Summer 2013

Well, Camp Killoqua Summer Sessions 2013 has started! Yesterday our first session of kids came through the gate and registered, turned in their meds, got their head checked for lice, and got a free T-shirt. Yup, FREE T-shirt, thanks to Safeway who funded them for every child during the summer sessions! We are super happy to have Camp Willie here again for their 15th year. This week will be so much fun diving back into all of our amazing outdoor and indoor activities, Gaga ball anyone? The kids are out running about (the counselors running with them), you can hear songs coming from the lodge, and Camp is back in all its wonderful glory.

Next week will be our Staff Training week. This is going to be a lot of fun! We have many new counselors and international staff members coming in Friday. We are so excited to meet and greet all of the staff, because they are what make this camp what it is. It seems we get very lucky every year with incredible people, that we figure this year will be equally as good! It will be an amazing summer this year with (hopefully) equally amazing weather!

It is so cool how when you come back to Camp Killoqua every year, you feel as if you never left. Everything is still as green and peaceful as it was last year and the years before that. As all returners know, here at camp K, we are pretty traditional and have our Camp Legend. The legends describes how many, many years ago, before the peaceful shores of Crabapple lake was a camp, there lived a strong young Native American man named Chief Killoqua. Chief Killoqua loved traveling from place to place, until one day he came upon a young Poplar tree on the shores of a beautiful lake. Chief Killoqua visited this tree often, and as he grew older he came to the tree to think about his tribe and ponder his problems. As wind blew through the trees, he could here a faint voice whispering "All is well, all is well." Chief Killoqua eventually died after living a fulfilling life, and as timed passed, Camp Killoqua came into its being. The young Poplar tree is now old, and Chief Killoqua's spirit has lived and grown old with it. On peaceful days like today, if you walk along the meadow, you may still be able to here the gentle, wise Chief say, "All is well, all is well."

Upcoming Events

As spring is getting closer camp is getting busier! We have a few really exciting upcoming events in the month of February.


The first event is Parents Night Out February 8th from 6pm to 10pm at our Everett Camp Fire Office. This event will be hosted by our Teens in Action group that is working to raise money for their Relay for Life team. Drop your kids in grades k to 6th off at the Everett Camp Fire Office for an evening full of games, crafts, and a movie. We will provide pizza, a beverage, and popcorn during the movie! We are asking for a suggested donation of $15. Space is limited, be sure to register soon! To register call (425) 258-5437.

Also, remember to register online at http://www.campfireusasnohomish.org/campschooloffdays.htm for our School Days Off program February 18th. Campers will spend the day playing games and making new friends and celebrating Presidents’ Day!

In March camp will be the training ground for Camp Fire Club Leaders while they complete Outdoor Training. This training is to teach club leaders new outdoor skills and all the rules for camping with Camp Fire. It’s a really fun training of cookouts, a night hike, and knot tying! The dates for this year's training are 7-9pm on Tuesday March 5th for a planning session, and the overnight starts at 7pm on March 8th, and ends about noon on the 9th. Call the Camp Fire Office for more information, or to register: 425-258-KIDS.

Spring Break Day Camp is coming up too! This year the theme is Mud Pie Madness! We will be spending the week enjoying the wild and wet parts of Killoqua as well as keeping dry and warm by the fire. This is open to kids in grades 1-8th and bus transportation is available. Remember to put this on your calendar for April 1-5th and register soon!

Winter at Camp

Winter is a time of planning, organizing, and getting projects done! We’ve cleaned all the horse saddles and camp is getting a new kitchen floor!




We are also starting a new program called School Days Off at Camp Killoqua. When your child has a day off from school would they like to spend time hiking outdoors, doing fun arts and crafts, and playing exciting games with new friends? If you are looking for this kind of experience, send your child to Camp Killoqua on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day and a special Saturday in March. Drop-off and pick-up will be at our main Lodge. Please bring a sack lunch and an extra change of clothes each day. For more information on these days please go to http://www.campfireusasnohomish.org/campschooloffdays.htm



Stay connected this time of year by liking our facebook page and reading up on all the news here at camp.

Summer is just around the corner so register for camp! Visit our website to check out our 2013 brochure at http://www.campfireusasnohomish.org/Summer%20Brochure%202013%20for%20web.pdf .


WoHeLo

Fall into Camp!

This fall camp has a new, or rather new to us, cherry-picker. Today we all learned how to operate this super fun piece of equipment! We want to give a big Thank You to Nick from Altec for coming out and showing us how to use it.  Anyone interested in a really cool egg drop?

Bill Thomas in the Cherry-Picker

The After School Day Camp has gotten off to a great start! We have had so much fun making slime, tracking Bigfoot, boating, and building shelters.

Our After School kids!

Our Outdoor Education program is wrapping up this week and we want to say a big THANK YOU to all of the O.E. staff. Thanks for all the hard work this fall.

Coming up this fall we have more After School Day Camp, Jammin Jamboree, and the evening of November 9th at camp in the Lodge we are having the first annual Family Movie Night! If you want to bring the family out for this free event at camp please RSVP with Kena at (425) 258-5437.

Have a great fall!
WoHeLo

Summer Fun!

These last few weeks have gone by in a blink of an eye. We have had so much fun around camp! So instead of a “special clap” for those who have ever been to skit night we will do a recap of some really great summer memories.

Remember the first time you saw the climbing wall? Or the first time you took a step on that latter? Here at camp we enjoy the climbing wall, high ropes, and low ropes.

We also have Horse camp. Do you remember the name of the horse that you worked with all week? What about the first time you went on a trial ride or painted the horses?

Can you remember the first time you took a tippie test? Did you ever sing a song from under a canoe? Or take a sailboat for a ride around Crabapple Lake?

As September draws nearer serenade seems sweeter, going for a penny hike is more peaceful, and jumping in the dolphin pond is more fun. From everyone here at Camp Killoqua make the very most of the rest of your summer!

People in cities can’t understand falling in love with the land.

WoHeLo

Greetings from Arts & Crafts!

One of our day campers made a wonderful pirate costume!

Ahoy there from the Camp Killoqua Craft House!

This summer is off to a great start in Arts & Crafts and we have been busy working on many theme related projects - as well as all those classic camp crafts! Lanyards and friendship bracelets are always in style.

Owakna campers making feather earrings for Pirate vs. Ninja Week!

This morning there were Day Campers and Resident Campers in making Pirate and Ninja crafts. Many campers chose to make costumes, though paper bag pirate puppets and feather earrings are popular this week as well.

A day camper and his paper bag pirate puppet for Pirates of Killoqua week in Day Camp!

We also had some campers drop by this morning to pick up supplies for projects they wanted to make in the meadow, which is always exciting to know that the creativity does not stop at the Craft House door.

The Chinook Boys came by this morning as well to make Council Fire Invitations. I taught them some new oragami tricks, and they turned out great!

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Chinook campers hard at work on paper boats and ninja stars for Council Fire.

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates from the craft house this summer.

Happy Crafting and WoHeLo!

Session 4



While walking around camp this afternoon I couldn’t help but notice how camp is a really great place for campers to be themselves. Here at camp we don’t answer cell phones we answer the call of WoHeLo, there are no text messages just letters home to friends and family, there is no Facebook friends but friends we meet face to face, and we don’t play video games but real games. At camp you meet around a campfire or table and share a meal, a song, a smile, and a silly story.

Play like a Girl!

WoHeLo

Session 3 2012

It has been a very magical week out at camp! In resident camp the theme was Disney and other animated characters. On Wednesday evening we had a lot of fun going on a camp wide hunt for Mickey Mouse who was hidden somewhere at camp. We also had a lot of fun looking for hidden Mickeys (Mickey silhouettes) that were placed all around camp.

 The Gypsy boys getting ready for our all camp game!

Just one of 62 Mickeys hidden around camp this week!


In day camp we had a wild time during Happy Trails week. Campers got to do all sorts of western inspired activities. On Friday afternoon they had an all camp complete with "cow-pie" tossing, cowboy costume relay, and hay rides! Earlier in the week the Washington State Jersey Queen brought her cow Annabelle out to camp. The campers got to pet her and some even got to milk her. They were also given the opportunity to make butter! It was a fantastic week in Day Camp!

 Petting Annabelle!

Staff Training

We had a really fun seven days of staff training this year! One of our big highlights was being the first to play gaga in our gaga pit built by the Kiwanis of Mukilteo and members of our camp comity!  The photo below is of our entire staff the night before camp making a giant zero signifying zero days left before campers arrive!

 Playing our first game of gaga! This game is a lot of fun, and its hard to take photos of because there is so much action going on. We set this up as an example of the game!

Spring Break Day Camp!

We had a great week here at camp with Spring Break Day Camp. If you are a parent with a camper who was too tired at the end of the day to keep you filled in this week this post is for you! This past week campers enjoyed cookouts and boating. Two of the groups got together for an airplane flying contest. Watch out Boeing because Camp Killoqua has some real talent in designing planes! The oldest group of campers had a lot of fun at the climbing wall and everyone had a chance to tie-dye. Archery was a favorite for many as well as making forts and learning a few camp songs. To the left is a picture of some campers testing out their fort! There was also a group that made their own fishing poles. We had a really great time outside this past week at Day Camp enjoying some sunshine!

Upcoming events start this Friday with a movie night for Camp Fire area 8. Later this month camp is celebrating Arbor Day with ArborFest April 28th from 10am-2pm. Bring the family and a sack lunch and enjoy spending the day at camp with fun stations including a chance to plant a tree. This is a free event! That same weekend is Dad/Youth overnight where dads, uncles, grandpas, etc. can bring out the kids and experience some of the classic camp activities, a fishing derby, and fun new activities.

See you soon!
WoHeLo

Spring Outdoor Education

We just wrapped up the first two fun filled weeks of the spring Outdoor Education season, and have 10 more to go! We are pleased to welcome our OE staff to camp and excited for the work they will be doing this season.

OE Staff left to right: Winter, Azul, Willow, Madrona, Sunshine and Chaco!

Schools from all over the state, Ferndale in the north all the way down to the Gig Harbor and of course a ton from Snohomish County, will be joining us out at camp for our spring program. Students in grades 1 to 6 will be participating in 1 to 5 day programs through mid-June. Outdoor Education is a fun combination of school and summer camp. Our days are packed full of environmental learning, leadership, outdoor recreation, and of course camp songs! Rain or shine we are out at camp having a great time!

Visit the blog again soon as we will be introducing our spring staff individually. You may get to meet them if you are out at camp this spring!

Wohelo!

Outdoor Progression

One of our spring events is Outdoor Progression. For those of you who don’t know, this event is for Camp Fire Clubs (Adventure age and older) to come out to camp for an overnight and work on their Progression in Outdoor Action emblems. Starflight members have the opportunity to just spend the day and participate in the same activities.

With some help from camp, club campers learn about fire building, knots, pocket knives, tools, Compasses and pacing. This year we had Dozer, Toast, Azul, and Cornflake leading the activities. On Friday night when all of the club campers arrived we started with a night hike packed full of fun activities. Club campers learned all about nocturnal animals and how they live in the dark, fun games (does anyone remember playing Bat and Moth?), spark in the dark, and even the art of howling. We ended our chilly night hike at Tapala lodge with hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows.

The next day was packed full of fun filled activity rotations! The clubs learned how to tie knots with Twizzlers pull and peel and then moved on to ropes. They even learned the art of whipping a rope (and we don’t mean like Indiana Jones). Fire building was a great time to explore different styles of building a fire and how clubs might use them for camping/cooking. Saturday afternoon started with a club lunch cookout and moved to compasses at Kravik Field and it was even sunny! After finding their way the clubs learned about pocket knife safety, how to make shavings used for tinder, and all about different types of saws.

Wow! What a fun weekend. We were happy to see clubs at camp learning and practicing outdoor skills. Outdoor Progression only happens every other year and I think this year’s event will keep us excited until it rolls around again.

WoHeLo

Spring at Camp Killoqua

Today is officially the first day of spring. Walking around camp this morning has led me to believe that April showers have arrived early. Even with the rain, camp is ready for spring. We have salmon berries blooming, green grass is growing and the birds, well they wake us up every morning with their constant chattering. Even the birds are excited about spring! Other signs around camp that spring is here is the arrival of the new Outdoor Education staff, orders coming in for the Trading Post, and all the planning for summer.

Another great thing about spring is Spring Break Day Camp. Come spend your spring break at camp April 2-6. Killoqua offers a week of day camp programming, with many of the same acidities as summer. Dress for the weather this week and camp will also keep the fire going in the lodge for a dry warm place to take a break between activities. If the weather is really cold and raining we have a lot of really fun raining day games, arts and crafts projects, and other activities. Open to kids in grades k-8, and bus transportation is available! For more information about bus transportation go to visit our website www.campfireusasnohomish.org . Come experience the ‘Best of Killoqua!’ Each day is sure to be an adventure!

We have a lot of other great events this spring too! Come visit us for ArborFest (April 28th), Dad/youth overnight (April 28-29), Mom/youth (May 4-5), and/or Family Camps (May 25-28, Aug. 31-Sept. 3). Hope to see you this spring!

-WoHeLo

Winter Wonderland

During the week of January 16th was very memorable here at camp and for many around the state of Washington. It snowed. Then snowed some more. Camp became a winter wonderland with everything covered in snow. This is a big change from our usual mud. This week Daisy enjoyed cross country skiing on our trails and all the camp dogs jumped and played in their redecorated backyards.

Share your winter memories of Camp Killoqua in the comment section.

Winter at camp is like a ducks feet underwater. Calm on the surface but busy under neither. We’ve had a few events and are in the exciting process of preparing for spring and summer. One of the events this winter was the Quilting Over Night. This has been the 20th Quilting Over Night here at camp. We had 12 members of Teens in Action spend the night sewing, pinning and ironing. For some this their first time sewing and others are pros. The teens made over 60 pillow cases for children in need.

WoHeLo

After School Day Camp

Our campers and summer staff members are back in classrooms and dorm rooms, exploring new places, meeting new friends, and using the skills they have learned at camp. They are probably showing off their new tie dye or lanyards, maybe making a meal but this time on a stove not a campfire, looking over pictures of new friends and staying in touch.
Here at camp we are in full swing of Outdoor Education! We have an amazing staff here spending their days teaching pond studies, leading night hikes, and of course it wouldn’t be camp without the camp songs. Each week Camp Killoqua invites a new group of 5th-6th grade students to come and learn about the environment and enjoy camp.
New this fall, camp is starting an After School Day Camp. This program is for elementary aged children and runs weekdays here at camp. Our focus is to give kids the opportunity to spend time outside all year long. All the great camp activities like boating and archery will be included in this program, plus a curriculum based off of other Camp Fire programs. For more information visit our website at campfireusasnohomish.org or give us a call at 425-258-5437.
Another exciting group that is spending time here at camp this fall is Teens in Action. We have Horizon Teens in Action for high school aged campers and Discovery Teens in Action for middle school aged campers. Both groups are for volunteer opportunities in the community and here at camp. The groups are working together for the next project which is a bake sale and fall activities at Jammin Jamboree. If you are interested the next meeting is here at camp October 23rd from 2-4pm.

It’s hard to say goodbye to sunny summer days but here at camp we embrace the new colors of fall and the chance to test our rain boots.

WoHeLo

Session 8

This week at resident camp the theme is holidays! Monday we celebrated Valentine's Day, Tuesday was the 4th of July, and yesterday it was Halloween. There was a great All-Camp last night called the 12 days of Killoqua in which the cabin groups saved all the holidays from going gray. Remember to wear your green today for St. Patrick's Day!
We have a lot going on this week with our specialty camps. We have Archery camp where the archers are learning and practicing their skills everyday. Culinary Camp made Nutella Crepes and waffles this morning. They are having such a great time in the kitchen. Horse camp is going well as the horse campers learn new riding skills.
This week in day camp the theme is mission impossible! All the day campers are solving mysteries and having a great time swimming, arts and crafts, and games.

Happy Holidays! WoHeLo

Summer Session 6

It's a sunny Tuesday afternoon here at Camp K by the lake. We have just started session 6 for the summer. Our theme this week is pirates! Already, there has been hidden treasure deep in the lake, eye patches, and pirate stories created by the Whulje campers.





Last night, we had a great skit night out at council fire. There were funny skits in which water was poured on different staff members (Nacho and Komodo are great sports) and of course banana/bandana. We also had a few songs (one created by the CIT 2's) with guitar's. Oh, and last night there was also a few magic tricks by Woodchuck (CIT 1).





Tomorrow, everyone here at camp is looking forward to All Camp! This week we are having All Camp down at the waterfront

Its been a while

It is a dark and gray day here at camp, the kind of day that makes your heart long for the sunny days of summer and the sounds of kids as they enjoy the many wonders of Killoqua. The maple trees have lost most of their leaves and the apples are starting to fall from our ancient trees (see photo below).

Things around here have started to slow down, well as much as they ever do. Our Fall Outdoor Education season has come to an end, and those of us up at camp are spending our days planning the exciting camp year to come.

As my mind wanders back to those sunny and exciting memories of the past few seasons I thought I would post some of the highlights of the year.

This year the Tyee tent unit was remolded and this summer our Tyee boys happily lived in a new cabin (below). This cabin features two rooms with bunk beds, and a large cook-out shelter in the back. For those of you concerned about what happened to the tents, worry not, as they have found a new home out in the Hundred Acre overnight campsites.

Last September our blog featured the start of our remodel on the Trading Post, here is the end result!

Another exciting construction project this past year has been the remodel of Uncle Wigglebottoms house in Fairyland. Thanks to many volunteers, and Home Depot we are excited to share our new playhouse. Recently our high school Teens-In-Action program came out and made some decoration that will be put up soon.

(some of the folks who helped with the remodel)

(all painted and awaiting kids)

We had a very successful session of Camp Willie, a bereavement camp for kids. During that week Evening Magazine came out and did a special on the program. You can watch that clip here. Each summer our Camp Willie campers work together to create a community art project. This year they help make a really neat sculpture of a white stag. They helped with all the steps of creation, everything from melting the aluminum, creating the molds, and pouring the the metal. You have to find just the right place to stand in order to line up all the parts. The finished project is pictured below. Next time your at camp see if you can discover where this project is tucked away at.


We had truly fantastic spring, summer, and fall staff members without whom we wouldn't be able to run our programs. A big thank-you to them, and to all of our campers who came out to camp this year!


These are just a few of the many exciting things that have been a part of camp this past year. We are hoping to be a bit more regular with our blog, to keep you all up-to-date with the happenings at camp.

Stay tuned!

Frosty Morning

We've had some frosty days recently, and this is what the camp waterfront looks like with a little ice and a beautiful sunrise. It was 17 degrees the morning of this photo! Polars bears, anyone?

Rainy Day

It's been raining a lot recently. This squirrel is taking cover with its tail ...
And this buck seemed unfazed by the rain, walking through main camp and snacking on the tasty plants.

Sunrise on Crabapple Lake

We were treated to a beautiful sunrise this morning. The outdoor education campers were bringing their luggage down to the lodge, so we stopped to watch the orange glow on the lake. This photo doesn't even match how vibrant the color was, but you get the idea. A good start to the day!