HOME OF THE HAPPY CAMPER!

Spring 2012

Thispastsummer,Ireceivedanemailthatanycampdirectorwouldlovetoreceive.Amotherwrotetosaythatherdaughterbroughthomeaglowingreportaboutcamp.Herdaughterhadinformedherthat CampWoodhavenwas“betterthanDisneyWorldANDChuckE.Cheese.”AlthoughIwasastoundedatfirstatthecampbeingcomparedtosuchroyaltyofentertainmentasDisney,onfurtherthoughtIrealizedthat evenWaltDisneyhimselfwouldapproveoftheimaginativeplay thattakesplaceatcamp. Iamoftenamazedatwhatcampersconsiderthehighlightofcamp.Manytimes,theiractivityofchoiceisnotsomethingthatispartofformalprogramming.Onmyofficedoortherearehanddrawnpicturesfromcampers.Amongthem,thereisadeclarationofthe“Sandpit”beingafavoritepartofcamp.The“Sandpit”fillstimeifcampersendanactivityearly.Everysummer,myhusbandGeorgewaitsuntilcampbeginstohavethebigdumptruckpulluptoemptyanewloadofsand.Thecampershavesomuchfunclimbingthepile,andthen,thegrandmovementofsandbeginsastunnelsaredug,roadsaremarked,andbuildingsbegantoform.Sticksandrocksjointhemixtoaddthedetailstotheircreations. IwillneverforgetthetimethatGeorgehadcrushedstonedeliveredforamaintenanceprojectduringvacationcamp.Thecampersaskedmeiftheycouldplayonthesmallpile.Astheywereworkingtogethertocreateapassinthe topofthepile,onelittleboylookedupatmewithlarge,seriouseyesandwistfullysaid,“IwishIcouldtakethispilehomewithme.”Itwasaremindertomethatthoughweentertainourchildrenwiththestimulatingworldofexpensivetechnologicaltoys,thereisstillavoidthatcanonlybefilledin thewonderofnatureandthegreatoutdoorswhereactivityis notall“programmed”forthem. Lastsummer,Inoticedaninterestingdevelopmentnexttothearcheryrangewherethecamperswaitfortheirturnatarchery.Theoldercampersconstructedagardenofrockformations.Thedarktowersstoodagainstthebrightgreenfoliageattheedgeofthewoods,addinganairofancientmystery.Ihopethattheyhavebirthedanewtradition,andthatthismasterpiecewilldevelopovertheyearstocome. ~continuedonpage2

Welcome to Camp Woodhaven!

Nutsy and his camp friends

AttheNationalEnvironmentalEducationconferenceGeorgeandIattendedinRaleigh,NC,IlearnedrangersatparksinNewYorkCityarenowbeingcalled“playworkers.” Theyarefacilitatorsofchildren’snaturaltendencytobecuriousandcreative.Theymayprovidesomematerialsandsupervision,butitdoesnottakemuchactionontheadult’sparttoinitiateplayanddiscovery.ThisisaconceptIwant tobringtoourcampcounselors. Creativityandimaginativeplaywereimportantcomponentsofmyupbringing.WedidnothaveaTVinourhome,soIplayedoutdoorsonour100acredairyfarm.OneChristmaswhenIwasinelementaryschool,myfatherboughtmeatoolboxoftools,lumber,ModPodge,andstainformypresentthatyear.Heshowedmesamplesoftoyshehadmadeasachild.Wecutdesignsoutoftracingpapertotransferonthewood.Then,hetaughtmehowtocutonhisjigsaw.Ispenthoursinmyworkshop,fillingimaginaryorders. Tothisday,oneofmycreations

hangsonthewallinmy90yearoldgrandmother’skitchen.Thecreativitytheyencouragedinmehasgivenmefourgiftsthathaveimpactedmyadultlife:curiosity,inventiveness,determination,andindependence. Creativedevelopmentatcampdoesnotjusthappeninaphysicalsense.Sincemostoftheplayisdonewithtwoormorechildren,socialcreativityisalsobeingstrengthened.Astheyworktogether,theyarealsocomingupwithimaginativewaystorelate,communicate,andworkasateam. Iseetheseasvitalskillsthatmustbenurturedasmuchoftheirsuccessasadultswillbebasedontheirabilitytoworkwithotherpeople. AttheAmericanCampingAssociation’snationalconferenceinAtlantathisyear,ChristineCarter,PhD,asociologistandpopularauthor,spokeonthehappinessofchildren.Shesharedaboutastudywherechildrenweregivengraduallymorecomplexpuzzles. Thechildrenwhowererewardedwithpraiseforworkinghardandnotfortheirinnatetalentorintelligencetookonmoreadvancedpuzzles.Thechildrenwhowerepraisedforbeingsmartor

gifteddidnotwanttotakeonthemoredifficultlevelsbecausetheywereafraidtolosetheirtitleofbeingsmart.Cartersaid,“Whenchildrenarepressuredtoachieveyoudulltheiremotions,stifletheircreativity,andmakethemunhappy.”Childrenareexposedtoachievementpressuresallthetimethroughschoolandathletics. Forthisreason,camphasaveryimportantplaceinachild’seducation.Campprovidesacounterbalancetoachievementbasedlearningthattakesplaceatschool.Atcamp,wehavetheperfectopportunitytoletcampers“try”whatevertheywanttodowithoutfearoffailure.Therearenogradesatcamp.Childrencanparticipate,makemistakes,andlearnfromthem.Campisa“safe”placeforcampersofallagestopracticecreativitywithoutinhibitionorfearofmissingachievementstandards.Thestaffwillbetheretocheerthemonaswegrowtogetherandnurturethe“senseofwonder”thatinspireseachpersontowanttolearnandexperiencemore.

George&PaulaDeTellisCampDirectors

No lines, no waiting,

camp is ready for creating! another great

day at camp

camperS create a bruSh Shelter

camper getS aSSiStance from archery SpecialiSt

Thisfall,GeorgeandIattendedthenationalconferenceforenvironmentaleducation.Wehavebecomeveryinterestedingrowing theenvironmentaleducationsideofcamp.Forthepasttwoyears,ClintonElementary hasbroughttheirthirdgraderstocampforafieldtrip.Studentsgettoexperienceaday ofcampbyparticipatinginateambuildingexercise,shootingbowandarrows,enjoyinganaturecraft,playingdodgeball,andhikingtoexploreanaturelesson.Ifyouthinkthisissomethingyourchild’sschoolwouldbeinterestedin,pleasespreadtheword.Itisour desiretoassistschoolsinmeetingcurriculumrequirements,soteachersareencouraged toletusknowwhatgoalsneedtobeaccomplishedwiththeirvisit.

Program Dates for 2012

CampwillrunfortenweeksthisyearbeginningJune18thandendingAugust24th.Anumberofschoolsalreadyhaveschooldaysscheduledduringweekone.Thecampisofferingadditionaloptionsforshortersessionsforthatweek.Itistheperfectopportunitytotrycampforadayifyourchildisnewtoourprogram.Transportationandextendeddaypricingforshortsessionswillhavetobediscountedmanually,socall theofficebeforeyoupayforthoseservices.

AfourthweekinAugustwasaddedattherequestofmanyparents.Wehopethatextraweekwillhelpmeetyourdaycareneeds.Thankyouforlettingusknow howwecouldserveyoubetter.

Environmental Education

CamP is a PlaCE to...

sEE olD friENDs

aND makE NEW friENDs

Studying frogS from the bog

camperS take SampleS of water from the vernal pool with the nature SpecialiSt

Electives

AtCampWoodhaven,campersselecttheactivitiestheywanttodofortwoperiods.Theelectivesusuallytieintothethemeforeachweek.ElectiveswillbereadyforonlineselectionbyApril1st.Anemailwillbesentouttoallregisteredcamperswhentheyareonline.Thethemeweeksareavailablenowonwww.campwoodhaven.com underthe“AboutUs”tab.

open HouseOurannualopenhousewillbeheld April28,2012from10am-2pm. ThisoccurspriortotheMay1stearlybirddiscount.Inviteyourfriendstocome. TheinvitationisreadytoshareontheCampWoodhavenfacebookpage.

Bus stop location added

Anewbusstophasbeenaddedforsummer2012.Parentscan nowdropofftheirchildrenat theWalmartparkinglotat 137WestBoylstonStreetin WestBoylston.

tug of war

camper rollS

log for highland

gameS

playing knock-out

camperS lead SongS for overday yarn bug elective

come meet our wonderful Staff

wacky wedneSday color war team

Camp Woodhaven P. o. Box 777 West Boylston, ma 01583 Phone: 508-835-9883 fax: 508-835-0910 www.campwoodhaven.com

In2011,thecampaddedthreenewstructuresandamuchlovedgagapittotheproperty.Theaddedspacehasbeensohelpfulasnoweveryspecialistareahasaplacetogoifitrains.Thankyoutoeveryonewhodonatedfinanciallytowardthebuildings.Wealsohadafurniturebusinessandalocalfoundationdonatealargequantityofusedofficefurniture. Anew20X40buildinghousesthedramadepartment. Itissurroundedbywindowstoletinlightandsummerbreezesthankstoalocalbusinessmanwhowaswillingtogiveusthewindowsatcost.Thefacilityprovidesgroupswithplentyofroomforactinganddancing.

Inthewoods,thenaturecenterprovidesa25X25spacefortouchtanksandnaturedisplays.Thisuniquestructurehasslidingbarndoorsandwindows.Theroofiscoveredwithclearpolycarbonatetoletinthenaturallight.Thankyoutoeveryonewhodonatedtanksandcagesfordisplays.Weevenreceivedsomewiththeanimalsinthem,whichwasreallyfunforthecampers.Anenormousconferencetablewasdonatedaswellassomemetalcabinets.Onthewishlistforthisyear,wewouldliketoinstallsolarpanelsinthisbuildingtorunthefiltersforthetanksasthisbuildinghasnoelectricity.Wealsohopetohaveenoughelectricitytorunaprojectorforamicroscopeorcomputer.Ifanyonehascontactsforsolarenergykitsorifyouwishtodonatetothisproject,givetheofficeacall.

Anotherlarge40x60pavilionoverlooksthepoolareaatthebaseofthesportsfield.Itprovidesrainydayplayspaceforthesportsandadventureprogrammingareas.WealsowouldliketousethispavilionforrainyOverdaycookouts.Thebuildinghasafoundationforalargestonefireplaceatoneend.Thepricequotewereceivedtobuildthefireplacewas$17,395.Asthereisaneedforotherbuildingprojectstotakeplace,thecampdoesnothavethefundstoputintoafireplace.Ifyouhaveadesiretohelpwiththisprojecteitherbydonating,findingbusinessestodonate,orintroducingustoanothermasonforanotherquote,pleaseletusknow.Parentsandchildrenalikewillenjoy abeautifulcenterpieceforOverdaypicnicsifwecanpulltogethertogetthispavilioncompleted.

Thegagapitprovidesplentyofexcitementforcampers. Thegameof“gaga”or“IsraeliDodgeball”isplayedwithinanoctagonalstructure.Theballcanbeplayedoffthewalloranotherperson.Insteadofhavingteams,eachplayerisagainstalltheotherplayers.Astheballhitsplayersbeneaththeknee,theyexitthepit. Iftheballhitsabovetheknee,thepersonthrowingtheballisout. Thelastpersonstandinginthepitisthewinner.Thisgamewas sopopularatcampthisyearwehavedecidedtobuildanother oneinadifferentlocation.

Construction Projects Completed in 2011