This week, Director of Girls Camp Bethany Wise shares what our friends at West Camp have been up to!

Session A of Miniwanca is already more than halfway over, and time has flown!

During our first week of Session A, Girls Camp welcomed 26 one-week campers, nearly all of whom were first time Miniwancans. We also brought in 43 three-week campers who have provided guidance to new campers and brought so much positive energy into camp. Campers got to experience a variety of interest groups and enjoyed some of our most loved Night’s Doings. Girls Camp quads also teamed up with their Boys Camp counterparts for an epic capture the flag game!

After sending our one-weekers home, we welcomed 46 more two-week campers into our community and really hit the ground running with a lot of special events. On July 4, Girls Campers had the chance to participate in our annual Pajama Polar Bear and run into Lake Michigan at 7 a.m. They also completed a 5k walk/run, played on the beach, and ate all the watermelon we could find.

We celebrated another round of quad games with Boys Camp and found some time to rest and recharge going into our final week of the session. This week, we also said happy trails to our Voyageur, Adventurer, Explorer, and Trailblazer trips. Each trip will be gone for different durations, and we can’t wait to welcome them home and hear about all their adventures!

 

As a first time Miniwancan myself, this first session has been a powerful learning experience. Getting to know all the beautiful traditions of Miniwanca can sometimes feel daunting, but each day I feel more and more connected to the history of this community. A camper told me she was a sixth-generation camper at Miniwanca! That is a beautiful legacy to carry on.

I am also deeply grateful to all the amazing volunteers who have been onsite, providing guidance and support for our campers and staff. They have been helping with everything from playing tetherball and nine-square with campers, to organizing quad and Polar Bear shirts, to leading songs in our fire circles. Their presence throughout camp is such a powerful reminder to our campers of what it means to be a Miniwanca camper not just for a few years while you’re young, but for life.