And The Colors Are...

FIRE (orange, red) 

VS

WATER (purple, blue)

VS

EARTH (green, brown)

Staff - You will get your team color when we give program assignments

IT 2s - 

On the FIRE team: Forte, Kirbii, Rojo

On the WATER team: Vortex, Radio, Roo

On the EARTH team: Muskrat, Toulouse, Stargazer

Campers & Leapers- You will get your team color when you arrive at camp, so bring some of each color or clothes and then you can trade with other campers in your program.

Last Blog Prize Opportunity!

Hey Everybody!


This is the last blog where you can win a prize! The next prize opportunity will be in Tie-dyed Times (staff newsletter) during the first week of staff training.


To win a prize: Where is this bird's nest located at camp?

See you all very soon!

Prize Blog - Get Ready For Staff Training!

Staff training is right around the corner!

Belay training is May 24-26

Lifeguard/Emergency Response/Wilderness First Aid training is May 28 - June 2

Your prize challenge...

If you are taking Ropes Course Training - Learn to tie a Double Loop Figure Eight (our climbing knot) and show me BEFORE ropes course starts. This site is great to learn your knots! http://www.animatedknots.com/indexclimbing.php

If you are taking Lifeguard Training - Swim 2000 yards (before my next blog posting) - Just send me a message before next Tuesday, and let me know you swam.

If you are not taking either training - Tell me a camp "skill" (i.e. knot tying, fire building, etc.) that you would like to teach during staff training, and be prepared to teach it.

*For those of you taking both Ropes Course & LG training, you have an opportunity to be entered in the drawing twice if you complete both of the above tasks.

Happy Camping,
Squirrel

Prize Blog - Mystery Photo!

Guess correctly for a chance to win a prize when you get to camp!

Where is this fire scar located at camp? (dont forget, if you just comment on this post, everybody can see your answer. I suggest a fb message)


For those of you who have never been to camp...


Hopefully you have been reading lots of discussions and talking to returning staff about camp, your question is,


Name a place in camp that want to explore?


Happy Camping,


Squirrel


P.S. The winner for week 6 is Wolf!

Prize Blog Winners (For weeks 1-5)

Week 1 - MUFFINS
Week 2 - DARQUE
Week 3 - SPEEDY
Week 4 - DICE
Week 5 - nobody :(
Week 6 - I don't know yet... but it could be YOU!


If you won a prize, come claim your prize when you get to camp!

Prize Blog - Find an activity to do with your campers!

Hey Everybody,


I promise this prize blog is easier than last weeks! That magic number squares puzzle is hard, but I was very excited when I finally figured out the answer around 1am in the middle of the night. So, I'm going to not tell you the answer yet, just in case some of you want to figure it out once you are done with school for the year (I will probably still be willing to give a prize).


For this prize blog...


Find a game or activity you would like to do with your campers this summer, and post it on here. Please include enough details about the game or activity that others can also do it at camp this summer, meaning do not just post the name of the game. However, you can copy and paste the rules/description. (I told you this prize blog was easier than the last)


Happy Camping,
Squirrel


P.S. Get excited for next week's prize blog... because I will be at camp and already have an idea for a fun one. :0)

Magic Square Puzzle

Magic Square Puzzle:

Fill in the magic square in such a way that the sum of the numbers in each row (horizontally, vertically, and diagonally) is 264, even if you hold the square upside down. You are only allowed to use the digits 1, 6, 8, and 9, and each number may appear only once in the square.

Email or FB message me the answer. If you are correct, you will be entered in a drawing to win a prize.

Happy Puzzle-solving,

Squirrel

Tell A Story - Win A Prize!

I know most of you are anxiously awaiting the riddle answers, so here they are...


I changed my mind. I don't want you to stop reading this blog after the second line... Keep reading to find the riddle answers.


For this prize blog, all you have to do is tell a story! Tell me your favorite "This one time at camp..." story. You can either leave a comment on the blog or send me a FB msg or email (squirrel_872005@hotmail.com)


The answer to riddle number 1 is Wednesday (Speedy was the only one with a true statement)


Once you send me the story, you will be entered into a drawing to win a prize! Remember, you only have one week to send it. I will start posting the winners of the prizes later today. The prizes will come from the Amazing Squirrel Prize Box located The Habitat.


The answer to riddle number 2 is white. The only place on earth that you can go south, west, and north and end up back in the same place is the north pole, which means, the bear is white.


I look forward to the many "This one time at camp..." stories that you all have to share (you can share as many as you want, but you can only be entered in the drawing for a prize once)


Happy Camping,
Squirrel

Solve A Riddle For A Chance To Win!

Wow, it doesn't look like many people want to win prizes, Darque won by default this past week.

This week I have two riddles for you to solve. So just send me the CORRECT answers in a FB msg or email and you have the opportunity to win a prize. Think carefully, because you only get 1 guess per riddle. If you get both riddles correct, you will be put in the drawing twice.

Riddle 1:

A group of staff have been on vacation so long, that they’ve forgotten the day of the week. The following conversation ensues. Speedy: What’s the day? I don’t think it is Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Tigger: Well that doesn’t narrow it down much. Yesterday was Sunday. Squirrel: Yesterday wasn’t Sunday, tomorrow is Sunday. Hollywood: The day after tomorrow is Saturday. Titan: The day before yesterday was Thursday. Wolf: Tomorrow is Saturday. Sunshine: I know that the day after tomorrow is not Friday. If only one person’s statement is true, what day of the week is it?

Riddle 2:

You are out camping in the wilderness. You are awakened by a rustling noise. You go outside and see a bear outside your tent. You run 1 mile south, 1 mile west, and 1 mile north, to return to your camp which has been destroyed. What color is the bear?

Happy Thinking,

Squirrel

Tie Dye Tuesday Prize Blog!

This week’s prize blog has to do with Tie-dye Tuesday! Post a picture of yourself on the CBH staff FB group wearing tie-dye on Tuesday. And then get excited for tie-dying at camp every Tuesday!

Tie-dyed Times (staff newsletter) will also come out on Tuesdays. If you would like to write and would like to help with some of the articles, please let me know! Or if you have any suggestions for what you would like to see in the newsletter.

Have a GREAT Tie-dye Tuesday!

Happy Camping,

Squirrel

Win A Prize Blog!

It’s almost April and it’s time for EVERYBODY to start thinking about camp! And what perfect way to start thinking about camp is to read this blog and the CBH staff facebook group! There will be get-to-know you questions posted in the facebook group and there will be opportunities to respond to things posted here. And sometimes, you will have the opportunity to win prizes!

For a chance to win a prize… answer the following questions & email them to Squirrel at squirrel_872005@hotmail.com. Everybody that answers the questions will be entered into a drawing to win a prize.

• What are you most looking forward to this summer? And Why?
• What do you feel is the most important aspect of camp?
• What is a new idea you have for camp this summer? And how do you plan to implement it?

Happy Camping,

Squirrel

Nature Circles

Hey Everybody,


Time to bring nature programming back to CBH!


I went to this session at ACA Nationals about nature programming, and was introduced to nature circles. They work similar to our game cards in that they something to carry around and use with your campers. Each circle has questions or activities about nature. If you want to learn more about them, go to http://naturecircles.org/


If you look into them, you will notice that they are $5/set of cards. So I emailed the company and asked if I could just make my own to give to all the staff, and they said that was perfectly okay. Right now I'm just copying their questions and activities on the cards, but if you have more ideas let me know.


What I really want from all of you are some sweet nature pictures to put on these cards. If you have any pictures of birds, trees, etc. from places you've been, send a couple of your favorites to me and I will put them on the cards. My email is squirrel_872005@hotmail.com


Happy Camping,
Squirrel

Midstates Camping Conference

Midstates Camping Conference!

Midstates is a great opportunity to expand your camp horizons. It’s a gathering of lots of fun camp people from all over the Midwest. You are getting the chance to go to camp-related educational sessions, meet new people, and reconnect with old friends. Believe me, I’m jealous to all of you who are attending. If you are attending, this blog is for you. So please, share! J

Share your Midstates experience with the rest of us…

What sessions did you go to? Who did you meet?

What is a new idea you got from the conference that you would like to see happen at CBH?

What was your favorite part of the conference?

Happy Camping,

Squirrel

Squirrel's Website

I honestly must have too much time on my hands... I started a website! It's called Squirrel's Website. I started by posting team building activities, fun games, camp song lyrics, and nature activities relevant to all camp people. This is just another resource you can use to help be the best camp counselor you can be! Also, for those of you looking to get your lifeguard certification at the beginning of camp (or are already a lifeguard), check out the lifeguard swim challenge, and let me know if you want to be added to the practice months.


Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Camp Programs 2011

HEY EVERYBODY,

Hopefully everybody has heard… the brochure is out! Woo-hoo! You can find it at http://www.badgerlandcamps.org/

Whether you are a counselor or IT or an alumni, check it out! There are some pretty sweet programs for girls of all ages. Start encouraging your friends and neighbors to come to camp!

Now that the themes have all been revealed, this blog will have to go a new direction. I am still aiming to post something about once a week, so keep checking back here to add your comments.

For this post, I have some questions… pick one (or more) and share your answer! (Don’t forget to tell who you are if you are posting under “anonymous”)

*If you were coming to camp as a camper, what program would you sign up for? (and why?)

*What program are you most looking forward to this summer? (and why?)

*What are some ideas you have for some of the specialized programs?

I can’t wait to hear everybody’s comments!

Happy Camping,

Squirrel

Week 8 - Western Week!

Week 7 - Western Week!

Yee-haw CBH! What would a summer be like without a  Western Week?! Good thing we don’t have to find out… the last session of the summer will be filled with horses, bandits, cowboy hats, and fun!

Watch out, a bandit is on the loose at CBH taking your stuff and causing chaos. Campers and staff will have to come together to find and capture him/her by the end of the week.

Costumes are easy enough… just talk to our wrangler staff about what they wear J

All Camps will probably be Gold Rush and a Rodeo of some sort. If you have more ideas let me know.

So my question to all of you is, how can we make this even better than it has been?

Also, be thinking of some Western Upicks & CYOA activities.

That’s a wrap for themes… don’t forget, I’m looking for feedback, whether it be on this blog, in a fb message or in a letter. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Happy Camping,

Squirrel

P.S. Even though all the themes have been posted, the blog will continue. Let me know if you have ideas of what you want posted on here.

WEEK 7!!

WEEK 7

For week 7, CBH staff and campers are going to two amazing places! At the beginning of the week, troop camp will travel to magical lands for FAIRYTALE theme. At the end of the week, My Guy & I will come and we will have an alien invasion for SPACE theme.

For the troop week all camp, I was thinking they could come up with their own fairytale land, just like we did for a Zeus activity this past summer. Each troop creates their own land, story, song, costumes, whatever they would like. They can make their unit house into their own kingdom. We can then all travel around CBH to see what each other came up with.

Fairytales like Paul Bunyan, Hansel & Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk will be told and acted out at evening campfires. Upicks and CYOAs could include planting a beanstalk, making magic wands, or going on fairytale treasure hunts.

For My Guy & I Space theme, aliens will invade! All Camp will of course be Mission Impossible! I’m also hoping to talk to a nearby planetarium and offering that as an optional trip for dads and daughters (just like the rafting trip). Upicks and CYOA could include stargazing and making rockets. I also was thinking we could have a couple staff be aliens all week that want to be taught what camp is all about.

Staff, what other ideas do you have to make these two themes come alive?

Happy Camping,

Squirrel