All,
We finally have the final pictures on the blog for our last day of camp. What a great week that ended an amazing summer! The kids had a great week!!
These camps take a LOT of work to pull off. They take a lot of coordination and hours of never ending work. Thank you Connie Mirrop, (the best Dean of Women ever) for all of your hard work this summer. You make everything better and provide never ending support for our OMK programs.....Cliff couldn't have a better Right Hand!!!
So........
I have left the best and biggest THANK YOU for last! I want to personally thank our Operation Military Kids Never-Gonna-Forget-It-Fun GUY Cliff Lewis for an amazing summer. He does an amazing job organizing all of our Operation Military Kids Camps. If it wasn't for his wonderful spirit and excellent organization skills, we could NEVER be able to provide these experiences for our Military Kids. He has never ending energy (could be the large amount of coffee he drinks) and we could never ask for a better leader. THANK YOU CLIFF LEWIS!!!
To our Financial supporters......thank you for understanding how valuable these camps are for our kids......We Thank you for your continued support.
To our Parents....Thank you for raising such amazing, resilient kids. We loved every minute with them.
Have a great school year....and we hope we will see you next year.
OMK Staff
Carol G.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Trouble with the Internet
Due to the slow internet activity, we are having issues with posting Thursdays pictures to the blog. Check back this weekend and next week. We will post them after we return from camp.
Sorry about the inconvenience!
Have a great new school year. Thank you for sharing your Seniors with us this week!
OMK Staff
Carol G
Sorry about the inconvenience!
Have a great new school year. Thank you for sharing your Seniors with us this week!
OMK Staff
Carol G
Morning Raining...then the Monsoon Hit!
Today was a mixed weather day. The weather was rainy this afternoon but hopefully it will clear up for the dance. I can't imagine these girls will be happy if they spend all that time straightening and fixing their hair to be ruined by the rain!
The Morning was raining, then the Monsoon hit. The LARPING was more limited in their Live Action Role Playing as they had to move it indoors. The cameras were not allowed in Meditation (as you can imagine it would be boring watching teens sleep) and something that you have all seen a million times!! Cameras were also not allowed in Slam Poetry, so you will have to get the skinny on those classes from your teens if they were in there.
Paper airplanes, Outdoor cooking, and Disney Games were graced with the camera. So, if your teens were in those classes, and Larping..the pictures are being downloaded now and we will have them online as soon as possible.
DANCE TONIGHT, Movie, Sleep and HOME tomorrow. Remember to pick them up by 10:00am. We LOVE your kids.....but please come and get them!
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR ADULT VOLUNTEER STAFF all week, Sara Moores (S'Moores), Janie Lowing, and Karen North!!! You will never know how much we appreciate your service heart and love for our Military Kids. To our guests on Camp today, Jamie Fleming for doing the Slam Poetry Class and Laura Vogel helping him.
TO THE CHERRY LAKE STAFF....thank you for an amazing week!
THE BIGGEST THANK YOU TO YOUR TEENS. They have been wonderful and sharing their personalities with all of us is OUR REWARD!
Thank you for trusting us with your teens!
OMK Staff
Carol G.
The Morning was raining, then the Monsoon hit. The LARPING was more limited in their Live Action Role Playing as they had to move it indoors. The cameras were not allowed in Meditation (as you can imagine it would be boring watching teens sleep) and something that you have all seen a million times!! Cameras were also not allowed in Slam Poetry, so you will have to get the skinny on those classes from your teens if they were in there.
Paper airplanes, Outdoor cooking, and Disney Games were graced with the camera. So, if your teens were in those classes, and Larping..the pictures are being downloaded now and we will have them online as soon as possible.
DANCE TONIGHT, Movie, Sleep and HOME tomorrow. Remember to pick them up by 10:00am. We LOVE your kids.....but please come and get them!
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR ADULT VOLUNTEER STAFF all week, Sara Moores (S'Moores), Janie Lowing, and Karen North!!! You will never know how much we appreciate your service heart and love for our Military Kids. To our guests on Camp today, Jamie Fleming for doing the Slam Poetry Class and Laura Vogel helping him.
TO THE CHERRY LAKE STAFF....thank you for an amazing week!
THE BIGGEST THANK YOU TO YOUR TEENS. They have been wonderful and sharing their personalities with all of us is OUR REWARD!
Thank you for trusting us with your teens!
OMK Staff
Carol G.
Thursday Already!!! Dance and Movie tonight!
Another great night on Wednesday and now we are heading into the home stretch!!!
We can hardly believe it is the last full day of Senior Week!
Campfire and Movie Night went great! Everyone loves Men in Black I on Tuesday, and Men in Black II even better last night. If you didn't know it yet....the theme for 2013 Summer Camp is "It's Out of this World"!!! All of the 4H camps this summer had this theme, some with extravagant lifesize paper mache ET's equipped with a bicycle and basket and a HUGE replica of the Starship Enterprise hanging from the ceiling. 4H has proven, once again, that they know how to run a Summer Camp Program. Operation Military Kids thanks them for their hard work Summer 2013!!!!
Today's Schedule is packed with some favorite standbys and a few new choices:
Titanic Fully Loaded: Boating (I did NOT make up this name!)
Disney Games
Meditation (Sounds Like the one I would choose)
Slam Poetry: Jamie Fleming from National Guard Child and Youth Services is a guest on camp today to offer this artistic choice.
Outdoor Cooking: (The pictures of this activity made me hungry! I sure hope my daughter took this class so she can make dinner when she gets home Friday)
AFter afternoon activities and Canteen, they will head to dinner, continue with their think together groups, then the big CAMP DANCE and Men in Black III.
Thank Goodness their is not one more day for Men in Black IV!!!!
OMK STAFF
Carol G.
We can hardly believe it is the last full day of Senior Week!
Campfire and Movie Night went great! Everyone loves Men in Black I on Tuesday, and Men in Black II even better last night. If you didn't know it yet....the theme for 2013 Summer Camp is "It's Out of this World"!!! All of the 4H camps this summer had this theme, some with extravagant lifesize paper mache ET's equipped with a bicycle and basket and a HUGE replica of the Starship Enterprise hanging from the ceiling. 4H has proven, once again, that they know how to run a Summer Camp Program. Operation Military Kids thanks them for their hard work Summer 2013!!!!
Today's Schedule is packed with some favorite standbys and a few new choices:
Titanic Fully Loaded: Boating (I did NOT make up this name!)
Disney Games
Meditation (Sounds Like the one I would choose)
Slam Poetry: Jamie Fleming from National Guard Child and Youth Services is a guest on camp today to offer this artistic choice.
Outdoor Cooking: (The pictures of this activity made me hungry! I sure hope my daughter took this class so she can make dinner when she gets home Friday)
AFter afternoon activities and Canteen, they will head to dinner, continue with their think together groups, then the big CAMP DANCE and Men in Black III.
Thank Goodness their is not one more day for Men in Black IV!!!!
OMK STAFF
Carol G.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Wednesday Afternoon....Tonight Campfire and Movie
All,
You're kids are so creative! And so interesting! The pictures this afternoon gave me new insight on LARPING. I now fully understand and appreciate the beautiful wizard combat world. If only I was on the field like S'Moores to take it all in.......and apparently conquer the Kingdom!!! I believe I will have to challenge her next year!
This afternoon is the "THINK TOGETHER" Groups. Here they have topics of interest and discuss them in their groups. The kids always seem to really enjoy sharing their opinions and ideas with their peer group. Along with guidance from staff to keep the conversations on task and appropriate.
And tonight.....
"It's the flicker of the campfire, warm and bright;
And the friends you like to be with......I'd be here all night;
A place where all men gather to meet friends of all kinds;
A place where all our troubles are always left behind......SO
Give me the light of the CAMPFIRE!!!
There is something about the campfire that eases the mind.....and it's hard not to forgot all ones troubles when the staff and camps keep you laughing with skits and songs.
After the campfire, they head to Movie Night number 2....with Men in Black II!
It's another late night for our Seniors, another late night for Neva, and another day down for Senior Week. Where did the time go????
The OMK Staff
Carol G
You're kids are so creative! And so interesting! The pictures this afternoon gave me new insight on LARPING. I now fully understand and appreciate the beautiful wizard combat world. If only I was on the field like S'Moores to take it all in.......and apparently conquer the Kingdom!!! I believe I will have to challenge her next year!
This afternoon is the "THINK TOGETHER" Groups. Here they have topics of interest and discuss them in their groups. The kids always seem to really enjoy sharing their opinions and ideas with their peer group. Along with guidance from staff to keep the conversations on task and appropriate.
And tonight.....
"It's the flicker of the campfire, warm and bright;
And the friends you like to be with......I'd be here all night;
A place where all men gather to meet friends of all kinds;
A place where all our troubles are always left behind......SO
Give me the light of the CAMPFIRE!!!
There is something about the campfire that eases the mind.....and it's hard not to forgot all ones troubles when the staff and camps keep you laughing with skits and songs.
After the campfire, they head to Movie Night number 2....with Men in Black II!
It's another late night for our Seniors, another late night for Neva, and another day down for Senior Week. Where did the time go????
The OMK Staff
Carol G
It's Steamy Outside! And the fun Continues!
It's been hot, hot, hot, but the rain has stayed away so far! We are looking for another great day both with the weather and activities. The days are long and so full of things for teens to do! I can't imagine any boredom. But knowing teens, they'll find something to talk about!
Yesterday, I spoke of a Springs trip. When they got there, they found it closed due to too much rain. It looks like the spring trips are a bust for 2013. Have no fear, there are plenty of choices for today!
Here are the classes. They choose one in the morning and one in the afternoon:
Outdoor Cooking: On the menu is Mountain Dew Chicken, Sausage Balls, Upside Down Chocolate Cake, and Donuts. Don't let them tell you they can't cook a meal for themselves anymore! Just let them make an open fire in your backyard and they'll show you! (I hope my daughter took this class, I can't wait to try Mountain Dew Chicken!)
Swimming
Boating
Kayaking
Not so Bored Board Games (Great Family Night Activity to keep them away from their electronics at home)
Switchboards & Harddrives
How to Make Egro: Mad Science Experiments
Zombie Apocalypse: Outdoor Survival skills with Archery....(I see a Reality Show in the making!)
Facebook Etiquette: Something we could all use!!!
and
LARPING: Live Action Role Playing where they dress up like wizards and pretend to fight? (I'm not quite sure about this one)
What would you pick if you were here?
It's important that camp offers a variety of things that each child can pick that fits their personality. We even like to encourage them to pick something that they have never done before. That is what camp is all about. Those "indoor cats" get to try to be "outdoor cats" and the "outdoor cats" get to try to be "indoor cats". We hope the lesson is "try it, you may like it". The biggest trick is to see if they can try it without complaining!!
Neva Batzell, the camp director, and her very competent staff have a variety of choices for our campers. It is their last camp of a very long summer season, and I am amazed that they seem as fresh as the first week of summer. Thank you, Neva for keeping the night vigil from 1 - 7am to make sure our campers keep THEMSELVES out of trouble at night!!!
I'll talk to you later tonight!
OMK STAFF
Carol Gallant
Yesterday, I spoke of a Springs trip. When they got there, they found it closed due to too much rain. It looks like the spring trips are a bust for 2013. Have no fear, there are plenty of choices for today!
Here are the classes. They choose one in the morning and one in the afternoon:
Outdoor Cooking: On the menu is Mountain Dew Chicken, Sausage Balls, Upside Down Chocolate Cake, and Donuts. Don't let them tell you they can't cook a meal for themselves anymore! Just let them make an open fire in your backyard and they'll show you! (I hope my daughter took this class, I can't wait to try Mountain Dew Chicken!)
Swimming
Boating
Kayaking
Not so Bored Board Games (Great Family Night Activity to keep them away from their electronics at home)
Switchboards & Harddrives
How to Make Egro: Mad Science Experiments
Zombie Apocalypse: Outdoor Survival skills with Archery....(I see a Reality Show in the making!)
Facebook Etiquette: Something we could all use!!!
and
LARPING: Live Action Role Playing where they dress up like wizards and pretend to fight? (I'm not quite sure about this one)
What would you pick if you were here?
It's important that camp offers a variety of things that each child can pick that fits their personality. We even like to encourage them to pick something that they have never done before. That is what camp is all about. Those "indoor cats" get to try to be "outdoor cats" and the "outdoor cats" get to try to be "indoor cats". We hope the lesson is "try it, you may like it". The biggest trick is to see if they can try it without complaining!!
Neva Batzell, the camp director, and her very competent staff have a variety of choices for our campers. It is their last camp of a very long summer season, and I am amazed that they seem as fresh as the first week of summer. Thank you, Neva for keeping the night vigil from 1 - 7am to make sure our campers keep THEMSELVES out of trouble at night!!!
I'll talk to you later tonight!
OMK STAFF
Carol Gallant
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Another Great Day! Movie Night Tonight
Wow! What a Mess! And more fun than you can imagine.
Organized Mass Chaos......you have to look at these pictures to see the mess and the chaos! They pictures tell the story, which may have you saying......"YUCK, what possible story could the pictures be telling????"
The staff is organized in the middle of the field with all of the tools necessary for the kids to "accomplish a specific task". They are armed with paint, painted oatmeal, sponges, buckets of water, water guns, floaties and other colorful items. The kids are broken up into teams, and each individual on the team is given a slip of paper that identifies their task, if they choose to accept it.
They are things like:
Paint your name on a friends forehead
Find a staff, get them to kneel and knight them with the floatie
Poor painted oatmeal over someone's head
Circle with your head on the floatie 10 times and then find an adult and recite the alphabet..........
I think you get the picture!
They get COVERED in YUCK from head to toe and then it's to the waterfront to rinse off with free swim. After clean up...it's Movie Time! Time to relax and unwind starting with Men in Black.
I'll fill you in on the schedule tomorrow. I can't believe it is Wednesday already!!
OMK and Volunteer Staff
Organized Mass Chaos......you have to look at these pictures to see the mess and the chaos! They pictures tell the story, which may have you saying......"YUCK, what possible story could the pictures be telling????"
The staff is organized in the middle of the field with all of the tools necessary for the kids to "accomplish a specific task". They are armed with paint, painted oatmeal, sponges, buckets of water, water guns, floaties and other colorful items. The kids are broken up into teams, and each individual on the team is given a slip of paper that identifies their task, if they choose to accept it.
They are things like:
Paint your name on a friends forehead
Find a staff, get them to kneel and knight them with the floatie
Poor painted oatmeal over someone's head
Circle with your head on the floatie 10 times and then find an adult and recite the alphabet..........
I think you get the picture!
They get COVERED in YUCK from head to toe and then it's to the waterfront to rinse off with free swim. After clean up...it's Movie Time! Time to relax and unwind starting with Men in Black.
I'll fill you in on the schedule tomorrow. I can't believe it is Wednesday already!!
OMK and Volunteer Staff
Great Monday.....CHILL TUESDAY, Organized Mass Chaos tonight!
Thanks, Karen North, for getting the pictures up on the blog this morning! Our photographer extraordinaire! I love looking at a teen that doesn't have their head down looking at a screen! There is proof that our teens can actually ENJOY doing something other than text, skype and computer work. It is a true joy to see them enjoying EACH OTHER!
Todays schedule is SENIOR CHILL, as usual! It is such a change from our other camps. A Senior Week favorite is Spa Day complete with manicures, pedicures, facials and all things relaxing!!! Other things on the schedule include, Creative Dramatics, Boating, Outdoor Sports and Team Building (they are working on ideas for next years Camp Theme).
This afternoon, the schedule shifts to GIRLS ONLY, Sunbathing 101. They will learn how to apply sunscreen and chill for a few hours basking in the sun. Other kids chose Indoor Sports, Board Games and the most popular trip to the Springs!
TONIGHT! Organized Mass Chaos! Be sure to get a glimpse of this game. They are very COLORFUL and the kids are covered in paint, water, and oatmeal. This game is my new camp favorite.
Check back later for Pictures of our morning and afternoon activities!
OMK Staff
Monday, August 5, 2013
WELCOME TO SENIOR WEEK!
Thank you for trusting us with your teens this week. Neva, the Camp Director, Cliff Lewis and the entire Operation Military Kids volunteer staff is excited to hang out with your teens this week. They have an exciting week ahead!
We wanted to remind you that pick up on Friday is at 10:00am and NOT 12:00 as previously noted. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused.
Registration is well under way and we should have about 70 teens enjoying a week of fun and learning! After registration, they will get to know their cabinmates, then head to the waterfront for a swim test.
We will try to put photos up at the end of each long day. Keep checking back after they get home.....we will put the remaining photos up after our return from camp.
If you want to leave a message for your teen, please place them on the LAST Blog note each day. We will deliver them at mail call.
If you have any questions, please call Carol Gallant at 904-608-4770.
Talk to you soon!
Carol
We wanted to remind you that pick up on Friday is at 10:00am and NOT 12:00 as previously noted. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused.
Registration is well under way and we should have about 70 teens enjoying a week of fun and learning! After registration, they will get to know their cabinmates, then head to the waterfront for a swim test.
We will try to put photos up at the end of each long day. Keep checking back after they get home.....we will put the remaining photos up after our return from camp.
If you want to leave a message for your teen, please place them on the LAST Blog note each day. We will deliver them at mail call.
If you have any questions, please call Carol Gallant at 904-608-4770.
Talk to you soon!
Carol
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