The Tradition Continues

Greetings once again from the best place on earth!

Our week of staff training is coming to a close and it will be nice to relax a bit and rest up before the staff come back and the kids arrive on Sunday. This week I've had the pleasure of watching the staff get to know one another and connect to form the Spartan, Daisy, Ranger, Butterfly, Knight and Angel units. I've gotten to meet and get to know counselors from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel and Ethiopia. I've been able to reconnect with old friends and create new friendships as the weeks gone on.

Staff week would have been much less without the wonderful contributions of Jim Cain. His opening games and exercises and the challenges he gave our staff will make a lasting impression on this summer and many summers to come. If you get to play "WAH!" this summer you have Jim to thank.

As I was getting ready to leave today, I happened to check my Facebook messages and this is what I found:

Ryan-

Every time I read your status and see it's about camp/staff week I get a knot in my stomach. Those are the most precious days and I hope you bask and soak in them for every second they last. I just told Abby Hoover [one of our staff this summer] that every year when the girls get together for a Daisy Reunion we all agree camp days are the most golden of our memories. Through graduations, boyfriends, marriages and children and all of the things that make life grand, camp is definitely at the top. So when it's hot and the kids are whiny and you're too tired because you chose to chat with friends instead of go to sleep, just remember: These days are golden and nothing will ever replace them in your heart. Even the sticky, pouty days are better than most when you're in the real world.

I hope you have the most delightful summer ever. I hope staff week and all of the following weeks flow smooth like a river. And remember, there are decades of people who love you and wish they could be out there with you. Good Luck and do your best everyday!!

Much, much love,
Rikki

It was an honor to respond to Rikki, who I remember as a counselor and head female counselor from my days as a camper. When I'm in the moment and running around trying to make sure that trainings and work detail are going well, it's easy to forget the legacy and tradition I get to carry on as a member of the Kanata staff team. As I told Rikki in my response, I am truly honored to continue the tradition this summer.

As I begin my 15th summer here at Kanata I wish you the best. May you have time to relax, reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. May you have time to slow down and enjoy the heat by the lake or the pool. May you be refreshed and renewed over the weeks to come. I hope that you get a chance to visit this summer. There's always space in the dining hall!

See you real soon!

Much, much love,

Ryan

Connecting...that's what it's all about

When I think about what makes Kanata special to so many people I realize it is the time we spend connecting with them.  Maybe you first connected with Kanata at a Y-Guides & Princesses Fall Outing or you connected at a Mini-Camp and it was your first overnight away from home.  You might have met us at a Camp Fair or a friend told you about Kanata and you decided to give it a try.

Whatever way you were first introduced to us we are glad it happened and now we are always looking for better ways to connect with our present campers, our staff, our alumni and our parents.  Because of this we are actively using new and different methods to stay in contact with present Kanata family members and looking at new ways to reach out to those we haven’t connected with yet.

A great resource we are using to stay connected with staff and alumni is Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/) .  This website allows us to find former staff and campers and keep them updated on what is going on at camp and to give them opportunities to reconnect through alumni events throughout the year.  Just search for Camp Kanata.  The fun doesn’t stop there!  We recently started a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/campkanata) where we are able to upload videos of things going on at camp.  It is a simple way to introduce a new staff member, highlight changes at camp and just do some fun stuff to make ourselves (and hopefully you) laugh.  We have also gone to an email newsletter format.  This allows us to quickly and efficiently send out updates without the cost of paper and postage and to be better stewards of our natural resources.  We fully understand that we are in the people business and we just happen to run a camp.  Because of this we want to get to know you better and we want you to know us better.  Please take time to catch up with us through Facebook, YouTube, email or drop by and see us sometime. 

 

Thank you for choosing Kanata for your summer camp experience!  We can’t wait to see you next summer!

 

Your Camp Director,

 

Dave Bell