Monday, September 29, 2008

Welcome, Fall OE Staff!

Killoqua's fall activities include outdoor education programs for local schools. Through the end of October, we'll welcome busloads of kids, teachers and parents here for single- and multi-day experiences. Our fall staff leads the activities and has a blast with the students. This season's crew includes Melissa, Jimmy, Dana, Jesse and Becky. They're pictured here with Joanna, Cassie, Pearl and Juneau the puppy (look closely - she blends in!).

OE programs have a mix of field studies - covering forest, wetlands, wildlife, etc. - and actvities such as group teambuilding, the climbing wall, archery, canoeing, night hikes, singing, camp fires and skit nights. As the leaves change color and the night air becomes crisper, we'll be out exploring camp's 185 acres and learning about the plants, animals and ecosystems we find here!

Thanks for the Support!

Many community groups assist Killoqua throughout the year. This month, we'd like to thank Fluke Corporation and REI!

On September 12, dozens of Fluke volunteers came to camp for the annual United Way Day of Caring. The Fluke crew worked hard and got a lot done. Projects this year included taking down tents from summer camp units, rebuilding and restocking firewood boxes, washing windows, and clearing brush along the meadow to reclaim the volleyball court. We're looking forward to using the new court when it's completed in 2009!

REI also assisted with a generous donation of gear to use throughout the year. September's donation included bikes, helmets and supplies; climbing ropes, helmets and hardware; compasses; ice cream-making balls (add ingredients and ice and roll around); and PFDs (life jackets) and canoe paddles. Pearl, Joanna and Cassie model the new arrivals. You'll see all the items in use around camp soon.
We appreciate Fluke, REI and all the other organizations that contribute to Killoqua throughout the year!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

End of Summer

Summer wrapped up in late August with mini camp, a shorter week for new overnight campers, and the last week of day camp. We had a good time that week ... day campers ventured into the star lab from the Museum of Flight and did activities for the "Spies Like Us" theme. Overnight campers learned new songs (the banana song was one of many popular ones), had a skit night, went swimming and boating, and did lots more, including cookouts on Tuesday night.

We'd also like to thank the whole summer staff of 2008. They dedicated their time to being here at Killoqua, working with hundreds of kids and having a great time with them. We have a beautiful site for our summer programs, but it's the people who truly make it a special experience - and they did! Thanks, everyone, and good luck as you head back to college and other jobs. Looking forward to summer 2009!