A Colour War Dress-Up Challenge

Colour War is a special event that occurs at many summer day and residential camps. The entire camp is sorted into teams, each assigned to a colour, and the teams compete in various challenges to earn points. Exactly how, when, and under what conditions colour war happens varies greatly from camp to camp.

At MKDC, our colour war dates are preset on our calendar, but the themes are kept top-secret. On the Thursday prior to each colour war, the staff surprise our campers with a skit that reveals the next day’s theme. Campers are then assigned to their colour for the following day. Part of the fun is that the campers can dress in their team colour, or dress up according to the theme and try to win Best Dressed and earn extra points for their team.

Teams earn points in a variety of team and individual events, all based around the theme. Teams also earn points by creating a team logo/flag and cheer. We keep the emphasis on team building and fun by awarding additional points for good sportsmanship and spirit.

Colour War days are not only an exciting way to end the week, they are also an excellent opportunity for campers of different ages to play together, and for older campers to gain leadership experience.

We understand that it can be nerve-wracking for kids to come to camp on the first day. A new place, new faces, and fear of the unknown can make first-time campers (and parents!) feel nervous and unsure. It’s natural!

For summer 2010, we are introducing two new camp features that we hope will help to make the camp transition easier for everyone.

First, all registered camp families will receive a phone call from their child’s senior counselor in the weeks leading up to the start of camp. This phone call will provide an opportunity to ask any questions that may come up, as well as provide you with additional information, such as the first names of your child’s counselors.

Secondly, MKDC will be hosting an open house during pre-camp (the week before the camp season begins). Families who attend the open house can tour the facilities, meet their child’s counselors, and take a look at their group schedule.

By creating more opportunities for communication between camp and our camper families, we hope to decrease anxiety and help our campers to feel excited, not nervous, about camp!

Hanna, Counselor-In-Training

It is so exciting to have young, promising role models who are slowly making their way up the staff ladder! Hanna worked very hard last summer as a volunteer LIT and we are very pleased to have her back for Summer 2010 as a Counselor-In-Training. In addition to being very talented with arts and crafts, Hanna is a very calm and fun-loving person to have around, and she will be a wonderful addition to our Sprouts/Shoots staff. Welcome back, Hanna!

We are always looking for new and exciting energizers to add to our morning flag line-up. I’m already thinking up a list of songs that would go in the camp version… any requests?

It is always exciting this time of year, as I receive confirmations from our returning staff and begin putting together our staff for the coming summer. Here is the first of our Camp Staff 2010 bios!

Courtenay, our Head Counselor

Courtenay is a self-proclaimed camp “lifer” who previously worked at Grippen Lake Camp and Camp Iawha before joining the Maple Key staff in 2009 as our Sprouts Sr. Counselor. In addition to her considerable camp experience, she is also an elementary teacher and brings a wealth of new ideas and energy to everything she does.

As 2010 Head Counselor, Courtenay will have a leadership role among the staff and will help plan special events. She will continue to work with a group of campers (age group yet to be determined) but will also spend some of her time leading training sessions for LITs and providing ideas and support to other counselors. When you arrive at camp to drop off or pick up your child, Courtenay will be the staff member there to greet you.

Welcome back, Courtenay!

Here’s a little gift for my returning staff, as well as past and present MKDC campers… can you think of any more? Comment below to add your own!

You Know You’re A Camp Person If…

• Everything you own has your initials on it.
• Most of your stories start with “and then there was this time at camp….”
• Sharpies, pens and duct tape are worth more than gold.
• You can make up a song/cheer about anything.
• For Staff: You feel naked without a Walkie-Talkie strapped to your body.
• You have started a collection of outfits for possible colour war themes.
• Your year only has two seasons – Summer and Non-Summer.
• You know how to whip up your own playdough… in case of emergency!
• Everyone in your family wears jewelry that you made at camp

The interviews are the most important part of our hiring process for camp staff. This is when we really get a feel for who you are as an individual, and get an idea of how you might fit into our camp family. I know going to a job interview can be intimidating, but it is important to remember that we want you to do well, too. Good interviews are much more pleasant for everyone! Here are some tips for how you can prepare for your interview with us.

1. Think carefully about why you want to work at camp. Camp is much more than a job for me, and I want to work with people who feel the same way. Be prepared to discuss why working at camp is a good fit for you.
2. Please take the time to browse our website (if you are reading this, it’s a good sign!) and find out more about us before you come to the interview. Not only does it help you focus your answers to the questions we will ask, but it also helps you decide if you are a good fit for the type of program we run.
3. If you have any questions about our camp, please feel free to write them down and bring them with you. I want to make sure you have all the information you need before you decide if you want to work with us.
4. Be prepared and on time. There is no quicker way to set a bad impression than showing up late.
5. Be ready to tell us (in detail!) about your previous experiences working with children.
6. Most importantly, come prepared to show your personality. We are looking for outgoing, interesting, confident counselors.

When our campers graduate from our regular program, those who are interested in taking their camp experience to the next level are encouraged to apply for the MKDC leadership program. First is the Leader-In-Training (LIT) position, which helps campers to gain experience as a role model for our younger campers while building valuable life skills. Fifteen year olds who have successfully completed the LIT program will be invited to become Counselors-In-Training. CITs perform many of the duties of a Jr. Counselor while continuing to receive guidance and training.

Besides having the opportunity to continue to grow and have fun at camp, there are many benefits to MKDC’s leadership program:

1. For a kid who has grown up at camp, becoming an LIT is an opportunity to discover the other side of camp life – to experience some of the planning that goes on behind the scenes to make camp magic happen. Taking part in the staff secrets behind such events as colour war is an exciting feeling for former campers.
2. Young teens (13-15) aren’t old enough for most jobs yet, but are feeling the pressure to begin building job experience. Camp leadership training provides them with valuable job experience and skills they can put on their resume. CITs who successfully complete the program also have a “foot in the door” to becoming a future full staff member at Maple Key.
3. LITs learn a variety of important life skills while they are at camp. Empathy, responsibility, confidence, and teamwork are all heavily emphasized at in the leadership program. Whether LITs plan to become camp counselors or not, these skills will serve them well in both their work and personal lives.
4. All Leaders-In-Training receive a formal evaluation at the end of the summer, in addition to regular check-in points throughout the camp session. This encourages real growth in a short period of time, as well as providing a written evaluation that can be kept in the LITs portfolio and used as a written letter of reference.
5. Being an LIT is fun! Leaders-In-Training get to continue to participate in the camp activities they love, plus take on special responsibilities such as refereeing the (very funny!) counselor hunt. Isn’t that better than sitting at home?

With the holidays barely behind us, for most campers and parents the summer probably seems a long way off. For us camp directors though, the planning and hard work has already started. Scheduling, staff recruitment, and program planning are all very much underway. This YouTube video is a great illustration of just how soon summer will return to us.

Our winter newsletter and march break registration package were mailed out on Friday. Did you receive yours? Please comment and let us know. If you do not receive a package and would like one, please contact us.