Hello Canadensis!

Good to be back on the blog!  Things have been so busy these past few weeks!  I guess you can say it has been March Madness for more than just college basketball season.  However, speaking of college basketball, congratulations to our Canadensis Bracket Pool winners:  Campers Dani Pritikin and Mason Lasner, Staff Matty Manglona and  Cole Banfield and Parents Stewart Pollak and Michael Center.  Prizes will be given out soon!

Congratulations to our March Madness Bracket Winners!

As for an update on good things Canadensis, so much going on!  In March, we had our annual Leadership Weekend where our team of Head Counselors, Programming Staff, Camp, Parent Relations and year round team got together and talked about the upcoming summer for two whole days.  This meeting really sets the tone for a number of different programming plans for Summer 2017.  This was then followed by many of us going down to Atlantic City, NJ for three days for the annual American Camp Association Conference, which is the largest conference each year for the camping profession.  The weekend and conference spurred so many great new ideas.

So much to tell you about when it comes to our campus and facility upgrades for Summer 2017.  We can’t wait for all of you to see it person and experience everything first hand.  Here are all the things we’ve done since camp ended in August last year…

Our Senior Canteen, utilized mainly by our 13-16 year old campers, has received a makeover.  It now has a covered, multi-tiered back deck.  It will also have a new floor, open serving area, a small performance / DJ stage, fixed seating and two 55″ inch flat screen TVs that will also include DirecTV and a gaming system.

The Senior Canteen, which will have a number of improvements and renovations, will also have a new multi-tiered outdoor deck. It is similar to the Rec Deck, although larger.  This picture was taken in January.

One of our former outdoor pavilion facilities has now been completely enclosed and connected to our Dance Studio to create one large facility with two studios.  The building will now be referred to as the Studios.  We will continue to do dance in these areas, but the new facility will also be used for activities such as yoga, aerobics and evening activities.  The rooms are air conditioned and will also have movie projectors and screens for nighttime / rainy movie capabilities.  The new hallway that connects the two studios has cubby room storage.

Dance and what was one of the pavilions next door is now one enclosed facility. We will refer to this building now as “The Studios.”

We have a new field for Flag Football that will be lit for under the lights games at night.

We will have a brand new outdoor hockey rink.

New docks have been installed at the lakefront.

Our Beach Volleyball Courts have been upgraded with new poles and nets and additional sand.

We have added a third Hydration Station for water and ice to refill camper water bottles.

Brand new foam for the foam pit, along with a new ventilation system and padding.

We will be adding a shaded area for our Blue Pool.

Our Canadensis Today Show will have a new studio set.

Our campus will have a new PA (public address) system for all camp announcements and music.

OK…it’s time for another BLOG BAND CALL.  First five campers or staff to brian@canadensis.com with the correct answer will win a coveted white team band from 2016 Color War.  Here we go…

What is the song that Brian plays for reveille on the last morning of camp each summer?  

White Team Band Call Bands will be sent to the first five campers or staff that can correctly answer my BLOG BAND CALL question.

In the spirit of my own Throwback Thursday, which you can check out every Thursday on our Instagram, I figured I’d post some old photos of me back at camp back in the day.  Here are some good ones from 1984…when the style was obviously Adidas and high socks!

Onto all of my awesome home visits from the past 6-7 weeks…

In Blue Bell, PA, I spent time with Reed (3rd grade; 1st summer) and Serena (6th grade; 3rd summer).  Reed is actively involved in a number of different things.  He competes on a swim team, where his best event is the butterfly stroke.  He plays defense on the Whitpain Soccer Club.  In the spring, he will begin his lacrosse season.  Reed also enjoys playing chess and watching videos.  You can also find him rooting on his favorite sports teams, the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, Union and the University of Miami.  At camp, as an Upper Junior, Reed is excited for waterskiing, woodshop, glass fusion, rocketry, Ice Mountain and the quads.  As for Serena, she has gotten involved in playing travel volleyball, where she is a setter.  She is also playing travel soccer.  When at home, she loves baking cookies.  Serena wanted to give a shout out to Summer 2016’s Bunk 10 and says to them, “I can’t wait to play jacks.”  This summer, she can’t wait for her Hershey Park trip.  Here is a snapshot…

Me and Andrew with Upper Junior Boy Reed and Freshman Girl Serena.

Also in Blue Bell, PA, I saw Max (2nd grade; 1st summer).  Max currently takes karate classes, where he is a blue belt.  In the fall and spring, he plays on a soccer team.  At school, he is involved with the chess club.  When he’s at home, you might find him collecting and playing Pokemon or building with Legos.  Max even showed me the Legos Death Star from Star Wars he built (very impressive!).  This summer at camp as a Lower Junior, Max is looking forward to Gaga, the Pool, the Ropes Course and Color War.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Max.

In North Caldwell, I met up with Shayne (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Shayne is a big fan of Star Wars and Legos.  In fact, he showed me a combination of these two passions with a Legos Tie Fighter that he recently built.   Shayne also plays travel soccer, basketball and takes tennis lessons.  In the winter, he loves to ski and recently went to Windham.  In the spring, he will play baseball and lacrosse.  On top of all that, another hobby is scuba diving, where after this summer, he will be a certified diver.  At Canadensis as an Upper Junior, Shayne says that he will be all about Legos, the quads, rocketry, Gaga and woodworking.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Shayne.

In Roslyn, NY, I hung out with Rebecca (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Rebecca likes to take pottery classes.  She is involved with hip hop dance and rehearsing towards a spring recital.  She will also be performing in an upcoming musical production of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”  Rebecca enjoys gymnastics and according to her, can even be found doing cartwheels around the house.  She also loves dogs.  When she gets to camp as an Upper Junior, she is ready for activities like waterskiing, glass fusion, t-shirt studio, Color War and the trip to Dorney Park.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Rebecca.

In Melville, NY, I was with Harrison and Max (3rd grade; 1st summers).  Both told me how they play on a roller hockey team, the Snow Owls, where Harrison plays defense and Max plays offense.  In the spring, both will move to baseball, where Max likes to pitch while Harrison prefers shortstop.  Both boys have been using the winter months to train for baseball season.  On top of that, Max plays golf.  When not playing sports, they are rooting for their favorite teams.  Harrison supports the Rangers, Mets, Yankees and Giants while Max likes the Islanders, Mets and Giants.  And, if they are at home, you can probably find them playing video games like Madden Football.  This summer, as Upper Juniors, Harrison is excited about roller hockey and baseball while Max is looking forward to waterskiing, the water trampoline and baseball.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Boys Max and Harrison.

In Manhasset, NY, I got to know Jessica (2nd grade; 1st summer) and Cory (4th grade; 1st summer).  Jessica loves gymnastics and her favorite event is the uneven bars.  She likes to bake and told me cupcakes are one of her favorite things to make.  Jessica really enjoys dancing and singing and just recently performed in the show “Wicked.”  She also enjoys listening to pop music.  Jessica is a cheerleader for her school as well.  At camp this year when she joins our Lower Junior Girls, Jessica is ready for all the activities at the lake, gymnastics, swimming, dance and camping.  As for Cory, he let me know that he is a big fan of the New York Mets.  In the spring, he will begin his own baseball season when his team begins games.  Cory enjoys playing outfield. He also plays basketball and lacrosse.  When at home, Cory told me that he enjoys grilling and going fishing.  This summer as a Lower Inter, Cory is ready to try the water trampoline and attempting to beat me in a game of H-O-R-S-E.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Cory and Lower Junior Girl Jessica.

In Doylestown, PA, I met up with Jillian (4th grade; 1st summer).  Jillian is a fencer and competes as part of the Liberty Fencing Club.  She just recently finished up her basketball season as part of her team, the Killer Whales (cool name!).  Jillian is also actively involved in the Girls Scouts, who’s troop this year helped raise money for people in Haiti.  Jillian is an avid reader and told me her favorite series is the Harry Potter books.  In fact, she is looking forward to swapping books with bunk mates this summer.  When at home, she likes playing with her dog Pico.  At camp as part of the Lower Inters, she can’t wait for archery, Color War and making new friends.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Inter Girl Jillian.

In Villanova, PA, I saw Emmie Carlson (7th grade; 1st summer).  Emmie is currently playing attack on her Welsh Valley lacrosse team.  In fact, when I came over, she had just finished her first game of the season.  Emmie likes to play tennis.  Most of all, she really enjoys hanging out with friends and having sleepovers with them whenever possible.  She can’t wait to join our Lower Senior group this year, make new friends and try a whole new bunch of activities.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Senior Girl Emmie.

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Camp Canadensis…

And…HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!  I hope this blog post finds everyone in a loving spirit.  One thing I know that we are all in love with is CAMP!  With that, I figured I’d do a quick Top Ten list of “Things I love about camp!”

Here we go…

#10:  The moment I see the first bus pull into camp to officially start each summer.  The staff are holding their bunk signs, screaming and jumping up and down.  The campers are looking out the bus window so excited for camp to begin!

#9:  Taco Day!  My favorite lunch at camp!  I know that many of you are also shouting, “Not bread bowls?!”  Yes.  I love the bread bowls, too.  But, I still love Tacos more!

#8:  Making a project in the Art Center.  Every summer, I like to make something for my wife Jaime, whether it be in Glass, Ceramics, the Art Shack or Woodworking.  Maybe this year, I’ll do something int the T-Shirt design studio.

#7:  Getting to play reveille in the morning and waking up camp.  “Good Morning, Canadensis!”  What songs should I play this summer?

#6:  Shooting hoops!  Basketball is one of my favorite sports to play.  And, at camp, you can basically walk to any court within a matter of seconds.  That’s where I love to be during Free Play.  I love challenging all of the campers to a game of H-O-R-S-E.  Of course, if you beat me, it’s extra canteen!  Better practice your jump shots now.

#5:  Riding a mountain bike on the lake trail.  Such a beautiful ride and good exercise, too.  We are so fortunate to have such an amazing trail system at camp.  Of course, the ride is always even a bit more fun after we’ve had some rain and you get to ride through some puddles!

#4: Taking a kayak out on Lake Lenape.  If you haven’t taken a kayak all the way out on the lake, you’re missing out.  It’s awesome!

#3:  When I hear that a camper did something at camp that they had never tried or done before like getting up on waterskis for the first time or getting to the top of the climbing wall or learning how to ride a honda.  There are so many firsts or accomplishments that happen over the course of a single day at camp…and I always love to hear about each and every one of them!

#2: Getting to break Color War!  This well kept secret always has campers, staff and parents is suspense.  How will it happen in 2017?!  I also love Color War Sing.  It’s a great moment to see just how hard the CITs have worked putting everything together.

#1: Walking to morning line-up each day.  I get so excited just hearing the music blasting over the speakers and the dance party that is happening as I turn the corner to the amphitheater.  That moment each day gets me so pumped for the day at camp!

What are the things you love about camp?!?!

A few weeks ago, some of us took a ride up to camp to check in on some of the projects that are going on up at camp.  First of all, it is always strange to see camp in the winter all covered in snow.  Hard to believe in just two months Matt, Andrew and their pre-camp crew will be up at camp and starting to prepare for the arrival of staff and campers.  We have so many (and I mean so many) projects in the works for Summer 2017.  We will continue to unveil new pictures in the upcoming months, but here are some to share for now…

The Senior Canteen, which will have a number of improvements and renovations, will also have a new multi-tiered outdoor deck. It is similar to the Rec Deck.   From this picture, you can also see the many doors that now can remain open when Seniors at canteen, providing a facility that will now feel more open.  

Dance and what was one of the pavilions next door is now one enclosed facility. We will refer to this building now as “The Studios.”

From the inside, this is now what the pavilion looks like as an indoor facility. Both studios will now also have movie projectors (as Matt is showing us) and screens for night time and rainy days. Oh yeah, they will also now be air conditioned.

As you can see, really exciting stuff happening up at camp.

OK…it’s time for a Blog Band Call.  Very simple.  First five people to e-mail me at brian@canadensis.com with the correct answer to the question wins a sought after White Team band for band call.

White Team Band Call Bands will be sent to the first five campers or staff that can correctly answer my BLOG BAND CALL question.

This question is a Blog Math question.  Here we go…

The number of summers completed by Camp Mom Heather Fisher + the Number of Bus Locations we have at Camp + the number of letter writing days we have at camp each week = ????

Good luck!

Since my last blog, there are so many camp families I have met up with.  It’s been so great to meet all of the new and returning campers.  Here is everyone I met…

In Plainview, NY, I met up with Lucas (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Lucas likes to basketball and is currently playing on his team, the Hawks.  Baseball is a sport he plays all year round and his favorite positions to play are catcher, pitcher and third base.  He also plays soccer and enjoys playing goalie.  When at home, he watches sports and is a big fan of the Mets, Giants, Patriots, Knicks and Warriors.  He can also be found playing games like FIFA and NBA 2K17 on his X-Box.  When he gets to camp in Summer 2017 as part of our Upper Junior boys group, Lucas will be busy playing a lot of sports, riding the quads, going camping and looking forward to Color War.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Boys Lucas.

Also in Plainview, I got to know Charlie (4th grade; 1st summer).  Charlie told me all about how he recently started to take and really enjoys a Crossfit class.  He also works out on the treadmill.  On top of that, he enjoys gymnastics.  Charlie is an electric guitar player and has begun to master songs like the new popular song “Closer.”  When he’s just chilling out, Charlie likes to read and recently has found himself reading books about mythology.  If not reading, he might be playing his favorite video game, Skylanders.  When Charlie gets to camp in June, he let me know that the rock wall, zipline, quads and hondas will be the activities at the top of his list.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Charlie.

In Syosset, NY, I spent time with Trey (3rd grade; 1st summer) and Jossie (3rd summer; 6th grade).  Trey let me know that he is a big lacrosse player and enjoys playing middie on his teams, the Gladiators and SYLax.  He also plays flag football.  Currently, he plays on a travel basketball team.  When at home, you might find him playing rock music on his drum kit or rooting for some of his favorite teams, the Eagles, Warriors, Flyers or Syracuse Orange.  On top of all that, Trey enjoys magic and even showed me a trick during my visit.  When he makes his way to Canadensis in 2017 as part of the Upper Junior boys group, he is ready to try all of the activities at the lake, glass fusion and quads.  As for Jossie, she is also playing in a basketball league.  In the fall this year, she played on a volleyball team.  In a few months when spring arrives, it will be time to head onto to the diamond for some softball.  Of course, she is always keeping up with camp friends and wanted to give a shout out to Girls Bunk 10 from Summer 2016.  When it’s time for camp, she is thrilled to be spending the summer with her brother for the first time in four years.  And, she can’t wait for her trip to Hershey Park.  Here is a picture…

Me with Freshman Girl Jossie and Upper Junior Boy Trey.

In Upper Saddle River, NJ, I got to hang out with Jack (2nd grade; 1st summer).  Jack plays center midfield on this travel soccer team, the Americans.  He is currently training in the winter playing futsol.  In the spring, he will move into baseball season and play on a team.  He favorite teams to root for are the Jets, Mets and Rangers.  Jack also enjoys building with legos.  When I visited, he was in the middle of working on a lego imperial shuttle from the Star Wars movies, which was very cool!  Speaking of cool, Jack’s family has a tradition where they travel to a different state each year to see baseball games.  This year, they will head to Texas to see the Rangers or Astros.  When Summer 2017 rolls around, Jack is looking forward to activities like parkour, soccer, baseball, outdoor cooking, fishing and going camping on his division’s overnight.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Jack.

While in Rye Brook, NY, I saw Dylan (2nd grade; 1st summer).  Dylan likes to go ice skating and go skiing.  This month, he will be going to Breckenridge for some big time skiing!  When at home, you might find Dylan playing on his X-Box where one of his favorite games is Minecraft.  He also enjoys rooting for the Jets and Giants.  Whenever he gets the chance, Dylan likes to swim.  For his first summer at Canadensis, Dylan is ready for activities like the quads, gaga, basketball, soccer, football and hockey.  He is most excited about not having to do any homework, particularly math.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Dylan.

In Livingston, NJ, it was great getting to see Ari (3rd grade; 1st summer) and Jadyn (6th grade, 4th summer).  Ari told me all about how he plays defense for the Livingston Soccer Club.  He is also a brown belt in karate.  When it’s time to keep busy with activities around the house, he enjoys playing Minecraft, watching shows like “Fuller House” and “Henry Danger,” and building legos.  He is currently working on a Millennium Falcon.  Ari also loves this time of year because it means it’s time to go skiing.  When he joins the Upper Junior Boys this summer, he is excited for rocketry, waterskiing, woodworking, swim, digital photo and the ropes course / zipline.  As for big sister Jadyn, who will be in the Freshman division in 2017, she plays midfield for the Livingston Soccer Club.  Currently, it’s basketball season for her, too.  She also enjoys ski trips to Vermont.  Jadyn wanted to give a shout out to her camp friends and had two messages for them…”Shot. Shot. Shot.  Shot.”  and “That’s not fair!”  This summer, as a Freshman, Jadyn can’t wait to get away from homework, her trip to Hershey Park and hondas.  Here’s a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Ari and Freshman Girl Jadyn.

In New York City, I spent time with Ryan (2nd grade; 1st summer) and Julia (5th grade, 3rd summer).  During the visit, I learned that Ryan loves and plays flag football.  He will be playing again the spring once the weather gets warm.  He is also a big fan of the New York Giants and can be seen tailgating before all of the games.  Dylan also plays the piano.  He enjoys video games, too, with Clans of Clans and Clash Royale being two of his particular favorites these days.  When he gets to camp as part of the Lower Junior Boys division, he is ready to continue playing his favorite sport football, roasting marshmallows and being with his big sister.  As for Julia, she is very busy with her travel soccer team, where she plays goalie.  In fact, she hasn’t let in a goal all season long.  Wow!  When it’s time to relax, Julia enjoys reading comics.  When I asked her what she is looking forward to at camp when she returns, Julia simply said, “Everything.”  She also wanted to give a shout out to the girls of Summer 2016’s Bunk 8.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Ryan and Upper Inter Girl Julia.

Also in New York City, I got to know Brielle (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Brielle loves to do gymnastics.  She is also taking hip hop dance classes and rehearsing for a recital in the spring.  Her activity schedule also includes playing on a basketball team.  Brielle told me that she likes music and that Taylor Swift is one of her favorite artists.  When she is at home, she can be found making a ton of videos using the Musically app and doing art projects.  In June when she gets to camp as part of the Upper Junior Girls division, Brielle said that she will be signing up to be on the dance and gymnastics teams.  She also can’t wait for all the lake activities, including waterskiing.  Most importantly, she is ready to make some great new friends.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Brielle.

In Armonk, NY, I met up with Ben (2nd grade, 1st summer) and Michael (5th grade, 3rd summer).  Ben told me all about his active schedule throughout the year.  Currently, he plays on a basketball team, the Bobcats.  In the fall and spring, he plays pitcher and first base on a baseball team.  Over the past few years, he’s also gotten involved in parkour and loves the show “American Ninja Warrior.”  Ben is also a fan of the Giants, Knicks, Mets, Rangers and Syracuse Orange.  When at home, Ben likes to play board games like Monopoly.  At camp this summer, Ben told me about some of the activities he’s ready for when joining the Lower Juniors.  They were the ropes course / zipline, baseball, basketball and the water slides at the pool.  As for Michael, he is currently busy playing on two separate basketball teams.  In spring, it will be time for baseball season.  Michael wanted to give a shout out to the Boys of Bunk 9 from Summer 2016.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Ben and Upper Inter Boy Michael.  As you can see, both boys have great fashion taste!

In Glen Rock, NJ, I had a blast meeting Maddie (4th grade; 1st summer).  Maddie told me that she does gymnastics all year round.  Currently, her favorite is doing all of the floor exercises.  In the fall, she also played on a soccer team.  When spring comes, it will be time to put on her glove and play softball.  While there is snow on the ground, Maddie loves to ski.  She also let me know that she is a big Oklahoma Sooner football fan, or as they call them “Boomer Sooners.”  As a Lower Inter in 2017, Maddie can’t wait for all of the activities at the lake, including waterskiing and Ice Mountain.  She is really looking forward to meeting her bunk mates and counselors and making new friends.   Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Inter Girl Maddie.

Back in Livingston, NJ, I spent time with Jordyn (2nd grade; 1st summer) and Ella (6th grade; 4th summer).  Jordyn told me all about how she plays defense on her Livingston Club Soccer travel team.  She also plays tennis.  But, she gets excited for this time of year because her favorite sport is skiing.  Finally, Jordyn takes hip hop dance classes and will have a recital this spring.  When she gets to camp as a Lower Junior girl, she is super pumped for the Art Shack, waterskiing, Color War and making new friends.  Ella is also involved with the Livingston Soccer Club, where she plays center defense.  Currently, she is also playing on a basketball team.  Of course, her year wouldn’t be complete without seeing her camp friends.  She wanted to give a shout out to Girls Bunk 11 from Summer 2016.  When she returns to camp this year as a Freshman, she is really looking forward to her trip to Hershey Park, Color War and the hondas.   Here is a photo…

Me with Freshman Girl Ella and Lower Junior Girl Jordyn.

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  Until my next blog, HAVE A GREAT DAY!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

Just got back from our annual Reunion and I must say that it completely got me in the Summer Spirit!  While the Reunion is still an opportunity to look back and reminisce on the amazing 2016 Summer we shared together, it is also a time to get excited about Summer 2017!  Even in a snow storm, we were so happy to see so many campers and staff turn out for the event.  This year, we held the festivities at the Brunswick Zone in Feasterville, PA.  The location provided bowling, arcade games, and laser tag for everyone to play.  We learned that many campers also coordinated the Reunion with a bunk sleepover, which always makes the Reunion extra special.  To check out some pictures of the event, click here.  But, here were some of my favorite shots…

Counselor Amanda with 2017 Upper Seniors Lily and Jordyn.

Griffin and Dylan found their CIT Zach.

Junior Girls with their counselors Julia and Julia and their CIT Sydney.

It’s official.  The 2017 CITs were in the house!  

Our Winter office is getting really busy this time of year, particularly with our staff hiring.  Starting very soon, we will all be “hitting the road” in our effort to hire some amazing new staff.  If you know of anyone that is interested in working at camp, please have them complete an application on our website here.  As always, our staff search is to find Mature Goofballs to work at camp.  Here is a new poster we created to help us with our search.

Also to note in the staff news of things is that Summer 2017 is shaping up with so many returning staff members from last summer.  This year, we have received so many re-applications for counselors that would like to experience camp all over again.

 NOW, it’s time for my first BLOG BAND CALL.

First five campers and/or staff to e-mail me at brian@canadensis.com with the correct answer to this camp related question will be sent a much coveted white team band.   The question is…

At what time did reveille blow this summer to break Color War 2016?  

White Team Band Call Bands will be sent to the first five campers or staff that can correctly answer my BLOG BAND CALL question.

As always, the blogs are a great way to introduce so many new and returning Canadensis campers.  Over the past 5 weeks, I’ve met so many excited campers that can’t wait for Summer 2017 to start…

In Bala Cynwyd, PA, I met up with Zach (3rd grade; 1st summer) and Noah (6th grade; 3rd summer).  I learned that Zach plays midfield and defense on his Lower Merion Soccer Club team in both the fall and spring.  He is a huge lover of music, particularly pop music, and is known to be the family DJ.  When at home, he enjoys playing video games.  When he gets to camp as part of the Upper Junior division, he is looking forward to things like soccer, cooking, the lake, the banana boat and canteen.  As for Noah, he is playing basketball in the Penn Valley league.  In the spring, he will play both baseball and run track.  On top of that, he plays piano and saxophone.  Both boys also enjoy hanging out with their dog Molly.  Noah, now a Freshman at Canadensis, wanted to give a shout out the 2016’s Bunk 11.  In 2017, he can’t wait to be “up on the hill,” going to Cooperstown and having twice the electives.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Zach and Freshman Noah (and their dog Molly).

In New York City, I got to hang out with twins Sydney and Aiden (2nd grade; 1st summers).  As for Sydney, she is very active taking both gymnastics and computer coding classes, where she makes games that can be put on the internet.  Sydney also loves arts and crafts, dance parties and is a big fan of Taylor Swift, who she saw over the past year for her very first concert.  As a Lower Junior in 2017, Sydney is excited for the waterslides at the pool, going in the lake and canteen.  Aiden is currently taking a robotics class.  During my visit, he even showed me some of the cool projects he’s completed.  In the fall and spring seasons, he plays baseball.  Aiden is a big fan of the New York Giants as well as the Yankees, Knicks and Wisconsin Badgers.  When he gets to camp as a Lower Junior, he is ready for activities like football, baseball, robotics and canteen.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Juniors Sydney and Aiden.

In Livingston, NJ, I spent some time with Riley (3rd grade; 1st summer), who will part of our Upper Junior Girls group this year.  Riley is currently playing in a basketball league.  Her team is the Liberty.  Just recently, she finished up her soccer league in the fall.  In the spring, it will be time for softball.  When not out on the fields and courts, Riley loves to do arts and crafts.  When she’s in the mood to chill, she can be seen watching her favorite TV show “Jesse.”  Riley is really looking forward to all of the different activities at camp from all the great stuff at the lake to riding the quads to Color War.  But, must of all, she said that she is really excited to meet all of the new people and make new friends.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Upper Junior Riley.

In Merion Station, PA, I saw twins Eli and Julian (4th grade, 1st summers), who are tremendously pumped for their first sleep away camp experience!  Both just recently completed their soccer seasons and have now moved onto playing in their Penn Valley basketball league.  On top of that, Eli plays the drums and trumpet and enjoys taking care of his pet guinea pig Max.  He also likes sports cars, rooting for his Philadelphia Eagles and playing computer games.  Julian plays both the guitar and violin, likes technology and playing video games and cheering on his favorite basketball team, the 76ers.  When I asked the boys what they are looking forward to at camp this summer, both said all of the water sports at the lake, Color War and sports leagues.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Inters Julian and Eli.

In Mt. Sinai, NY, I got to know twins Austin and Hayden (4th grade; 1st summers).  Austin told me all about how he is involved in karate, where he is currently a brown belt.  On the other hand, Hayden is a guitar player and likes playing tunes from 21 Pilots and Coldplay.  In the fall and spring, both boys play on baseball teams.  Austin likes playing CF and SS while Hayden likes SS and 3B.  Both are sports fans of the Mets, Giants and Islanders as well.  Just recently, the two of them started playing on a hockey team.  As part of the Lower Inter Boys division in 2017, Austin is ready for things like gaga, fishing, morning line-up and CBL while Hayden is looking forward to rock band, morning line-up, the Canadensis Today Show and CBL.  Here is picture…

Me with Lower Inters Hayden and Austin.

In Setauket, NY, I was with Mason (3rd grade, 1st summer).  Mason likes to play lacrosse all year round.  Currently, he is also playing on a basketball team.  In the fall and spring, he plays baseball.  On top of all that, Mason is master lego builder and showed me some of his finished pieces, which were mighty impressive.  He is also a big fan of Star Wars and Harry Potter.  When it’s time to root for his favorite teams, you’ll see him cheering for the Rangers, Jets and Mets.  When he gets to camp in June as part of the Upper Junior division, he is looking forward to learning how to play hockey, robotics, legos, ziplinling and the quads.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Mason.

In Port Washington, NY, I saw Andrew (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Andrew loves to play basketball.  Recently, he even took a trip to Springfield, MA to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame.  His favorite teams to root for are Duke and the Golden State Warriors.  Andrew even declared himself a Cameron Crazy (which is another name for die hard Duke fans).  Andrew also loves to swim.  When at home chilling out, you can find Andrew surfing the web, watching his favorite You Tube videos or some of his favorite movies like “The Karate Kid” and “ET.”  As an Upper Junior in 2017, Andrew is eagerly awaiting activities like basketball, the pool and water slides, lake, ropes course and, of course, Color War!  Here is a shot…

Me with Upper Junior Andrew.

If you couldn’t tell from the first pic, Andrew had Canadensis tattoos on for the visit. Here’s a closer look.

In New York City, I also saw Colby (3rd grade; 1st summer).  Colby is a huge football fan.  He currently plays in two different flag football leagues.  On Sundays, you’ll find him rooting for his favorite team, the New England Patriots.  He also enjoys playing video games, with Minecraft and Roadblox being two that he currently enjoys the most.  Colby is creative and really likes to build with Legos as well.  He told me that he also likes music and let me know that he attended his very first concert last year, seeing the band Pearl Jam.  Finally, Colby is a big fan of movies and enjoys classics like “Spaceballs” and “The Karate Kid.”  When he comes to camp in June as part of the Upper Junior Boys division, he is really excited for all of the sports leagues, learning to play lacrosse, the quads and waterskiing.  Here is a snapshot….

Me with Upper Junior Colby.

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  More to come soon!

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis…

As I sit here on a Saturday morning, all I can think about is camp.  This time of year, as the weather starts to get nicer, camp starts to be on everyone’s mind.  We have heard from a lot of our camp families over the past few weeks in everyone’s preparations for the best summer ever.  Our Winter office is busy at work, finalizing our staffing for the summer and putting together our summer calendar of activities and events.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be announcing a lot of great new stuff at camp and introducing our Summer Leadership Team!

Of course, even before camp begins, we’ll have a few Canadensis events that continue to add to all of the excitement.  Tomorrow, on Sunday, April 17, we’ll have our New Camper Event for campers in Grades 1-4.  Then, on June 4-5, we’ll have our CIT Weekend up at camp.  That weekend will also include our Annual Open House.

CIT Weekend will be June 4-5 at camp!

Matt Unger and Andrew Gordon in our full time office actually head up to camp in a few weeks to start getting camp ready.  Both work with our pre-camp crew, setting up all of the facilities as well as working with all of the pre-camp groups that join us at Canadensis.

As for the Canadensis campus and program, there have been a lot of grade upgrades and improvements.  Here is a list of everything we’ve accomplished since last summer…

• Our outdoor Amphitheater and Dining Hall back deck is now completed with the new trex decking.
• The Spectrum (camp’s indoor hockey rink) will complete the second year of a two-year plan of renovation with new hockey boards and storage cubbies.
• A new paver fire pit was built near one of our pool areas (now, pool parties at night can also include marshmallow roasting).

The new fire pit is right near the Blue Pool.

• Several of our bunks have received upgrades and renovations.
• Basketball Courts will be repaved, repainted and have new hoops.
• We purchased a new Water ski Boat.
• The Horse stables received a new paddock and riding ring.

A new stable fence for the horses.

• A new ropes course element, called the Vertical Challenge, was built.
• The Weight Room Floor will receive new flooring.
• We will be improving the Trail signage for the miles of trails that surround our private lake.
• The baseball fields will have new bleachers and improved scoreboards.
• Our fleet of Honda dirt bikes were upgraded.

The new ropes course element.

Since my last blog, there is of course so many home visits I have had, which is always my favorite thing to do in the offseason.  Here are the campers I’ve met in the past few months…

In New York City, I saw Caden and Luke.  Luke is back for his second summer as a Freshman boy and his happy to introduce his brother Caden, who will be in our Lower Junior Boys division.  Currently in 2nd grade, Caden’s favorite sport is football.  He also plays on baseball, basketball and soccer teams throughout the year.  He also plays tennis.  When at home, he plays the piano, but could also be found rooting for his favorite teams, the Packers, Knicks and Mets.  When he gets to Canadensis, Caden is looking forward to all the activities in the lake, Gaga, making S’Mores, waterskiing and getting letters from home.  Luke, now in the 6th grade, plays in two separate basketball leagues, one which is a 3-on-3 league.  Very recently, one of his teams had the opportunity to practice at the New York Knicks practice facility.  Luke also plays flag football.  He wanted to give a shout out to the Boys of Bunk 10 from Summer 2015 and can’t wait to see them again.  This summer, he is excited for the Cooperstown trip, tennis elective and being on Freshman Hill.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Caden (left) and Freshman Boy Luke.

Also in NYC, I got to hang out with Steven, who will be in the Lower Inter Boys division in his first summer.  Now in 4th grade, Steven plays in the Big Apple Youth Basketball League and takes tennis lessons.  He has also gotten involved in Parkour.  When he is chilling at home, Steven enjoys building Legos, drawing and coloring, playing basketball in his room and listening to music.  When he comes to camp in June, Steven is ready to try the ropes course, all the activities at the lake, and the food in the dining hall.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Steven.

In Brooklyn, I met up with Sam and Abby, both who are joining us for their first summers at Canadensis.  Abby is in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior while Sam is in the 5th grade and will be an Upper Inter.  Sam loves cars!  His favorites include Ferrari and Bugatti.  Sam takes a scratch computer programming class where he is currently even making his own video games.  Of course, he also likes to play video games with Minecraft and Road Blox being his favorite these days.  Finally, Sam enjoys bowling and has gotten better on the lanes with lessons.  At camp, Sam is ready for the quads and golf.  As for Abby, she loves to sing and perform!  She just finished a performance of “High School Musical” and will also be on stage in “The Wiz.”  She sings in a glee club, too.  On top of that, she plays guitar.  Finally, Abby is involved in gymnastics and dance.  At Canadensis in 2016, Abby can’t wait for horseback riding, basketball and gymnastics.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Abby and Upper Inter Boy Sam.

In Long Island, I spent time with Jamie, who is currently in the 2nd grade and will be in our Lower Junior Girls division this summer.  Jamie is an actress and just recently finished up a show where she played Flotsam the Eel in “The Little Mermaid.”  Very soon, she will be performing in her school talent show, signing “Stitches” with her brother Jake.  Jamie also plays the drums.  She plays forward and midfield on a soccer team, too.  Finally, she takes gymnastics classes, with the bars and trampoline being her particular favorites.  For her first summer at camp, Jamie is looking forward to so many different things from gymnastics to soccer to making new friends to performing on stage.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Junior Girl Jamie.

In Northern New Jersey, I saw Mason and Jackson.  Mason is back at camp for his third summer as an Upper Inter while Jackson joins us for his first summer as an Upper Junior.  Jackson, currently in 3rd grade, plays tackle and flag football where he plays WR, DL and OL.  In the Winter, he plays in a basketball league.  Now that the weather is getting nicer, he will switch to playing baseball.  On top of all that, Jackson wrestles.  When at home, Jackson likes to play video games as well as rooting for his favorite teams, the Giants, Patriots and Panthers.  At camp, he is excited for the quads, football, Color War and having his birthday at camp.  Mason, who is in the 5th grade, is starting baseball season this time of year.  This year, he’s also been taking a coding class where he is learning how to create his own video games.  Each month, Mason is also active in his Boy Scouts troop.  When he’s at home, you can usually find Mason playing Minecraft.  Mason wanted to give a huge shout out to the Boys of Bunk 7 from Summer 2015.  When he gets to camp, he is excited for hondas, Color War, electives and having his brother at camp.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Jackson (left) and Upper Inter Boy Mason.

Also in Northern New Jersey, I had fun with Avery, Matthew and Dayton.  For Avery and Matthew, both currently in 3rd grade, this will be their first summer at Canadensis, but for older sister Dayton, it is Summer #3.  Avery plays soccer for Montclair United.  She is also rehearsing ballet and tap routines for a dance recital in June. This Spring, she will be playing on a softball team.  At home, you will most likely find Avery listening to Taylor Swift music or cracking jokes.  At camp, she is ready for activities like cooking, zumba, dance and Gaga.  As for Matthew, he loves to play the drums.  He loves classic rock and bands like Fall Out Boy.  In fact, he has an upcoming gig at a local restaurant in town.  Matthew also soccer for Montclair United in the Fall and Spring.  When at home, Matthew might be found playing video games like Minecraft.  In his first summer, Matthew can’t wait for Gaga, the Banana Boat, canteen and the trip to Dorney Park.  Dayton, who is now in 6th grade, is ready for the upcoming softball season for her travel team.  She wanted to give a shout out to Girls Bunk 9 from Summer 2015.  This summer, she is excited to have her brother and sister join the fun and the trip to Hershey Park.  Here is a pic…

Me with Freshman Girl Dayton (left) and Upper Juniors Matthew and Avery.

In Central Jersey, I was with Sophie and Alexa.  This will be Sophie’s first summer while Alexa returns for her 3rd year at camp.  Sophie, who is in the 3rd grade, is very busy with her soccer team, tennis lessons and golf.  At the same time, she is involved with her local Girl Scouts troop.  When she’s at home, Sophie enjoys reading, coloring, watching TV and listening to The Beatles.  This summer at camp when she will be an Upper Junior, Sophie is really looking forward to waterskiing, Color War, lake parties, Dorney Park and having her birthday at camp.  As for Alexa, who is now in 6th grade, she is also playing on a soccer team, taking tennis lessons and actively involved with her Girls Scouts troop.  Recently, she has also had opportunities to hang out with her camp friends.  This summer, Alexa is once again ready for things like waterskiing, Color War and tennis.  However, now a Freshman, she is excited for her trip to Hershey park.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Sophie (left) and Freshman Girl Alexa.

In New Jersey, I saw Stella, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be joining us at camp as an Upper Junior for her first summer.  Stella just finished up basketball season and now that Spring is upon us, she will be playing SS and 3B on her softball team.  She is a big sports fan and enjoys rooting for the New York Giants (her favorite player is Odell Beckham, Jr.), the Golden State Warriors and the University of Michigan Wolverines.  When at home she enjoys watching “The Simpsons” and playing with friends.  When she gets to camp, Stella told me that she is looking forward to “all of it,” but the lake, sports, tennis and water trampoline were a few things she also mentioned, on top of making new friends.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girls Stella.

In Connecticut, I got to hang out with Dylan.  Dylan is in the 3rd grade and will be in our Upper Junior Boys division.  Dylan plays both Fall and Spring baseball.  His favorite position to play is 2B.  He also takes a Zaniac computer programming class where he makes his own video games.  On top of all that, he takes a break dancing class.  I’m sure we’ll get to see his awesome moves at morning line-up this summer!  Dylan likes animals.  In particular, his favorites are wolves and sloths.  He is also a fan of the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.  In his first summer at Canadensis, Dylan is ready for Gaga, cooking, all the activities at the lake, exploring the outdoors and going on his division’s overnight.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Dylan.

In Westchester, NY, I spent time with Derek, who will be in our Lower Inter Boys division in 2016.  Currently in the 4th grade, Derek plays on basketball teams in the Winter and Spring on top of playing on tackle and flag football teams all year round.  He enjoys playing video games with Madden and Call of Duty being his personal favorites.  Derek roots for his favorite sports teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and Golden State Warriors.  In his first summer at Canadensis, he will be playing in the IBL (Inter Basketball League) and looks forward to all the water sports and athletics at camp.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Derek.

It’s pretty amazing when you can go all the way to California to visit some of our new campers.  And, that’s exactly what I got to do to meet Paisley, Cash and Sonny.  Paisley, currently in the 2nd grade, loves to dance and is rehearsing towards her Spring recital in Hip Hop and Tap.  She also does gymnastics and likes the bars the best.  Her favorite TV show is iCarly and her favorite movie is “Daddy’s Home.”  As a Lower Junior Girl at camp, she is looking forward to jumping in the lake, the Art Center and making new friends.  Paisley’s twin brother Cash plays 1B, SS, RF and LF on his little league baseball team.  He is a big fan of WWE Wrestling.  He likes to play video games and watch You Tube videos when just hanging out at home.  Cash also plays soccer.  Cash can’t wait for Color War this summer as a Lower Junior Boy and thinks that his bunk will be winning the Honor Bunk prize for cleanest bunk.  As for Sonny, currently in the 4th grade, he plays both travel and little league baseball where he is a second baseman and catcher.  On top of that, he plays soccer and flag football.  His favorite teams to root for are the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins.  In his first summer at camp, he is ready for the hondas and motorcycles.  Here is a photo..

Me with Lower Juniors Cash (left) and Paisley and Lower Inter Boy Sonny.

While in California, I also got to meet up with former camper and counselor Jake Asman, who is currently in Los Angeles working on an internship.  As many know, Jake is an aspiring sportscaster.  His currently role on the West Coast has him working on Jay Mohr’s sports talk show.  Jake is loving it!  He has also put together an amazing website, showcasing a lot of his work.  Check it out at www.jakeasman.com.  Here is a picture, too…

Me with Canadensis Alumni Jake Asman while in California.

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

This blog comes after being “on the road” from one of our staff recruitment trips.  Last week, me and Andrew made our way to upstate New York to meet a number of staff applicants that were interested in working at camp in Summer 2016.  As you can imagine, it is always good to meet applicants in person when trying to hire the best staff around and finding a new crop of Mature Goofballs!  We made our way to Alfred, Ithaca, Cortland and Binghamton.  Along the way, we spent time with several familiar faces.  Check it out…

At Alfred University, me and Andrew saw Dylin and Zach.

In Ithaca, we saw Brett Levine.

When at Cortland, we had met up with Liv, Anna and Maggie.

On our last stop in Binghamton, we hung out with Allie.

All in all, the trip was very productive.  Plus, when you get to have all of these mini reunions with staff of summer’s past, it makes our travels even better, especially when they share all of their wonderful memories of Canadensis.  Speaking of reunions, it was so amazing to see such a great turnout at our Annual Reunion last month.  With over 350+ campers and staff in attendance, it was great to see what everyone has been up to since we left camp in August.  It was great to see everyone enjoy the amusements and games, have lunch and reconnect with each other.  In particular, I’d love to give a special “shout out” to all of our staff that made the trip to Central New Jersey.  It is always so terrific to see just how many were in attendance.  It shows that camp is not just only a special place for our campers, but the ones that take care of them all summer long as well.  If you haven’t seen all of the pics from this great day, be sure to click here.

Right now, our staff hiring is in full swing.  If you know of anyone that might be interested in working at camp, have them go to our website and complete an online Staff Application.

Also to note, in the upcoming months, there will be several more get togethers before camp begins for both new campers and returning ones.  On Sunday, April 17, for all of our new campers in Grades 1-4 as well as any returning campers in the 2nd and 3rd grades, we have our New Camper Event in Edison, NJ.  Girls will be from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.  Boys will be from 2:00-3:00 pm.  If you haven’t done so already, please RSVP Wendi Rutman at wendi@canadensis.com.  On June 5, we will also have our Annual Open House at Camp.  We hope that many of our families, new and returning, plan to attend.

By now, all enrolled camp families should have received the official Camp Spot clothing catalog, which now features new design items for Summer 2016.  If you haven’t received it, please contact us and we’ll get a new one out to you.  The catalog, along with a packing list, can also be found online by clicking here.  We have already received such great feedback about the new logo’d items.  They really did come out great!  If you are a family with a new Canadensis campers this summer, please contact the Camp Spot soon to set up a time on their road show or meet them in their store to get all your official Canadensis clothes.

The new Camp Canadensis T-Shirts.

Over the past few months, I’ve also been busy with some camper home visits.

In Long Island, I saw the Fischers, Gabriella and Jacob.  Gabriella is back for her third summer and is happy to introduce her brother Jacob in his first summer at Canadensis.  Jacob is currently in the 2nd grade and will be part of our Lower Junior Boys division.  He loves sports.  His favorite to play is hockey, which he plays throughout the entire year.  But, Jacob also plays lacrosse, baseball, basketball and soccer.  He is a big fan of the Jets and Islanders.  When at home, you can find Jacob watching a lot of SportsCenter and reading up on his favorite players.  At camp this summer, he is eagerly looking forward to Color War and the Canadensis Hockey League.  Now in 5th grade, Gabriella can’t wait to get back to camp as part of the Upper Inter Girls division.  Gabriella let me know that she and her bunkmates are continually in touch almost everyday and have even gotten together for a few mini reunions already throughout the year.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Jacob and Upper Inter Girl Gabriella.

Very close by, I met Cole, who is in the 4th grade and will be joining us as part of our Lower Inter Boys division.  Cole likes to do a bit of everything.  He is a big basketball fan and enjoys rooting for his favorite team, the Brooklyn Nets.  He plays tennis and likes to cook.  He is an avid reader and particularly likes the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series of books.  He can also be found doing online quizzes on the computer as well as playing with his dog Rigby.  At camp this summer, he is eagerly looking forward to making new friends, going on his division’s overnight, attending morning line-up and playing lots of basketball.  Here is a picture…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Cole.

My next visit in Long Island was to see Ethan, who is also in 4th grade.  Ethan is currently playing on a basketball team.  In the Spring, his focus will turn to playing baseball.  When at home, Ethan enjoys playing video games, arts and crafts and building things.  He is currently working on building the robot chopper from the Star Wars Rebels series.  His favorite movies these days are Avengers Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3.  This summer when he comes to camp as part of our Lower Inter Boys division, he can’t wait to try water skiing and all the activities at the lake, the Art Center,  the ropes course and zipline.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Inter Boy Ethan.

In Brookville, NY, I saw 3rd grader Ross Yablans, who will be an Upper Junior Boy in Summer 2016.  Ross is now playing on his basketball team, the Heat, and taking karate classes.  He is also involved in a fitness class called Gravity in Motion.  In the Spring, Ross will play on a baseball team.  In May, he will be performing in a production of “The Wizard of Oz.”  Ross is a big fan of movies and loves to build with Legos, particularly with the Dimensions and Skylanders series.  At Canadensis, Ross is excited for the quads, waterslides, Ice Mountain and all the activities at the lake and making a whole new bunch of friends.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Ross.

In South Jersey, I got to see the Ettenbergs, Samara (4th summer; Freshman Girls) and Griffin (1st summer; Upper Junior Boys).  Griffin, who is in 3rd grade, plays in a basketball league on his team called Graydemption.  He also plays tennis.  When the weather warms up, he will be actively involved in baseball.  He also plays both the piano and trombone.  When at home, he likes to play video games like FIFA and Madden as well as root for his favorite baseball team, the Mets.  For his first summer at camp, Griffin is excited for all of the sports, the quads, Color War and making new friends.  Big sister Samara, now in 6th grade, is heavily involved with dance and rehearsing for her shows in ballet, hip hop and modern.  She is also playing piano.  Samara constantly keeps in touch with her camp friends and wanted to give a “shout out” to the girls of Summer 2015’s Bunk 10.  She also had a message for them, saying, “JuJu to the rescue!  Pew!  Pew!”  This year at camp, she is ready for the Hondas, MTV Night and hanging with her brother in their first summer together at Canadensis.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Griffin and Freshman Girl Samara.

In Central Jersey, I got to hang out with Sam.  Sam is in the 2nd grade and will be part of the Lower Junior Boys division in his first summer at camp.  Sam really loves computer programming and even takes a class where he is learning programs like Java.  He is currently on a swim team.  When at home, he enjoys playing video games, with Clash of Clans and Clash of Lords 2 being his particular favorite these days.  He is also a fan of Spongebob Squarepants and recently been getting into the Star Wars movies.  At camp this summer, he is looking forward to the Legos elective, all the activities at the lake including the water trampoline and making new friends.  Here is a picture…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Sam.

In Northern Jersey, I met up with twins Olivia and Jordan, who are in the 3rd grade and will be in the Upper Junior division this year.  Olivia is a big soccer player and plays for her team the Lady Lions.  She is also currently playing in a basketball league and playing tennis.  This Spring, her sport of choice will change to softball.  She is a big fan of the Giants, Knicks, Rangers, Mets and Penn State.  In Summer 2016, she is ready for Color War, playing soccer, hanging out at the Canteen, making new friends and the trip to Dorney Park.  Jordan currently plays in a hockey league and a basketball league.  When the weather is warm, you can also find him playing golf.  In the Spring, he will be playing baseball.  Jordan is a big collector of baseball and sports cards.  At camp, he will certainly be choosing the golf elective as well as going mountain biking.  He also can’t wait for Dorney Park.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Juniors Jordan and Olivia.

As I end this blog, I figured it’s time once again for a Blog Band Call.

White Team Band Call Bands will be sent to the first five campers or staff that can correctly answer my BLOG BAND CALL question.

First five people to e-mail me back with the correct answer will receive a sought after 2015 White Team band.  This question has three parts and all three parts must be answered correctly to win.  At Morning Line-Up at camp, (1) What song do I come out to?  (2) What band is singing this song?  (3) What musician originally performed this song?  E-Mail answers to brian@canadensis.com.   Good luck!

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

I hope this blog post finds everyone remembering to use “2016” when writing the current date.  Be honest, who has already messed it up and wrote “2015” on something.  In any event, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  By the way, my rule is that I can wish people Happy New Year until the end of January.

So, how was everyone’s holiday break?  Our family definitely got to enjoy some quality home time.  One of our annual traditions is for me, Jaime and now Emerson to make a gingerbread house, something we really look forward to doing.  Each year, we feel our work gets progressively better.  But, you be the judge.  What do you think of this year’s efforts?

Me, Jaime and Emerson’s Winter Holiday Gingerbread House.

With the weather being so nice during December and January, one night, we made our way over to the Turtle Back Zoo, which has the entire zoo lit up for the holiday season.  Here is a pic of me and Emerson enjoying all of the lights…

Me and Emerson in front of a big giraffe at the Turtle Back Zoo.

Of course, my holiday break was accentuated by the release of a movie I’ve been waiting more than 30 years to see…Star Wars:  The Force Awakens.  As a huge Star Wars nerd, I actually saw the movie twice and even loved it more the second time.  Anyone want to see it with me for a third time?  I hope this is a movie that me and other Star Wars geeks can be talking about at the Reunion in January.

Speaking of the 2015 Reunion, we hope you’ll join us…

Put it on your calendar! See you there!

For us, the arrival of 2016 means that we can now officially say that the summer and camp is THIS year!  So much going on in our Winter Office and up at camp.  Me, Pam, Matt, Carli and Andrew really turn a lot of our focus to hiring new staff members to join us in 2016.  As I write this, Pam is in Australia and New Zealand hiring counselors and specialists and Matt is in Eastern Europe looking to hire many of our support staff.  Next week, Carli heads to London to join Pam at a staff recruitment fair.  Of course, if you know of anyone looking for a great summer job, have them get in touch with us ASAP as we are talking to prospective staff each and every day.

Up at camp, our projects are still in full swing.  Last blog, I showed you a picture of our new fire pit by the Blue Pool.  For this blog, here is a shot of the new stables fencing that was just recently put in.  After all, the horses need to be comfortable when at camp, too.  Check it out…

The horses at camp will now have a new stable.

Something also new for Summer 2016 will be new camp T-Shirts.  We are happy to unveil design for the camp shirts that will be available through our official camp outfitter The Camp Spot.  The new shirts will look like this…

This is what the logo will look like on a gold T-Shirt. Shirts will also be available in white and blue.

Since my last blog, there are so many wonderful home visits to fill you in on…

On the North shore of Long Island, I saw Samantha, who is currently in the 4th grade and will be in our Lower Inter Girls division.  Samantha loves gymnastics and dance.  When she’s at home, you’ll also find her listening to her favorite singer Ariana Grande, hanging out with friends or baking everything from from cakes to cookies to brownies.  When she gets to camp this summer, she is looking forward to all the activities at the lake, Ice Mountain, the climbing wall and making a whole bunch of new friends.  Here is a picture…

Me and Lower Inter Girl Samantha.

Also on the Island, I hung out with Nathan, who is the in the 4th grade.  Nathan loves music.  In addition to listening to one his favorite bands Lake Street Dive, he plays both the cello and the piano.  On top of that, he takes art classes.  These days, one of his biggest interests is all different types of cars.  He also enjoys tennis and golf.  Finally, Nathan likes to cook.  In Summer 2016, as part of our Lower Inter Boys division, he can’t wait to try the hondas and quads, cooking and all of the activities at the lake, including sailing.  Here is a photo…

Me and Lower Inter Boy Nathan.

In New York City, I got to know Dylan, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be joining our Upper Junior Boys division this summer.  Dylan plays in baseball and soccer leagues but also enjoys playing football, rugby and lacrosse.  His favorite teams to the root for are the Broncos in football and the Yankees in baseball.  When he’s hanging out at home, Dylan enjoys playing Minecraft, Roblox, Splatoon and Super Mario Maker as well as constructing Legos.  When he gets to Canadensis, he is excited for all of the sports, horseback riding and having fun!  Here is a pic…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Dylan.

On Long Island’s South shore, I met Hunter.  Hunter is in the 4th grade and he loves hockey.  He currently plays defense on a travel ice hockey team called the Long Island Gulls.  His favorite hockey team to root for is the Islanders and his favorite player of all time is Wayne Gretzky.  Hunter is also into music and plays the drums.  He enjoys listening to his favorite band Metallica.  Hunters other interests include water sports like surfing and robotics.  When he comes to camp as a Lower Inter boy this summer, he is looking forward to the hondas and quads, going on the overnight, the activities at the lake such as waterskiing and being at camp with his cousins Alexis and Jordan.  Here is a snapshot…

Me and Lower Inter Boy Hunter.

Also on the South shore, I saw Spencer, who will be in our Upper Junior Boys division as he is currently in 3rd grade.  Spencer plays baseball in both the Fall and Spring seasons.  In fact, his Fall team this year won the league championship.  On the diamond, you can typically find him playing shortstop, second base or first base.  In the Winter, Spencer plays on a basketball team, where he is usually the point guard.  He is a big fan of both the Mets and Islanders and can be found attending some Isles games throughout the year.  He also enjoys playing video games like Madden, NBA and NHL.  This summer, he can’t wait for all of the activities at the lake, the inter-camp sports and the evening activities.  Here is a photo…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Spencer.

In Westchester County, NY, I got to chill with the Pollacks, Alex and Carter.  Alex is back for her second summer at camp and his happy to introduce her brother Carter for his first summer.  Carter loves his sports and plays soccer, baseball, flag football and basketball.  He is also testing for his purple belt in karate as well as taking swimming lessons.  On top of all that, he is involved in a mad science afterschool program which he really enjoys.  At home, Carter likes building with Legos and playing video games.  As a Lower Junior boy this summer, he is ready to try the quads, the ropes course, Ice Mountain and woodworking.  Alex, who is now in the 5th grade, plays defense for her travel soccer team, the Rivertowns United Football Club.  She also takes crossfit and tennis lessons.  In the Spring, she will be playing in a softball league.  Alex was also excited to tell me about the Destination Imagination academic team that she is on, which has it’s first competition in March.  As an Upper Inter in Summer 2016, Alex looks forward to the quads, Color War and her brother being at camp.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Carter and Upper Inter Girl Alex.

Also in Westchester County, I got know Spencer, who is in the 3rd grade and will be in our Upper Junior Boys division this summer.  Spencer plays baseball and he was happy to report that he recently made the Armonk travel team.  The positions he plays the most are first base, pitcher, catcher and outfield.  In the Winter, he is playing on a basketball team.  On top of that, he plays tennis, likes to swim and go fishing.  Spencer also likes music, hard rock in particular, and plays the drums.  This summer, Spencer told me that he is excited about the quads, the zipline, being in the lake and Color War.  Here is a picture…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Spencer.

Over the holiday break, I took a drive to Central New Jersey, where I got a chance to hang out with a few new 3rd grade boys who will be joining us at Canadensis for their first summer.

First, I met with Tyler.  Tyler loves soccer and plays midfield and goalie for his travel team, the Marlboro Gunners.  Now in Winter, he plays on a basketball team.  Tyler is a fan of football and enjoys collecting sports cards.  At home, he enjoys Nerf War and playing is X-Box.  Some of his other interests include going fishing and making s’mores when camping.  When he gets to camp in June, Tyler is looking fowrd to making new friends, trying all of the lake activities, the quads and Color War.  Here is a photo…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Tyler.

Next, I spent some time with Jonah.  Jonah likes to play basketball and tennis.  When at home, you could find him playing Minecraft or on his X-Box or watching his favorite TV show “The Ridonculous Race.”  Jonah also enjoys playing board games and chess.  In Winter, you can find Jonah on the slopes as he is an avid skier.  When camp time comes around, Jonah told me that he is ready for activities like parkour, mountain biking, canoeing, the ropes course, canteen and Color War.  Here is a pic…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Jonah.

My trip to Central Jersey finished with a visit to Jeremy’s house.  Jeremy loves baseball and plays shortstop and first base on his travel team, the Marlboro Mustangs, in addition to also playing on his town rec team.  Over the winter, he takes extra time training for his baseball seasons.  He is a sports fan and likes to root for the Mets in baseball and the Packers in football.  When at home, Jeremy plays video games, with his favorites being MLB ’15, Madden and Mario Kart.  At Canadensis, he is eager to get involved in the Canadensis Baseball League, all the activities at the lake and pools and the ropes course.  He is also just looking forward to being away from home for 7 weeks.  Here is a snapshot…

Me and Upper Junior Boy Jeremy.

Finally, it is always great to see campers and staff getting together throughout the year, sometimes even unexpectedly while on vacation.  Here are some pics that were sent to us…

2016 Upper Seniors Sydney, Jake and Jesse saw each other while on vacation in Florida.

Counselor Alex saw her camper Emma while away in Florida.

Boys Bunk 4 from Summer 2015 got together for a day of bowling and were even surprised by their counselor Marshall!

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  Once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

I hope this long overdue blog finds everyone in a wonderful holiday spirit!  Things here the in Winter office are starting shape up in terms of our plans for Summer 2016.

Back in November, our full time team of me, Pam, Matt, Carli and Andrew headed up to Macungie, PA for the Annual Keystone Camp Conference.  Very different from the conference we attend in March in Atlantic City, the Keystone provides a more intimate feel as all attendees stay at the same hotel and share all meals together.  They days away from our office allowed for our year-round team some good bonding time (we took a great hike in the miles of wooded area at the hotel) as well as some nice summertime reflections.  Attending these conferences always gets our creativity going in our plans for the upcoming summer and the workshops we partake in always adds to our expansive knowledge of the camp world.

The Full Time Team on a hike during the conference.

In Early November, the full time Canadensis team left the office for a few days and headed to Macungie, PA and these beautiful grounds for the Keystone Camping Conference.

Because it’s been such a long overdue blog, I personally wanted to thank all of those camp families and staff that attended our JDRF walks in New York City and Philadelphia to help support Type 1 Diabetes research.  These walks really coincided with our Canadensis Values program and is something that we look forward to doing in the years ahead.  So, mark your calendars for 2016 so you can be part of it.  For more info about JDRF, click here.

With the support and contributions of friends and family, the Camp Canadensis team surpassed our goal of $1941 for diabetes research.

Up at camp, there are already a number of renovations, upgrades and improvements going on to the facility.  Several of our Lower Boys bunks are currently receiving some makeovers.  The Outdoor Amphitheater and Stage are receiving a facelift with new decking.  We have also purchased a new motorboat for Lake Lenape as well as a number of new bikes for the Hondas program.  Right next to the Blue Pool, campers in Summer 2016 will be able to enjoy a brand new stonework fire pit for roasting s’mores at campfires.  In the Spring, we will also be making upgrades to the Office Basketball Courts, Spectrum Hockey Rink and High Ropes Course.  Stay tuned!

How cool is this new fire pit?!?! Anyone got a marshmallow?

Now that Fall and soon to be Winter is here, there are of course an update on some of my home visits.  Over the next few weeks and months, I also look forward to meeting and seeing so many new and returning camp families.

In Long Island, I met Ben, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be in our Upper Junior Boys division in Summer 2016.  Ben is a yellow belt in karate and just finished up his flag football season on his team, the Vikings.  When at home, he likes playing video games, his favorite right now being Super Smash Bros, as well as watching WWE wrestling and rooting on the New York Mets.

Me and Upper Junior Boy Ben.

In Plainview, I saw Evan (1st summer; Lower Junior Boy) and Marissa (3rd summer; Upper Inter Girl). Evan has been busy playing soccer and hockey (both ice hockey and deck hockey).  He also enjoys rooting for his favorite sports teams, the New Jersey Devils and Ohio State.  When at home, you might find Evan reading or playing video games.  Marissa, who is constantly in touch with her camp friends almost daily, is also busy with a lot of sport activities.  She is also a fan of the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks.  She also loves to just chill out at home when she has free time.

Me with Lower Junior Evan and Upper Inter Marissa.

The same night, I went over to hang out with Carly, who is in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior this summer.  Carly is involved in the Take a Bow drama program and will soon be performing in “The Little Mermaid.”  She is also an avid ice skater and likes to dance.  When at home, she loves music and singing as well as watching her favorite TV show “Dancing With the Stars.”

Me and Upper Junior Girl Carly.

In Briarcliff Manor, NY, I spent some time getting to know Samantha.  She is in the 4th grade and will be a Lower Inter this upcoming summer.  When she gets to Canadensis, she is really looking forward to the Ropes Course, Swimming, all the activities on the Lake and Horseback Riding.  When at home in the Fall, Winter and Spring, Samantha likes to dance and skateboard.  She also might be found listening to music.  These days, her favorite singer is Adele.

Me and Samantha.

So, the other day, I was going through some of my “Camp Stuff” and I realized that I came home with all of these White team bands from Color War.  Since most of camp is placed on the Blue or Gold teams, the White team bands tend to be somewhat rate and coveted by our campers.  With that in mind, I thought I would use this blog as a time where we could do a BAND CALL.  For those note “in the know,” band call is a Color War activity.  Each camper and staff is given a band of their team’s color to wear on their wrist.  Each summer, we have a Band Call song that can be played at anytime during the day.  When the song is played, everyone must run to a band station and drop their band in the respective bin.  The team with the most bands for that call wins the points.  With that same sentiment in mind, here’s how the BLOG BAND CALL will work.  And, I will do this throughout the year in future blogs, too.  I will give a camp related question here in the blog.  And, the first five campers or staff to reply to my e-mail, which is brian@canadensis.com ,  will have a band sent to them in the mail.  So, for our very first BLOG BAND CALL, here is your camp related question….

ON WHAT DATE THIS SUMMER DID COLOR WAR BREAK?

White Team Band Call Bands will be sent to the first five campers or staff that can correctly answer my BLOG BAND CALL question.

Finally, I wouldn’t be doing a good job on this blog if I failed to mention just how wonderful it was to be part of the PAVE (Pam and Dave) Wedding a few weeks ago.  Seeing my Co-Director Pam and our Senior Boys Head Counselor Dave getting married was truly a wonderful occasion for our Canadensis Family.  The Wedding Weekend was filled with so many amazing festivities.  In short, it was totally Pam and Dave (and, if I’m being honest, more Pam than Dave…Ha Ha!).  Thanks for allowing me to be part of such a memorable weekend.

The beautiful couple…Pam and Dave (aka PAVE).

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  And, I promise, the next blog will be sooner than later.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Camp Canadensis!

It’s Friday, April 24, which means a few things:  (1) Things here at the Canadensis Winter Office are in high gear (and probably the reason for the delay on this blog…ha ha!); (2) Some of our year-round staff (Eric and Matt) are already up at camp, getting things ready for the summer; (3) A lot of parents are hopefully preparing their camp forms and starting the packing process; (4) Our 2015 CITs are getting pumped for their final summers as campers!; (5) There are 64 days until camp!  Woo Hoo!

Lot’s going on here over the past month or so…

First off, congratulations to 2015 Freshman Girl Alexandra Pollak on winning this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Pool.  This summer at one of our first morning line-ups, Alexandra will receive her prize of some Canadensis goodies.  Maybe Alexandra will also share with us her strategy to picking winners!

Congratulations to 2015 Freshman Girl Alexandra Pollak on winning this year’s Camp Canadensis NCAA Basketball Pool!

Just last weekend, we hosted our New Camper Event in Edison, NJ for campers completing Grades 1-4.  This was a great opportunity for kids and parents to meet one another, play some games and eat some pizza!  During the event, we played get to know you games like Catching Bubbles, Kid Trivia, Freeze Frame, Heads or Tails and Human Knot.  It was a fun day and definitely set the tone for Summer 2015!

Lower Girls Head Counselor Melissa Unger playing Human Knot with some of our new Lower Junior Girls for Summer 2015.

In the month of March, our Winter Team made our way down to Atlantic City, NJ for the Annual Tri-State Camp Conference. This conference is attended by more than 3000 individuals from hundreds of different camps.  Our camp creativity really gets going as well all participated in a number of workshops, shopped in the vendor hall and networked with other camping professionals, in our relentless attempt to make the Canadensis Summer an unforgettable experience. The conference was highlighted by its final keynote speaker, who was none other than 2016 Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton.  You can watch her entire speech by clicking here.

In March, our Winter Office attended the 3-day Tri-State Camp Conference in Atlantic City, NJ, which included a Keynote Speech from Hillary Clinton.

While in the vendor hall at the camp conference, we saw this ad, featuring camp’s Ice Mountain and a quote from Director Eric Forti!

A few weeks ago, me, Jaime and Emerson made our way up to camp to see all what was going on with many of our off season projects.  Here are some cool things to show you…

As mentioned in a blog back in the Fall, the Canadensis Rec Hall is getting a makeover. When done the full stage and decking will encompass one side of the building. It will be used for multiple activities.

A new springboard floor for our Gymnastics Program was just recently added. Padding will also be added very soon to complete this project before the summer.

Deck numbers two and three to our Outdoor Amphitheater and Dining Room Back Deck has new Trek decking.

The Spectrum Hockey Rink will be getting a new floor in the form of a multi-sport Sport Court surface, ideal for Roller and Floor Hockey, Basketball and Indoor Soccer. The floor’s center will also so proudly display our Camp Canadensis Indian Head logo. This is a sample tile of the multi-sport floor that will be installed in our Spectrum Rink.

Summer 2015 is camp’s 75th Birthday Summer and we have heard from so many of camp’s alumni, who will be attending our Reunion on June 14.  It’s going to be a great day, reminiscing about past summers and reliving camp experiences.  Plans for the day include:

• Our Pool and Lake will be open for your enjoyment.
• Join us for a hike down memory lane, and a walk around the Lake Trail.
• Our campfire and s’mores station will be open all afternoon.
• The climbing wall will be “rocking”.
• Pick-up games of basketball and kickball, and tennis courts will be open.
• Guided tours let you see the “new” stuff at Canadensis!
• 75th Alumni photo session.
• A “taste of Canadensis” food served all day, including BBQ favorites and the “Cornman”.

For all Alumni that have yet to RSVP to this event, please do so by clicking here.

Register for the Alumni Reunion on June 14!

We hope that many of our camp families will be making it up to camp for our Annual Open House on Sunday, May 31 from 1-4 pm.  The day is a structures one that allows for campers (particularly new campers) to meet one another, the chance to meet some of our amazing staff, a BBQ Lunch, Swimming and Lake Activities, Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, GaGa, Climbing Wall and Art Projects.  For parents, we will have Camp Parenting 101 session as well.

Pam leads a get to know you activity at Open House last year.

Since my last blog, there are many home visits to update you on.  Here we go…

In Livingston, NJ, I saw 4th grader Ben Weinberger, who will be joining us for his first summer at camp as a Lower Inter Boy.  When I saw him, Ben had just finished up his basketball season on his team, the Wildcats.  This Spring, he will be playing both baseball and on his travel soccer team, where he plays both goalie and defense.  Ben really also enjoys fishing and swimming.  Or as he told me, “Anything to do with water.”  When at home, he likes to play X-Box games like FIFA, football and basketball.  He is also a fan of the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers and Nets.  At camp this summer, he is looking forward to all of the activities at the lake, waterskiing, the hondas / quads and making new friends.  Here is a photo…

Me and Lower Inter Boy Ben Weinberger.

In Port Washington, NY, I hung out with Jake Bretstein, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior Boy in 2015.  Jake plays in Flag Football and Basketball leagues.  This Spring, he will be playing pitcher, short stop and second base on two different baseball teams.  He also likes to play hockey.  When at home, you can find him playing games like NHL ’15 and FIFA ’15 as well as rooting for teams like the Mets, Giants, Rangers and Nets.  Jake also told me that he is known for wearing different colored socks.  For his first summer at camp, Jake is excited to try waterskiing, the quads and the sports leagues as well as participating in activities like canteen and Color War.  Here is a picture…

Me and Upper Junior Jake Bretstein.

In Merrick, NY, I spent some time with Maxwell Galdamez (1st grader, Lower Junior Boy) and Morgan Galdamez (4th grader, Lower Inter Girl).  Maxwell told me how he is currently and orange belt in his Tae Kwon Do classes and that he also played in a basketball league.  This Spring, he will be playing in a baseball league.  Maxwell filled me in on one of his new favorite things called Google Cardboard, which is like a virtual reality projector.  He also likes to listen to music.  In his first summer at camp, Maxwell is eager to try basketball, tennis and waterskiing.  As for Morgan, back for her second summer at Canadensis, she is been busy with her Dance Arts program, preparing for a recital in the Spring in which she will be performing a jazz number to a “Little Shop of Horrors” song.  She is also involved in gymnastics.  Morgan wanted to give out shout out to the Girls of Bunk 5 from last summer and said that she has her “confused face” on.  That must be an inside joke.  Morgan has had some camp sleepovers this year and can’t wait to see all of her camp friends in June.  Here is a pic…

Me with Lower Junior Boy Maxwell Galdamez and Lower Inter Girl Morgan Galdamez.

In Melville, NY, I met Max Penzer, who is currently in the 4th grade and will be a Lower Inter Boy this year.  Max is in a really cool Engineering Club, where he was recently participated and won a competition where he had to build an apple cart out of Legos.  Max also loves to go rock climbing.  When at home, he really enjoys taking care of his new pet ferret named Lucky, reading books like “Harry Potter” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and collecting stuffed animals.  In his first summer at camp, Max told me that he will be very excited for activities like archery, all the lake activities, rock climbing, canteen and Color War.  Here is a picture…

Me and Lower Inter Boy Max Penzer.

Also in Melville, NY, I saw David Abrams (2nd grader; Lower Junior Boy) and Sarah Abrams (7th grader; Lower Senior Girl).  David is a very big Minecraft player.  He is also very into Science and told me that he plans to be an inventor one day.  When watching TV, his favorite shows are Lab Rats and The Thundermans on Nickelodeon.  David is an avid reader and enjoys books like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”  For his first summer at Canadensis, he is really looking forward to waterskiing, all the lake activities, fishing and rocketry as well as spending a summer with his big sister once again.  As for Sarah, who is returning for her 5th summer at camp, she has had several get-togethers with camp friends throughout the year.  She wanted to give a shout out to all of the Lower Senior Girls for Summer 2015 and the Girls of Bunk 14 from Summer 2014.  This year, Sarah has been running Cross Country and doing several short distance events on her Track team.  At camp, she is pumped to get her 5 Year Honor Jacket, being on Senior Side and being away from home.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Senior Girl Sarah Abrams and Lower Junior Boy David Abrams.

In Livingston, NJ, it was great to get to know Sami Heumann better.  Sami is currently in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior Girl in her first summer at Canadensis.  Sami is a very busy girl, participating in a wide range of different activities from lacrosse to gymnastics to piano to arts and crafts.  She is also rehearsing at Michelle’s Dance Studio for her recital in May, where she will performing jazz and hip hop routines.  When at home, Sami is known to roast marshmallows (getting ready for the summer) and listening to music, some of her favorites being Maroon 5 and Meghan Trainor.  At camp in 2015, Sami is ready for things like the dance team, banana boat, making new friends, learning new things and no parents (ha ha!).  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Sami Heumann.

In New York City, NY, I was with 3rd grader and Upper Junior Boy Ryan Lamendola.  In the Winter, Ryan played in a basketball league and this Spring, he will be playing baseball.  Ryan and his family enjoy skiing in Vail as well.  He likes Science, build and invent new things when at home.  Furthermore, Ryan is an avid swimmer, likes to bike ride and even has a new found interest in baking.  In his first summer at camp, Ryan is looking forward to the Special Thursdays at camp, COALS, the quads / hondas and all the activities at the lake, including Ice Mountain.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Ryan Lamendola.

In Tenafly, NJ, I got together with Ava Selver (3rd grader; Upper Junior Girl) and Max Selver (5th grader; Upper Inter Boy).  This Spring, Ava will be playing on a travel softball team, the Tenafly Tigers.  This Winter, she played in two different basketball leagues.  Currently, she is also rehearsing for her hip hop and jazz routines as part of an upcoming dance recital.  On top of all that, Ava takes art classes, figure skates and loves going on Instagram.  When she gets to Canadensis in her first summer, she is ready for all of the lake activities, the dance team, Color War, making new friends and being away from her parents.  As for Max, who is back for his 3rd summer at camp, he plays defense all year round on the Englewood Field Club Ice Hockey Team.  Max also takes painting classes and has recently been inspired by painter Ann Neely in his recent work.  Very soon, he will be starting a DJ class in New York City.  Max takes tennis lessons as well.  He has been in touch with his camp bunkmates and wanted to say “Taco Cat” to all of them (an inside joke apparently).  This summer, he is once again excited for activities such as the CHL, private tennis lessons, Color War and the pottery wheel.  He is also excited to have his sister at camp with him.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girl Ava Selver and Upper Inter Boy Max Selver.

In Merrick, NY, I met up with Dylan Lipman.  Dylan is currently in 6th grade and will be in the Freshman Boys division at Canadensis this summer.  He really enjoys skiing in the Winter and travels a lot to Windham Mountain.  Dylan is also very active in the STEM Education Program.  When older, Dylan envisions being a pilot and he showed me a flight simulation game he plays often, where it feels like he is actually flying a real airplane.  On top of all that, he likes many different aspects of technology and likes to make his own movies.  When he comes to camp in June, he is very eager to go on the hondas and banana boat and try activities like cooking, pottery and the rock wall.  Here is a photo…

Me with Freshman Boy Dylan Lipman.

In Merrick, NY, I also saw Justin Baron, who is currently in the 6th grade and will be joining us for his first summer as part of the Freshman Boys division.  In the Winter, Justin plays in the Merrick-Bellmore Basketball League as well as on a travel basketball team.  In the Spring and Fall, the he plays on a soccer team.  On top of that, he plays lacrosse for the Long Island Jesters.  Justin also enjoys hockey and roots for the New York Islanders.  When there is snow on the ground, you will find him skiing and snowmobiling.  When at home, Justin is interested in technology, airplanes and cars.  At camp in 2015, he is ready to meet new friends and have a great time!  Here is a picture…

Me with Freshman Boy Justin Baron.

In Westfield, NJ, I got to hang out with Josh and Jack Singer.  Both are joining us at camp for their first summer at Canadensis.  Jack is in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior Boy while Josh is in the 2nd grade and will be a Lower Junior Boy.  Throughout the year, both boys play a lot of different sports including flag football, ice hockey, basketball and baseball.  Both enjoy playing video games, too.  Jack’s favorites are NBA 2K15 and Madden while Josh likes NHL and Minecraft.  Josh and Jack both like to read.  When it comes to their favorite sports teams, Jack roots for the Jets, Knicks, Yankees and Devils while Josh is a fan of the Flyers, Phillies, 76ers and Eagles.  When Jack gets to camp, he is looking forward to the hondas / quads, climbing wall and COALS while Josh is eager to get involved in the climbing wall, zipline, COALS, hockey and football.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Jack Singer (center) and Lower Junior Boy Josh Singer (right).

In Potomac, MD, I spent time with Caitlyn McCabe, who is currently in the 6th grade and will be joining us as part of our Freshman Girls division in 2015.  Currently, Caitlyn is playing attack on her lacrosse team.  Recently, she just finished up playing in her basketball season.  She is also extremely busy rehearsing routines in hip hop, jazz, street jazz, lyrical and ballet for dance as part of her Impact Performing Arts Company, where she is on a competitive team and performing in an upcoming recital.  She joked that she could be found “spinning around the house” to rehearse as well.  Caitlyn likes to take photos and is a self-admitted shopaholic who is obsessed with shoes.  Her other obsession is Nutella.  When she gets to Canadensis in her first summer, she can’t wait to meet a whole bunch of new people.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Freshman Girl Caitlyn McCabe.

Also in Potomac, MD, I was with Liam Klein (4th grade; Lower Inter Boy) and Jessica Klein (6th grader; Freshman Girl).  Liam plays baseball in both the Fall and Spring months and plays a wide array of positions, including second base, shortstop, third base and pitcher.  In the Winter, you will also find him training for baseball at indoor facilities, but during those months, he also plays on two basketball teams.  When the weather is nice outside, you can also find him fishing on the Chesapeake Bay.  Liam is a fan of the Red Sox, Nationals, Giants, Celtics, Wizards and the University of Michigan teams.  At camp in his first summer, he is really excited for the hondas, rocketry, fishing, baseball and playing in the CBL, basketball, waterskiing and Color War.  As for Jessica, she has been on a championship run as her Soccer Team, the Hoover Middle School won their second divisional title in a row.  Jessica played goalie on the team.  In Basketball season, she won a championship again with her Hoover team.  Over the holiday season, Jessica danced “The Nutcracker” as part of the Washington Ballet.  Jessica wanted to give a shout out to all of the girls in Bunk 11 from Summer 2014.  She can’t wait to have an awesome summer again, which will be her 4th at Canadensis.  She is looking forward to her Hershey Park trip and having her brother at camp.  Her is a picture…

Me with Lower Inter boy Liam Klein and Freshman Girl Jessica Klein.

In Brookville, MD, I stopped by to see the Hesse Family where I got to see Ben Hesse, Lauren Hesse and Emily Hesse.  All three are very busy with their sports seasons.  Currently, Ben is playing high school baseball and Lauren and Emily are playing softball.  In Summer 2015, Ben will be joining the ranks of our staff as a JC (Junior Counselor) while Lauren and Emily will be in the Upper Senior Girls division.  All three Hesses are returning for their fourth summers at Canadensis.  Here is a photo…

Me with JC Ben Hesse and Upper Senior Girls Lauren Hesse and Emily Hesse.

Finally, you know camp is coming soon when even the Empire State Building is lit up in Camp Canadensis Blue and Gold!

Thanks to the Fromer Family, who sent us this picture of the Empire State Building lit up in camp colors.

Well, that completes my Friday Blow Out Blog!  Thanks for reading!  See you soon!

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis…

As the saying goes, the month of March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb.  I can only hope this holds true this year.  This winter has been pretty chilly, so I’m sure hoping that the weather outside can at least start to make me think that Summer 2015 is soon upon us.  I know it’s been quite some time since my last blog post, but life in the Canadensis Winter Office has been super busy over the past few months.  Just recently, I “hit the road” on one of our many Winter recruitment weeks.  I had the pleasure of travelling to upstate New York and experience some lovely temperatures, which at one one point reached -33-degrees.  Wow, that’s cold!  However, along the way, I got to see some of our amazing staff from summers past, including Emily Schmeichel (Alfred University); Jake Asman, Maggie Maurice and Mike Levien (Ithaca College); and Paige Gindi (Binghamton University).  Here are some pictures from my visits…

Me and Jake Asman on the campus of Ithaca College.

Me and Paige Gindi had dinner at Tully’s near the campus of Binghamton University.

A few weekends ago, we also had our Leadership Weekend, which is where we have many of our leadership staff come in for two days to talk all things camp.  This “meeting of the minds” is something that really kicks off many of the ideas for the upcoming summer.  We discuss everything from new activity and program ideas to ways of improving the camp day to facility updates.  We also had a great team building exercise to learn about our working personalities.  At night, we took the team out to a cooking class, where we made our own dinner.  Here are some pictures from the weekend…

The Leadership Team takes a break from talking all things camp.

Here is the 2015 Leadership Team.

Making our own dinner.

Pete, Pam, Cara and Robin making crab cakes. Yum.

Dave and Eric making some veggies.

Just recently, we opened up registration for enrollment to our 75th Summer Alumni Reunion.  We cannot believe all of the responses so far.  It looks like we will have campers and counselors from most, if not all, decades present at this amazing event on Sunday, June 14 from 12:00-5:00 pm.  If you haven’t registered already, you can do so by clicking here.

Summer 2015 marks camp’s 75th Summer. To celebrate, we are having an Alumni Reunion on Sunday, June 14 at camp!

With so much time having passed since my last blog, here are some home visits to update everyone on…

In New York City, I hung out with Max and Zach Ehrlich, who are both in the 3rd grade and will be part of our Upper Junior Boys division this summer.  Max and Zach are also 2nd generation Canadensis campers as dad Justin attended as a camper.  In the Spring, Max will be playing baseball.  He also plays flag football.  When at home, he enjoys playing Madden Football on his iPad.  Max told me that his favorite movie is “Million Dollar Arm.”  When he gets to camp this Summer, he is really looking forward to Flag Football, the Hondas, Waterslides and Tubing.  As for Zach, when Spring rolls around, he will be playing in the Chelsea Piers Soccer Club, playing defense.  Right now, in Winter, he plays Futsol.  When at home you can find him rooting for his favorite teams, the Barcelona Soccer Team or the Seattle Seahawks.  At camp this year, he can’t wait for the Quads and Hondas, the Waterslides and Flag Football.  Here is a photo…

Me with Upper Junior Boys Zach and Max Ehrlich.

In New York City, I also spent some time with Eli Goldman.  Eli is in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior in 2015.  In the Winter months, he plays on a basketball team.  But, as soon as the weather warms up, he will move into baseball.  Eli loves to root for his favorite teams, which are all of the New York teams such as the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, Nets and Rangers.  Eli also enjoys hanging out with friends and family as well as watching some of his favorite TV shows on the Cartoon Network and Food Network.  For his first summer at Canadensis, Eli told me that he can’t wait for all of the sports at camp, making new friends and decorating his area.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Eli Goldman.

In Syosset, NY, I saw Jack and Molly Cohen.  Jack is back for his 3rd summer at camp as an Upper Inter boy and is happy to introduce his sister Molly, who will be joining us for her first summer as a Lower Junior girl.  Molly, currently in 2nd grade, is a competitive ice skater and figure skates in a number of shows.  She also likes to do art, watch movies and build Legos.  She also is involved in Girls Scouts, takes dance classes and does yoga.  In the Winter months, Molly told me that she enjoys building snowmen.  At camp this year, she is ready to try activities like Ceramics, the Waterslides at the Pool and the Banana Boat at the Lake.  As for Jack, now in 5th grade, he is busy with two travel basketball teams where he plays guard on the Syosset Braves and the AAU Lightning.  In the Fall and Spring, he plays WR in Flag Football leagues.  Jack also wanted to give a shout out to the Boys of Bunk 8 from Summer 2014.  At camp in 2015, Jack can’t wait for the IBL (Inter Basketball League), the Lake, Color War and seeing all his friends.  Here is a picture…

Me with Lower Junior Girl Molly Cohen and Upper Inter Boy Jack Cohen. We are holding up our Canadensis “C’s.”

In Short Hills, NJ, I got to know Samantha Rose, who is a 2nd generation Canadensis Camper as her dad Scott and two uncles attended camp back in the day.  Samantha is in the 2nd grade and will be a Lower Junior this summer.  She likes to play tennis all year round.  In the Fall, she played on a soccer team.  In the Spring, she will be playing on a softball team.  She likes all sports, but also enjoys arts and crafts, playing on the Wii, as well as playing board games like Monopoly and chess.  Samantha roots for her favorite team, the New York Yankees.  When enjoying some quiet time, she likes to read books, preferably biographies or anything from the Junie B. Jones series.  This summer, Samantha let me know that she is really looking forward to making new friends, playing Basketball, Waterskiing, Rock Climbing and going out for the Camp Show.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Lower Junior Samantha Rose.

In Syosset, NY, I got to meet Ava Graff, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be joining our Upper Junior Girls division in Summer 2015.  Ava is very busy right now with her ballet and jazz dance as she is rehearsing for a recital in the Spring.  She is also taking an acting class called “Stage to Screen.”  On top of all that, she plays the piano.  In the Spring, she will also be playing softball.  When at home, Ava can be found doing art projects, drawing or listening to her favorite music like Arianna Grande, Taylor Swift and One Direction.  Ava also let me know that she is very involved with raising money for causes such as ALS and Canine Companions.  This summer Ava is excited for Swimming, being in the Camp Show, all of the Lake activities and making new friends.  Here is a picture…

Me with Upper Junior Girls Ava Graff.

In Syosset, NY, I also saw Darren and Jordyn Weinstein.  Darren joins us for his first summer as an Upper Junior boy and is happy to join his big sister Jordyn, who returns for her 4th Summer at Canadensis as a Lower Senior girl.  Currently in 3rd grade, Darren plays in the Syosset Basketball League.  In the Fall and Spring, he plays flag football.  He also plays on lacrosse and soccer teams.  When at home, Darren enjoys playing Minecraft, Clash of Clans and Madden 2015 video games.  When he comes to camp, he can’t wait for Football, Basketball, Color War and Canteen.  Jordyn, who is now in 7th grade, has been seeing all of her camp friends on the Bar and Bat Mitzvah circuit this year.  Jordyn wanted to give a shout out to all of the Lower Senior Girls for Summer 2015.  She is also very busy with her competitive dance teams in hip hop, jazz, lyrical, ballet and tap.  Her competition season is already underway.   Finally, Jordyn plays on her school volleyball team.  This summer, Jordyn is ready for all of the great stuff ahead of her on Senior side, including her trip to Lake Placid.  She is also happy to have her brother at camp.  Here is a photo…

Me with Lower Senior Girl Jordyn Weinstein and Upper Junior Boy Darren Weinstein.

In Syosset, NY, I also go to see Jack Bahrenburg, who will be joining our Upper Junior Boys division as a current 3rd grader.  Jack plays a lot of ice hockey in Syosset Hockey League where he plays both left wing and left defense.  In the Spring, he will also be playing baseball.  On top of that, Jack takes tennis lessons.  Jack is musical, too, and plays both the violin and piano.  When at home, you can find him rooting on his favorite teams, the Islanders and Mets, as well as playing NHL ’15 on his X-Box.  In his first summer at Canadensis, Jack is looking forward to Waterskiing, the CHL and meeting new friends.  Here is a pic…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Jack Bahrenburg.

In Plainview, NY, I got to know Max Marcus.  Currently in the 3rd grade, Max will be in our Upper Junior Boys division in his first summer at camp.  These days, he is playing in the Plainview Basketball League on his team, the Thunder.  In the Spring, he will play both baseball and soccer.  In the Fall, he plays soccer and flag football.  At home, you will find him dunking on his bedroom basketball hoop as well as rooting for his favorite sports teams, the Giants, Mets, Nets and Rangers.  When I asked Max what he is looking forward to the most this summer, Max enthusiastically responded, “It’s camp!  I’m looking forward to everything!”  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Upper Junior Boy Max Marcus.

Finally, here was a great photo I received from some of our 2015 Lower Inter Girls that recently had a sleepover.  It was nice to see that they had a special guest appearance from counselor Lindsay Gelber.

Some 2015 Lower Inter Girls staying up late on a camp sleepover.

Some of our Upper Junior Girls for Summer 2015 got together recently at a 76ers basketball game…

Misha Cohen, Ava Krasin and Kylie Rubin are court side at a 76ers game.

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  More to come soon.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Camp Canadensis!

Happy New Year!  I hope this blog has everyone that attended camp in Summer 2014 excited for our annual reunion this weekend!  I can’t wait to see everyone.  Our new location is perfect for this event.  For two hours, the place will solely be ours and it is packed with great games and rides.  Of course, I can’t wait to hear just what everyone has been up to since camp ended in August last year.  From what I’ve heard, many of you are coming.  I’ve even got word that a number of our amazing staff will be able to make it!

Things here at the camp office have started to kick into high hear with the calendar turning over to ’15.  Me, Eric, Pam, Cara and Matt have started to get out on the road or will be going out very soon to do our staff hiring.  Eric just got back from Australia and New Zealand.  Matt was in Eastern Europe hiring our support staff.  Me, Pam and Cara will be hitting a number of spots in the U.S., trying to hire some of the best new counselors out there.  Of course, if you know of anyone that would be a great counselor, which in our opinion is someone that could be a “Mature Goofball,” please have them complete an online application on our website.  Or, by clicking here.  Of course, we are happy to let you know that we also have so many counselors returning for another summer.  If you are one of those staff that are “still on the fence” about returning, please try to touch base with us as soon as possible to let us know if you can make it back for another amazing summer.  Spots are going quick!

For those that didn’t know, February 1 is I HEART CAMP DAY!  Have you ever mentioned camp to someone you’ve met and seen how their eyes suddenly light up? Did this then lead to a lively conversation loaded with camp memories? Perhaps you recounted kayaking on the lake, playing capture the flag, going on wild scavenger hunts, meeting your best friend, or singing incredibly silly songs. Although there may be people in your life that do not understand your camp love, the people at I HEART CAMP do understand. In fact, the people at I HEART CAMP have a website to allow to share your love of camp, beginning on February 1, 2015. For more about how you can find others that share their love of camp as much as you, go to the I HEART CAMP website by clicking here.

February 1 is I HEART CAMP DAY.

For all of our 2015 camp families, our first mailing for Summer 2015 left our Winter office this week.  This mailing predominantly deals with camp shopping.  In the mailing, you will find our official camp catalog.  Some cool new items this year, too!  Please be on the look out for it.  For new families, if you have any questions about camp packing, be sure to get in touch with us.  We are happy to answer any questions you might have.

The new camp clothing catalog, from our official camp supplier The Camp Spot, should be arriving shortly.

As many of you know, outside of my family and my love for camp, I love football.  I am really looking forward to the Super Bowl next weekend!  And, it’s officially the last time I can break out my tailgating grill to cook up some delicious steak tips before we put it away until next year in September.  What a game it should be!  Who do you like in this year’s match-up?!  The Seahawks?  The Patriots?  If you send me an e-mail, guessing the winner and the correct score, I’ll send you a camp T-Shirt.  Good luck!

Pick this year’s Super Bowl winner with the score and win a camp shirt!  E-Mail me at brian@canadensis.com

In this blog, so many home visits to tell you about…

In Narbeth, PA, I saw the Reisners…Anna, Lindsay and William!  Anna, who is back for her 4th summer, and Lindsay, returning for her 3rd summer, are thrilled that brother William will be joining them for his first summer at Camp Canadensis.  William, currently in 2nd grade, will be a Lower Junior in Summer 2015.  William plays flag football and baseball as well as currently playing in a basketball league.  In the Winter, he enjoys going skiing.  William also let me know that he is a big Lego builder.  At camp this year, he can’t wait for archery, the quads, mountain biking and gaga.  Now in 6th grade, Anna plays softball in the Fall and Spring and basketball in the Winter.  This time of year, you will also find her skiing.  Anna wanted to give a shout out to her camp sisters of Summer 2014’s Bunk 10 and wanted to let them know that she misses “Ammy the Bike.”  As a Freshman this upcoming Summer, Anna is pumped for her Hershey trip and Color War.  Lindsay, who is now in the 5th grade, plays soccer in the Fall and Spring while skiing in the Winter months.  She also wanted to give a shout out to her bunkmates from Summer 2014’s Bunk 8 and wanted to them to remember “Febreze.”  For the upcoming summer at camp, where she will be an Upper Inter, Lindsay looks forward to her out of camp trips and having her brother at camp.  Here is a picture…

Me with William, Lindsay and Anna Reisner.

In Bellmore, NY, I saw Jordyn Sherman (currently in 6th grade) and Carly Sherman (currently in 2nd grade).  Jordyn is back for Summer number 2 as part of our Freshman division while Carly joins us for her first summer in the Lower Junior Girls group.  In the Fall, Carly played on a soccer team called the Rock Stars.  All year long, she is involved in gymnastics classes at Platinum Athletics.  She also loves arts and crafts, watching movies (her favorite is “Elf”), playing tennis and collecting Shopkins.  When she comes to camp, she is so ready for things like gaga, making s’mores at campfires, eating waffles and ice cream for breakfast and having her birthday at camp.  Since camp ended last year, Jordyn has seen her camp friends several times.  She wanted to give a shout out to the Girls of Bunk 11 from Summer 2014 and had the message of “Soy salty” that she wanted to say to them.  Jordyn plays tennis, hangs out with friends throughout the year as well.  She is really looking forward to the camp reunion.  In Summer 2015, Jordyn can’t wait for her Hershey Park trip and Color War.  Here is a photo…

Me with Jordyn and Carly Sherman.

In Merrick, NY, I spent some time with the Liebermans…Adam, Bradley and Sarah, all who will be at camp this summer.  Adam (currently in 6th grade and a Freshman for Summer 2015) and Bradley (currently in 5th grade and an Upper Inter for Summer 2015) are back for their second summers while sister Sarah (currently in 2nd grade and a Lower Junior for Summer 2015) joins us for her first summer at Canadensis.  Sarah plays on a soccer team in both the Fall and Spring months.  In the Winter, she is on a basketball team.  When at home, Sarah enjoys watching her favorite TV show “Zoey 101” and listening to music.  When she gets to camp in June, she is ready to have a whole lot of fun and meet new friends.  Adam is currently on two basketball teams, including his travel team, the Cougars.  In the Fall, he was on a soccer team, the Gunners.  When Spring rolls around, you will find him playing baseball on his travel team, the Cyclones.  Adam can’t wait for Summer 2015 to get here when he gets to live on Freshman Hill.  He wanted to say hello to all of his buddies from Summer 2014’s Bunk 12.  Bradley is also on two basketball teams this Winter.  In both the Fall and Spring, it’s baseball season for Bradley.  He wanted to give a shout out to his camp crew, Summer 2014’s Bunk 7.  For Summer 2015, Bradley is psyched about hondas and playing in the CBL and IBL sports leagues.  Here is a a pic…

(From L to R): Me with Bradley, Adam and Sarah Lieberman.

In Armonk, NY, I got to hang out with Michael Solow, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be part of our Upper Junior Boys division this summer.  Michael currently plays on a travel basketball team, the Greenwich Stars.  In the Fall, he played second base and pitcher on a travel baseball team.  In the Spring, it will be baseball season again when he plays in the ABC League.  When at home, Michael enjoys watching sports and rooting for his favorite teams such as the New York Giants, Knicks, Mets and Syracuse Orange as well as playing X-Box and wii video games.  When he comes to Canadensis for his first summer, Michael is looking forward to all of the sports at camp as well as all of the lake activities.  Here is a photo…

Me with Michael Solow.

In Syosset, NY, I got to know Jossie Freedman, who is currently in the 4th grade.  Jossie really enjoys performing.  She sings in her school chorus and soon will be part of her school’s Winter Concert.  Jossie also let me know that she will soon star as Ms. Hannigan in the “Stars of Tomorrow” performance of “Annie.”  Jossie also plays in a basketball league on her team called the Purple Donuts and plays tennis.  When she is hanging out at home with friends and family, she loves listening to music.  Her favorites are tunes by Meghan Trainor and Taylor Swift.  She can also be found playing games like Clue, cards and Just Dance on the wii.  When I asked her what she is looking forward to in her first summer camp as part of the Lower Inter Girls division, Jossie replied, “Everything!”  In particular, she is excited to be in the camp show and go banana boating.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Jossie Freedman.

In Plainview, NY, I got to hang out with Dylan and Bailey Germain.  Dylan will be in the Upper Junior Boys division in his first summer while Bailey returns for her fourth summer as part of our Freshman Girls division.  Currently in 3rd grade, Dylan plays and trains for baseball all year round and enjoys playing second base.  In the Winter, he plays in a basketball league.  On top of all that, he takes tennis lessons and works with a swimming coach.  When at home, Dylan enjoys rooting for his favorite sports teams, the Islanders, Mets, Jets and Nets as well as watching his favorite TV shows such as “Survivor” and “Worst Cooks in America.”  When he gets to camp, Dylan let me know that he is particularly looking forward to the water slides, cooking, the lake and all the sports as well as getting to meet new friends.  As for Bailey, now in the 6th grade, she has been busy with dance, dance and more dance.  She is currently on a competitive dance team and is rehearsing routines in hip hop, jazz and tap.  Recently, she was selected to rehearse in a trio routine and will be showing that performance in an upcoming competition.  She is also playing in a basketball league.  But, Bailey has made some time since camp to see as many camp friends as possible, although she is constantly talking to them online and in texts.  She also wanted to give a shout out to the Girls of Bunk 11 from Summer 2014 and let them also know to remember “Soy salty.”  She is really excited to have both her brother and cousin at camp this year for the first time as well as going on the Hershey trip.  Bailey also let me know that “every summer at camp is all about your friends.”  Here is a picture…

Me with Bailey and Dylan Germain.

In New York City, I got know Rebecca Hacker, who is currently in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior girl in 2015.  Rebecca likes to do a lot of things from rollerblading in the park to playing basketball and indoor soccer (known as Futsol),  On top of that, when shes at home she loves learning magic tricks, doing science experiments and making cool things on her rainbow loom.  She also loves watching TV shows on the Food Network and HGTV.  Finally, Rebecca let me know that in March, she will be playing a grandparent, a detective and an oompa loompa in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”  When she comes to camp for her first summer this year, she is looking forward to going camping, waterskiing, ziplining and rock climbing.  Here is a a photo…

Me with Rebecca Hacker.

Also in New York City, I met up with 4th grader Jonah Saltzman.  Jonah will be a Lower Inter at camp in his first summer.  He is a busy guy.  In the Spring, he plays baseball.  In the Fall and Spring, he plays soccer.  In the Fall, he also plays flag football.  On top of all that, he plays lacrosse.  Jonah is a big fan of college football, the Yankees and NASCAR.  He also let me know that he enjoys learning about different cars and enjoys technology.  Jonah told me that one day he could see himself being a sportscaster on television.  When at home, he likes to play Minecraft and games on X-Box.  At camp in 2015, Jonah is excited about the quads and hondas, soccer, gaga and just being outside.  He also mentioned that he is thrilled that there is no homework at camp.  Here is a pic…

Me with Jonah Saltzman.

In Westfield, NJ, I spent time with Jacob Hafer.  Jacob is in the 3rd grade and will be an Upper Junior is his first summer in 2015.  In the Fall, Jacob plays in a soccer league.  This time of year, he is in a basketball league.  And, come Spring, he will be in a baseball league, where he likes to play second base and shortstop.  On top of all that, he plays lacrosse and tennis.  In the past year, Jacob has also started to take guitar lessons.  When at home, Jacob likes to watch TV shows and root on his favorite teams, the New York Giants and Yankees.  When he gets to camp, Jacob can’t wait to try waterskiing, the quads and playing in the Canadensis Baseball League.  Here is a snapshot…

Me with Jacob Hafer.

Finally, here are some great reunions and get togethers we learned took place over the past few weeks.

Some of our Upper Junior Boys for Summer 2015. From L to R: Wyatt Weiner, Jared Rutman, Griffin Kades, Matthew Moskow and Hayden Picker.

Cousins on vacation. From L to R: Sasha Marcus, Bailey Germain and Dylan Germain on New Year’s Eve.

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  More to come soon.  Looking forward to seeing as many Canadensis campers and staff on Sunday!

Have a great day!

-Brian