Sherman Lake Evening News

Photo Op!

2012-02-15T17:46:00.002-05:00

Half the 6th grade came out for Monday-Wednesday!

Lots of fun with our first group of Harper Creek 6th graders! Here are a few photos to fill you in on the details!

All smiles!

We did great at the rock wall!

Finding courage in the Rafters high ropes course!

30 feet up is pretty high!

Campers made it look easy!

Focus!

Our new addition features a stage with lighting!

We worked really hard on all our skits :)

Had lots of fun in the pool!

Sploosh!

Always a highlight!

Friends!

I hope that camera is waterproof!

Underwater shot? Absolutely!

This Just In: Amberly Rocks!

2012-02-02T13:39:00.003-05:00

On Monday, two buses full of enthusiastic Amberly studentsdescended upon Sherman Lake. They were intent on finding a week of fun andfriendship. Well…mission accomplished!

After the first meal, the staff knew that energy wouldn’t bea problem. These campers were one-of-a-kind when it came to being enthusiastic!Every activity, every challenge, and indeed every step was met with a smile anda great attitude.

Monday night presented a great game show called “How Well DoYou Know Your Counselor.” As campers answered goofy questions about theircounselors, laughter rolled through the Dining Hall! The mood eventuallychanged to a more thoughtful consideration of bullying when each cabin wastasked with inventing an anti-bullying slogan. Amberly teachers would laterleave with a printout of all the wonderful creations.

Another highlight included early morning skits and storiesfrom counselors and teachers alike! Sherman Lake staff presented the best liverendition of “The Giving Tree” while Amberly teachers told a story about acouple of bragging animals. They even had costumes! Itwas obvious that the Amberly teachers are gems and amazing role models!

Two thumbs up for "The Giving Tree!"

Not many teachers are willing to be goofy! Nice work!

It was no surprise how enjoyable the pool was! When thisreporter gave out a waterproof camera, campers were characteristicallyenthusiastic about taking pictures underwater!

Sploosh!

Great technique!

Smiling even underwater!

Sherman Lake staff sighed with contentment as Amberly droveoff this morning. It had been too long since students had visited the grounds.In a final burst of energy, they chased the buses a short distance with wavesand smiles, hoping that Amberly would visit again soon!

Lake Center closes out Fall Integrated Education

2011-12-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

What away to end our Fall Integrated Education! Lake Center was easily our mostenthusiastic and excited group this season! Consider the following transcriptbased on a true story:

Setting—Just after finishing breakfast

Paul: Hey Lake Center, how was breakfast?

LakeCenter: [wild cheering]

Paul: Did you enjoy the eggs?

LC: [raucous applause]

Paul: How do you like the scenery?

LC: [rampant jubilation]

Paul:Are you readyfor the best day of your life?

LC:[profuse plaudits]

Theirenergy was contagious and we all caught it. We crammed in more fun in 2.5 daysthan any of us thought possible! Dodgeball the first night was a huge successsince we played with Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility. Everyonelooked out for everyone else. I was personally checked on by seven differentcampers when a wayward dodgeball knocked off my glasses! Thanks, Lake Center!

Tuesdaynight was hilarious. We played skit-in-a-bag and watched as cabins put togethermagical masterpieces in mere minutes. There were dances, infomercials, and evensome contestants at a game show walking across (imaginary) burning coals!

Congratulationsto the students who overcame fears on the climbing wall, to those who found newfriends, and to those who set positive life goals because of their experiencehere. You make our job meaningful!

See youat Winter Camp next Wednesday!

Si andthe Sherman Lake Enthusiasts

12th Street visits 39th Street: Worlds Collide!

2011-12-16T17:32:00.000-05:00

What aweek with 12^th Street Elementary 5^th graders! If timeflies when you’re having fun, the last 72 hours seemed like 72 seconds!

Asidefrom the normal incredible experiences (climbing, archery, playaking in thepool, etc.), our Skit Night was the best! Each cabin received 2 random itemsfrom a bucket and was tasked with creating a skit for the rest of the camp toenjoy! The creativity, energy, and enthusiasm were nearly indescribable. I knowwritten words won’t do it justice so enjoy this little video montage to get ataste!

Thanks12^th street for such a great time! We hope to see you back againreal soon!

Si andthe Sherman Lake acting crew

P.S. Wecould see you as early as 12 days from now! Sign up for Winter Camp today!

The measure of success

2011-12-14T13:40:00.000-05:00

The Arcadia 5^th graders stormed the grounds inthe early part of this week and enjoyed firebuilding, swimming, and theUnderground Railroad among many, many other activities. We all committed to useHonesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility in our mini-community and it hadsome pretty sweet effects.

For instance, I visited the rock wall where some of thecampers were overcoming some anxieties about being up in the air. It’sunderstandably scary to be 25-feet up and only attached by a rope and therewere a good many students hesitant about giving it a try. Thanks to someencouraging words from their cabin-mates, everyone gave it a shot.

True, not everyone made it to the top of the rock wall, butis that really the measure of success? No. The measure of success is a camper willing—eveneager—to take on a fear. Strength rejoices in the challenge.

Here’s a fast forward experience of what our campersendeavor to accomplish:

Peace out, cub scout!

Si and the Sherman Lake Belayers

Woodland's Turn!

2011-12-09T14:13:00.001-05:00

After a very quick second half of this week, it seemed we atSherman Lake learned as much from Woodland as they learned from us!

They showed responsibility and respect during dodgeball, practiced safety in firebuilding, andlooked after each other while playaking in the pool. And speaking of the pool,here are a few pictures to let you know just how much fun it is!

A particularly awesome moment came from Tromondae’s group asthey took on the Cube—a particularly challenging teambuilding puzzle. Thoughthe odds were stacked against them, they accomplished the task and smiledvictoriously!

Cool picture, too!

One final note, the Underground Railroad was playedunderneath a full moon last night. We barely even needed our flashlights! Thelunar light illuminated our path and helped us steer clear of bounty hunters onthe way to Canada.

Farewell, Woodland! We hope to see you back again soon!

Si and the Sherman Lake Professional Role Models

P.S. Have I mentioned Winter Camp yet? I should. Winter Camp is coming soon. It will be incredible!

Short Stories from Sherman Lake

2011-12-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time there was a group of Milwood Elementary 5^thgraders. They came to a magical place called Sherman Lake where kids can climbthe very walls. It’s a place filled with a wide variety of delicious foods andcozy cabins nestled in the woods. Did I mention it overlooks a crystal clearlake? It does.


Learning a Sherman Lake song

These lucky 5^th graders met some incredibleguides called “counselors” that showed them all the ways of the land. Thecounselors taught them how honesty, caring, respect, and responsibilityimproved games and activities like Chomp-14, Dodgeball, and swimming.

What a smile!

Brendan had the schedule, which was jam-packed with fun!

Though the stay seemed brief in retrospect, the counselorshoped that the students had internalized the values and could bring it back totheir school. They all waved a fine farewell. The buses drove off as themorning light began to melt the morning frost.

Peace, Love, Sherman Lake,

Si and the Sherman Lake storytellers

P.S. Want to give a similar experience to a kid you know? TryWinter Camp!

Sherman Lake Evening News (part 2 of 2)

2011-12-02T09:52:00.001-05:00

And now the conclusion of the Sherman Lake Evening News! Enjoy!

Thanks for a great week, Parkwood 5th graders!

Si and the Sherman Lake News Team

P.S. Winter Camp starts in a mere 27 days! Don't wait to sign up!

Sherman Lake Evening News (part 1 of 2)

2011-11-29T21:08:00.001-05:00

We did a short news broadcast to let the world know how things are shaking at Sherman Lake! Enjoy!

Check in later for the exciting conclusion!

Si and the Sherman Lake Eskimos

Fun in the snow with Angling Road!

2011-11-14T09:44:00.001-05:00

From goofing off in the Dining Hall to singing silly songs at the campfire, Angling Road students know how to have a good time! We loved how they encouraged each other at the rock wall, looked out for their classmates in the pool, and practiced their good sportsmanship in dodgeball!

At Sherman Lake, we teach Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility. Angling Road students were already well on their way to living out those 4 principles! We had never seen a group be so respectful during our traditional game show “How Well Do You Know Your Counselor?” and as a result they had one of the most enjoyable sessions! Here’s our counselor Andrew showing off his moves (they scored 200 points for this!):

Here are some courageous campers performing for their friends!

We were surprised by a winter wonderland Thursday night and Friday morning. Huge flakes of snow gathered suddenly and consistently to give us a sneak-peek at what Sherman Lake will look like all winter:

One final bit of awesomeness worth mentioning is Emily and Megan’s “Worm Skit” at Thursday night’s campfire. While the snow silently accumulated outside, we stayed toasty around our fireplace. Our warmth was due less to the fire itself and more from jumping and shouting for the songs! When we had settled after that, a couple of our favorite staff showcased one of our world-renowned performances. Enjoy!

Peace!

Si and the Sherman Lake Goofballs

PS-Winter Camp!

HCRR Dodgeball?

2011-11-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

Yup. We accomplished such a feat and Haverhill Elementary 5^th graders showed us how! Check out the video to see just how much fun we have when we play with Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility!

Thanks for coming out, Haverhill! We hope to see you again real soon!

Winter camp is on its way!

Si and the Sherman Lake Dodgeball Professionals

Better late than never!

2011-11-08T14:49:00.000-05:00

Last week was a very memorable time with St. Joseph's school from Battle Creek. So memorable, in fact, that I can still write about it several days after their departure!

We celebrated Halloween in style! First off was a little Halloween Trivia followed by an awesome costume contest!

Finalists face off in the costume contest!


Honorable Mention to this Angry Bird!

After our shenanigans indoors, we took this show on the road with some Trick-or-Treating! Well, the Sherman Lake road anyway. Everyone had brought some candy to share so our counselors took up their positions at the cabins as the costumed crusaders marched around asking for their share of the loot! We were only too happy to oblige the smiling faces.

Plenty of sugar to go around to this trick-or-treaters!

After dinner the next night, we found we had just enough daylight to play some Capture the Pig! Do you remember when it was still light enough at 6pm? We took advantage of it in a couple fast-paced games to bring home the bacon!

This camper tentatively crosses the line!

Another highlight of the week was our creative pumpkin designs! Using various materials, the campers were instructed to create either a beautiful pumpkin or some sort of pumpkin-like creature! Hilarity ensued!

Here are a few from my group!

Here are the others! I loved what we came up with!

Another high point of the week was when world-famous storyteller Robin Nott came in to share a few tales and sing some silly songs.


Stories captivating, songs hilarious, Robin entertained us thoroughly!

What other way to end a fantastic week then with another highlight? Our final evening activity gave everyone the opportunity to strut their stuff with a little game of Skit-in-a-Bag! With random items, each cabin made up a skit or infomercial to perform for everyone. We clapped, cheered, and laughed with delight at each group's creativity!

Thanks for a great week, St. Joseph school! We hope to see you back at Winter Camp in December!

Speaking of which, do you know you can register online for Winter Camp? You can. Right now. Don't wait!

With barely a breath in between cool kids, we're back to play with Haverhill 5th grade followed quickly by Angling Road on Wednesday. Updates to follow! Stay tuned!

Peace!
Si and the Sherman Lake Legends

Fearless

2011-10-21T15:26:00.000-04:00

That's how I'd describe this group. They tackled challenge after challenge and were still hungry for more!

We were all very happy to host St. Joe for the latter half of this week. It had been getting quiet around here. Too quiet.

Then we learned the llama song from the new campers! It seemed no one could stop singing it! At one meal, most of the guys and girls even had—as far as I know—the first ever “Llama-Off!” The guys would add to the song and the girls would do likewise. It was a battle of creativity! This continued for some 15 minutes before it seemed the list of llamas was exhausted! Carlton taught us the “Bubble Gum” song and the refrain could be heard echoing from somewhere on camp almost any time of the day!

Aside from signing about large, furry animals and sugary snacks, St. Joe students also enjoyed archery, teambuilding, swimming, dodgeball, and climbing (both at the indoor rock wall and in our high ropes). You should have seen how well they looked out for each other while hanging 30 feet off the ground! There were quite a few who were nervous about climbing, but with the encouragement of their peers, they found their way up the obstacles. Mad props to Reilly, Quinn, Tess, and Adyn for facing their fears like champions!

At the end of our adventures, we were sad to see them go (we always are!). Hopefully they’ll be back for summer and winter camp! Until then, here’s a picture to remind ourselves of an amazing bunch of kids!

Adios!

Si and the Sherman Lake Crew

Who says we can't have fun in the rain?

2011-10-01T15:07:00.000-04:00

Marshall 6th grade stopped by for the week and had an amazing time here at Sherman Lake. The weather tried desperately to stop the games, skits, and songs, but in the end, our campers taught us how to enjoy any situation! From early excitement to tearful farewells, the kids and campers soaked up life.

Our menu of activities included climbing almost every climbing element we have. Students climbed our indoor climbing wall, outdoor climbing tower, cargo net, and even our tree climb! If we could belay from it, they scrambled up it! Props to those that overcame fears and anxiety to get themselves off the ground (thanks also to the cheers of encouragement from fellow campers!).

My group had a great time at the low ropes learning how to work together. We focused on building trust, communication skills, and self-confidence.

Joe and Ivy spot for this eager camper!

Even though the lines are only around a foot off the ground, it's not easy to traverse. We needed our classmates to give us tips and encouragement on how to do the course both safely and efficiently.

2 smiles and a tongue!

In the end, mission accomplished.

Here are a couple other pictures from the Marshall 6th graders:

This arrow was destined to hit the bulls-eye!

I was surprised how quickly my group understood and improved on their archery skills. For so many that had never picked up a bow before, they did great!

This 6th grader had a cannon for an arm! Nice work!

Dodgeball, when played at Sherman Lake, focuses on how we use honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility even in a competitive game like this. At the end of the day, the measure of success was how many new friends we made and how much fun the game was for everyone. Again, mission accomplished.

We were sad to see Marshall go, but we hope they carry a little bit of Sherman Lake with them back to their school.

Until summer (or winter) camp, Marshall, adios from Si and the Sherman Lake crew

Vicksburg and Parchment Visit Sherman Lake!

2011-09-23T16:53:00.000-04:00

We got our first couple of overnight groups here at camp and we had a blast! Vicksburg 6th graders came in for the first half of the week and the Parchment 6th grade finished out the second half.

Our week began under rain-threatening clouds, but they held off the worst downpours for the most opportune times. We were able to officially break in a new archery range in the "bowl" and it was great to see our campers practice some new skills. Canoeing and Kayaking were also a go. The sun broke through and the turtles began to sunbathe on the logs!

Swimming at the Rec Center and the campfire stories/skits/songs were highlights. Watch out for purple monkeys, Vicksburg! And keep some cough drops in your pocket!

Thanks to the high number of campers (the more the merrier I say), we got to play ULTIMATE Capture the Pig! We used our entire sports field to house 4 separate teams of around 40 people while we tried to "borrow" the other pigs. Thanks to our practice with Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility, the games went incredibly smoothly and everyone had a phenomenal time.

Parchment tagged in and had dozens of highlights of their own. Personally, I was impressed by the ingenuity of my group at the Jump Rope Challenge. The basic idea is to get the whole team through a twirling jump rope in a set number of rotations. They showed me ways to complete the puzzle in ways I had never considered! First they discovered how difficult it was to accomplish the task traditionally (that is, sending people in a random, chaotic order). Then their strategy evolved to a greater length of rope and increased number of rotators. After a few other ideas, they realized their plan was too complex. By this time a good number of people were frustrated and discouraged. A heavy dose of enthusiasm and encouragement cured the blues and they finally were able to get their entire team through...in only 1 rotation! Now that's teamwork!

Andrew's group experienced our outdoor Climbing Tower. They set and accomplished goals, practiced facing fears, and discussed how it could be brought back to their school. In a surprise twist, the discussion was almost entirely student-led. They talked about the challenges they faced academically and socially and how they could help each other out when they got back. After everyone had been heard, 30 minutes had flown by!

We built awesome relationships with incredible kids. By the end of our relatively short time together, kids were begging to stay! Our counselors felt the same way!

Quotes included the following:
"Will you kidnap me? I'll ask my parents if it's okay first."
"Can I live here?"
"Will you be here next year?"
"See you at summer camp! You better be here!"
"You get to live here?!"

Thanks for being you, campers! See you again soon! (We hope!)

Si and the Sherman Lake All-Stars

Aaaaaand We’re Back!

2011-09-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

We at Sherman Lake have returned from the post-summer lull and have been eager to have kids on camp again! Thankfully, this week was the return of laughs, games, and growth with the arrival of two separate 6^th grade groups from Gull Lake.

Everyone did a great job getting to know each other and setting up a community where everyone was taken care of. Our community commitments included honesty, ownership, encouragement, and inclusion among other things.

On Friday, Julie’s group experienced some initial frustration with a jump rope challenge where every member was supposed to get through without being touched by the rope. It seemed the group was having trouble with the seemingly simple task. However, some clever insights by the students led to a tidal wave of encouragement for their fellow team members and successes far beyond the actual task at hand. Think about a culture where encouraging others is the norm. That’s a group I want to be a part of!

We were all a bit pressed for time when we tried Pipeline. The goal was to get a bunch of marbles to one big bucket by using only some wooden quarter-pipes. I’m certain that the marbles would have made it if we had maybe 10-15 more minutes. Buuuuut Capture the Pig wouldn’t play itself so we had to cut it short. Regardless, there were some brilliant insights that resulted in some groups helping out the others to help them reach the goal.

Our final game went off without a hitch. Students, Counselors, and Teachers alike all scrambled to “bring home the bacon.” The 6^th graders were such good sports that we even got to surprise them with a game of “Kids vs. Counselors!” Hilarity ensued! Just picture 30 counselors facing off against around 100 kids…

Capture the Pig was a big hit!

Even the teachers got in on the action!

All smiles at the end of the day!

We hope to see you again soon, Gull Lake! Thanks for coming out!

Si and the Sherman Lake Crew

2011-04-21T14:33:00.000-04:00

Now is the time to be signing up for summer camp 2011

2011-04-21T09:04:00.003-04:00

Delton Kellogg, our neighbors to the north, joined the Sherman Lake family this week. It was a week full of happy campers and happy counselors. Just another day in paradise. My personal favorite part was when Danie sang for WoW time with us. What a talent, what a voice. I hope you all enjoyed listening and singing with us as much as I enjoyed playing guitar with her up front.

Dakota saying "If you take my picture that means you like me"
(of course we like you!)

Brayden and Nick taught their counselor Alex how to do a front flip off the diving board on Tuesday night. That is something he will always remember, and so should you. Thanks guys. I see teaching talent in the making.
This week we experienced some memorable, sincere CARING skills from Bobby when his counselor David tripped on the giant stairs. That act of compassion really stuck out to him, great job Bobby. Keep looking out for people. What a great bunch of campers.

Molly showing off her tattoos her girls gave her
and Henry showing support

Tuesday night, Molly had the honor of experiencing 10 performances of the same Taylor Swift song in a row. Awesome, cabin 7. Awesome. I also like her stylish face tattoos. Lookn’ good Molly!

Teambuilding can be SO FUN!

Chloe “Mamma Plane” wanted to give a shout out to all her baby planes. What up girls! Be friends with Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor center on Facebook

See ya’ next time neighbor

Jake and the SL team

2011-04-18T16:46:00.000-04:00

Holy Blog Batman!

What a week we had here at Sherman Lake YMCA Camp. Four schools in one week, whammy! Monday through Wednesday Colon Elementary, and Spring Valley from Kalamazoo joined us for our camp adventure. Then, on Wednesday, Endeavor Charter Academy along with our hometown school Galesburg-Augusta enjoyed camp with us. And now it’s Friday and we are ready for a nap! We didn’t know you could pack so much fun into just one week.

Colon had the opportunity to rock out some of my all time favorite activities. The 6th graders had the honor of swinging on the giant swing, climbing our tree climb, and hanging out on our climbing tower outside. We couldn’t have asked for better weather to do it in either.

To Chloe’s cabin, yes it’s true I do NOT believe in dinosaurs, we can debate it if you want, but I think I will win

Hope to see you all soon friends, I miss you already. HAOCHO!!!

Spring Valley

Speaking of folks we miss already, Spring Valley you guys rock! Thanks for joining us at camp this week. I’ve heard great stories of crazy dance parties, and FUN times. Jacob showed us his new dance moves today. He can now do the “cat daddy”. Very cool.

Great Friends!

I heard Mar Mar was welcoming people to Sherman Lake from the Performance Shell like a pro. Andrew said he was cracking up. I wish I could have met you too this week.

A special thanks goes out to my main man Donavan, and his friend Leondre. They were being real cool and sweeping up outside the camp store. That’s really going above and beyond. Thanks guys.

Thanks for being so responsible
Looks GREAT!

Earlier today Chris said, and I quote “Spring Valley is pretty Legitimate”. He had a huge, sincere smile on his face when he said it! I wish I could have spent time with you too after hearing how much your counselors had fun with you.

Endeavor

Endeavor Charter Academy and Galesburg-Augusta were living the dream here with us on Wednesday through Friday.

A few of our friends at Endeavor reminded us this week “It’s hard to be an animal.” I guess survivor is a valuable game and educational game, and very fun to play I might add. As are all the great activities we run here at camp. At orienteering, Julie along with cabins 12 and 17 saw a baby squirrel. Awww… The animals are out! Spring is here! David and his cabin saw some snakes. NOT awww! I don’t really like snakes. Those boys were braver than me.

I hear that Chloe’s cabin is talented at hiking. And good at having cabin parties when she sleeps… flashlight tag, fun stories at night.

Speaking of talented people, Conner kicked but in Dodge ball, AND made it to the top of the climbing wall no problem. Oh, and he has a cast on his arm. His catching and throwing skills contributed to the epic counselor vs. camper game of dodge ball that these kids enjoyed. It was a hard fought battle on both sides, so I hear. If only I were there, then… well… Lets be honest, I probably would have been the first one down like I usually am in counselor vs. camper dodge ball. It’s so fun though, isn’t it? If only The Flash would have shown up to help us this week….

Galesburg- Augusta

Moving on. Galesburg-Augusta, our hometown school district joined us at the YMCA on Wednesday. They are a joy to behold. I want to start by giving a special shout out to the teachers of G.A. Ya’ll are rock stars, it was great working with you this week. Thanks for all you do.

Another shout out is in order for Seth, his tenacity as one of the jail guards during capture the pig was impressive and inspiring. I need to play more defense, like Seth does. Good job dude! I always love a good game of CtP in the middle of the woods. It is one of life’s great joys. As is getting to talk with each of you GA students individually. We all agree over here that we always enjoyed when we got to have one on one conversation with you.

Keep being sweet, guys. For example I heard a great story at the end of the day today (Friday) about a root beer stand entrepreneur. And a worm worth $10,000? I’m not sure where the worm came across that kind of dough, but I enjoyed the story all the same. Thanks Logan.

Lots of new friendships blooming at camp this week. That is why we do what we do. It makes me smile to hear about things like Rainer facilitating a paper full of complements getting passed around in cabin 8. Very cool man! Very cool. Or Ray Ann’s friendship skit in Megan’s cabin with stuffed animals. Their cabin began the week not being the closest friends, and then by the end of their stay with us, they became much better friends. Camp is magical like that.

P.S. Chris says this week he saw some of the best dodge ball he has ever seen at Sherman Lake before. Keep up the HCRR. Keep taking care of each other.

Anyway, from all of us here at Sherman Lake YMCA, Give! Bessie Give!

Jake

2011-04-06T14:14:00.000-04:00

We had a GREAT time with one of our awesome schools last week- WASHINGTON WRITERS ACADEMY came to spend a couple of days with us! We always love to spend time with this amazing group of students, building strong relationships and having a lot of fun and laughter too!

...but they look and taste SOOO delicious! HAHAHA!

WWA lived in the upper village this week and were lucky enough to be able to have the Leadership Lodge be their home base. It is so beautiful up there, overlooking Sherman Lake and so much nature. Devon reminded us all that "nature IS really fun!" He admitted that he never really spent much time enjoying it, and that he really liked it!

We also want to throw a shout out to Logan and his awesome activity abilities! Not only did he make it to the cave but he also beat the counselors at archery and was pretty much great at everything that he did (and he is a great guy to top it off!) We really liked how all of his activity group friends were cheering him on with support and encouragement.

Another activity that the kids all really liked was playing underground railroad! Who could forget Cam as the Bounty Hunter? He made it so tough on everyone trying to find their way to freedom! Heather and Stout made it really hard since Stout was such a good hunter. Cabin 12 girls (NATURE GIRLS!) were certain that he was able to find them. They were convinced that he could hear, smell and see better than the human hunters :)

The food was really good except for one item. FIBER BARS! They look and taste so good, but we discovered that you really don't want to eat more than one a day because they really work! Of course we all had a lot of laughs about them!

Finally, Emily wants everyone that she taught how to to do the "DOUGIE" to keep on dancing!! She is so fun and of course we love her for teaching us this awesome dance along with everything else she taught us (smile)!

2011-03-31T15:45:00.000-04:00

This week Lawton and Washington Writers joined us for 5th grade camp. We enjoyed smiles all around.

Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom with us, we hope you brought some HCRR home.

Say hi to your counselors on Facebook! Search Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center for updates about camp.

Thanks all for coming out. We miss you already. Come back and see us on April 17 for healthy kids day. Keep taking care of each other, and as always, we hope to see you for summer camp.

Charlotte spending time in nature

2011-03-25T16:10:00.001-04:00

Charlotte students heading home!

Hoppers showing responsibility for their cabins

Good bye Charlotte! We had a great time with you and will miss you! Thanks for going on such great hikes with us and discovering lots of cool nature like animal tracks, seed pods and scat!

Diahnn wanted to let her group know that the tree they were trying to identify was a Northern Red Oak. Remember that we were wondering why the squirrels left so many acorns underneath the tree? It's because the Northern Oak acorn is really bitter and taste bad so the animals don't want to eat them. The benefit to this is that there are a lot of acorns to germinate and sprout even more of the rapid growing Red Oak.

Thanks for all of the fun memories and we hope you have a great (rest of your) school year! Come see us again!

2011-03-25T14:06:00.003-04:00

Lakeview Students at WOW

Hello there online community,

Lakeview joined us for fun times at camp this week. We had two groups of awesomeness from the middle school, and unfortunately it is our last group this year. Thanks Lakeview we had a great time camping with you!

This week was the debut of AmeriCorps in the cabins and they crushed it! It is such a joy to see this team work with kids.

I’d like to give a huge shout out to all the campers who showed off their courage in the ropes course. Cabin 1 in particular shined bright while 30 feet in the air. Danie’s cabin worked so well helping each other through the course, they came together beautifully as one community while at camp. It was a great example of campers bonding together from not knowing each other very well to becoming great friends in the cabin.

On the topic of Sherman Lake magic, there was awesome Playacking from cabins 5 and 6. Everyone cheering for John while he was boating in the pool gave us chills. Way to not give up, and do great John.

Julie and Britney's group had some fun with square dancing and listening and singing Journey music the other night. Sounds like you had a great time and I wish I could have been there. Some Tuesday night GaGa awesome and speaking of Tuesday night, lets talk about Henry playing the Guitar in Cabin 7. Yeah we sang Kumbaya, Smoke on the Water, Halleluiah, Iron Man and any and all requests. This was SO much fun!

Chris told us a GREAT story!

The second half of the week was AmeriCorps’ first time being the primary cabin counselors. They did great! Having this awesome group around here with us here at camp is a joy. One of the campers wrote in her camper notes, that "getting to know Chloe was the best part of camp"! Speaking of Chloe’s cabin, Alexis, of cabin 4, was rocked out a double front flip. Andrew and I were so impressed. Amazing job! More than the ropes course, more than the pool or any activities; it is our staff that makes camp so magical for all of our kids.

Also, something that made me smile was the counselor impressions on Thursday night. Apparently, Britney is a cowboy. Who knew? Well, she is from Texas after all. One more shout out that I need to give before I wrap this up is to Skyler and Alexia. They were pushing through and not giving up on the high ropes. Hard core ladies! Way to not give up!

Thank you Lakeview for coming out. We loved having you. Hope to see you soon. Don’t forget, spring break day camp is coming soon! Sign up today!

Peace,

Jake and the SL team

2011-03-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

Hey there my online friends,

Portage Central joined us at Sherman Lake last week. What a great bunch of kids. They are very good fun. Sam says, “go mustangs”. We miss you already. Say hi to us on our facebook page.

Big shout out goes to Team Jacob from Tuesday night (you have a very nice name, I might add). Great skit cabin three. In fact all the cabins skits from “skit in a bag” were a joy to watch. You’ve made me smile. My favorite skit to do is “I am a Sherman Lake counselor” (Give Bessie GIVE)! I hope you enjoyed watching it as much as we enjoyed singing it for you.

Cabin 3 had a unique night I hear with their Pillow fight followed by their pajama fashion show. Julie awarded the winners for poses and best PJs. And I know the other cabins had unique fun as well.

Thanks for coming out Portage Central!

Video of us is on the way so check it out very soon on the blog and on facebook. (Be a fan of Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center)

I hear that Winchell ROCKS!

From experience, I know that to be true too. Winchell Elementary shared camp with us from Wednesday to Friday. You do indeed ROCK my Winchell friends. I also know for a fact that there are bunches of you who already come out for summer camp. That is great stuff. We hope to see you again when the sun frees us from our icy winterish climate.

Lets talk about this week’s counselor vs. camper dodge ball. Matt Berry, you are the king of dodge ball. Thanks for keeping us counselors alive. He and Tim brought home a rare counselor victory on Friday good job Tim and Matt. Speaking of Tim, and counselor victories, congratulations are in order to you for winning quick draw and becoming a master. Well-done sir. Finally! After 18 years of Sherman Lake, and about 10 years of quick draw, victory has become yours. (Paul too- Quick Draw Ninja for life!) Good work!!

While we’re talking about counselors, lets take a moment and recall Andrews deer impressions… awww doesn’t that make you smile? Me too.

Winchell also enjoyed one of the longest pool parties ever on Friday afternoon. I hope you had fun on the diving boards doing crazy spinning flips. Did you enjoy the toys in the pool and playing in the gym too? It sure looked fun, next time I’m joining you. I’ll beg someone else to lifeguard.

Let me also remind you of the Dinosaur and Godzilla from Thursday night. Roarrrr! Camp stuff is just plain silly and fun.

Thanks again for coming out campers; we had a blast with you! It was a great week. Come see us again this summer, but if you can’t wait that long, Spring Break Day Camp is just around the corner. And, so is our camp open house THIS Sunday. Hope to see you there.

TTYL,

Jake and the SL team

From WOODS LAKE to SHERMAN LAKE it's all about TEAMS!

2011-03-08T16:12:00.001-05:00

Woods Lake 5th Graders learned a lot about what it means to work together as a TEAM.
At first we thought working as a team meant we all got to have equal roles in an activity, but we quickly learned that having equal roles in a group wasn't always in the best interest of the group!
So what exactly does teamwork mean?

TEAMWORK [teem-wurk] –noun
1. cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause.

Once we realized that there are many roles in being teamplayers we then started seeing success in our activities! Using TooBeez© we worked in 2 groups to build the tallest tower. We were very impressed by some of the students leadership and problem solving skills.

Teambuilding and games were just one of the activities that everyone did. During lunch, the boy's of cabin #9 were really excited about going swimming. We also talked about the food and how good it was! The group wanted to take our kitchen Deb home with them! (Sorry! We love her too :-)

Thanks Woods Lake! We hope that you will take all of the lessons that you learned and make sure that you work together at school to help each other out!

Lakeview 6th grade is FINALLY here!

2011-03-08T14:04:00.000-05:00

Noah is taking time out of teambuilding to say hello

After getting to spend a few awesome fall days with the 5th graders of Lakeview and a few winter weeks with the 7th graders, we are winding down our year with the Lakeview 6th graders.

We have been spending time up in the ropes course, climbing up the wall, shooting arrows in archery, building fires and making s'mores, playing games and teambuilding! (Whew!) It has been so much fun getting to spend time with so many amazing kids and we really hope we get to see ALL of you again!

Being honest and trying your hardest is is the lesson
this mother wants her son to learn

What would YOU do?

During WOW time (Words of Wisdom) the students were able to watch a moral dilemma acted out by the guys of cabin #8. We then had a group discussion asking what we thought we might do if being honest meant that we failed? Would you have the courage to remain honest if you thought others would view you differently?

Lakeview students did a great job of talking about this very important principle and better yet~ we saw a lot of honesty in action with their visit!

Lakeview 6th grade actors
hoping to be the next KING!

Thanks for such a great couple of days Lakeview 6th grade~ we hope to see you again this summer!

Warming up with Harper Creek

2011-02-18T16:45:00.006-05:00

What a GREAT week! Both the Stratego and Risk teams from Harper Creek 6th Grade joined us for a great time and some much needed warmer temperatures at Sherman Lake! We were thrilled to reach the mid 50's on Thursday to be able to comfortably play outside.

On Tuesday night the lower village was visited by the "JB Night Ninjas". Don't be nervous, it was really a lot of harmless (HCRR) fun for everyone! (Thanks for making us smile & Megan says "HI!)

'The Giving Tree' starring Harper Creeks own Mr. Siebert

During WOW time we were treated to the story and performance of The Giving Tree. It's a great story about a selfless, caring tree, it's favorite boy and how it constantly gives of itself to make the boy happy.

It was really fun to watch Paul play the role of the boy, and Mr. Siebert play the role of the tree. If you haven't read the book you should check it out! There are a lot of great lessons to be learned.

Thanks Desi for making WOW much more entertaining by singing with us (and playing along with your awesome guitar playing too)

Julie reported that her cabin (cabin #1: "The Singing Squinkies) had an awesome time on Thursday evening with their friendship circle and glow in the dark nail polish! Julie LOVED her girls and the connections they all made. Julie was quoted as saying "You are the butter to my popcorn!" :) She hopes to see you all again soon!

Learning "the ropes" with ground school!

This week the high ropes really tested so many of us and our comfort levels! I saw first hand so many of our students conquer their fears by pushing themselves to do more than they thought they could! We are SO proud of all of you for setting your goals and pushing yourselves to recognize your potential! Counselor Chris wants to throw a shout out to Josh Cooper for "going up" into the rafters with him. He really appreciates your support and encouragement in order to help him get through it!

Cabins 10 and 4 with their GPS Units

We hope you enjoyed Geocaching as much as I did! Thanks for making it so much fun (despite all of the mud) Speaking of mud...What did you think of the Mine Shaft? It was awesome, fast, and dirty but oh so FUN!

1...2...3...QUICKDRAW!

I hope to see you all again soon so you can take my quickdraw mastership from me! Good Luck!

See you this summer and don't forget to continue to use all the lessons you learned at camp this week!

P.S: Say Hi to us on Facebook and tell us all about your week at camp!

Peace for now~
Jake (the quickdraw master :)
and the Sherman Lake Team!

Thanks Lakeview 7th Graders!

2011-02-11T17:20:00.000-05:00

The view down from the high ropes course

How high is too high? That is completely up to our final group of 7th grade students from Lakeview Middle School that recently visited us at Sherman Lake YMCA! Each of the students had the opportunity to motivate themselves by trying new and challenging experiences like the climbing wall and high ropes courses. We encourage all of our students to step out of their comfort zone and into their learning zone with the understanding that everyone sets their own personal goals. The lessons that the students walked away with had very little to do with how high or far they climbed, but how the group worked together to support and encourage each other. Our goal is to have the students take these lessons back to their school for a more supportive and encouraging school atmosphere!

Adam and Dylan helping each other to be successful

Even though students Adam Waltman and Dylan Sloane said it was scary being 30 feet off the ground, they were glad that they went through the whole course and appreciated each others help!

Friends helping friends

Sammy Grise took time out from her own climb to be able to help cabin friend Bailey Stevens with her route. Both girls have now added their names to the growing list of students that have climbed up to the cave!

With all of the climbing, dodgeball, playaking and swimming, we barely noticed the -20 degree windchill outside! Although we could only be outside for 30 minutes at a time it still gave us a chance to bundle up and take a few trips down the mineshaft! The mineshaft is always so much more fun in the snow but coming in to drink hot chocolate afterward and eating warm foods like chili and chicken noodle soup (along with all of the other choices offered) made us nice and warm (and full!)

The hot bar choices for lunch~YUMMY!

Finally we want to thank all of the Lakeview 7th graders, their teachers, and Principal for spending time with us this school year. Cabin 4 thank you for sharing your beautiful Starburst Tree (which provided us both a glimpse into spring and a pretty centerpiece at your table). We really had a great time with everyone and hope to see all of you again....SOON!


The Starburst Tree

The Final quote that we want to leave with you comes from Lakeview student Jalen Austin. As the group discussed movies during their breakfast discussion, Jalen decided that a group of people from one of the movies they talked about would have had a much better outcome "If they would have just come to Sherman Lake to learn all about team-building!"

Amberly students experience 2011 blizzard at Sherman Lake YMCA

2011-02-04T10:15:00.004-05:00

Amberly Elementary-what a way to begin 2011!

Well we started the Spring Integrated Education 2011 season the only way we would want to...with Amberly Elementary students and teachers. Amberly El. is known at Sherman Lake for a couple of things:

1. great kids

2. amazing teachers who are so committed to HCRR

3. more summer campers enrolled than from any other school

4. weather related phenomenon's

a. 2001 - Straight Line Winds, when Sherman Lake lost thousands of trees

b. 2011 - Now 10 years later, "SNO-PACALYPSE"

The amazing part is that at the end of both weeks the kids were happy, healthy, and full of great food and better memories. Both students and teachers were heard remarking: "BEST SNOW DAYS EVER!!!!"

Here are some highlights of the 4 days:

Tuesday and Wednesday Campers Choice options had the kids all over camp, having a great time. The pink team crossed the line merely seconds before the blue team in an extremely entertaining and hard fought game of Capture the Pig...in a foot of snow. While in the gym, "the best game of gator ball ever..." took place, according to Sam. Our summer Art Director, Julie, said that the group she had in the Art Studio making Shrinky Dinks and ropes was one of the best she'd ever worked with. Oh the amazing talent that is evident in all areas!

Cabins 15 & 4 did a great job accomplishing Nitro Crossing while working so well on their teamwork skills. The girls trekked back and forth and up and down the "Character Stairs" to the upper village and they are all stronger in Spirit, Mind and Body because of it. The week was topped off on Wednesday evening with Sherman Lake idol featuring some of the best songs and skits performed by both cabin groups of students and teachers. We never knew that Bob the Builder worked at Amberly El. when he isn't building homes. Major props to John Hart for putting together some amazing lyrics for cabin 10's rap. Late night featured some fantastic night time Mineshaft for those cabins that decided to venture out.

Beautiful snow angels created by Amberly teachers! Amberly group picture in freshly fallen snow by the "P" Shell!

Notes from counselors:

From Megan: "BOOM JELLYFISH"

From Emily: She'll miss PPPoC13

It was a great week and the only way we would want to start our 12th year of Integrated Education. We have started enrolling in the summer. Sign up online. We'd love to see you all back for even more great friendships, and great memories. Hopefully Paul won't be sick when you come back. See you soon. www.shermanlakeymca.org

2011-01-08T09:29:00.001-05:00

The 2011 Camp Theme is Here!

Allow me to introduce you to Story. And invite you to find your story at camp.

Stories are how we measure success in camping. If someone asks you “tell me about what you do?” do we give them a list of numbers of campers or schools that come in. Or do we give them an antic dote? Or should we?

I remember a recent quote that stuck with me from an interview I had with a potential summer staffer.

“In Camping, the more stories you have the more successful you’ve been”

And just last weekend I was asked “do you have any good stories from camp?” I rattled off a few silly things that my campers did this fall, we laughed and he gained the clearest picture possible of what we do here at Sherman Lake.

Like it or not story is already ingrained into who we are and what we do. Whether it’s Wow time, run on flag pole/lunch time skits, our new Y branding, or just telling people about our world here in the woods. It is all about story, and characters in that story.

Here at Sherman Lake we help kids grow into their best selves, in a way they enjoy doing it. We show them how to find their passions and live their stories out fearlessly.

If someone wrote a book about your life, would anyone want to read it? Would you be the type of character people couldn’t walk away from. Someone captivating? Someone endearing? We’ve all been inspired by others with great stories, extra ordinary people who’ve done extraordinary things. Lets be like that. Lets live like that together here.

Eventually we will all have to look back on our lives, or season of life and ask ourselves what would I have done differently? What could have I changed, what really mattered in the end?

Now is the time to remedy those still inexperienced regrets, now is the time to bravely be the person who you’ve never dared to be. And never expected you could be. Now is the time to write your story. Your story starts at camp. Be who you are, bravely and lets live like we’ve got something to tell about.

So, in 2011 come to camp, Tell Your Story.

-Jake

2011-01-07T20:32:00.002-05:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! We've got scouts coming in for retreats the next few weekends. The snow, and the scouts make life at camp very happy for us. Gym fun, swimming, sledding, archery, climbing, arts and crafts, and the list goes on. It's gonna be a good few weeks. IE starts again, and schools come out soon, but for now weekends are where the fun begins.

Be on the lookout for Summer Camp registration, and as always check us out on Facebook.

Peace,

Jake and the SL team

2010-12-30T18:21:00.000-05:00

December 30, 2010

Winter Camp is over and what a fun time it was! The weather was sunny, our fantastic volunteer staff team was all about fun, and the campers had grins from here to China! We played in the snow, swam in the pool, and enjoyed many of our favorite summer camp activities!

What exactly did we do? Good question, thanks for asking. Ga-Ga, Chomp-14, Archery, Mineshaft, Capture the Pig, Arts and Crafts, Dodgeball, Firebuilding and S'mores, Snow Kickball, Art Hop, Campfire, and Climbing and that's only what was on the schedule! The extensive list doesn't include the great games we played in our cabins or during our free time, but that list would take up this whole page! Nice work, winter campers, we're all tired and very happy!

The entire population of camp suddenly burst into dance during an impromptu music session on Wednesday. A conga line was formed around the dining hall as we all cut loose and busted a move!

A couple of cabins were bold enough to brave the cold temperatures at the mineshaft one night as they slid down the hill under the cover of starlight. What a special memory!

We split up after a large group activity each night and every camper had fun at the lock-in at the rec center. Their choices included swimming, the game room, climbing the cargo net, karaoke, and playing in the gym. Meanwhile, the other half of the group was entertained by songs, stories, and skits during the campfire. Of course one of the greatest highlights was when our counselors sang as one big collaborative group!

But hey, you don't have to take my word for it. Check out the video and see for yourself! on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sherman-Lake-YMCA-Outdoor-Center/65023566594?v=app_2392950137&ref=ts

So sad everyone had to leave, but it was so much fun while it lasted! Sherman Lake is suddenly very quiet as we wait patiently for our Integrated Education program to resume in February. And of course, summer is just up around the bend! Think warm thoughts and we'll see you again real soon!

Happy New Year!

Si and the Sherman Lake Crew

2010-12-20T11:19:00.001-05:00

Today we said farewell not only to a great bunch of Lakeview 7th graders, but also to an entire fall season of laughter and character building. We couldn't have asked for a better group to bid the season adieu!

Cabins 1 and 17 had an especially fun time with a game called “Mr. Mayor Sir,” a simple game with the added twist of not laughing. Not as easy as it seems particularly when everyone was in a giddy mood for most of the week!

Speaking of a giddy mood, Lakeview witnessed several up-and-coming stars perform a rap (nice work Mike and Chris) and a song about beards sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells” (props to Andrew's cabin!).

The High Ropes course was easily one of the biggest highlights. It's an intense experience to be around 30 feet in the air over a gym floor (hooked in safely of course)! Almost every camper made it to the top of the cargo net if not through the entire 7 elements.

Some real excitement arose Thursday night as festivities included caroling and sledding by moonlight. Several guys and girls presented their fellow students with Christmas songs and good cheer. Meanwhile, with the serenading in the background, a group of dedicated—and insulated—guys climbed up to the mineshaft for some slipping and sliding down the hill. Check out my ride here! What a way to end a wonderful season!

Thanks, Lakeview, for spending your time with us and enjoy your break! We hope many of you will choose to come to Winter Camp starting in a mere 10 days! You can register online right now!
Peace,
Si and the SL Crew

2010-12-10T14:52:00.001-05:00

12^th Street and Milwood Elementary joined us this week for a wild week of fun in the snow. Winter is a joy here at SL. First, lets talk about Milwood. Fun times this Monday through Wednesday. This Kalamazoo school learned a ton, and had a great time doing it. Those kids loved that pool. I saw some great improvement on swimming skills too. Keep it up guys. Another first for some was hummus in the dining hall. New things for bunches of kids, that’s what we’re all about. Thanks Deb. Speaking of notable and new, the deer were OUT this week. Coming right up close. It was cool to see the kids checking out the nature.

I hear Julie’s cabin made some rockn’ forts out of blankets in their bunks, wish I could have seen that. I don’t think we make enough forts these days. Another notable thing that Milwood kids made was rope. Yes rope. Taking seven cords of colorful string, we made some strong, beautiful rope necklaces and bracelets. Very cool, very fun and very soothing art project.

And finally, lets talk about dodge ball. Milwood brought the rain out there dominating on Wednesday. Paul, Tim and Mrs. Sterling tried their best, but it was to no avail. Better luck next time adults, great work kids! It was great to have you out this week. Hope to see you soon friends.

Wednesday was our transition day at Sherman Lake, so as Milwood left, 12^th Street Elementary came rolling on in. What a cool bunch of kids. We had so much fun with all of you this week. Big shout out to 12^th street campers, for being such a respectful group right from the start. Very cool. Some things I hope you remember, because I know I will are... the activity night, the “I am a Sherman Lake Counselor” song, and when Andrew and Matt keeping us counselors alive in counselor vs. camper dodge ball. Thanks guys, their way more athletic than I am. But in the end, we are just no match for the young ones with the cannons attached where their arms should be.

I also loved to hear the additional verses to the Sherman Lake Counselor song made by a few girls in Julies cabin. Teacher style, very funny.

It was good to see Mr. Klinsteker making an appearance. It is very obvious that he loved and very missed by all. It’s good to see his smiling face. Luckily 12^th Street has such a talented and awesome intern able to step up to the plate. Who will also be missed soon, I’m sure.

Speaking of awesome, who saw the buck in upper village? What a rare treat for the boys living up there this week. I wish I could have seen that too.

Over all, good week. Real good week. Thanks again everybody for coming out and sharing life with us. We miss you already. But not to worry! Cant’ get enough of camp? Not a problem, because there’s more to go around. Winter Camp is just around the corner. It’s gonna be a blast. I’ll be there, will you?

Until next time, peace,

Jake and the SL team

2010-12-03T15:30:00.001-05:00

We miss you already Parkwood-Upjohn! We saw a huge change in seasons in only a week. Fall to WINTER. Burr it was cold, but it was good. Real good. We had fun with the lot of you. Week long groups are always a joy for our staff.

I remember my Nature hike, when we trekked back to camp the long way through the woods. Spider Man Drew flew through those woods like it was home. Cabin 9 and 2, you guys rock. Meanwhile, cabins 7 and 4 learned to identify local flora like sassafras, poison ivy, thistle, and lamb’s ear and tracks from squirrels, rabbits, and even our family of deer!

Remember Si and his robot cowboy? What a funny skit. “Ha ha ha! Better luck next time!” Josiah=funny. Thursday night’s skits from you campers were funny, too! Your school has talent. I hope T.J. Max has finally found his clothes! Nice job, cabin 7.

I hope you enjoyed the double session of rock climbing, goal setting, fire building, nature hiking, swimming, mine shafting, and archery shooting. It was a beautiful first snow of the season that we got to enjoy! Keep learning and loving on each other. Hope to see you soon Parkwood-Upjohn.

The pool seemed to be the favorite as it often is. Kayaking indoors is always a blast and our double pool parties were easily a highlight. It was great to see everyone chasing after some counselors and playing keep away with the giant inflatables!

Checkout winter camp coming soon! Following that, stay tuned for Spring Break Camp and, of course, Summer Camp!

As always, check us out on Facebook

byby for now, peace,

-The Sherman Lake Team

2010-11-23T13:38:00.000-05:00

We had some first-timers able to share camp with us this week and it was a great time as always!

We saw some amazing things happen from the beginning of the week to Friday. The Lakeview 7th graders' listening got better and better as the week progressed, much to everyone's delight. These are really some amazing students. Such a respectful group and so fun to work and play with. You could really tell they were soaking up the information and taking it to heart. Keep being HCRR, friends. Mike’s cabin set a prime example of how to take care of each other like none other.

Tons of campers worked to push past their comfort zones, especially in the high ropes course. Mercedes, Ryan, Chris, just to name a few. Some campers harnessed up and dared the cargo net; others blew through the course in its entirety.

Jason and Bradey set the tone for their group’s high ropes experience. Regan and Maddie followed suit. Helping people was truly the key here. Follow through with the commitment you’ve made to help people out at school! Way to include everyone!

Cabin 16 enjoyed figuring out some riddles. For instance, what travels around the world yet stays in the corner? After several minutes of head-scratching and scrunched up faces, they came to the conclusion: a stamp!

Everyone seemed to especially love the food, served up by Deb and crew. Barbecue chicken, pasta alfredo, and a full salad bar were just a few of the delectable treats fueling a week of fun!

On Friday night, we played a hilarious gameshow called "How Well Do You Know Your Counselor?" The final round asked cabins to send up a camper to imitate their counselor and the impressions left staff and campers in hysterics! They really captured the mannerisms of their counselors. Plus, we saw 7th graders doing some amazing dance moves!

We'll definitely miss this group and we're looking forward to having more Lakeview kids come out later this year!

Can't wait until summer to come back? I don't blame you. Don't forget about Winter Camp! Registration is up and running at shermanlakeymca.org!

Peace out friends,

Jake, Si, and The SL Team

2010-11-15T12:48:00.001-05:00

Last week is behind us, and it was a busy one! I’m still recovering from all the fun times we had together, I’m just getting up to blog. I need to catch you up on happenings of camp, be sorry you missed it, or excited to remember it. The three schools that shared camp with us this week engaged in epic dodge ball, dynamic GaGa games, and perfect Underground Railroad.

Monday Angling Road Elementary from Portage joined us. It was sad to see them go on Wednesday. Keep taking care of each other like you do so well. Then on Wednesday both Woodland Elementary from Portage and Arcadia from Kalamazoo joined us for fun until Friday.

And what fun we had. Who loves Underground Railroad? Jake loves Underground Railroad! I got to play the part of the bounty hunter two nights in a row. Congratulations are in order; you’re hiding skills as a group were wonderful. Diane’s cabin from Woodland in particular was invisible as they traveled together through the dark. Great job ladies. I hope y’all had as much fun as I did those nights of perfect weather in the woods.

A noteworthy mention should also go out to Tim’s activity group. Cabins 13 and 16 lit 5 separate one match fires during their fire building activity. Incredible job Woodland. Also, some incredible campers to remember: Donquarion and Josie bringing the rain in GaGa. Donquarion, quoted by some as being one of the best GaGa players to walk the trails of Sherman Lake was true to form this week as he and his cabin engaged in epic battle in the octagon. It was cabins 12 and 17 this time playing some of the best GaGa in recorded history.

And then there was Josie. Whamy! What a baller. If you put her in the ring up against an entire entourage of counselors, there is little doubt in my mind that the challenger would come out victorious. This girl can catch anything. If it comes at her, she will catch it. If it’s off the ground even an inch, she can and will scoop it up with her patented double under hand scoop to cradle. Or even more impressively the one handed past the head snag out of the air. None like her have graced these camp grounds with her presence in decades, millennia even, or at least a really long time.

Well that’s all for now. We’ll keep you updated, keep reading and keep up with us on Facebook as well. Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center. Also don’t forget to our summer camp registration is coming online soon. But if you can’t wait till summer, winter camp is coming very soon! December 27-29^th

Hope to see you soon,

Jake and the SL camp team.

2010-11-04T12:02:00.001-04:00

Hi everybody,

Busy week this week. Lots of kids, lots of fun, lots of new friends. Thanks everybody for coming out.

Haverhill just rolled out yesterday, we’re sad to see them go. I hope you had as much fun as we did while you visited us here at camp. Stay in touch! Be a friend of Sherman Lake on Facebook.

Black Elementary showed up to camp on Wednesday morning, and we are glad they did. It’s been a great week thus far. And I have some important news: The New King of Dodge Ball has risen. Mr. Carson you are an animal out there, catching balls 3 at a time. What a champion.

Speaking of champions St. Joe students have been here all week, and we are loving life. Need I remind you of Beth’s excitement about Underground Railroad, or the spectacular counselor impression of Mike? Joe you are hilarious. I wish I could have filmed that! Or how about that crazy purple face paint in cabin 12 for capture the pig. Girls, you are wild. In a good way. I also was astonished to see your big board of encouragement in the dining hall. What a joy to see you giving all those shout outs. Also astonishing, the impromptu Hey Bo Didilly Bop song circle before dodge ball the other night. I do have video of that! Look us up on Facebook to see it. 6^th graders your all in it!

Anyway, that’s all for now. Hope to see you all soon. Peace.

Jake and the Sherman Lake team

2010-11-02T11:04:00.000-04:00

What’s up friends,

Jake here. We said good by to Paragon Charter Academy on Friday. And what fun it was. Check out the high ropes video of you posted on facebook. Then be a fan of Sherman Lake YMCA. Follow our progress.

Friday also brought teachers from Mattawan Middle School. Heather said she was excited to work with you, Friday was one of the most fun days she has had in years. Diahnn articulated how she appreciated the strong culture Mattawan has established. They are a supportive group who works well together and knows how to have fun”.

Hope life is treating you well,

Jake and the Sherman Lake team

We are having a roaring good time you should join us!

2010-08-05T16:51:00.005-04:00

Last week we had a spectacular week of Day and Resident Camp here at Sherman Lake. Campers enjoyed all sorts of specialty camps like Gamers camp, Adventure Leadership and Zoo Camp to name a few. I had the honor, and the joy of hanging out with the Zoo Camp when they went on their trips to Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. We had a blast feeding the giraffes and ourselves. We were included in some great Binder Park program that showed us all about the zoo and the animals in it, then got to explore the zoo at our leisure. I saw the biggest turtle I have ever seen, and cheetahs, and zebras, and of course the giraffes. Hope your summer has been is as rock'n as ours. Still a few weeks left, come out and join us.

Peace,

Jake and the Sherman Lake team

You will wish you were here...

2010-07-08T10:59:00.006-04:00

Summer is in full swing. Hurry on out here, we're having a great
time. Check out the videos I'll show you. What did you do today?
How could it compare to this! Sliding down the giant water slide, beach relays, kayaking, sailing, the list goes on and on. You want it, we got it. Stay cool this summer, and hope to see you soon.

-Jake and the SL team

Lots of campers= lots of FUN!

2010-06-03T11:47:00.004-04:00

Hey there bloggers, Jake here. Hope life has been treating you well. We are crazy busy getting ready for summer camp, get signed up soon.
We’re filling quickly so jump on it. Amongst the wild preparation camp also welcomed a few more schools this week to round out our IE season.

VanBuren ISD came in for a quick 24 hours FULL of fun. These guys were some of the most well-behaved, caring, nonjudgmental folks you could meet. We are so glad they came to hang out with us. I can speak for all of us when I say we loved every second of your time with us. From planned activities of the giant swing, s’mores and campfires by the lake to impromptu fun like kick ball and stories in the grass, it was all good. Thanks again for coming out, can’t wait to see you next year!

We had some 5th graders add to our excitement as well, El Sol and Lincoln came out recently from Kalamazoo. I wish I could have experienced more with you while you were here. We were privileged to see a unique song and dance routine written and performed for the parents of the El Sol campers. Very cool! Your school has some talent. Lincoln had some great energy coming out to camp. We are stoked you got to experience new things at camp. Hope you loved every second of your time here. Keep taking care of each other. Hope to see you back in the summer for a whole week of good times.

Hacho!!! I’ll be using that greeting for a long time. I hope it continues to catch on at camp. Lets talk about St. Monica. How cool were these 8th graders. I am so privileged to get to work with them this week. Maybe the coolest group of kids ever! I’m not just saying that. We saw so much that stood out to us. Your dance skills, the way you cared for each other, your bravery on the giant swing… the list goes on and on. Remember the giant turtle we named spike? That dude was at least a foot long, never seen that before that’s for sure. I hope you enjoyed your canoeing in the channel around Sherman Lake to see more turtles too. It was a joy, truly, thanks for coming out St. Monica. By the way congrats go out to Mrs. McAfee for capturing the pig and winning it for your team at the last second. That was awesome. Hope to see you all again soon.

Peace out for now,

Jake and the SL team

May 17-21: Endeavor and Wilde

2010-05-25T14:14:00.002-04:00

Our week long “Endeavor” ended today. What a fun school to hang out with at the Leadership Lodge. We had a great time in the High Ropes and the Giant Swing. Some shining stars who really reached their personal goals up there were Emily, Karl, and Jacob. Also, Mr. B tossed the Giant Swing rope right to Tim’s hand to earn a treat. Great throw.

This week we enjoyed our outside lunch by the leadership lodge for the first time ever. Sunshine! Speaking of shining, lets talk about the best harmonizing ever at the Sherman Lake Idol! Those girls sounded so great. It was a joy. As was Jared dancing and singing to his idol Taylor Swift, raspy voice and all. So cool, what a great story you are all living. Keep being the hero in your stories you are living. Continue taking care of each other, and living the adventure you know you can. Hope to see you soon Endeavor.

Hey Bo Didily Bop Wilde. I got to get back to my block! Hope to see you all again soon. I hear Underground Rail Road was rockn’. I hope you’re parents had a great time, because I know we did.

Catch yall later,
Jake and the SL team

A very full week filled with many great schools

2010-05-17T11:02:00.004-04:00

Mar Lee 6th grade

The campers came in for a rare week-long stay and had a tremendous amount of fun despite the stereotypical moody Michigan weather. We experienced torrential downpours, cold temperatures, and thunderstorms along with bright, sunshiny skies and a warm breeze. Regardless of the less than agreeable weather, the 6th graders had a great week. Here are a few highlights for your reading pleasure.

The Giant's Swing was a big hit. KK is obviously having a good time in this clip below!

Now I know what you're thinking, “What does that actually feel like? Watching it is pretty cool, but I want to experience it!” Well you're in luck. The second video is a first-person perspective to help you better acquaint yourself with the Giant's Swing!

My activity group created a band using nothing but our “natural” surroundings. Sticks, rocks, trash, and logs all played a role in the music. The Wonders of the Wild (thanks to Katie for the name!) performed “Nature's Metronome” in their debut in Sherman Lake Idol, an evening activity where campers performed various feats of awesomeness. Along with our band, we saw dancing, singing, and comedy routines that all received a gratuitous amount of deserving applause!

One final highlight I'll note, the entire 6th grade played Chomp-14 Thursday afternoon. It's an intense game that involves elements of camouflage, speed, and a certain taste for reckless abandon. The important note, however, is that we played for 2 straight hours! That easily breaks any record I've ever set with a group. It seemed we always wanted to play just one more game! Everyone was tired, hot, and sweaty at the end, but not one person left without a smile!

Northglade dropped in on Sherman Lake the first half of the week to learn about and practice our 4 core principles. I was amazed at how very polite they were. I rarely heard a sentence start with anything other than “excuse me, sir” or “may I please.” It was refreshing to see these kids already practicing fundamental respect.

They seemed to especially enjoy the climbing wall and among other victories there, Rashaad and Tariq were the first Northgladers to ever make it into the cave, our highest climb. Their classmates cheered them on as they entered their names into the Sherman Lake history book! They now join an elite class of campers. Congratulations!

River School's 3rd and 4th grade popped in for the second half of the week. They LOVED dodge ball, and they all played so well! They did well following directions and sitting down when they were supposed to. It made everything run so smoothly.

And one final note, the staff was impressed by the level of vocabulary skill of such young children. They encouraged us to find more creative adjectives and refrain from using overused words like “cool” or “awesome.” It was challenging and fun to try and cater to their wider terminology and stretch our own lexicon.

Thanks for the great week! Don't forget to sign up for summer! Camp starts in just over a month!

Jake, Si and the Sherman Lake crew

Mattawan's Successful Integrated Education Experience

2010-05-07T14:14:00.002-04:00

Our first group of Mattawan 6th graders enjoyed phenomenal weather.

What could be better than blue skies, puffy mashed potato clouds, and a mid-seventies temperature?

My activity cabins took a full hour working as a team to create one of the best wilderness shelters I’ve ever seen. Actually, I would classify it more as a wilderness mansion thanks to its size and amenities. It came complete with a makeshift fireplace, luxurious bed, and doorway. Simply amazing!

If you were there Monday night, you would have seen an intense game of “Trench Warfare Dodgeball.” The twist to the classic game was a shared “No Man’s Land” in the middle that was traversed by either team. As a result, those in the area were far from safe!

On Tuesday night, we successfully played a brand new game called “Ace Hunter.” Cabin teams searched for cards to make the best poker hand while eluding capture over a large portion of the camp. Using cunning and stealth, Cabin 1 achieved victory with 3-of-a-kind in 9’s. Nice work girls!

Our second group of Mattawan 6th graders arrived Wednesday to try the Sherman Lake experience. While we did have quite a bit of rain, the campers had great attitudes, which permitted plenty of fun. Possibly even more than fair-weather campers!

My group took to the high seas in canoeing and paddled around while happily handling rain, wind, and waves. Each camper observed the wide variety of flora and fauna while boating. We saw elegant and graceful herons, basking baby turtles, and sleek muskrats on the water. In addition to the lakeshore wildlife, we also spotted several woodchucks and a whole family of deer!

Our staff agreed that facilitating dodgeball was the easiest it has ever been with this group. It seemed everyone was on the Honesty- Caring-Respect-Responsibility bandwagon. They played competitively, but also looked out for each other. They played to win, but also to have fun. They played with intensity, but also with self-control. I was blown away by how well they could follow directions even in the midst of competition like that!

Thanks for all the memories, Mattawan! Don’t forget to sign up for our 2010 summer camp!

Hasta luego!

Si and the Sherman Lake Crew

It's beautiful this spring at Sherman Lake YMCA

2010-05-04T16:30:00.004-04:00

Colon Elementary built some great forts.

Mattawan has been succeeding this week in their team building!

Truly an inspirational week at Sherman Lake YMCA

2010-04-30T13:36:00.003-04:00

King-Westwood 5th Graders came to camp this week Monday through Wednesday. They had the honor and privilege of breaking in the recently renovated mineshaft this week. It’s as fast as ever. The wonderful fifth graders also had the opportunity to make some great s’mores over the fire. Some of the most golden brown and delicious treats crafted over the fire that I have ever seen; what great patience!

They took to calling Josh and Tim by John Lennon and Paul McCartney respectively. Not only did they appear as the doppelgangers to the famous men, but Josh also strummed a Beetles song to strengthen the nickname.

Julie was proud of the HCRR leaders in her cabin. They were so committed to the call to higher character that the entire cabin began to follow in their character-up-to-here footsteps. As a result, the short time at Sherman Lake was in an atmosphere of kindness, caring, and feelings of security.

On the subject of HCRR, our counselors were impressed by the actions of Ontario. When we asked questions about how to play the games, he always had a suggestion that led to more fun for everyone. Here’s an e- high five for you, Ontario!

And finally, it seemed every 5th grader agreed not to whine this week after a clever saying from one of the girls. A story during our daily Words of Wisdom time inspired everyone to do the best they could with what they had.

Wednesday through Friday some of the Mattawan 6th Graders were able to enjoy the sun at camp. We enjoyed some impromptu kickball and some dynamic dodge ball. Counselors vs. Campers left me sitting out for long chunks of time due to some wicked arms. On that note, we battled in and out the next night with seemingly endless Capture the Chicken, which ended in yet another Camper victory over the Counselors. Two nights in a row, dang! What can I say; they’re good. Those 6th graders have some serious wheels.

Traci and her group saw a Blue Heron while canoeing on the lake. Awesome, wish I could have been there to see that. It was the first time this year we have been able to use the lake for canoeing and what a joy it was. On a side note, congrats Bri for conquering your fears. That’s what camp is all about.

Other personal victories included Jacob scoring 37 out of 44 at the archery range, and Brianna climbing a third of the way up the rock wall despite her anxiety of heights. Simply inspirational to everyone here.
It is those kinds of accomplishments that make our work so rewarding.

That’s all for now! Don’t forget to sign up for summer camp! Only a couple of months until the first 2010 Campers touch ground at Sherman Lake!

Also, join us May 7th at the Kalamazoo Art Hop for a photography exhibit entitled, “The Magic of Camp: Success for Every Child.” The exhibit will be on display at Honoré Salon on the Kalamazoo Mall from 5:00-8:00 pm.

Adios from Jake, Si and the Sherman Lake Crew!

Another busy spring week at Sherman Lake YMCA

2010-04-23T14:52:00.001-04:00

Delton Kellogg
Shaded by the tall pines and with face paint marking the teams, campers faced off in Capture the Pig. They sprinted, dodged, and hid in an effort to “bring home the bacon.” The games concluded with smiles and laughter and good-natured shouting.

Dead Cockroach was a ton of fun. Evading the wrath of the “Exterminators,” the cockroach campers ran across the grass while nervously looking over their shoulders. In a great show of caring, the campers would huddle around their “dead” fellow cockroaches and carry them to the cockroach hospital.

Each night concluded with either a pool party or a campfire. The campfires were filled with beloved Sherman Lake camp songs. And to the delight of everyone, Paul told a great story about stopping a coffin in its tracks!

What a great few days! Among the other activities the campers enjoyed, we all made some spectacular tie-dyed items. They work as great souvenirs to take home in memory of the wonderful days at Sherman Lake!

Brandon
It was incredible how much fun was crammed into such a short day! Jake and Krystal led a happy group of 5th graders around camp enjoying Ga-ga, Capture the Pig, Archery, and the rock tower.

Short and sweet, everyone basked in both perfect weather and good company.

Prairie Ridge
The time at Sherman Lake started off just right. Chris (aka, “C-Genius”) was quoted as saying, “Don’t talk about it, be about it.” In an atmosphere of Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility, this admonition was taken to heart.

In the midst of a fantastic blooming spring, we were all gifted with dining at the Leadership Lodge overlooking scenic Sherman Lake. As most leaves hadn’t fully bloomed, we watched sunsets and sunrises over the sparkling water.

The daytime activities included a ride on the Giant Swing. Campers donned harnesses and hoisted each other into the air to enjoy the back-and-forth glide suspended by twin telephone poles. Yes, even the fearless counselors couldn’t hold back a shout in the free fall! Jake screamed his guts out.

The special visit of Mike Michigan made campfire special. The rap performance gave the kids a positive perspective on how to live our lives. Additionally, Anna played some masterful violin in the fading light that sent campers to bed with music whispering in their mind’s background.

Last on the list, but certainly not least, we played an epic game of dodgeball that included the use of mats as bunkers and forts. We hid behind them and popped out like a “Whack-a-Mole” game, grinning and laughing the whole time!

Hope you had as much fun as we did, see you his summer.

Peace,
Si and the Sherman Lake Team

What an amazing week! 4 different schools at Sherman Lake YMCA

2010-04-16T15:56:00.002-04:00

April 12th -16th wow what a week. We had 4 schools in this week. It was GREAT! Colin and Spring Valley were here Monday through Wednesday. And Galesburg-Augusta along with Endeavor Charter Academy was here Wednesday through Friday.

Colon
To the excitement and satisfaction of all the campers, the Climbing Tower and Giant Swing were on the menu for the week’s activities. Kids clambered all up and down the tower, setting goals and achieving new heights and cheering each other on in the process. Meanwhile, those at the Giant Swing had great faith in their fellow students. While one was harnessed in, it was the responsibility of the others to hoist them to the top of the swing to allow them the ride of their lives!
Scott & Julie, with the help of their 7 Musketeers and Sweet Pea cabins, created epic forts that could last forever. No detail was left out as each shelter even had the luxury of shingle-like bark pieces! Certainly enough to survive in the wilderness!
And thanks to the excellent respect and maturity of the group, they found enjoyment in the challenge of Low Ropes. With spotters keeping them safe on each side, campers balanced across logs, ropes, and wires in a successful attempt at pushing themselves and conquering something new. I saw some of the hardest laughing while suspended ever.

Spring Valley
The first night’s activities included a game of dodge ball that can be best described as enjoyably boisterous. With the tiny cannonball-like spheres flying back and forth, campers shouted, ran, and dove in an effort to take home a win for their team.
The next night, however, saw one of the best games of Capture the Pig ever played. Aside from the squeaky pig being carried back and forth by both teams, Fernando gave a rousing speech at the conclusion of the game. With Braveheart-esque war paint on his face, he rose among the ranks of campers and thanked everyone for playing so honestly and respectfully. Everyone agreed that he had quite a talent for public speaking!
The pool party at the end of their time provided a fine cap to an exciting couple of days. Everyone unwound while splashing water and cooling off. With a refreshed body, mind, and spirit, the campers took a little piece of Sherman Lake home in their hearts.

Galesburg-Augusta
Cabin 2 made a bet with their counselor, Andrew, that they wouldn’t spill the silverware 4 times during clean-up. When the cup of butter knives spilled the 4th time, they knew that they would be singing for their classmates. Everyone enjoyed a spirited rendition of “YMCA” for their after-dinner enjoyment!
Phoebe was discovered to have one of the most dangerous arms in dodgeball. The opposite team learned very quickly that it was in their best interest to scatter and flee every time she got her hands on a ball! With a short wind up, she was putting dents in the chain-link fence! Well, almost…
Also noteworthy in dodgeball and due to the excellent HCRR sportsmanship of the school, Sherman Lake saw one of its rarest games: Ironman Dodgeball. With impromptu cardboard armor and shields, 3 campers per team ran and dove to save their fellow teammates from the onslaught of dodgeballs!

In its first ever appearance at Sherman Lake, Kickball was nothing short of epic. Enjoying the beautiful weather and sunshine, campers, and counselors smashed the rubber balls into deep space and joyfully ran the bases.

Jake and his arch-nemesis Montana faced off in several events. After he caught my sky-high kickball kick. It was winner-take-all action in which everyone was entertained by the playful back-and-forth banter of the two “enemies!”

Endeavor
The campers accustomed themselves quickly to their few days in the wilderness. They seemed to especially enjoy archery and some of the challenges their counselors gave them. For instance, one group shot at balloons, while another shot at smaller targets to earn rewards from the camp store.

According to the staff, the biggest highlight was the game show-like activity “How Well Do You Know Your Counselor?” After the normal questions about age, education, and interests, the game became more and more hilarious as campers did their best impersonations of staffers and guessing the dance moves their counselors would bust out when cutting a rug.

And who could forget Survival in the Forest? The 5th graders pretended to be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores as they attempted to survive a season by collecting plants, finding water, and finding meat (depending on their respective role). They learned about a balanced ecosystem as they fine-tuned their own environment in order to keep the entire population healthy and thriving.

And of course, don’t forget our open house on Sunday, April 18th from 2:00-4:00 pm. Free, Free, Free! Also, now is the time to sign up for summer camp.

That’s all for now. Hope life is treating you well. Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!

For Jake, and the SL staff, peace out!

Thank you for a great week Woods Lake!

2010-04-12T10:31:00.000-04:00

Woods Lake had a great time at Sherman Lake even despite the yucky weather, burr. We still managed to do a lot of great activities like GaGa and for the first time 6 square. Cabin 10, the 5 mighty men, had a great moment when we dominated the rock wall with cabin 1. You rock Katie and Jazzy. Way to make your goals.

On an unrelated note, teachers dominated our poor staff in capture the pig. We’ll get you next time teachers. But, best of all, everyone really worked at using HCRR. Our honesty got better and better as the
week went on. What great games of dead cockroach, both of them. Cabin 2 with Sarah loved dead cockroach and the camp fire (inside of course).

We really hope you keep staying HCRR back at school and home and keep taking care of each other. And don’t forget you can come visit us this summer at camp!

P.S. We can see you next week! Sunday, April 18th from 2:00-4:00, there is a FREE Fun Day at camp, come out and hang out with us, bring your friends and family.

Hope to see you soon,
Jake and the Sherman Lake Team

Thank you Lawton 5th Graders & Americorps team Oak 3

2010-03-31T14:58:00.003-04:00

Wow, what a wonderful week! A great group of fifth graders from Lawton just pulled away in the buses after having a great time with the final pool party.
We had an awesome time with the weather being so nice. This was the first group of the spring that got to play Capture the Pig outside on the fields and have an outdoor campfire. The pink team won more games of Capture the Pig but the green team was coming back strong by the end. Josh also performed his awesome fire dancing again.
In addition to it being a week of firsts it’s also the last week for our fabulous AmeriCorps team Oak 3. We’ve really enjoyed having Josh, Lisle, Kelly, Hillary, Beth, Stewart, Bria, Ross, Clay and Sara with us for the past month. But before they take off, today is our annual first swim in Sherman Lake. Brrrrr!
Hope everyone has a great spring break. Hope to see everyone from Lawton back for summer camp! Until then have a great school year.

Washington Writer's IE Experience

2010-03-25T12:22:00.002-04:00

Tuesday through Thursday, what a great week. Washington Writers from Kalamazoo just rolled out on the bus. Back to school, then Spring Break. Woooo! Camp was great! We ate so much! “This is like Old Country Buffet.” Even pool water. Drank too much. No big deal.

On an unrelated note, victory! Counselors vs. campers, never ending dodge ball might have been the most HCRR game ever. Such a fun game. Counselors rule, but so does Washington good game.

Remember the fire stick dancing and Djembe drumming? Campfire was good times after Underground Railroad. I wish I could have seen that with you! Check out the video! Hope spring break is great, and school is more HCRR than ever. Hope to see you again soon.

Peace,Jake and the whole Sherman Lake crew