a lot of worry and anxiety. The good news is that this is completely normal and we want to provide some strategies for how we can support each other as we look forward to Camp this summer. 

First-time Campers 

Often the largest source of anxiety for first-time campers comes from the fear of the unknown: Where will I sleep? What will I eat? What will it feel like to be away from home? Who will take care of me? 

The important thing for us to remember as parents is that these are real fears, and we need to treat them as legitimate concerns. Our website has a lot of great information you can share with your camper that will help them begin to form a picture of what camp will be like.  

You can also schedule a tour of Camp on our website as well. This is a great way for you and your camper to see and feel what Camp is like before arriving.  

Another strategy to help your first-time camper is to sign them up with a friend! That’s what I did the first time I came to Kanata, and it helped me feel better about being away from home for the first time. Especially because my friend had been to Camp before.  

Sending your child to camp is the beginning of a partnership between Camp and your family. If there’s any way we can support you as you prepare for Camp this summer, or if you want to share specifics about your camper, please email me. 

I can’t wait to see you this summer! 

Until next time... 

Ryan 

Links for Further Reading

Camp Kanata First-Time Camper

Preparing Children for the Summer Camp Experience

How to Prepare Your Anxious Child for Sleepaway Summer Camp

Fall is also a time when those of us who work here at Camp begin to turn our attention towards the future. We register campers for the following summer, receive CILT and CIT applications and begin to hire new staff. As the days grow cooler and shorter we find ourselves already planning for the warm sunny days of summer we love so much.  

It’s also a time of great thanksgiving here at Camp. This year we have a lot to be thankful for even though this year is unlike any other in our more than 65-year history:  

• This summer we served over 1,500 campers through our Summer Day Camp. 

• We served over 250 families through Camping Out at Kanata, our first-ever Summer Family Camp. 

• Our staff this summer served campers and families safely with no known cases of COVID-19, something for which we are both proud and extremely grateful.   

• Since August 24, 2020, we have served nearly 100 children through our Scholastic Support Center and Track Out Camp programs. 

• Our Camp Kanata Family rallied to help close our financial gap and, together, we have raised over $390,000 to date! 

• Registration is strong for Summer 2021, and we are grateful for the trust parents have in our commitment to safety. 

This year brought a myriad of challenges that have taught us more than we thought possible and encouraged us to be even more creative than before. You can play GaGa Ball with your feet! Social distancing is easy in a canoe! Eventually wearing a mask feels normal. Our traditions don’t change even when circumstances do which means Camp will always feel like Camp. And maybe one of the more special learnings is that parents can enjoy Camp as much (or maybe even more) than their kids!  

I hope you’ll take some time this month to reflect on what you’re grateful for this year. Our family has a “Joy Jar” that we add to over the year, writing significant moments on pieces of paper. Start one with your family and read it each November to remember a year’s worth of thankful memories.