When I imagined working at a sleepaway camp, I always imagined the movie the Parent Trap (the original one from the 1960s). CYC is a 71 year old, rustic, traditional camp. I wasn’t too far off thinking it was like the movies, and much of camp hasn’t been updated, so we are still living in another decade.
Check out CYC here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC30XuLb0r0
Here’s what the summer calendar looks like-
Pre-Camp
- May 26/27- Nate, the boys, Olivia and I will cram the van and Nate’s car FULL of stuff and head to camp.
- May 28-June 1- pre-camp prep- I’ll answer a lot of emails, meet with Meghan and the other lead staff, plan staff training, review curriculum, order supplies, organize buildings, settle in, and get ready…
- June 4-8- Lead Staff Training- Meghan is the year round program director. September-May, we work in the office on fundraising, program planning, marketing, event planning, and everything else. During the summer, we have additional staff who help plan and run programming, oversee staff, and run camp. Julia is returning from last year to help out for the first few weeks. Amanda will be here all summer. This week will be lots of planning.
- June 10-13- Lifeguard training- I am a Red Cross lifeguard instructor. I have 6 staff training this year and we will go to the hotel in town to use their pool each day.
- June 14- CPR/First aid- I will certify the rest of the staff in CPR and first aid on this day.
- June 15-22- Staff training. From 8am-9pm each day, we will lead the staff in roughly one hour sessions, preparing them for camp. These sessions include emergency procedures (what to do if there’s a tornado, fire, etc), how to teach activities, behavior management, what to do if a kid is homesick, team building, etc.
Camp Overview
June 24-August 18 are the 8 weeks of camper sessions.
Campers arrive Sundays at 3pm. Some kids are dropped off by their parents, some ride a bus that we charter from Roseville. On Sundays, kids arrive, get divided into cabins, tour camp, sign up for activities, have dinner, and then we have an opening pepfest before they all go to bed.
Monday-Thursday, they are in activities all day (see below). Activities include archery, slingshots, throwing tomahawks, canoeing, paddle boarding, paddle boating, kayaking, arts and crafts, fishing, swimming, drama, sports, outdoor skills, as well as all-camp activities like group games, scavenger hunts, relay races, etc. There are also all camp activities in the evening like a dance party, campfire, talent show, and all camp games.
Friday- after breakfast, there is a closing ceremony in our chapel, lunch and then a short program for parents. Kids leave camp by 1pm.
Friday afternoon-Sunday morning is free time for staff.
Daily Camper Schedule
Everyone at camp follows the same schedule-