Send Kids to Camp

Thanks to the support of Howard Hanna and Eat’n Park, the Send Kids to Camp program gives kids from urban neighborhoods a chance to explore & express themselves. These children are faced with the daily stress of living in high-crime neighborhoods with limited access to structured outside play, healthy activities or nutrition. At Kon-O-Kwee, kids find it easy to make new friends, learn about healthy choices & enjoy the great outdoors.

Hangin' Out on the Zip-Line!

Its been an action packed week with the Send Kids to Camp program! The campers have hiked to Eagle's Nest, accomplished the Trail of Courage, zoomed down the Zip-Line, paddled their canoes & kayaks, topped out on the rock wall, splashed in the creek, played Capture the Flag, swam in the pool, taken a night hike, played gaga, gone fishing... And there is still much more to do!

All Aboard the Spencer Express!

Having the opportunity to be a part of this program has been an honor and a  privilege; the campers have had so much fun and we have had a blast working with them. A big Kon-O-Kwee Heep-How of thanks to Howard Hanna and Eat N' park for making this week a possibility for these children. May the Great Spirit Be With You.

Keeping Cool at the Pool!

Week Six: Friday

Wow, its hard to believe that the 2011 Summer Camping Season is nearly ended. The Session Three and Week Six campers are just now saying their goodbyes, packing the last of their luggage and saying their final goodbyes to their cabin-mates, village-mates, and staff.

All three Program Zones were open this morning: Juna & Gena visited Moondance while Sena & Fawna visited Windsong and Expa & Lora visited Foxtail; trying out their favorite program areas one more time. Most villages were sure to get one last visit to the pool in during the afternoon while the boys from Sena had their first opportunity to test out the brand new Trone Zone Splashpad Sprayground. They had a blast splashing and slopping around while getting soaked at the Trone Zone. 

Its been a terrific summer and on behalf of Camp Kon-O-Kwee I offer our most sincere thanks to the parents and families of all our campers for entrusting us with the care of your sons and daughters. The summer of 2011 marked a lot of changes in program delivery and now, with the summer season almost in the books, I hope that your campers are able to look back on their experience at Kon-O-Kwee filled with memories of Belonging, Accomplishment, Adventure, and Leadership.


May the Great Spirit Be With You.

Week Six: Thursday

Things were gloomy in the early morning hours, but it quickly turned bright and sunny so all could enjoy their last full day at Kon-O-Kwee!

Program areas were open all day morning with Juna & Gena visiting Windsong (Archery nature Crafts, Soccer, Ga-Ga), Sena & Fawna visiting Foxtail (Air Rifles, Canoeing & Kayaking, Basketball, Fire-building, Creek Stomp, and Blacklight Ga-Ga) and Expa & Lora visiting Moondance (Fishing, Shelter-Building, Climbing Barn & Bouldering Cave, Slingshots, Performing Arts, and Ultimate Frisbee).

Teen Wilderness & the Vagabond campers spent the morning at Camp Spencer and the Trone Zone Splashpad Sprayground and returned to Camp Spencer in the afternoon to have fun on the High Ropes Course, trying out the Commitment Bridge, Heebie Jeebie, Multi-Vine, Islands-In-The-Sky, Lilypads, Burma Bridge, Giant Swing and Leap of Faith. 

The campers from Juna, Gena, and Fawna also spent some of their afternoon at the Trone Zone Splashpad (Sena will have their shot tomorrow) and all enjoyed their well-deserved Rest-Hour in addition to plenty of time at the pool... which is the same place that the entire camp gathered this evening for the traditional Candlelight Ceremony. Candlelight is a reflective time, set apart to listen to and appreciate Village messages as everyone prepares to leave Kon-O-Kwee for the session.

There is so much to do tomorrow! Check back soon to find out what the campers were up to on their final day at Kon-O-Kwee.

Week Six: Wednesday

The skies were gray and we did experience a little "liquid sunshine" at camp today,  but no plans or schedules were interrupted by the weather!


The Foxtail Program Zone was visited by Juna & Gena this morning who got to pick from Air-Rifles, Canoeing & Kayaking, Performing Arts, and Fire-Building. After lunch, the seven, eight, and nine year-olds had a Rest-Hour back at their cabins before heading to the pool. The one-weekers spent the rest of the afternoon at the Spencer Playground and the High Ropes Course where they tried out the outdoor climbing walls and flew down the 500' Zip-Line! The mini-weekers packed their bags and left for home this afternoon... their 1/2 week went by so fast! Everyone went back to their village after dinner to get ready for tonight's camp-wide Wild West Hootenanny!

The Juna Outlaws!

Sena & Fawna spent their morning at the Moondance Program Zone, which means the ten & eleven year-olds got to pick from Fishing, Shelter-Building, the indoor Climbing Barn and Bouldering Cave, Slingshots, Street Hockey, and Yoga. Fawna went to the High Ropes Course in the afternoon, in addition to the pool and Rest Hour, where they ascended 40' off the ground to negotiate the Swinging Tires, Sliding Trolley, and Cargo Net before zooming down the 500' Zip-Line. Meanwhile, the Sena one-weekers hopped in the Connoquenessing at the boat docks and took a creek-stomp all the way to the Spencer Bridge while the two-weekers went on a Rain Adventure that included some mud-pit fun and some serious puddle-stomping before heading to the pool and taking a Rest Hour before dinner. The ten and eleven year-olds made quite an entrance to the Wild West Hootenanny during the evening hours.

Cowgirls at the Hootenanny

The twelve year-olds in Expa & Lora spent their morning at the Windsong Program Zone where they selected three activities from Archery, Nature Crafts, Soccer, Ga-Ga, Environmental Adventure, and Disc Golf. The thirteen year olds made it back from their overnight to Moraine State Park with not but a minute to spare before lunchtime. They did get rained on a bit, but their shelter-building skills learned at program areas came in handy as they stayed (mostly) dry. The afternoon was spent at the swimming pool along with a few rounds of Harby-Ball from Expa while Lora choreographed a dance to Bieber's "Baby" for tonight's hootenanny... nice job Lora Ladies!

Who's Ready to Party?

The adventurers from Teen Wilderness and the Vagabond got back back to Kon-O-Kwee safe and sound right around 2:00 p.m. today. They spent the morning organizing and packing personal and group gear and equipment while taking a few moments to say goodbye to their home on the hill for the last eight days. When they got back they took some hot showers, caught up on their mail, and enjoyed the comforts of main camp before making their grand entrance at the Wild West Hootenanny. Yeehaw!

Vagabond Girls

Tomorrow is the last full day of the 2011 Summer Camping Season!? Its hard to believe... check back to hear about all the adventures in store for what is forecasted to be a beautiful day at Kon-O-Kwee.

Week Six: Tuesday

We had another great day at camp today! 


Juna & Gena kept busy this morning at the Moondance Program Zone where they went fishing, built some shelters to stay dry under, practiced their aim at sling shots, and climbed all over the indoor Climbing Barn and Bouldering Cave. After their Rest Hour and some time at the swimming pool, Juna hiked to the mysterious Covered Bridge to splash in the creek (they also picked a bouquet of wildflowers for Aunt Kelsey on the way back) while Gena climbed all the way to the top of Eagle's Nest. Eagle's nest is the premier hike at Kon-O-Kwee, rewarding all those who ascend a spectacular view at the top. After dinner the seven, eight, and nine year-olds had fun with Counselor Switch where they take their time dressing the Gena counselors to look like the Juna counselors (and vice-versa), culminating with a hilarious fashion show at the end.

Hangin' Out at the Climbing Barn

The Windsong Program Zone was visited by the campers from Sena & Fawna today which means they got to visit Archery, Nature-Crafts, Soccer, Ga-Ga, Street Hockey, and Environmental Adventure. The one-weekers from Fawna spent their afternoon working together on the cooperative challenges of the Low Ropes Course while the two-weekers took their hike to Eagle's Nest. Meanwhile, the boys from Sena visited the High Ropes Course and the Climbing Wall (Brandon Fredrick completed the Bouldering Cave Challenge, traversing his way around the entire room without letting his feet touch the ground). On High Ropes these brave campers completed the Swinging Tires, the Sliding Trolley, and the Cargo Net before flying down the Zip-Line! After dinner the Sena & Fawna campers played a huge game of Capture the Flag and had additional time at the pool.

Trust Falls on the Low Ropes Course

Today was all about outdoor excursion for the Explorers from Expa & Lora. The twelve year-olds visited McConnell's Mill State park where they hiked the rugged Kildoo Trail through the heart of the Slippery Rock Gorge, shared a picnic lunch,  and went exploring over and under rocks in a natural area littered with house-sized boulders. The thirteen year-olds, in turn, departed for their overnight trip to Moraine State Park where they canoed across Lake Arthur, hiked on the Pleasant Valley Trail, and enjoyed time on the beach. Tonight the thirteen year-olds will explore on a night hike before enjoying fireside S'mores and a starlit night while the twelve year-olds get in more time on the High Ropes Course and enjoy an evening swim.

Juna Warriors!

Teen Wilderness and the Vagabond backpackers enjoyed their last full day in the Laurel Highlands today. Today was special for them because each camper got to select the activities that he or she wanted to go to most (opposed to being part of an assigned activity group) so that each camper could return to the activities they enjoy most. Tonight will stand out in their memory banks for a long time to come as it marks Vedotional Light - a reflective ceremony held on the last night at Deer Valley. Each adirondack and the Vagabond select a speaker to represent their group who shares thoughts, wishes, memories and wisdom before leaving the Wilderness Village and returning to Kon-O-Kwee.


Thanks for reading today's blog entry! Check back tomorrow for more news from Kon-O-Kwee.

Week Six: Monday

What a spectacular day at Kon-O-Kwee! We had gorgeous weather today and a lot of activity going on all around camp...

Flags!

The seven, eight, and nine year-olds from Juna & Gena visited the Windsong Program Zone today, choosing from Archery, Nature Crafts, Soccer, and Ga-Ga (Israeli Dodgeball) for their morning activities. The mosaic pictures at Nature Crafts look really cool and Sofia made a phenomenal sand dollar out of clay. After lunch, a well-deserved Rest Hour, and some pool time, Juna & Gena spent some time on the Slip N’ Slide and visited Chief Connoquenessing’s Trail of Courage: our storied obstacle course that requires camper to climb, crawl, slide, jump, swing, and balance over, under, around and through many different challenges. The big Juna & Gena event for this evening was the Messy Gauntlet; a hilarious activity that combines a messy food challenge and the Water Gauntlet splash obstacle course. 

Street Hockey Action

The ten and eleven year-olds from Sena & Fawna spent their mornings at the Foxtail Program Zone and got to choose from Air Rifles, Canoeing & Kayaking, Basketball, Fire-Building, Creek Stomp, and Black-light Ga-Ga (which is the ultra-popular Ga-Ga played indoors, under black-light, with loud music playing). In addition to Rest Hour, all campers got plenty of pool time in the afternoon. On top of that, the one-weekers from Sena & Fawna did the Low Ropes Course (cooperative challenges) and hiked the Eagles Nest, respectively. Meanwhile, the two-weekers from Sena hiked to nearby Brush Creek where they splashed in the creek and enjoyed a picnic lunch as the Fawna two-weekers went to the Indoor Climbing Barn & Bouldering Cave. After dinner, both villages went back to the pool for some extra swim time, Fawna worked on their village pride by learning some new cheers, and all of Sena & Fawna got ready for the popular Counselor-Switch for their evening activity.

Dinner Time!

Expa & Lora were all over the Moondance program Zone today, choosing from Fishing, Shelter-Building, Slingshots, Climbing Wall, Performing Arts, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, and Knitting. After lunch the twelve year-olds hiked to Eagle’s Nest; an arduous climb to a rock outcropping along the Connoquenessing Ridge that gives observers a spectacular view of all of camp and the surrounding countryside. The thirteen year-olds, meanwhile, visited the High Ropes Course to do the Zip-Line and the Tarzan section of the course, including the Commitment Bridge, Multi-Vine, Heebie-Jeebie, and Charlie Chaplin. Throw in some pool time and a Rest Hour and the Explorers had a pretty active day. After dinner these tireless campers played a big game of Capture the Camper/Capture the Counselor before walking to camp Spencer to be the first Kon-O-Kwee campers ever to use the brand new Trone Zone Splashpad Sprayground... another fantastic way to beat the heat here at camp!

The Trone Zone

Up on Mount Davis, the Vagabond backpackers joined the Teen Wilderness campers after a full day of Whitewater rafting on the Lower Youghiogheney River. At Deer Valley campers age fourteen and fifteen are part of activity groups that go climbing on natural rock, rappelling, canoeing, swimming, and hiking. In addition to all the activity and the natural beauty of Mount Davis, these campers are also very self sufficient; taking turns in meal preparation and clean-up for each meal. The teen campers also take shelter in the adirondacks (“addies”) and bathe in Deer Valley Lake each day. 

Fun at the Sprayground!

Be sure to check back tomorrow to stay on top of all the fun and adventure at Camp Kon-O-Kwee!

Week Six: Sunday

All two-weekers who were out on overnights had a fantastic night under the stars, woke up, and made french toast over the fire for breakfast. Those who were not on overnights had "breakfast in bed" brought right to their cabin... pop-tarts, muffins, apples, oranges, bananas, and orange juice delivered to each cabin on a gorgeous Sunday morning.

After the overnighters had returned to main camp and cleaned up, all villages gathered at the chapel for the biweekly non-denominational service. This session's theme for Chapel was The Wisdom of Chief Connoquenessing where we shared some of our most treasured Native American Legends with the campers.

In the afternoon, Juna, Gena, Sena and Fawna all went to the pool for a few hours of swim time and went on exciting scavenger hunts while the Expa and Lora worked together on the Explorer's Ladder at the High Ropes Course and played Capture the Flag. The Explorers got in their pool time after dinner.

We also greeted a boatload of new campers into camp today! It was great to see so many new 7-11 year-olds arrive into camp. All campers and staff gathered at Council Tree this evening for the Opening Campfire - the only way to properly kick off Wild West Week, Week 6, 2011!

On the Lower Youghiogheny River the Vagabond adventurers made their way through the rapids to the Bruner Run take-out and safely made their way to the top of Mount Davis to join up with the Teen Wilderness Village where they will adventure together for their last two days in the Laurel Highlands.

We're excited to fully get into the swing of Week Six tomorrow! Check back soon to read all about Monday's adventures at Kon-O-Kwee.