PENDALOU-PON DETAILS ANNOUNCED!

Session One (Overnight Camp) – June 17-22, 2012

50% OFF!

That’s right! It’s not a GROUPON – it’s a Pendalou-PON!  This great offer is from 9am Thursday, February 23rd to 9am Friday, February 24^th. That’s 24 hours to get this exclusive deal!

Original Cost: $515                                                     

Pendalou-PON Cost: $257.50                                      

Important stuff to know:

• It will take 25 Registrations to activate this Pendalou-PON, so tell your friends!
• Registration must be made online through our online system. Just type [Pendalou-PON] for the coupon code.
• This deal applies to Session One. 

Questions? Call us (231) 894-4538.

BIG NEWS FOR 2012 SUMMER CAMP CAMPERS AND PARENTS!

We have some BIG news to announce! You'll definitely want to share with your friends!

We are offering a Pendalou-PON! This deal is similar to a GROUPON, but we are running it ourselves! The deal will run from 9am Thursday, Feb 23 to 9am Friday, Feb 24.

Here are the details:

• TOMORROW, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16^TH, we are announcing the percentage off that the deal will include. And let me give you a hint: this is no little coupon of 10%... THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH BIGGER!
• THEN ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17^TH, we will announce the specific session of Overnight Camp that this Pendalou-PON deal is for.
• THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK, ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23^RD AT 9AM, the Pendalou-PON deal will go live for the 24 hour period!

 So stay tuned in the next two days for the BIG details on this incredible deal!

Activity Spotlight: Gaga!

Campers and Staff during a game of Gaga!

 
Let me be loud and clear: we are NOT talking about Lady Gaga. Gaga is a game that came to YMCA Camp Pendalouan in 2010 and has been a hit every since!

Gaga is a fast paced, dodge-ball like game that anyone can play. Here are some details so that next time you make it out to camp, you'll already know how to play (and you'll know some insider tips too!).

WHAT YOU NEED
It starts with a "pit." Ours here at camp is a wooden octagon (Fun fact: instead of buying one from a company, our maintenance staff used wood from the old T-Dock to make our own!). But some companies also offer portable Gaga Pits. Camper families have also seen improvised pits in public parks with tipped over picnic tables! You also need a ball. We, here at Pendalouan, use a normal playground ball.



HOW TO PLAY
Kids first enter the pit and line up along the edges, making sure to be touching the sides of the pit. One designated player or referee tosses up the ball in the center of the pit and all the players yell "Ga, Ga, Ga!" On the third "Ga" players may leave the sides of the pit and go for the ball, which has landed in the center of the pit. Players then attempt to get fellow players out by hitting the ball towards other players. The ball MUST hit the player below the knees to be out. If the ball hits a player above the knee, no one is out. If someone hits the ball and it flies over the sides of the pit, that player who smacked the ball is out. Once out, players hop out of the pit and watch from the outside.

Girls and Boys of all ages love to play Gaga here at Camp Pendalouan.

 These simple rules make for a safe game. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun! Sometimes 3 or four players can be out on a single toss and when the game gets down to two or three players, the outside of the circle is filled with onlookers and supporters. Sometimes you can hear the cheering all the way from Hiawatha Beach! When one player is left standing, she or he is declared the winner and a new game starts up!

TIPS & HINTS!
Mark D, one of our 2010 & 2011 Summer Staff Counselors who prided himself on his Gaga skills, recently imparted some hints and tips that he regularly shared with campers the past few summers:

 "Everyone at Pendalouan knows I go gaga for Gaga. Here are a few tips for making sure you stay in the pit longer than anyone else. FIRST, don't forget to watch your back! A hit is still 'live' even if it bounced off the sides of the pit and hits the back of your legs! SECOND, I like to remember to sink down to knees if I know I don't have time to dodge it. THIRD, don't be discouraged if you get out early in the game. The next  round will start in a matter of minutes. LAST, the more you play, the better you get!"

Counselor Mike attempts to steal the ball from a camper. Shortly after this picture was taken, Mike got out

!

We here at Pendalouan love Gaga because it's fun, safe, and is a healthy activity that gets kids moving quite a bit! It's a great chance for kids to learn sportsmanship and a wonderful opportunity for both campers and counselors alike to practice the four core values of Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility.

Although we play Gaga all year round, the game is best played in the summer with warm sand under your feet! We hope you can join us in a game (or three) of Gaga the next time you make it out to the shores of Big Blue Lake!

Want to join us for Overnight Camp or Day Camp this summer? Registration is open! Sign Up Today! If you have any questions about any of our Summer Camp Programs or would like to register, see our website or call our office at (231) 894-4538. 

Activity Spotlight: The Hike to Sleepy Hollow!

This blogpost is part of a series of posts on Camp Pendalouan Traditions! This post is about a favorite activity that has been a part of Pendalouan History since the beginning of Pendy History... The Hike to Sleepy Hollow! Future posts will be about ceremonies, rituals, the camp motto, and more! If you have an idea for a post or would like to be a guest writer, contact pendalouan@gmail.com


Sleepy Hollow. To Campers and Alumni of Pendalouan these two words carry deep significance and conjure up memories and images of history and legend, mystical lore and natural beauty.

The hike to Sleepy Hollow is an activity that almost all visitors to camp participate in. Summer Resident and Day Campers, as well as Outdoor Education Students, often have several opportunities during their stay to make this beautiful and magical hike.

Most of the tales on the hike were passed down through the ancient art of storytelling by Pendalouan Legend, Eddie Boersema (for more information on Eddie, click here or here). Due to the nature of storytelling, the tales have changed slightly over the years, but not significantly. It is always great when an Alum comes back and shares his or her own rendition of the Sleepy Hollow Stories.

In his later years, Eddie wrote down his tales in order
to preserve them. Our counselors & staff learn the stories
by going on the hike themselves, with the tales
being told by a veteran staff member. The notes,
however, are important for Pendalouan History.

There is no substitute to actually going on the hike, but this post will attempt to share some of the highlights that campers and staff experience on their journey in Sleepy Hollow.

It may take a bit of a walk to actually get to the Hollow from the main area of camp, but once you are there, the stories and sights are numerous and are well worth the walk. First, there is a stop right at the top of the hill where the old fire tower used to be. The four corner posts and the US Geological Survey marker are still there!

A picture in Eddie Boersema's Scrapbook of Big Blue Lake
taken from the Fire Tower in the late 1930s

Then after descending a steep hill, you enter the Hollow. As you are surrounded by the Sacred Stream, the ancient giant trees, and soft ground, it feels as if you have entered another world.

A Picture of Sleepy Hollow taken in Fall 2011

After sharing some tales in that main valley, groups usually make their way to where the Purple Seven Gang’s Hideout used to be. After crossing Cleveland Creek, you stumble upon the Castle, where tales of 1920s gangsters and ghosts echo throughout the ruins.

Cleveland Creek, Fall 2011

Even further are The Blue Lake Bomber's Shack and Owasippe's Grave, where only the adventurous trek to. Throughout the whole hike, there are numerous opportunities to explore nature's beauty and learn about several species of animal and flora including Giant Beech Trees, Beavers, Marmots, etc.


The hike to Sleepy Hollow is a tradition at Camp Pendalouan that we cherish deeply. As long as the Hollow is there, Pendalouan campers will continue to explore the majesty of this legendary and beautiful natural wonder.

Do you have a favorite Sleepy Hollow story to share? Leave a comment below!


This post is part of a series on camp traditions. Be on the lookout for more posts in the coming months on other camp traditions! In case you missed it, check out the previous post on Camp Songs. If you have any questions about our Summer Camp Programs or would like to register, see our website or call our office at (231) 894-4538.

Summer Camp Fun For the Whole Family... IN THE DEAD OF WINTER!

Greetings from Beautiful Big Blue Lake!

It may be windy, icy and brisk outside, but in just 140 days, we'll be hearing canoe paddles in the water, buddy check whistles and other great sounds of summer. We always miss summer camp the most when the snow starts to fall and the lake freezes over.  But luckily there are ways to keep the magic of summer camp alive in the winter months as well! Here is a list of campy activities and games that kids can do in the winter when missing summer camp:

1. Foil Dinners! On Tuesday nights during Summer Camp here at Pendalouan, every cabin enjoys a yummy Foil Dinner cooked over a fire. But did you know that you can also make these delicious meals in your own kitchen? All you need is tin foil, butter, potatoes, veggies, & seasonings! Check out one recipe here!
2. Go on a hike with family and friends! Here at Pendalouan our favorite hiking destination is Sleepy Hollow, but West Michigan is full of beautiful places to hike! Click here for a link to West Michigan’s State Parks.
3. Write Letters! At Camp, everyone loves getting letters at mail time, but why should it only be a summertime occurrence? Our campers are encouraged during the school year to write the friends they made the previous summer. And we even allow campers to send mail to counselors! All they have to do is send a letter addressed to their Counselor with Camp’s address. We’ll make sure they get it! But why stop there! Kids can also be encouraged to send mail to their grandparents and other relatives!
4. Organize a game of Scatterball. Scatterball is a classic Camp Pendalouan game. It is like dodgeball, but with no teams. The ball is thrown up in the air to start the game and then it becomes an all vs. all dodgeball game. Once you get the ball, you can take three steps and then you HAVE to throw it. If you get hit, you have to sit in “Jail.” But if the person who got you out gets out, you are back in! The last person standing WINS!
5. Make a Scavenger Hunt Around the House or Neighborhood. Camp Pendalouan is no stranger to Scavenger Hunts. We have Scavenger Hunts during our Mt. Biking & Nature Classes, they are a part of our All Camp Games, and sometimes counselors will put one together specifically for their cabin! Making a scavenger hunt with clues that ends up with a note with a special announcement (like a Certificate for A Week at Summer Camp) or a special treat (like a favorite snack) would be a great way to bring a little bit of Summer Camp back home!
6. Have a Living Room Campout! This activity can be for anyone, young and old, returning or new campers! It may not be quite the same as sleeping under the starts, but it still is a fun way to bond as a family or for kids to do with their friends. Grab your sleeping bags and lay them out in the living room. Instead of turning on the TV, make a fire out of construction paper and grab a few books for telling and sharing stories! And if you get hungry, you can always…
7. Make Smores! While this is a great Living Room Campout activity, it is also a snack that can be enjoyed anytime! You can microwave the marshmallow instead of roasting it over the fire. It’s almost just as good!
8. Spread the Pendalouan Spirit! During our closing campfire on Thursday nights, we talk about the Pendalouan Spirit, which is made up of the four core values of honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility and the Camp Motto of “I’m Third.” We share instances from the prior week where we saw the Pendalouan Spirit in action and we challenge our campers to spread the spirit at home with friends when they leave camp and throughout the school year. Sharing these values and the camp motto is probably our FAVORITE way to keep the magic of camp alive during the non-summer months.

We hope this YMCA Camp Pendalouan list gives you and your family some great idea of ways to experience a little bit of Summer Camp during these cold winter months! Feel free to add to the list in the comments section!

YMCA Camp Pendalouan is a fully accredited resident and day camp. While at Pendalouan, kids and teens make friends, create life long memories, and learn new skills all the while having fun in a safe environment. At Pendalouan, you are a part of a family and campers are lead by highly qualified and trained staff. We are currently nearing the end of our January Promotion in which we’ll provide you with a free long sleeve Pendalouan T-Shirt if you sign up for summer camp before February 1^st. If you would like to learn more about Camp Pendalouan, check out our website, the Camp Blog and our Facebook page.

We Couldn't Have Done It Without You!

A Successful End to Our Year-End Campaign

We are happy to announce the successful completion of our 2011 Year-End Campaign!

Smashing our goal of $5,000, we ended up raising a record $15,796 for our Campership Fund! Because of this, many children, who otherwise would not have been able, will experience a week at Pendalouan. This could not have happened without the generous support of our alumni, parents, and friends of Pendalouan and we dearly thank those who donated. While the focus of our Year-End Campaign is camperships, we continue to accept donations year-round for our Campership Fund, as well as capital projects and programming/facility needs.


In the Spirit of Pendalouan,

Bruce Spoelman, Executive Director
YMCA Camp Pendalouan

It's Time To Start Thinking About Summer 2012!

That's right folks! Summer 2012 is only 157 days away!

Are you signed up for Summer Camp at Pendalouan, yet?

No? Well here's some incentive:

If you sign up for Summer Camp 2012 before January 31st, we'll give you ONE OF OUR NEW LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRTS FOR FREE!

Our stylish new long sleeve t-shirts

Sign up on our website or call the camp office at
(231) 894-4538 today!

Pendalouan Traditions: Camp Songs!

We are starting a new series on Pendalouan Traditions! This is the first post about Camp Songs! Future posts will be about ceremonies, rituals, the camp motto, and more! Enjoy!



Camp wouldn't be camp without songs! Singing has been an integral part of camping since in start in the mid-to-late 1800s and, while the nature of the songs has changed with the times, the central place that singing has at camp is still alive and well today in 2012!

Here at YMCA Camp Pendalouan, we sing all day long. We sing in the early morning before breakfast, we sing at Chapel, we sing after meals, we sing at campfires, and we sing at night before bed. We love singing! On Thursday Nights in the summer, we even have a SONGFEST on Thursday evenings before Closing Campfire!

What do we sing? It depends on the time of day.

In the morning, after flag raising, we make our way to the beach and sing "Good Morning Mr. Zip Zip" across the lake to Mr. Zip Zip - the retired postman who lives on the other side of Big Blue Lake. Sometimes he even comes out in his red longjohns and waves hello!

On Cookout Day/ Extended Cabin Activity Night, we sing our TAPS songs before Dinner.

Then we have our hundreds of fun and entertaining "Camp" songs like "3 Blind Jellyfish," "My Dog Lima," "The Princess Pat," "An Austrian Went Yodeling," and "Boom Chicca Boom" which we sing when we have down time, at our Opening Campfire and Songfest, and after meals.

At night, right after snack and right before flag lowering, we have our TAPS time, which is when we gather as a camp on the steps of the lodge or at Wildwood Chapel and sing slower songs like "One Tin Solider," "Blowin in the Wind," or "Country Roads."

And then we have our Camp Song Mainstays: "Hail Pendalouan," "On The Loose," and "I Was Pendalouan Born" (this one is only two years old!). These songs reportedly are the songs that really connect campers and alums emotionally with Pendalouan.


Singing has always been and always will be a part of the Pendalouan Camp experience. When campers come home from summer camp, often the first thing they want to do is share their favorite camp songs with their parents. When alumni from decades out come back to camp, they still remember the songs they sang on the shores of Big Blue Lake.

What is YOUR favorite camp song? We'd love to hear!

Singing "One Tin Solider" before heading down to the Sandlot to lower the flag.

With only 163 days till Summer 2012, we're going to keep singing our camp songs, prepping for what is bound to be the best summer yet. We hope you join us in song!

This post is the first of a series on camp traditions. Be on the lookout for more posts in the coming months on other camp traditions! If you have any questions about our Summer Camp Programs or would like to register, call our office at (231) 894-4538.

2011 Year In Review!

What a year 2011 was for YMCA Camp Pendalouan! We provided high quality character-building and outdoor education programs to over 6,000 campers, we had record numbers in some of our seasonal and family programs and we continued to connect with our friends and alumni.
 

Winter
The first few months of 2011 were characterized by having some wonderful school groups come out to camp for a winter outdoor education experience! In addition to enjoying our year-round classes and activities we provide, these school groups had the added benefit of enjoying our winter activities such as cross country skiing, our toboggan run, and broomball on the frozen lake.

Spring
But eventually the snow melted and winter turned to spring. In the spring, we had even more school groups come in and we were thrilled to be able to work with so many great groups of teachers, students and parents. In the Spring we also had our “Spring Break Escape” Day Camp and our two Open Houses for those who wanted to get a feel of what Pendalouan is all about.


Summer

Summer is Pendalouan’s busiest time of the year and for good reason! Our summer staff join us early for an intense week of Staff Orientation/Training and then we are going, going, going for 6 weeks straight of Summer Camp Fun. It was an amazing summer! We also welcomed Special Days Camps for the first two weeks in August. In addition to our Resident Camps and Day Camps, the summer is when our Mom & Kids Camp, our Family Camp, and our Father-Son Camp take place. What a blast those all were!

Fall

As summer came to a close, the school year started up again and we focused again on our Outdoor Education Programs. School groups ventured in the outdoors with us and grew in our unique learning environment. In addition to our OE programs, we also welcomed over 100 alumni & friends back to camp for Pendalouan Day, had a great group of women for Women’s Adventure Weekend, and had record high numbers for our Halloween Camp. What a great Fall! We also capped our year off with our Year End Campaign. Since we have a few more days until 2012, the campaign hasn’t ended yet, but as soon as it does, we’ll let you know the results!


And now, as 2011 wraps up, we are busy thinking about how to make 2012 the best year yet for Pendalouan. We already have some excited things planned for 2012 including a cool new T-Shirt Promotion, some awesome additions to our summer camp programs, and some innovative Alumni initiatives. Do you have any ideas on how we can make 2012 the best year yet for Pendalouan? If, so let us know! Email pendalouan@gmail.com with your ideas.

Now the fun part… Resolutions! Some of our 2012 New Year's Resolutions:

• To continue to offer high quality programs to those who walk through our door
• To continue to grow in Mind, Body and Spirit as an organization and to facilitate that growth in those we service
• To constantly work to improve communication with parents
• To find more ways to share the Pendalouan experience with even more children
• To find and reconnect with alumni who we’ve lost contact with

Thanks to everyone who made 2011 such a success and we look forward to seeing you in 2012!
Happy New Year!

Our 2011 Year-End Campaign

Even though we don't yet have snow on the ground, we here at YMCA Camp Pendalouan never stop working on Summer Camp! We are already hiring staff, having summer planning meetings, and buying supplies for Summer 2012!

One aspect of summer camp that we work on 12 months a year is our Campership Fund. We are often asked by Alumni & Friends, "How can we help Pendalouan?" And while there are many ways to help out camp (volunteering your time, energy, supplies, etc.), one of the ways that people often like to participate is by sharing the magic of Pendalouan with children who can't afford it.


Right now we are currently in the middle of our Year-End Campaign for our Campership Fund. You may have gotten something in your mailbox or inbox about it (if not it means we may not have your current contact info!).

Our goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of the year. All proceeds will go directly into our Campership Fund, which helps get kids to camp who otherwise wouldn't be able.

Would you be willing to make a contribution to our Campership Fund? Any amount makes a difference, even $10.00. However, the first 50 people to donate $75 or more will receive a 2012 Pendalouan Calendar, featuring some of our favorite Camp Pendalouan photos. There still are Calendars left, so if you are interested in receiving one of these, donate soon!


There are several ways to donate. You can donate online by clicking here. You can give us a call [(231) 894-4538] and make a donation over the phone. Or you can send in a check (Memo line: Year End Campaign) to the following address:

YMCA Camp Pendalouan
1243 E Fruitvale Rd.
Montague, MI 49437

We appreciate your time, energy, and consideration as we continue to help provide a Pendalouan experience to all children who need it.

Hail Pendalouan!

We are extremely grateful for all of our Alumni & Friends who support YMCA Camp Pendalouan in many different ways. If you are interested in volunteering your time and energy, or would like to donate money or supplies for any of our year-round programs, give us a call at (231) 894-4538.