As the weather gets warmer...

...we get more and more excited for the summer!

Over the past few months I've been out on the road recruiting new people and talking to old staff who will return for another great summer in just a few months. We've received a lot of applications this year which is making the interview and selection process all the more difficult, especially for the female side of camp! In the end some really great applicants won't make it on to our staff this year. Hard to handle but in the end it will be what's best for camp.

But if you look at the male side of things, it's another story entirely. It's a common problem with all camps that I talk with: Where are the guys? For every male applicant we receive 10 female applicants. It's hard for me to understand since I've been at camp for so long and the thought of leaving never stayed in my head for long. I've been fortunate enough to make a living out of camp but we lose great male staff every year to sports, internships and the "real world" (which I don't think really exists at this point). That means when I receive a male application it's time for a jig. Thankfully we receive enough male applicants that we can still hold them to a high standard. Not everyone makes it onto the Kanata staff team!

We're always looking for new perspectives here at camp. If you think you have some insight into how we can recruit and retain our male staff more effectively please let me know. Drop me a line at ryan.eves@campkanata.org.

That's all from me for this month. See you real soon!

Ryan Eves
Assistant Camp Director

Could it have rained any more???

I was checking the local weather and they (the experts) claim that we have had over 3 inches of rain since Friday, but if you asked our campers and staff who survived the "Wettest Mini-Camp of All-Time" they would swear it was at least a foot of rain. Never fear, because our highly trained staff are more than capable of programming an incredible mini-camp experience despite some rain. Our campers were able to take part in normal camp activities (archery, canoeing, etc.) and then when the rain decided to not stop, Jen Baldinelli (Program Director par excellence), had design your own St. Patrick's Day shirts ready to go. After the t-shirts the campers split for Jen and the girls to have a Karaoke party and Ryan Eves (Assistant Summer Camp Director) and the boys to have the messiest Capture the Flag game of all time.

In the words of Ryan Eves, "you couldn't tell by the smiles on the campers faces that this mini-camp was different than any other." I think that if our Kanata staff can provide a great experience like that on a rainy, chilly weekend in March imagine the fun your child will have when they come to camp in the summer.

Register soon for the 2009 summer!

Your Camp Director,

Dave

Summer is on the way!

So it turns out that winter is not going to go on forever. I wasn't too sure there for a little while. Spring at Camp Kanata means that it is project time! We are already rolling. I thought I'd just give you a bit of info about the projects we have going on right now.

Putt-Putt

We have a valuable volunteer helping us build a new Putt-Putt Pro-Shack. We are getting ready to refinish all of the holes with new turf and fresh paint - it's going to be great! We're even going to have scorecards - bring your A-game.

Activity Field

We're getting ready to lay down another 26,000 square feet of sod around the edges of the new field. What a resource. An exciting bit of new about the field - The Hasentree turf crew has volunteered their labor, equipment and knowhow to the upkeep of our field.

Archery

We've placed a permanent shack at the archery field and install split rail fence around the perimeter. Final phase to come - shaded shooting area with decking and benches.

Ad-Staff Office

We've converted a worn out room in the lodge into a nice bit of office space for the ad-staff. The space includes new floors, several office desks, a pc with a printer. Yeah ad staff - you have your own space!

Bathhouse

Another great volunteer walked in the door and offered to help us with this one. We are redoing the sink are in both sides of the bathhouse. There will be a stainless steel trough-style sink, new mirrors, stained wood on the walls and new toilets. This one is going to be great.

That just gives you a feel for what we have going on right now. There is tons more to come.

Is Putt-Putt still cool? It will be at Kanata!!!

Here at Kanata we are continuously evaluating how we do things, how things look and how we deliver our programs. Because of this I hope that you are always seeing things change at Kanata. One of the things that our staff have been working on is the Putt-Putt area of camp. For as long as I have been here (since 2003) it has just been a nice little area of camp, but not that great. That will not be the case any longer! Our "Crew" (cool term for our maintenance staff) and a great volunteer (Bob Casamassi) have been building a new Putt-Putt program hut and then they will begin work on refurbishing the putting areas.

This might seem like a small thing to spend our time on, but if we are going to have a putt-putt course we want to make it the best we can. So, when you are here this summer make sure to stop by the Putt-Putt course, check out a putter and a ball and spend some time having fun on our new course. Also, be sure to thank the "Crew" for all their hard work making Kanata look awesome!

See you this summer.

Your Camp Director,

Dave

A message from Jen Baldinelli, Program Director at Camp Kanata

One thing that I am so excited for this summer is the start of Kanata’s brand new TRACK OUT CAMP program. Track Out Camp will both kick off and wrap up our traditional Kanata Summer with a session in May and two sessions in August.

Kanata has always made a point to try to serve as many children as we can each summer. When we looked at the area around our Camp, we realized that there were a group of children that never got the opportunity to experience a week at either Kanata Day or Overnight camp due to their school schedule. We decided to reach out to this group and create a program that would work just for them. Each of our Track Out Sessions occurs during a time when children are tracked-out from school. This is a benefit to not only any track 2 children in the area, but a special treat for any kids that may be home-schooled or on a modified schedule at their school.

Track Out camp will run very similarly to how we have run Kanata Overnight Camp. Check-in will be on Sunday afternoon and Check-Out will be on Friday afternoons, as opposed to the standard Saturday check-out. We changed our check-out day due to the fact that we wanted to ease transition between a week at Kanata and a new track-in at school or another track-out program. Each day at Kanata Track Out will be filled with the same activities that Kanata regulars love: riflery, canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, archery, and sports. Each evening will provide a time for all of the camp to come together in a camp wide program that is specific for the theme of that session.

My biggest passion is helping others and summer camp programming. I cannot wait to help a whole new community of people this summer with our newest program.

See you this summer!

I live in the south for a reason...

Let me be clear that I choose to live in the south for a reason.  I grew up on the coast of southern Virginia (Hampton Roads area) and I was basically there because that is where my parents decided to settle as a family.  As I became an adult and realized I could live pretty much anywhere I want it was a no-brainer.  I will live in the south for basically one reason...I don't like cold weather!  My love for the southern part of our country has been difficult with this winter because it has been very cold.  As I am writing this I am looking out my window on over 3 inches of snow laying in my front yard and temperatures hovering in the low 20's.  

This snow and rain over the last few days has put a big dent in my plans.  I love being outside and I have Sunday road bike group rides every week that have been affected by the snow, cold weather and rain.  This cold weather and rain has also had an affect on my ability to get outside and go for a run.  I am basically suffering from a major case of "cabin fever" and want the weather to warm up so I can get outside.  

I guess I will compromise, bundle up and do what I normally do on snow days.  My wife (Jennifer) and I will load our 3 dogs (yes, 3 dogs) Callie, Jasper and Parker in our vehicle and drive them out to Kanata and let them play in the snow.  I will be cold and miserable, but I will have a happy wife and 3 very, very happy dogs!

Hope it warms up soon.

See you this summer.

Your Camp Director,

Dave

Camp Builds Kids' Confidence and Independence

I frequently hear parents say something like . . . "My child says they are ready to go to camp but I'm not ready for them to go to camp." As a parent myself, I would encourage parents to send their child to camp, especially if they say they are ready. The camp experience is perfect for building kids' confidence and independence. Kids learn so many valuable skills at camp . . . how to make friends, how to do different activities such as archery, riflery and so much more.

It's difficult to trust others to take care of your children but rest assured at Kanata many, many safety procedures are in place to prevent any mishaps. You'll be amazed at how your child will grow emotionally and mentally in just six days and the effects will last so much longer than that. Summer camp is one of the best investments you can make each year in your child's life. Give them the opportunity to build some of the best memories they will ever have. I hope to see you here at Kanata this summer!

Have a FUN day!

Eva Hobson
Director of Adminstration
eva.hobson@campkanata.org