Camp Games for a Cause

Camp Games for a Cause: An Exciting and Noteworthy Cause

Hi, we’re Marcy Cohen and Jenna Wollin. We both grew up at Iroquois Springs; this is our tenth summer at camp and our third summer as counselors! As our first year at college winds to an end, we are counting down the days until we are back at camp again with all of our old friends and as always, we cannot wait to make new ones!

We are so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to attend camp; without Iroquois Springs we would not be where we are today. This May, we will be co-captains of the Iroquois Springs team at the second annual Camp Games for a Cause event, sponsored by the American Camp Association of New York and New Jersey. The purpose of this fundraiser is to help send underprivileged kids to camp -- a meaningful cause that is very important to us!

Camp Games for a Cause brings together hundreds of camp alumni and friends to raise money to provide these children with positive summer camp experiences through scholarships, program support, and training. On May 19, we will participate in traditional “camp color war” types of events in the spirit of the charity, while enjoying a day with our camp friends!

On behalf of Iroquois Springs, we invite you to join us and participate in the festivities. Campers and staff (ages 16 and up) are welcome to sign up to take part in the event. If you are unable to attend, but are still interested in donating to this worthy cause, your contribution would be greatly appreciated! Your donation of

any size will go a long way toward providing a positive camp experience for children less fortunate than we are!

The American Camp Association makes it easy to donate! For online donation, just log onto www.campgamesforacause.org and search for “Iroquois Springs” on the right to make a donation. There is also a downloadable/printable page if you would prefer to mail in your contribution.

We really appreciate your donation - this cause is very special to us!

Thank you!

Jenna Wollin and Marcy Cohen

Outdoor Adventure

I was reading up on Outdoor Adventure programs and came across a statement made by psychologist James Neill, who has worked as an outdoor education instructor and researcher, stating “human potential can be unlocked through challenging experiences in supportive group environments”. It brought me back to a time about 12 years ago when I volunteered at a summer camp for children with cancer.

It was a week

long experience, but taught me far more than I could ever imagine and opened my eyes to the power of activities that elevate community and personal growth. One of the many moments that had a great impact on me took place at the outdoor adventure program zip line. I watched (and cheered on) a young disabled girl, who needed the assistance of a wheelchair to get around, make her way up the climbing tower and across the zip line. Through encouragement and support she challenged her fears, showed fierce determination and perseverance, and celebrated an accomplishment well deserved. I know she felt a great sense of empowerment and I believe the entire group got a lot out of being a part of her experience.

Outdoor adventure programs are a staple in summer camps today and offer an innovative approach to teaching camper’s leadership, patience and teamwork, in a fun and exciting environment. These programs are all about trying new things, trusting one another, and working through difficult situations as a team. That is why at Camp Iroquois Springs we offer an extensive Outdoor Adventure program, where campers learn about themselves and the world around them while having fun. Our program provides a physical challenge, where campers conquer fears and work together with persistence and perseverance to accomplish their goals. Through participation in our high and low elements ropes course, climbing tower, rappelling wall, mountain biking, rock climbing, overnight camping trips, whitewater rafting and canoe trips on the Delaware River, campers build bonds with new friends, and unlock their human potential. And it’s not just our campers that benefit from this program. We have

our staff members participate in outdoor adventure activities during staff orientation as a way to break down barriers and for them to get to know one another. Just last year we added two new high elements, an “aerial adventure course” and a “giant swing”. Both elements truly encompass the meaning of teamwork and cooperation, and really push kids outside their comfort zone within a framework of safety and support. We love the value our Outdoor Adventure program brings to camp and look forward to another great summer of fun, challenges, and excitement.

Healthy Competition in Sports

Team Sports

The Giants won the Super Bowl! Not something you didn’t already know. Probably not something you didn’t already celebrate. Hey, it’s been about six weeks since their victory, but you may still be celebrating. Maybe you even went downtown for the parade to see the players and be a part of what was clearly a HUGE event for New Yorkers and beyond. All the pre-game excitement, game day festivities and postgame extravaganza got me thinking about team sports and the role they play in our lives.

It doesn’t have to be a championship game to get a crowd filled with excitement, and a team to work together and take pride in their accomplishments.Participation in team sports helps develop physical skills, builds character, teaches discipline, and instills good sportsmanship. With good coaching and guidance, team members try their hardest for the benefit of the team, and work toward a common goal. Team sports are a great way of getting exercise, having fun, making friends and improving self-esteem. Team sports also help us set goals and teach us to deal with difficulties in life. When a game is lost, we learn to move on. We deal with adversity in a positive way in a safe environment. The Institute for the Study of Youth Sports firmly supports the premise that positive developmental experiences do occur in sports when the right conditions exist: the child is ready and open to learning the skill; a positive learning environment is created; and adults surrounding the program intentionally attempt to mentor youth and teach life skills.

At camp, we create a sports environment that is fun, as well as rewarding (win or lose). With so many highly stressful and competitive “win at all costs” sports environments, we try our hardest to create an atmosphere of healthy competition to accomplish our goals. Our experienced sports coaches and teachers are educated in youth development and are positive role models to our campers.

They bring their love of teaching and mentoring children to our camp environment where

healthy competition creates a stress free environment. Our goal is for campers to learn new skills and build character from our sports program as well as coo

perating with one another, working toward a common goal, and showing good sportsmanship - win or lose. Campers follow our lead, and we are responsible for setting a good example out on the field. These good examples will go beyond the game. Teamwork applies to almost every aspect of life and is a character trait that can go from sports to the classroom and the workplace.So whatever team sport you are playing, or thinking of trying…Work Together and Love the Game!

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society”. Vince Lombardi

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion”. Mia Hamm

The Role of Storytelling in the Summer Camp Experience

THE ROLE OF STORYTELLING IN THE SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE

Hi, my name is Larry Wilensky, and I’ve been associated with Iroquois Springs and its predecessor, Camp Sequoia, for a combined forty-two summers. I first attended camp at age 11 and have the honor of being known as the resident storyteller at camp.

One of my favorite times in camp during my camper summers was in the evenings at bedtime, a time of great camaraderie in the cabin. Best of all was when we were fortunate enough to have one of several counselors renowned for their storytelling abilities responsible for watching our cabin (the “O.D.”). The stories could be about anything, my bunkmates and I loved them all. Ghost Stories, Native American Creation Myths, Folktales, stories read directly from books, stories invented on the spot, funny stories, and stories meant to enlighten.

By the time I became a counselor myself, I joined the long storytelling tradition we have here in Rock Hill. At first I re-told stories that I had learned as a camper. The very positive reception my early storytelling efforts received encouraged me to become more creative and adventurous as I created stories of my own – often “on the spot”. I have told my stories to a wide range of audiences. They have been shared with large groups under the stars (and Perseid meteor showers), at campfires, at individual cabins, on hikes around camp and in the pool. The audiences have been boys, girls, and staff of all ages.

I think that stories and a storytelling tradition are an important part of camp. Camp is a wonderful place for children to learn and grow outside the “confines” of school. There is a close link to nature and the opportunity to experience new things. It makes for a perfect learning environment. Stories can be a great tool to teach, and well as entertain the kids (and adults for that matter!) at camp.

I always encourage new staff members to consider telling stories to their cabins. Sometimes staff and campers have told me that upon hearing one of my stories, they are inspired to try their hand a developing stories of their own. I think that’s awesome, and at moments like that I feel that I am passing on an old and cherished torch that will continue to burn brightly. Whenever staff read stories, repeat stories, and make up stories to tell their kids in their cabins at night the campers love it .I think that a major reason that stories at camp are regarded so highly by the kids is that the stories are being shared by an “elder”: Someone the campers respect who is taking the time to share adventure, friendship and challenges through the safety of a shared experience.

A word about very scary stories: It is paramount that at camp the children who are entrusted to us feel emotionally safe. I do confess to being capable of telling quite a scary tale, but only for the the oldest teen campers, and only if I am sure they can handle it.

The stories I tell have in some cases become long multi part epics over the years. They involve such different elements as time travel (through different eras of camp), baseball, alternate worlds, Jewish folklore, and camp legends. They try to teach through the actions of, and lessons learned, by the characters, but in a subtle way.I love the creative process of telling a story and am very honored by the response through the years. Stories can be magical and the storyteller takes the role of magician. They can be wonderful learning experiences as well. For us all!